British Airways Staff Strike Over Pay Dispute

Following a breakdown in pay talks between the company and union representatives, cabin crew staff of British Airways have proceeded on a strike.

 

British Airways cabin crew launched a two-week strike on Saturday as part of a long-running pay dispute with the airline.
British Airways The “Mixed Fleet’’ crew, who worked on long- and short-haul flights and are based at London’s Heathrow airport, are set to stay off the job until July 16.
The strike came after a recent breakdown in pay talks between the company and union representatives.
The Unite union said that employees in the “Mixed Fleet’’ category, which was created by British Airways in 2010, received lower pay and less generous terms than other crew members. British Airways said that the pay is in line with its competitors.
While Britain’s busiest airport, London’s Heathrow, would be hit by the walk-off, other airports in the capital would not be affected.
The airline said it expected the strike to have minimal impact, claiming that “99.5 per cent’’ of its scheduled routes would take place and that alliance partner Qatar Airways was stepping in to operate some short-haul flights.

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

20 Protesters Sentenced to Death for Killing Policemen

 An Egyptian court has sentenced no fewer than a hundred people to various prison time, with about 20 more getting the death sentence.

Egyptian police

 

An Egyptian court on Sunday sentenced 20 people to death over the killing of 13 policemen following the army’s 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, judicial officials said.
The court also handed 114 people sentences ranging from 15 years to life (25 years) and ordered a juvenile jailed for 10 years, they said.
A further 21 defendants were acquitted.
On August 14, 2013, a month after the army overthrew Morsi, security forces forcibly dispersed two pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo in an operation that killed more than 700 people.
Hours later, a furious crowd attacked a police station in the Cairo suburb of Kerdassa, where 13 policemen were killed.
All the defendants were present in court during the ruling, which can still be appealed.
The death sentences have already been approved by the mufti, Egypt’s official interpreter of Islamic law, whose opinion is legally required but not binding.
This is the second trial over the same case.
The court of cassation called for a retrial after a lower court sentenced to death 183 Islamists over the killings.
Egyptian courts have issued hundreds of death sentences against Morsi supporters since his overthrow, but many have appealed and won new trials.
Morsi and other top Muslim Brotherhood figures have also faced trial.

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

Average Human Lifespan May Increase to 125 Years by 2070 - Scientist Claims

 In a new paper published in the journal Nature, Dutch scientists predict that, by 2070, our lifespan may increase to 125 years

 

That is at least according to Dutch scientists, who released a paper on the subject and declared that by the year 2070, life expectancy should on average be 125 years, and as we continue further into the future, who knows...
There has been a lot of speculation on human life expectancy in the last year or so, when a professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York published a paper declaring that humanity had more or less reached the ceiling on how long we should expect to live.
In that paper, the author Jan Vjig claimed that their being a natural lifespan for humans made a lot of sense, as every other animal on the planet also had their expect lifespan, too.
The basis of his study is that despite more and more people living to 100 years and beyond, since the 1990s nobody has exceeded the oldest recorded living person, Jeanne Calment who died in 1997 at the age of 122.
"[A]ging turns out to be still very mysterious, or a process that we cannot really intervene with, then we are stuck with a real maximum lifespan that fluctuates around 115. Accept it," he told CNN, when asked about the newly contradicting studies.
The new study, which focused on elderly Japanese women, ditched the long-assumed point that mortality increases as age increases, and discovered that within this sub-set of the population, mortality rates actually decreased after a certain age.
From that discovery, they claimed that a new human average lifespan of 125 years could be achieved by the year 2070, with the continuing increase of health support for the elderly and advances in general medical technology.
Several other studies have also dismissed Vjig's initial study, claiming their to be no evidence of a "looming limit" on humanity's lifespan.
So there you have it. You might get round to finishing Better Call Saul after all, cos you've certainly got a lot of time to do it in now...

 

Credit: JOE

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

The Number One Reason Why Men Cheat on Women

Many men, in a new research, have opened up on the real reasons why they end up cheating on their women.

Illustrative photo

 

Men and women tend to stray for different reasons – but what is his number one motivator for infidelity?

Love rats have opened up about the real reasons they do the dirty – and they’re pretty shocking.

New research has shed light on why men in particular play away from their long-term partners.

According to a new survey of more than 2,300 Brits – who have all cheated at least once in the past – men are most likely to commit adultery when the other person starts flirting.

Researchers found that a whopping 48% of men went elsewhere for sex when someone else made the first move.

The second most popular reason for cheating was because the current relationship had already broken down, but the guilty party wasn’t technically broken up yet.

Other top motivators included an unsatisfactory sex life (39%), thinking the affair could turn into something more serious (24%) and simply being drunk (21%).

The poll also revealed that two fifths of cheating Brits continued as though nothing had happened after being unfaithful – choosing not to come clean to their partner.

And 28% of cheats only admitted to the truth after being caught out, with many continuing their relationship after the sordid confession.

