United States ambassador to UN will visit Ebola-hit West Africa

The United States ambassador to the United Nations is on her way to visit all three of the West African countries hit hardest by the Ebola outbreak, amid rising calls for travel restrictions back home in the U.S.

Samantha Power will visit Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea "to draw attention to the need for increased support for the international response," said a statement released late Saturday by the U.S. mission.

A spokesman said Power had already departed and was set to land in the capital of Guinea, Conakry, on Sunday. Earlier Saturday, the ambassador tweeted a photo of herself with Guinea's ambassador to the United Nations.

The United Nations has repeatedly called for a greater international response to the worst-ever outbreak of the deadly disease, which has killed more than 4,900 people.

Police arrest 2 gang members in killing of 9-year-old Anaheim girl shot outside her apartment

ANAHEIM, Calif. –  Two gang members were arrested in the killing of a 9-year-old Anaheim girl who was hit by stray gunfire while playing outside her apartment, police said Saturday.

Ricardo Cruz, 19, of Buena Park and Alfredo Miguel Aquino, 20, of Anaheim were arrested late Friday and booked on suspicion of murder in the death of Ximena Meza.

Chief Raul Quezada said detectives who solved the case were fueled by grieving and a search for justice for the little girl. He told Meza's parents that "no words or actions can fill the void in your hearts."

Meza was playing with her sisters and other children outside the apartment on Wednesday evening when a white car pulled up and a man got out and opened fire on a group of men nearby.

The neighborhood is in a gang-plagued area of Anaheim — a city famous as the home of Disneyland, but also with its share of urban problems.

Meza was struck in the chest by a single bullet and later died. The intended targets ran and the shooter and a driver fled in the car. No other gunshot victims were found.

Ebola-free, Dallas nurse returns to North Texas.

 

Dallas nurse Nina Pham — declared Friday to be free of the Ebola virus — is back home in North Texas after a whirlwind Friday that included a meeting with President Obama.

Pham arrived at Meacham Airport in Fort Worth just before midnight Friday.

CareFlite pilot Jason Davis said he flew Pham back to Texas and said, "she's great." Davis described Pham as being in "great spirits."

Pham had no comments for the media on her return, but Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas — her employer — released a photo showing a smiling young woman with her father, Peter, being presented with scrubs that had been signed by hospital colleagues.

LiB Revelation: Into A Woman's Life.

Naturally, men are created with Ego. They are closer to something that looks like there own. They have passion for something/someone that goes along their path. Men chooses partner because they believe in women that looks simply like them. By "look", I do not mean "appearance", but simply put someone that accepts them for all they are.

A lady that need a faithful journey also need to sow faithfulness because men thinks straight while women thinks far beyond in circular.  Into a woman's heart, love should grow alongside;

Appreciate his family: Never make negative comments about mothers-in-law. Let him know his mother is as special to you just as she is to him. Show love to his siblings too.

Don’t be bossy: When you make a man feel he is the head and not a schoolboy, who, you can intimidate, he will start thinking of marrying you.

Don’t play hard-to-get: What he wants is an honest straight-shooter. Though he might be intrigued by a hard-to-get lady in the beginning, as soon as he decides that he is interested in her, he believes you should be real.

Never attempt to change him: Never attempt to change his friends and his hobbies either. Some women claim to love a man ‘just the way he is’ but little by little, they want to change everything about him. First, it’s his wardrobe, then; it’s his taste in music.

You are not jealous: Learn to trust. A jealous woman is on edge always because she is very distrusting. Just because you have been hurt in the past, don’t be on guard for anything that looks or feels wrong. When a man first meets such a woman, he wants to reassure her that he is nothing like that guy in her past.

You are not clingy: Don’t be too difficult for a man to date, let alone marry. At first, he is flattered that you are so in love with him and wants to be around him always; but very quickly, he feels overwhelmed and suffocated by you. As a woman, you must have something going on in your own life so that you are not always clinging to him.

Don’t compare him with your father: Not all men like to be viewed as a father figure. Initially, he might like how you seek his approval and answers to all of your questions, but soon, he realizes that he wants to be intimate with a real woman.

Not tied to your mother’s apron string: A man can propose to you when he realizes you don’t call on your mother always to make a decision on your affair with him. He gets scared the more when you cannot do without getting her opinion on everything.