 George Charles, spokesperson for VoucherCodesPro.co.uk, said: “Ultimately, if you’re not happy with an aspect of your life, you’re the only one who can do something about it.

“If you’re not happy with your relationship, work on it or leave.

"Whilst you may be comfortable and worried about change if you were to separate, it’s better than cheating on someone and hurting them, and yourself, in the long run.”

Meanwhile previously ladies opened up about the top alibis they use to keep their infidelity under wraps.

According to recent research by extra-marital dating site Gleeden, most ladies pretend they’re off for a girl’s night out when they are actually sneaking off for sex.

The survey, which quizzed more than 18,000 members, found that 66% of women use an “evening out with friends” as their number one alibi.

Other popular lies included “I’m taking some me-time” either shopping or at the spa, or “I have a professional obligation”.

Pumping iron at the gym was a cover-story used by 27% of women, while 11% said they were visiting parents or family.

 

Here are the top five reasons men cheat:

 

1. Someone else made the first move - 48%

 

2. My relationship was pretty much over, we just hadn’t broken up - 42%

 

3. My sex life at home was suffering - 39%

 

4. I thought it was potentially going somewhere - 24%

 

5. I was drunk - 21%

 

****

Via Daily Star UK

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

Fabulous Photos of Lionel Messi's Wedding #PhotoNews

It was nothing short of a fanfare when Barcelona Superstar footballer, Lionel Messi officially tied the knot with his childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo in a star studded wedding in Argentina.

Lionel Messi and Antonella Roccuzzo

 

Lionel Messi has married childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo in a party billed Argentina’s ‘wedding of the century.’
The Barcelona superstar and Roccuzzo had to have the bride’s dress flown in on a private jet from Spain. And the couple looked over the moon as they finally tied the knot in front of their young sons Thiago and Mateo.
There has been tensions between Messi’s family and his partner, 29, but they forgot about their feud ahead of the big occasion.
Superstar Messi, 30, beamed as he enjoyed the special event with over 250 friends and family while a host of Barcelona stars from past and present were in attendance.
Premier League stars Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Aguero were present, while Barcelona legends Xavi Hernandez, Carles Puyol and Samuel Eto’o were also in town.
It has been reported guests have had mobile phones banned, staff sworn to secrecy and over 450 police officers have been brought in to manage the situation.
Argentinian media say there is tension between Messi’s family and his bride Antonella. According to the Daily Mail, their relationship has been under strain for nearly seven years. But it is believed the families have settled their differences for the wedding.

 

See more photos from the event:

 

 

 

 

 

Luis Suarez and wife Sofia dazzle on the red carpet

Sergio Aguero and his partner Karina Tejeda

Neymar, Messi and Dani Alves

Ex-BarcelonaSamuel Eto’o and wife Georgette

 

-The SUn UK

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

Church Wahala: 3,000 Nigerian Diocese Members Protest Against Pope's Choice

As many as three thousand Imo Catholic Diocese members have protested the appointment of a Bishop by the Pope to lead them.

Pope Francis and Bishop Peter Ebele Okpaleke

 

 

According to a Sunday Punch report, over 3, 000 faithful of Ahiara Diocese of the Catholic Church on Saturday converged on the Mater Ecclesiae cathedral, Mbaise in Imo State for a rally to restate their total rejection of the embattled Bishop Peter Ebele Okpaleke.

Okpaleke was anointed and consecrated bishop of the diocese by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 but both the Laity Council and the priests in the diocese rejected his appointed on the grounds that he is not an indigene of the area, among other reasons.

Sunday Punch reports that the diocesan youths, who put on black attire, chanted solidarity songs to reaffirm their support for the position taken by the Ahiara Diocese clerics and the laity council’s to rejection of  Okpaleke.

Other Catholic men and women who dressed in different church uniforms, also participated in the rally, which started with a rosary procession round the cathedral.

Addressing the congregation inside the cathedral, the President of the Diocesan Laity Council, Mr. Gerald Anyanwu maintained that the people of Mbaise were not against the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis I, but that they were against the irregularities and injustices allegedly perfected against the people of the diocese in the selection of the bishop.

Anyanwu insisted that Okpaleke was forced on them, and that he was not a priest “incardinated in the Ahiara Presbyterian.”

He said, “There was no time we insisted that the bishop of the diocese must be an Mbaise son, but the prelate must be a priest incardinated in the diocese. We shall accept any bishop whether an Hausa man or a Yoruba man as far as he is incardinated in Ahiara Diocese.”

He frowned against the activities of the Nigeria representatives of the church in Rome and urged them (cardinals) in the Vatican city to urgently look into the case of the Ahiara Diocese.

Also addressing the gathering the Provincial Ambassador, Laity Council of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, Mr. Lawrence Opara, dismissed as propaganda, reports that the Mbaise priests would be sanctioned by the Pope if the agitation continued.

Opara (82), who is also the Secretary, Ahiara Diocese Laity Council wondered why the case was different and difficult to resolve since it started in 2012.

He said, “This is time of propaganda but the truth must be told. They gave us a bishop by hook and crook means. We cannot accept him.

“It is biblical that if a priest is given to a people of God and he is rejected, he should go and be assigned to another people, who will accept him.”

Opara described the rumour that the Mbaise priests would be sanctioned as false, maintaining that no priest had been derobed without his bishop’s consent and approval.

The traditional ruler of Okirika-Ama, Umuokirika in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area, HRH Eze Dominic Okoro (75) also faulted the claims that some traditional rulers from Mbaise visited the Pope in the Vatican.

He said, “Those people they said went to Rome to see the Pope were not our true representatives. Those who went from Nigeria deceived the Pope by telling him that they were the representatives of the Diocese.

“I am a traditional ruler and in the way we conduct our traditional institution, no royal father would leave for the Vatican City without all the Ezes knowing.

“We are not in any way against the authority of the Pope, but what we are fighting is injustice, corruption and evil among other vices in the Catholic Church.”

Another member of the Laity Council of the Diocese, Mr. Sabestine Eke stated that Mbaise people can never be taken for granted by the Nigerian cardinals in Rome.

He noted that Okpaleke was not among the names of the priests sent for bishopric consideration and wondered why he was suddenly consecrated a bishop for the diocese.

He said, “We are fighting for peace and justice. It is very unfortunate that the Ahiara Diocesan bishopric crisis has unraveled many ills in the most revered Catholic Church. However, the truth must be told and we can’t take that high level of intimidation, injustice and corruption in the church”.

 

Okorocha intervenes

 

Meanwhile, the Governor of the state, Owelle Rochas Okorocha who later visited the scene stated that he was there to douse the tension which was caused by an alleged plan to smuggle Okpaleke into the Diocese by security operatives in the state.

He said, “I am the chief security officer of the state and I can confirm to you that there was no time that security operatives planned to smuggle in Okpaleke into the diocese”

 

Catholic Secretariat threaten to suspend Imo priests

Meanwhile, the Catholic Secretariat in the country has threatened to suspend the priests in the diocese by July 9,2017 if they failed to accept the appointment of Okpaleke as directed by the Pope.

It added that the rebellious priests would also lose their offices if they continued to disobey the Papal’s directive in respect of Okpalaeke’s appointment as the bishop of the diocese.

The Director of Communications of the Catholic Secretariat, Rev. Fr. Ralph Madu said the church has been praying for the priests to have a change of heart and demonstrate their loyalty to the Catholic Pontiff.

“The point is that the pope has spoken, he had demanded expression of loyalty to him, there is a letter expressing that the priests be loyal to him and they should obey every directive including appointment of bishops and they have till 9th of July to do that,” Madu stated.

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

Africa’s Great Green Wall has grown into a very different project

Africa’s Great Green Wall, or more formally The Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative, is the intriguing but misleading name of an enormously ambitious and worthwhile initiative to improve life and resilience in the drylands that surround the Sahara.
The idea of a Great Green Wall has come a long way since its inception. Its origin goes back to colonial times. In 1927, the French colonial forester Louis Lavauden coined the word desertification to suggest that deserts are spreading due to deforestation, overgrazing and arid land degradation. In 1952 the English forester Richard St. Barbe Baker suggested that a “green front” in the form of a 50km wide barrier of trees be erected to contain the spreading desert.
Droughts in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel from the 1970s onwards gave wings to the idea, and in 2007 the African Union approved the Great Green Wall Initiative. Many perceived it as a plan to build an almost 8,000km long, 15km wide, wall of trees across the African continent – from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east.
This plan faced a great deal of criticism. It led to a clearer vision being endorsed under the same name five years later when the African Ministerial Conference on Environment adopted a harmonised regional strategy.
Can the vision ever come to fruition?
Only if there’s a ten-fold (at least) increase in pace so that the progress on the ground becomes consistent with lofty political ambitions. Sadly, the wall suffers from a major mismatch between ambition and effort. But that’s not to say it should be ditched.

Why did the vision change?

Critics argue that a desert is a healthy, natural ecosystem that shouldn’t be thought of as a disease. Nor, they argue, is it spreading like a disease. In fact, by the end of the 1990s, the idea of encroaching deserts had become difficult to defend against scientific evidence that climate variability was to blame.
Critics have also pointed out that the vision of a barrier is counter-productive to the development objective as it draws attention to the perimeter of the land rather than to the land itself. To boost food security and support local communities it is better to focus on the wide field rather than its narrow edge. The development objective is important – an estimated 232 million people live in the general area of the Great Green Wall.
This led to the clarified vision keeping the wall in name, but it has been bent almost beyond recognition.
The wall is no longer seen as a narrow band of trees along the southern edge of the Sahara. The vision is now to surround the Sahara with a wide belt of vegetation – trees and bushes greening and protecting an agricultural landscape. The new vision engages all the countries surrounding it, including Algeria and others in North Africa, not just the 11 original sub-Saharan countries of the Sahel.
Thus, the Great Green Wall is no longer a wall. Nor is it great – not yet anyway.