You don’t gossip: Most guys are turned off when you always love to gossip and talk about other people. Not only that, when you love to hear things about other people as well.

Stop undue comparison: A lady, who is constantly talking about what other people do and what they have, places a lot of undue pressure on her man. Be yourself, live your size per time and shun pretences.

A Terror Bomb Attack Killing At Least: 27 Egyptian Security Personnel And Leaving 30 Injured

At least 27 Egyptian security personnel were killed in a car bombing in the country's Sinai region, according to the Egyptian state media agency Al-Ahram.

At least 28 other people were injured in the attack, which took place at a checkpoint in Karam al Qawadees in North Sinai's Sheikh Zuwaid district on Friday, state news agency MENA said. The wounded were taken to a hospital in northern Sinai.

Al-Ahram said at least 30 people were injured.


Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for an urgent meeting with the National Defense Council to discuss the security situation in North Sinai, according to state-run TV.

In a televised statement Saturday, el-Sisi said new measures would be enforced in the border area between Sinai and Gaza to root out the problem, keeping it from becoming "a mass of terrorism and extremism that no one can get rid of."

He added that "the fight in the Sinai is a long battle" that will not end "in a week or two."

El-Sisi called on the Egyptian public to remember that the objective of the attack was "the fall of the state, and God willing, the state will not fall."

A militant insurgency by jihadist groups in Sinai has made the peninsula a relatively lawless region.

Deal To Free Abducted Chibok Girls Still On, Chad Official Says

The Chadian government has confirmed that Nigeria’s deal with the Boko Haram sect to free the schoolgirls would still go ahead despite the breakdown of a truce.

 

A very senior official, Chad’s foreign ministry, Moussa Dago, who spoke with Reuters on Friday, said that the key to the agreement would be a prisoner swap.

He said it appeared some Boko Haram factions were refusing to abide by the deal.

Dago said, “Quite possibly, those who are fighting are dissidents that even Boko Haram isn’t able to control. So far, there is no reason for others to doubt this agreement.

“What I can say is that those that negotiated with the Nigerian government did so in good faith … We are waiting for the next phase which is the release of the girls.”

Dago said he was confident that the negotiators had the authority to speak on behalf of Boko Haram’s reclusive leader, Abubakar Shekau, who has allegedly been killed by the Nigerian military more than once.

“They are envoys who answer to their leader Shekau, who himself confirmed that these emissaries spoke on his behalf. That was confirmed in writing to the Chadian government,” he said, confirming local press reports that the negotiators were named Sheikh Goni Hassane and Sheikh Boukar Umarou.

Dago admitted that it would be embarrassing for the Chadian President Idriss Deby’s government, which has played a lead role in diplomacy in Africa’s turbulent Sahel region in recent years, if the girls were not freed.

“It would be very disappointing. We are engaged in this now. If this negotiation doesn’t succeed, that would be damaging to Chad’s facilitating role,” he said.

Dago told Reuters that the two sides agreed verbally to a series of points summarised in a document he had seen, including the release of the schoolgirls and of jailed Boko Haram fighters.

Dago said, “The starting condition of Boko Haram was the liberation of some of their members; that is the compensation.”

He added that the specifics on the names and number of Boko Haram fighters still to be released had not yet been agreed.

He said he still expected the girls to be freed but he stated that the Boko Haram negotiators were no longer in Chad even though they had agreed to return in October after freeing the girls to hold more talks.

“We remain optimistic. The two sides agreed to find a negotiated solution and to show their good faith they already freed some hostages and announced a ceasefire,” he said.

According to him, Chad does not know where the abducted Chibok girls are being held, but Dago said it was likely they were outside of Chad and spread out over a wide area.

“The Chinese hostages freed earlier under the agreement were found scattered across northern Cameroon,” he said.

“They (Boko Haram) gave us guarantees that the girls are well but we don’t know physically where they are,” he said.

“But they have certainly dispersed them like the Chinese hostages, who were spread out over a large area.”

He explained that the two parties planned to meet again for a third time in Chad after the release of the schoolgirls to draft a road map to tackle more fundamental issues.