Unrealistic ambitions

A simple analysis gives a clear indication of how difficult it will be to realise the Great Green Wall within agreed timelines.
A recent analysis by the Food and Agriculture Organisation suggests that 128 million hectares have a tree cover below the “better half” of comparable landscapes in the two aridity zones that straddle the 400 mm rainfall line around the Sahara.
If one assumes that half of this (65 million hectares, or 8% of the total area in these aridity zones) needs intervention, and that the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development sets the target date for completion, then the Great Green Wall initiative should be treating an average of 5 million hectares per year (10 million hectares is the ambition to bring all lands up to the level of the better half). A less ambitious target date would be set by the African Union’s Agenda 2063 but even then an average treatment of 2 million hectares per year would be needed.
The actual intervention area is not known but is likely to be far less, no more than 200,000 hectares per year and probably less. At this pace, a century is an optimistic prediction of the time it will take to complete the Wall.
A massive increase in speed –- at least ten-fold –- is required if the Wall is to become great in our lifetime. More resources will clearly be needed but a ten-fold increase is unlikely. What to do?

Re-greening options

Many people assume that the wall can only be built only by planting trees. But tree planting is not always needed. Some of the less dry lands can be treated by techniques that rely on the capacity of the land to regreen itself – its ecological memory.
Floods and animals move seeds to places where they can sprout and root systems of former trees are sometimes capable of producing new shoots. Sprouting roots could live as the roots are already established – unlike newly planted seedlings. These could rapidly re-green a landscape, reducing the need for tree planting, as long as farmers protect them from fire and cattle.
This technique – known as farmer-managed natural regeneration – has proven to produce good results at low cost in areas where the ecological memory is sufficient for sprouts to come up by themselves and where farmers have the right to use the trees once they get big. The potential to scale it up is significant.
But farmer-managed natural regeneration will not work everywhere. Other methods are needed too, such as digging half-moons (to capture water) and planting seedlings. Doing a better job of applying the right method to the right place may be the quickest and most feasible way to speed the making of the Great Green Wall.

Lars Laestadius, Adjunct Lecturer, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
 Courtesy **Fusion TV 

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

A Great Man is Gone; Farewell Ache Franklin aka Enfant Noir

Ache Franklin aka Enfant Noir du Cameroun was laid to rest yesterday July 1, in Bamukumbit, Ngoketunjia of the North West Region. The death of this great man will surely go down as one of the saddest days in Bamukumbit village. Ache Franklin, popularly known Enfant Noir by his artistic name, leaves behind him fond memories to students, radio listeners, music lovers and colleagues’ teachers. The best way that I can describe his departure and keep it simple is by saying a great man has passed away. One who has impacted lives not just in the North West region, but the entire nation as a whole. The dictionary describes a hero as a man admired for his achievements and qualities, by my own views and judgement Ache Franklin was a hero, a source of inspiration and motivation to many young Cameroonians. Today, this puzzling disappearance raises the question of why men are leaving the earth and when we know and feel as though our lives are surrounded by darkness.

 His departure to the heavens has left a full-size empty space. For a man who had done so much yet, dignified, and soft-spoken, with a vocabulary and manner, Ache Franklin projected an air of quiet authority, even when he was Discipline Master.

A Shakespearean tragedy as so far considered may be called a story of exceptional calamity leading to the death of a man in high estate. But it is clearly much more than this, and we have now to regard it from another side.

RIP ENFANT NOIR

Heaven has again loosened on humanity. The news of the demise of Ache Franklin aka L’Enfant Noir Du Cameroun came as a shock to many including people in Donga Mantung Division and especially Nkambe town where he was Geology teacher, started his musical career and was manager of Savannah Frontier Radio. Though grieved by the sad news, it should be noted Ache Franklin will remain and continue to be remembered for his creativity. As Geology teacher at GBHS Nkambe, he left an indelible mark of greatness. As a musician, he leaves behind the legendary lyrics in Limbum that it may take centuries for someone to topple. And as former Manager of Savannah Frontier Radio, Nkambe, his management skills and innovative ideas will forever be remembered as he produced some of the best jingles, created the everlasting radio programmes. The inventor of "molo molo dance" as he was fondly called has left his friends, students and colleagues in a confused state yet that life is nothing. He etched his name on the pillars of history and his actions will continue to echo across the century.

 A Voice, a Man is Gone, a talent and in fact an Iconic teaching teacher who will be missed. Ache’s demise is a big lost to the North West and Cameroon for he was such a great man that words alone can’t describe. To sum it all, he was enthusiastic and hard-working...RIP L’Enfant Noir. So much more can be said about this son of the soil. Yes, not just a teacher, musician, school administrator has passed away but a great man. My condolences go out to every member of his family. May he rest in Peace.