He said, “For the next stage of negotiations, the girls need to be freed. We cannot go into details as long as this question remains and it is a requirement of Chad that the girls are released before we start the next stage of talks.”

October 25 Wikipedia "Featured" Article

Katy Perry (born 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She pursued a career in gospel music as a teenager, releasing her debut album in 2001, then moved to Los Angeles to venture into secular music. After signing to Capitol Records in 2007, she rose to fame in 2008 with the release of the single "I Kissed a Girl" from her second album, One of the Boys. 

Perry's third album, Teenage Dream (2010), became the first by a female artist to produce five number-one Billboard Hot 100 songs. Her fourth album, Prism, was released in 2013 and included the number-one singles "Roar" and "Dark Horse". Perry has received many awards and nominations, and been included in the Forbes list of "Top-Earning Women In Music" for 2011, 2012, and 2013. 

She has sold 11 million albums and 81 million singles worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists of all time. She made her film debut voicing Smurfette in The Smurfs in 2011, and released a documentary film in 2012, which concentrated on her life as a touring artist and the dissolution of her brief marriage to English actor and comedian Russell Brand in the early 2010. "Hmmmmm"

Bubble Freezing In Midair: Sony Advertises Its 'Most Beautiful' TV Picture With One of Its Most Beautiful Ads Ever

Adam&eveDDB and directors Leila and Damien de Blinkk headed to Canada to film this remarkable new spot for Sony's 4K Ultra HD TV. And indeed, not since Jean-Claude Van Damme and Coors Light have we seen such a noteworthy ad about frozen balls.

Those in question here are blown bubbles that freeze in midair in the icy weather. We see natural crystal-like structures form, with no special effects used. It's lovely stuff—and surely that much more mind-blowing when actually viewed on a 4K Sony TV. The soundtrack is Josef Salvat's version of Rihanna's "Diamonds."

"We were blown away by the beauty of the intricate patterns that the freezing of the bubbles' surface was creating at very low temperature. The feather, flower and star ice shapes were so delicate and mesmerizing when they reflected light," says Leila de Blinkk. "To bring out all these details in 4K was to almost discover a new world, that we didn't suspect existed."

"This time we wanted to create something beautiful that truly reflects the experience of watching a Sony 4K Ultra HD TV—being able to put these fleeting moments of natural beauty on film felt like a fitting successor to all we've done before," adds Gildas Pelliet, head of marketing at Sony Europe.

The first confirmed Ebola patient in Mali has died, according to state TV reports, citing government health officials.

The victim, a 2-year-old girl, had traveled to the country with her grandmother from Guinea -- one of the three countries hardest hit during the recent Ebola outbreak.

Earlier on Friday, the World Health Organization said that the girl had multiple opportunities to expose others to the virus.

The girl first went to a clinic Tuesday after entering the country, WHO Assistant Director-General Marie-Paule Kieny said at a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

The WHO said it was working to confirm media reports that the child's mother showed Ebola-like symptoms before her death.

The girl was diagnosed with Ebola in Mali on Thursday.

Health Ministry spokeswoman Markatie Daou said the dozens of people who had contact with the girl have not shown any symptom related to the virus, as of Friday.

More than 40 people are still being monitored, she said.

They include 10 medical workers who came into contact with the girl in the city of Kayes, west of the Mali capital of Bamako, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said. Kayes has a population of about 128,000 people.

He cited local authorities as saying 43 people were being monitored in total. The incubation period for Ebola is two to 21 days, so the country faces a long wait to know if it's in the clear.

Queen Elizabeth II sends a ceremonial "first" tweet from London's Science Museum.

Early this morning (for us here in the western Colonies, at least), Queen Elizabeth II made royal waves by posting what's reported to be her first tweet, delivered from her own gloveless hand, the tweet via @BritishMonarchy was created to celebrate the launch of a new exhibit at London's Science Museum.

"It is a pleasure to open the Information Age exhibition today at the @ScienceMuseum and I hope people will enjoy visiting".

The Lager Beer, Heineken is Rocking The Great City of Lagos with DJBabeyDrew

Oh dear! Want to party with Chris brown's DJ? Come Rock with @ DJBabeyDrew tonight in the #Heineken GreenLight Party at Spice Route Lagos.

The Dignitary's Speech , Alabi Kayode O. aka Alopay: A Lion From A Garden ( Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology).

 

Some leafs can not be left unsynthesized. Many figures can not be left untouched. But few dignitary's worth a life-time acceptance...

Photo - Speech After Cut

Here is what  ALABI KAYODE OMONIYI (ALOPAY) told us about himself.

Alabi Kayode Omoniyi, I was born on October 17, some years back. I’m currently a final year student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State Nigeria, going for my Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech)  degree.  My major is in the Management and Accounting field. I’m a very individualistic person who has a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively. Also, because I’m driven by my talents, I can constantly investigate the “how’s”, and “why’s” of a given situation which would be very beneficial to not only myself, but other people who want to work in the world of leadership.

To begin with, in 10 years from now I hope to use my talents by being a strong leader by helping to build and inspire my colleagues by creating interactions that they feel that their opinions are being heard in solving conflicts in leadership. I know that because I’m a very futuristic individual and inspired by the future and what it could be. When I go out into the real world, the people that I would like target in my brand community would have to be young dynamic people who want to play a significant part in leadership role. The reason is because I have discovered how far the world can change if young people who are properly trained are allowed to lead and make significant change in their various environment. 

 This is a very competitive world, and what I believe to be the most difficult thing for me would have to be my peers who are all working very hard trying to earn a degree that would later pay off in life. However, because I am a futuristic person I know that my life has a deep meaning and purpose. The reason is because my goals and aspirations motivates me to keep moving forward, and to get my bachelor’s degree in the management field or even my master’s. It’s so funny to me, because the tension that I feel when a deadline is fast approaching forces me to concentrate on the right activities, discard irrelevant information, and not waste time on intriguing distractions.

 Finally, I think that my good intellectual skills are keeping me ahead at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology. The reason is because when it comes down to doing class assignments and projects, I am very adept to getting different assignments done and on time. I know that as a university student and because of my strength I am definitely aware of my limitations and deficiencies. The reason is because it motivates me to take advantage of self-improvement opportunities in the workplace, educational settings, and my environment. Also, as a student I know that I am capable of accomplishing more than what I’m doing now.

In conclusion, when I finally walk across the stage and receive my bachelor of technology’s degree from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, the one thing that I would like to take away from this, is me being an achiever. The reason is because I am a very individualistic person who just chooses to do what is assigned to me each and every day. Also I would admit that there are things that I could do better in, but because I act on these ideas I most likely will increase my chances of meeting the day-to-day expectations people place on me.

Alabi Kayode Omoniyi

alabikayode3@gmail.com

+2348066436566; +2347059564847

Energy: Iran Offers Nuclear Technology To Nigeria

                                                          Iranian President Hassan Rouhani

Iranian firms specialising in nuclear technology are prepared to offer Nigeria their expertise to help boost electricity supply in the country, the Iranian ambassador to Nigeria, Saeed Koozechi, said Wednesday.

“We (Iran) are using our nuclear programme to improve the power, health and agriculture sectors in the country,’’ Mr. Koozechi said on Wednesday in Abuja.

The envoy, who invited Nigeria to participate in an international exhibition on power scheduled to hold in Tehran, in November, said Iran also had invaluable experience in constructing power plants and transmission lines for electricity supply.

“The power sector is very important and it is the blood for the economy, without electricity it is impossible to create any investment or job,’’ he said.

Mr. Koozechi lamented the impact of extensive sanctions imposed on Iran by Western countries over the country’s nuclear programme, saying the action was having a crippling effect on Iran’s economy.

The envoy said the sanctions spearheaded by the United States and the European Union was not only affecting Iran’s economy, but also international trade relations and businesses, including trade with Nigeria.

According to the envoy, as a result of the sanctions, banks in Iran and Nigeria could not effectively conduct transactions on SWIFT, a financial-messaging service for most cross- border money transfers.

Iranian businesses, he said, had resorted to companies in United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Turkey to bring in their products to Nigeria.

The ambassador, who gave annual trade figures between Nigeria and Iran at $50 million, described the volume of trade as low, considering the size of both economies, which could easily help increase the figure to about $500 million.

With Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa, and the continent’s most populous, he said this could provide Iran a huge opportunity and capacity for economic cooperation.