 ****Photo Credit: Nko Dogo
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

7 Reasons Why Church People Criticize Pastors

If you serve in a church, criticism comes with the territory. I doubt that any pastor or leader likes it. But, we must deal with it in a God-honoring way. One way to do that is to understand why people criticize us. I’ve listed below what I believe are seven reasons why church people criticize pastors with a suggested response to each.

Why church people criticize pastors

1. They lack spiritual maturity. Some people criticize you because they think it’s part of a Christian’s job description. After all, “Pastors need to avoid pride and some good healthy criticism can keep ’em humble.”

• Response: Don’t be surprised that you get criticized. Make sure that your church has an intentional spiritual formation strategy to help people think and act more biblically.

2. They feel they are losing the church they once knew. As we get older, we must deal with the inevitable results of aging, slowing cognitive function, and reduced flexibility and resilience. Seniors in your church may feel that changes you are bringing are taking away the church they grew up in. Guess what? Unless we stay resilient as we age, when we get older we’ll probably feel the same way.

• Response: Give a gracious listening ear to seniors and seek to empathize with them by stepping into their shoes. Try to see their concerns from their perspective.

3. They don’t feel they have a voice. Some church people can feel that their opinions don’t matter and so criticize to get their voice heard.

• Response: Provide opportunities that give people a way to give input. I’ve heard Patrick Lencioni, leadership author and guru, often say that people will support you if they feel that they’ve been truly heard.

4. They don’t deal with change very well. Some people are born more adverse to change than others. Their brains are wired that way. Their fear circuits are more easily set off by uncertainty, and change brings uncertainty.

• Response: Recognizing this fact will give you greater tolerance and understanding of why some people tend to criticize more than others. Again, empathy will go a long way to help these folks feel more comfortable with change and less critical.

5. They need to find something or someone toward which to vent their hurt caused by other life issues. Some people in your church project their personal hurts through criticism. Criticism helps ease their angst, at least for the short term.

• Response: Although this is not a pleasant reality, it is true. A wise counselor once said, “The past is not past until it is processed.” Many in your church still carry heavy loads of guilt and anger that can easily spill over toward you through criticism. I suggest prayer in response to this kind of critic. Prayer could fit into a response for every category I’ve listed, but it’s especially apropos in this case. If you sense that others are projecting their pain toward you through criticism, ask the Lord to heal their hurt and to release their unforgiveness, bitterness and pain.

6. They are truly malevolent people committed to your demise.

• Response: Although I believe these critics are few, they do exist. If you face this kind of person in your church, take bold action. Titus 3.10 commands us to warn a divisive person once and after that have nothing to do with them. Sometimes extreme cases require you to apply church discipline.

7. They have a point. Sometimes the criticism is valid and you need to hear it.

• Response: Listen and heed. When the criticism reflects a valid issue, learn from it and make  appropriate adjustments in your life or ministry. Proverbs 27.6 says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.”

Criticism is never pleasant, but sometimes necessary. 

*****By Charles Stone

 

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

Bill on Internet Rights to be Introduced in Cameroon Parliament

National Assembly

 A private member’s bill seeking to protect the rights of internet users in Cameroon will soon be tabled at the National Assembly for scrutiny; The Cameroon Journal has been informed.

 Arrangements for the tabling of the bill, an initiative of Bamenda-based non-governmental organization, A Common Future, The Cameroon Journal learnt yesterday, are far advanced.

Colbert Gwain Fulai, founder and Executive Director of A Common Future told our reporter recently that should the bill sail through, issues such as internet shutdown and surveillance by government should be brought under control.

Going by a draft of the bill titled “Creating a ‘Digital Bill of Rights’ for Cameroon: Why do we need it and what should we include?” the initiators disclosed that amongst other things, it seeks to ensure that the civil and human rights that apply in the physical world also apply online.

 The bill, they said, also aims to establish the key rights that are particular to the digital sphere, ensure greater transparency around the ways in which government and private companies use personal data as well as protect and control citizens to take control of their own personal data and to make information choices about their digital lives.

 In an introductory note, the initiators wrote: “Drawing from the sad experience of an unprecedented internet shutdown in parts of Cameroon and the human, economic, social, cultural and political consequences on Cameroon, this bill sets forth principles, guarantees, rights and duties for the use of the internet in Cameroon and establishes guidelines for action by government and its citizens in relation to the internet so that internet shutdowns do not become the new common in this nation.”

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

Nollywood Actress, Genevieve Nnaji Shares Alluring Bedroom Photo

Single mother, Genevieve has flaunted her beautiful and chocolate face in a recent photo taken in the comfort of her bed.

 

Genevieve Nnaji

 

Nollywood actress, Genevieve Nnaji shares a new photo where she looks as beautiful as ever.

Genevieve took a selfie lying on the bed with her eyes on the camera.

Genevieve Nnaji, 38 is also a singer who received backlash when she dropped some songs many years back. She won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2005, making her the first actress to win the award.

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

Former NUDP Youth President Urges National Assembly Speaker to Apologise to Northwesterners

Tamfu Ndansi Elvis Nukam

"Tamfu" Ndansi Elvis Nukam, Former National Youth President of the NUDP has called on the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Cavaye Yegie Djirbil to apologise to the people of the North West Region of Cameroon for denigrating their traditional outfit, and values. "Tamfu" Ndansi Elvis made the clarion call in an exclusive interview with the lone English Language Daily, The Guardian Post.  

Harping on the incident that transpired at the National Assembly between the House Speaker and Hon. Fusi Naamukong, Tamfu Ndansi Elvis exploded that the House Speaker did not only show alot of disrespect to Hon. Fusi, but (he) Hon. Cavaye also demonstrated disrespect for North West tradition and culture given that the MP while in Parliament does not only represents the people, he or she also represents the culture of his/her people. It should be recalled that Hon. Fusi Naamukong was refused the opportunity to address his colleagues on grounds that he was putting on a traditional regalia. On Wednesday June 28, 2017 Hon. Cavaye Yegie stopped from speaking in Parliament. To him, the SDF MP for Bafut and Tubah Special Constituency was ‘poorly dressed’ and is not fit to address his honorable colleagues at the national assembly with such an outfit. There was anger and frustration in the House as Hon Banadzem took the rostrum to ask Cavaye to establish a dress code for the House. He argued that what Hon Fusi was putting on was same dress Cameroon delegation used in Brazil. He too was hushed down. In anger, Mbah Ndam told Cavaye that he too was poorly dressed as he was in a gangdura. Cavaye retorted that the gandura was an official dress”a source at the national assembly writes.

Hon. Fusi Naamukon: Is this poor dressing?

Ndansi Elvis who was crowned Tamfu by the Wimbum Community (2012) and knows the value of tradition has added his voice by asking the Speaker of the National Assembly to publicly apologise to the people of the North West Region. Ndansi Elvis Nukam also made a good analysis  at the way MPs of the North West usually dress adding that they look most fantastic, awesome and gorgeous in their traditional regalia.
He recalled that when he traveled to the United States of America and later met the then President Barack Obama, he was dressed in the North West regalia. "I was dressed in the traditional North West regalia and I can remember vividly that there were more than 50 people who took pictures with me just because of what I was putting on". .
Yet Tamfu Ndansi Elvis emphasized that the drama the unfolded only brought to the limelight the task and challenges that lie ahead of the national commission for the promotion of bilingualism and multiculturalism headed by Musongue. MPs do not only represent the people in Parliament, they represent their culture, traditional values and heritage he concluded.

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

Checkout 5 Things You Should Never Post on Social Media

If you have been thinking of going for holidays anytime soon, you should take note of certain things which you are not supposed to post on social media for all to see.

 

File photo: People on vacation

 

The holidays represent a time to relax and keep off from work. It is also a time to catch up with friends and family. Are there limits to what we should post on the social media during the holidays?

 

1. Photos of others without checking first

 

Although you might want to share the memories of your family event with others, check first with others in the photo before tagging them or even posting the picture. Some adults don't want their lives made public while some parents prefer not to post pictures of their children online or prefer to monitor which photos are posted online. Respect their choice.

If someone knows the picture will be posted online and made public, they may choose to opt out and take a private photo with you later.

Remember that the only person you truly have permission to share a photo of is yourself.

 

2. The gift you didn't like

 

This is a big NO. It is a season of gratitude and it will do well if you appreciate the gifts from family and friends. Well, if you don’t like the gift, the social media is not a good place for you to express your reservation. Do not post petty comments about gifts you didn't like. Those types of comments, even if you don't name names, can be very hurtful.

 

3. Anything that puts down other religions

 

This is self-explanatory enough. The holiday is not a time to criticize other religions. It is a moment of celebration, so, catch the fun and leave out derogatory comment about others and their religions.

 

4. The drama within your family

 

Social media is not a place to resolve family conflict. In fact, social media could create more conflict or hurt feelings. It may create a divide among other family members or friends who know your family members. It may also ruin an enjoyable family event since a majority of your other family is also on social media.

All families have secrets and you're bound to not like every single person you're related to. But if you want to bash your cousin or reveal some drama about an estranged great aunt, social media is not the ideal place.

 

5. Anything you wouldn't want your boss to see

 

This is KEY.  We have become so comfortable with the internet that we often forget that the whole world has access to our posts.

Even if you keep your profiles on strict lock down and have privacy settings, friends-of-friends could still see—and possibly say—something to your employer. Learning to censor yourself when you've had a bit too much of that mulled wine or want to declare your resolution is to get a better job is a smart move.

You may want to be a viral social media superstar, but do you really want to end up there because your photo was captured while you were in a drunken stupor?

 

****

Via Daily Trust

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

Jay Z Apologises for Cheating on Beyonce in New Album

In his latest released album, popular American rapper, Jay Z has publicly apologised to his wife for cheating on her.

Rapper Jay Z and Beyonce

 

Rapper Jay Z let his music do the talking with his new album "4:44" on Friday as he addressed cheating on his wife Beyonce, the birth of his twins and this year's Oscars best picture.