He condemned the “bad-face” given Iran by the Western media, saying this was another impediment to international trade with foreign nations, including Nigeria.

Mr. Koozechi said accusations that his country’s nuclear programme was about atomic bomb as alleged by the U.S. and its European allies were not true, pointing out that issue was well known as a completely peaceful programme.

“We have had more than 7,000 hour visits from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts to Iranian nuclear sites and they have not found anything that links our nuclear activities to atomic bomb,” he said. “This is a technical issue and it is within the framework of the IAEA, but some of the Western countries try to make it a political issue.”

He said the main aim of the Iranian nuclear issue was to create power (electricity), with one nuclear site in Tehran currently producing about 1,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity, while plans are on to establish 20 other nuclear power plants.

In 2013, the Middle East country produced 10 billion kilowatts of electricity from its nuclear power plant, saving over $1billion and equivalent of about 70 million barrels of crude oil for the country’s economy.

Joan Rivers Died Of Complication During Medical Procedure – Doctor

Comedian Joan Rivers, who passed on last month at the age of 81, died of a complication during a medical procedure, the New York Chief Medical Examiner’s Office said.

Rivers was having an examination of the back of the throat and vocal cords at a New York clinic when she stopped breathing and was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was put on life support.

“The manner of death is therapeutic complication,” the medical examiner said in a statement. “The death resulted from a predictable complication of medical therapy.”

It listed the cause of death as anoxic encephalopathy, a condition caused when brain tissue is deprived of oxygen and there is brain damage.

Rivers, the brash, pioneering comedian who paved the way for women in stand-up comedy, died in hospital on Sept. 4, a week after the outpatient procedure.

“We continue to be saddened by our tragic loss and grateful for the enormous outpouring of love and support from around the world,” the comedian’s daughter, Melissa Rivers, said in a statement after the release of the autopsy report.

She had no further comment to make at this time.

Following her death, the State Health Department launched an investigation into Yorkville Endoscopy where Rivers was treated. It reviewed records and documents and questioned doctors at the clinic which opened in 2013.

The clinic denied media reports that it had administered a general anesthesia or conducted a vocal cord biopsy on Rivers. Last month the clinic said the doctor, who performed the procedure, was not currently working there or serving as its medical director.

When asked for comment on the medical examiner’s report, the clinic said it was prevented by law from disclosing any information regarding patients.

Are These Feminist Superhero Panties Empowering, or a Tiny Bit Weird?

The underwear brand Dear Kate, a big proponent of using real people instead of models, has a new plan to empower women: It's putting inspiring female faces right on its panties.

Its League of Ladies Collection features illustrations of four historical women—Marie Curie, Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart and Frida Kahlo—reimagined as superheroes.

Additionally, Dear Kate has called on real-life influencers to model the collection, including science communicator Kelly Carnes, actor and playwright Zoe Travis, Golly Magazine editor Roxanne Fequiere, and comedian Jackie Zebrowski.

With names like "Supermarie" and "Superfrida," the panties feature a cartoon depiction of each woman's face on the front and a design on the back. Which begs the question, are women even wearing panties with cartoons on them? I asked Twitter, where reactions varied from a resounding no to an open-minded maybe:

Women of Twitter over 25, do you regularly wear underwear with cartoons on them? (This is a work question and responses, I promise.)

@roociambriello I'm going to go with no. I didn't even know they made adult underwear with cartoons. I'm so boring :)

@roociambriello I've apparently been out of the loop that there was even a cartoon option that wasn't er... uh... weird... so. No. I don't.

@roociambriello I haven't worn cartoon underwear since Underoos (so about age 3). And even my 3-year-old wears mostly cartoon-free panties.

That'd be a negatory, ghost rider. "@roociambriello: Women of Twitter over 25, do you regularly wear underwear with cartoons on them?"

@roociambriello If I could find adult Wonder Woman undies I would definitely wear them.

@roociambriello I don't, but I totally would. I do have a pair that spells out "Tease" in rhinestones, so ...I'm into fun underwear?

I love the idea of celebrating extraordinary women, but I wonder if this is an idea best suited for a (much) younger crowd.