In the title track, Jay Z admitted in his lyrics that he "often womanize", more than a year after R&B star Beyonce first shed light on his infidelities in her album "Lemonade".

Jay Z pens a remorseful ode to his fractured marriage in "4:44", rapping that it "took for my child to be born, see through a woman's eyes" in reference to the couple's daughter Blue Ivy.

He also mentioned their twins, who were reported to have been born this month but whose arrival has yet to be officially confirmed, saying it "took for these natural twins to believe in miracles, took me too long for this song, I don't deserve you".

Jay Z added: "What good is a menage a trois when you have a soul mate? You risked that for Blue? ... my heart breaks for the day I had to explain my mistakes."

Fans were left stunned last year when Beyonce made accusations in "Lemonade" that Jay Z had cheated on her, a rare crack in the seemingly perfect facade of one of music's highest-profile couples.

In her song "Sorry", Beyonce referred to a mystery woman, calling her "Becky with the good hair", which is echoed in Jay Z's track "Family Feud", a duet with Beyonce in which he raps "Let me alone Becky".

"4:44" was released exclusively on premium music streaming platform Tidal, founded by Jay Z, in partnership with U.S. wireless carrier Sprint Corp, which purchased a 33 percent stake in Tidal this year and made the album available via a six-month Tidal subscription to Sprint mobile customers.

It can also be heard throughout Friday across 160 U.S. radio stations on iHeartRadio, the digital music service for a network of traditional radio stations.

The 35-minute album features Blue Ivy on the track "Legacy", in which the five-year-old asks "Daddy, what's a will?" as the rapper expresses hope that his children use their wealth to promote "black excellence".

In "Moonlight", Jay Z tackles the impact of the film "La La Land" being named best picture at this year's Oscars while in "The Story of O.J.", the rapper explores black identity in America.

 

-Reuters

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

I Have a Thick Rounded Booty - Yemi Alade Brags on Social Media

Some fans on social media trying to body-shame Yemi Alade have been severely cautioned by the actress against careless utterances.

 

 

Nigerian musician, Yemi Alade is not taking any unnecessary criticisms about her body structure as she has quickly schooled a fan.

After sharing pictures on instagram which showed off her hot thighs, a fan then told her she's adding weight, and she promptly responded to him.

"So sorry dear, It is obvious you can't tell the difference between a thick rounded buudy and "mere weight" the singer rumoured to be dating her manager boasted.

See more photos that confirm Aunty Yemi might be right about her "rounded booty":

 

 

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

Revealed: Mercy Johnson live with her husband for 2 years before they eventually got married.

It has been revealed that popular Nigerian actress, Mercy Johnson live with her husband for 2 years before they eventually got married.

Mercy Johnson and husband Prince Okojie

 

Mercy Johnson’s husband, Prince Okojie, has revealed that before he married the actress, they lived together under the same roof for about 2 years. Mercy's husband revealed this in a recent interview with New Telegraph saying that nothing else can break their home.

He said: “Prior to our marriage, I’d known my wife for three years; we actually met in 2008. We started living together in 2009 and we got married in 2011. It’s been God all the way, there’s no miracle or anything much, it’s just been God.

"With marriage break-ups and celebrity dramas, I think it depends on what one wants. For me, when I met my wife, I knew she was the one for me. The love, the affection and the tender care are all present, and although we might have some misunderstanding but when we sleep over it, we move on.

“And as a result of this, we don’t quarrel often. When we do, we learn from it and move to the next level. I have a very big house, my wife has a very big room and so do I, but she has never spent the night in her room for one day.

"Sometimes when I tease her and say ‘go to your room’, she tells me ‘this is our room not your room’ and so most times we are always together.

"I have never experienced anything like this, my marriage to her is so sweet and I’m enjoying it to the fullest. Like I said, I won’t give the kudos to man but to God Almighty who has kept us in happiness, in peace and in harmony.”#mercyjohnson."

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

Checkout The Cancer Symptoms You Must Never Ignore At All

Cancer is a killer disease that has destroyed many lives over the years, however some people are still unaware of the signs they should look out for.

 

When it comes to aches, pains, and other health problems, just because something seems minor doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take it seriously. In fact, research finds that even common ailments can actually be the first warning signs of cancer. In a survey of 1,729 adults over the age of 50 in the UK published in PLOS ONE, respondents evaluated how serious they perceived a list of 17 ailments—10 of which were actually markers of cancer.

 

They also indicated whether they’d experienced any of these symptoms recently and, if so, how they actually handled it.Turns out, many people aren’t paying as much attention to warning signs as they could be, says study author Katriina Whitaker, a senior research fellow at University College London. “Some people don’t think they [the symptoms] are serious, and cancer does not leap to mind.”

 

While for the vast majority, “these warning signs will not indicate cancer,” Whitaker says.