I highly respect and admire Amelia Earhart, but I don't know if I want to see her face every time I pull off a pair of jeans. I would, however, absolutely buy an 8-year-old girl a cute camisole and panties set featuring Marie Curie with a little hang tag that gives her a short lesson on Curie's scientific accomplishments. (Business idea, Dear Kate, if you want to come out with a Dear McKenna line.)

We've seen how people react to brands that empower women, and I'm reulctant to criticize any effort to promote strong women. So allow me to soften the blow by saying that while I wouldn't buy superhero panties for myself (and I am the target market), Dear Kate's Sporty Bralets are off the chain.

McDonald's and Coca-Cola's Earnings Drop as American Taste Buds Change

Americans are losing their appetites for Big Macs chased down by Cokes, forcing two megabrands to re-think how to gain market share.
This week McDonald's reported a 3.3 percent quarterly profit decline, marking its worst performance in years, while Coke's profit dropped 14 percent with a continuing decline in North American sales during the same period.
What's going on? That's the question on the minds of those running both companies who are under pressure to turn things around fast.

McDonald's executives might take a cue from rival Chipotle Mexican Grill, which posted 20 percent growth in the third quarter. Chipotle restaurants feature a Fresh Mex menu that offers customers a choice of ingredients to customize their orders as well as organic beans and tofu in its Sofritas for vegans.

McDonald's CEO Don Thompson told Bloomberg the world's biggest fast food chain may start offering organic food and letting its local franchises customize their menus to cater to regional tastes. The fast food chain already sells organic milk and juice in Germany and France. But its $2 jalapeno burgers and chorizo burritos haven't taken off at U.S. locations where they've been offered.

Thompson also told The Wall Street Journal the chain will simplify its menu, offer digital payment systems and increase staffing so customers don't have to wait as long for their orders.

"Customers want to personalize their meals with locally relevant ingredients," he said. "They also want to enjoy eating in a contemporary, inviting atmosphere. And they want choices in how they order, choices in what they order and how they're served."
For Coca-Cola, its recent acquisition of Monster Beverage Corp. underscores a strategy to diversify into the market of highly caffeinated drinks for youth. But to achieve profitability targets, the Atlanta company is planning cost-cutting moves according to Forbes and Reuters. Those moves may include restructuring its global supply chain and refranchizing its U.S. bottling operations.
Sales of carbonated soft drinks in the U.S. have been declining for almost a decade.

What Is Snoop Dogg Going to Do With Reddit?

In early October, it was revealed that Snoop Dogg—alongside other investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, Peter Thiel, Ron Conway and Jared Leto—purchased a portion of Reddit through a $50 million funding round. Reddit told the reporters it plans to use the money to increase its staff, mobile offerings and ad products.

"I've been involved in a few tech ventures over the years. Reddit is particularly interesting to me because it is such an open forum to touch base with people directly," Snoop said, adding that he loves the site because it puts users first.

Snoop has been an active Redditor, conducting successful Ask Me Anything (AMA) question-and-answer sessions on the site, including the second most successful AMA in Reddit's history after President Barack Obama's. He also acts as a moderator for the the "r/trees marijuana subreddit" group. 

But it can be more than that for Snoop. Ted Chung—founder of Cashmere Agency and Snoop's manager—said the hip-hop icon's success on Reddit shows the influence celebrities have on the close-knit community, which could be a boon for brands. 

"I think Reddit is a really stellar example of how Snoop can get involved with the tech community and take it from a niche into the mainstream," Chung said.

Previously, Snoop used Reddit to sella specially designed shirt to raise money for the Marijuana Policy Project. He's also jumped in on other AMAs to drive promotion to their chats. But now the artist will be focusing on his own efforts. Chung said the star will use Reddit to promote his untitled album, set to drop early next year. 

"The different ways you've seen Snoop and Cashmere Agency utilize different online mediums for visibility and interact with fans in the community, we can manipulate that for future campaigns," Chung explained. 

5 Dead, 12 Others Injured In Bauchi Bomb Blast

5 people have died and 12 others injured, after a vehicle loaded with explosive devices went off in Azare Motor Park in Bauchi State, Nigeria’s north-eastern region.

The Bauchi State Police Public Relations Officer Mr. Haruna Muhammad, who confirmed the incident, said the explosion occurred at 9:45PM yesterday.