 

1. Lumps or bumps

 

It’s best to have any strange lumps checked out by a doctor. In the survey, 7.5 per cent  of people reported an unexplained lump. While 67 per cent did contact their doctors, 77 per cent didn’t think it could be a sign of something more serious.

 

2. Cough or hoarseness

 

It’s cold and flu season, so coughing can feel like a given. However, if your cough persists, it could indicate laryngeal, lung, or thyroid cancer or lymphoma. This was the most common symptom among survey participants. “We know coughs and colds are everywhere at the moment, and we’re not suggesting everyone with a cough goes to their doctor,” Whitaker said. “But if you have a symptom that doesn’t go away or is unusual, don’t be afraid to go to your doctor for advice.”

 

3. Change in bowel habits

 

In Whitaker’s study, 18 per cent of people had experienced changes in the timing, amount, or size of their bowel movements. While these disruptions are usually caused by certain foods or medication, if you notice it happens regularly over time, it could also be a sign of colon cancer.

 

4. Bleeding

 

Coughing up blood can signal lung cancer; blood in the stool could be a sign of colon or rectal cancer. Women who experience unexplained vaginal bleeding should be checked for cervical or endometrial cancer. A bloody discharge from the nipple can signal breast cancer, while blood in the urine can mean you have bladder or kidney cancer. Unusual bleeding can occur during any phase of cancer and warrants a visit to your doctor.

 

5. A long-lasting sore throat

 

A sore throat may be just another winter woe, but a persistent one could point to something more severe, such as laryngeal cancer or throat cancer. Of those surveyed, nearly 78 per cent  didn’t think throat woes were serious.

 

6. Unexplained pain

 

Persistent pain is your body’s way of signaling a problem, and that could be anything from nothing…to bone cancer or ovarian cancer. The American Cancer Society says that pain from cancer typically means it has spread—a good reason not to be a stoic and to make an appointment with your physician. One striking finding from Whitaker’s survey: Only about 40 per cent of people in the study were concerned that pain could be a serious issue.

 

7. Variation in bladder activity

 

Because urinary tract infections are common in women, this symptom is often disregarded as just another UTI. But whether you’re male or female, if you notice blood in your urine, experience sudden urgency, or feel pain while going, definitely bring it up with your doctor to rule out cancers of the bladder, kidney, or prostate.

 

***

Via prevention.com

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

Anglophone Crisis: Trial of Detained Consortium Leaders, 25 Others Adjourned

 The military court in Yaounde has adjourned the trial of the detained Consortium leaders and other detainees arrested in relation to the ongoing crisis in the two English speaking regions of Cameroon . According to CRTV reports the trail has been adjourned to Thursday 27th July 2017.

Detained leaders

The adjournment, according to the Presiding Judge, Justice Colonel Mbezoa Abega Eko Eko was due to the absence one of the court assessors.

All the accused, Barrister Felix Nkongho Agbor Balla,Dr Fontem Neba, Bibixy Mancho and twenty-five other detainees associated with the social unrest in the North West and the South West regions were present in court.

It should be recalled that this was the fourth outing since these detainees were incarcerated at the Yaounde Central Prison in the month of January 2017. Present to witness the deliberations was Honourable Joseph Wirba, the MP for Jakiri Special Constituency .

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

Fake News Saga: CRTV's Director of TV Information, Tv Editor-In-Chief Sanctioned by BOD

The Director of TV Information at CRTV, Adele Mbala  has been sanctioned for broadcasting fake news on state television. The decision to replace her was reached at during during an extraordinary session of the Board of Directors which took place last June 29, 2017 in Yaoundé. She has been replaced by Jean Atangana. It is said Adele Mbala on May 15, 2017 read the names of of some personalities that we appointed by French President Emmanuel Macron which sparked controversy worldwide given that Macron was yet to appoint members of his government. Apparently, Jean Marie Nka’a, the television’s Editor-In-Chief who was equally present on the day the news was read has also been replaced reports say.

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

Germany Approves Same-sex Marriage

Two woman hold a placard reading "Love wins in Germany" as they celebrate outside the chancellery the approval of same-sex marriage by the German parliament Friday in Berlin. Photo by Felipe Trueba/EPA 

 

 

June 30 (UPI) -- The German parliament on Friday passed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage after Chancellor Angela Merkel, who voted against the measure, encouraged her party to vote their conscience.

Members of Germany's Bundestag voted 393-226 to pass the bill, and four people abstained.

Merkel voted no, saying "For me marriage as defined by the law is the marriage of a man and a woman." But she encouraged her conservative Christian Democratic Party -- which has long opposed same-sex marriage -- to take up the measure as a "question of conscience." She said hoped a vote in favor would bring about "more social peace."

Merkel also said she believes same-sex couples should be able to adopt children.

The chancellor's recent comments on the topic spurred the last-minute vote in parliament before its summer break.

Germany becomes the 14th European country to approve same-sex marriage, the first of which was the Netherlands in 2001. Austria, the Czech Republic and Italy have not OK'd same-sex marriage, but do allow civil partnerships

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