Mr. Muhammad said the dead victims were charred beyond recognition, while 12 others who sustained various degree of injuries are receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Center, Azare.

He adds that the scene of the incident has been cordoned off by a Police Explosives Ordinance Disposal Unit.

Although, nobody has claimed responsibility for the blast, last night’s incident is about the third time Azare Town has come under attack from Boko Haram terrorists.

The sect members destroyed a police station and some commercial banks in Azare on the 5th of December 2011.

They returned to the town with another attack on the 3rd of December 2012.

The blast is coming nearly a week after the Federal Government announced a ceasefire deal with Boko Haram, which it said would include the release of the girls kidnapped from the secondary school in Chibok.

Movie: The New Avengers Sci-Fi Trailer Titled "Age Of Ultron

The new trailer for "Avengers: Age of Ultron" is, in a word, "Hulktastic."

Marvel and Disney unleashed the first official look at the next Avengers movie on Wednesday night, not long after a leaked version made its way online, and now May can't come fast enough.

The two-minute clip features everything Marvel fans could've asked for, between James Spader's chilling narration as Ultron, the introduction of Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch and Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Quicksilver, and the glimpse of Iron Man's Hulkbuster armor.

 Not to mention the well-played use of "I've Got No Strings" from Disney's "Pinocchio," which serves as an eerie soundtrack for the destruction that unravels in the clip.
The teaser trailer for "Avengers: Age of Ultron" wasn't supposed to make its debut until Tuesday's episode of "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," but that plan was scrapped shortly after Wednesday's leak.

Marvel went ahead and released both the official teaser trailer and a teaser poster to boot after giving a good-natured response to the rogue teaser.

Most fan reaction to the "Avengers: Age of Ultron" clip has been one of total rapture.

"Avengers: Age of Ultron," written and directed by Joss Whedon (aka the man who brought us 2012's blockbuster "The Avengers"), will arrive on May 1.

A former Mexican Mayor was reported to have been involved in abduction of 43 students

 

A former mayor is a "probable" suspect in the disappearance of 43 students who were kidnapped last month from Iguala, a small city in Guerrero state, Mexican authorities said.

Mexican Attorney General Jesús Murillo Karam said Wednesday his office has issued arrest warrants for former Iguala Mayor José Luis Abarca; his wife, Maria de los Ángeles Pineda Villa; and the city's former public safety director, Felipe Flores Velásquez. Murillo said they are considered "probable masterminds" of events that occurred in Iguala on September 26.

According to the attorney general, on that day, a group of students from a teachers college in the nearby town of Ayotzinapa were on their way to stage a protest in Iguala. When the former mayor and his wife learned the protest would disrupt an event led by the mayor's wife, they gave orders to their public safety director to send police forces to prevent the students from protesting.

"The order to confront those people came from the police department's command center, straight from A-5, code name used to identify the Iguala mayor," Murillo said. The attorney general also said his office learned this information from interrogations of police officers and gang members detained in the last month who were allegedly involved in the incident.

Police officers blocked the highway leading into the city and shot at the students as they arrived in buses and a van. One student was killed.

Footage from the scene shows a white van left in the middle of the road with its windows blown out and the doors wide open.

The students, Murillo said, were subsequently taken away by police officers, who handed them over to a local criminal gang known as Guerreros Unidos (United Warriors), which had infiltrated not only the police department but was also complicit with Mayor Abarca, his wife and the public safety director. All three disappeared the day after the clashes between police and the students.

It has been almost a month since the incident and the students are still missing. Fifty-three people, including 36 officers and 17 suspected gang members, have been detained.

No one was available for comment at the Iguala Police Department. The Mexican federal police and army have taken over the department and assumed all security responsibilities.

Twenty-eight bodies were found in mass graves in the state of Guerrero, but DNA tests showed there were no missing students among those victims.

China is embarking on a Lunar mission to test her space program

China says it will launch an experimental spacecraft between Friday and Sunday that will orbit the moon before returning to Earth, in a first for the country's ambitious space program.

The unmanned spacecraft will be launched by a Long March 3C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan, western China, state media said.

It is China's first lunar module capable of returning to Earth and the mission's main technical challenge will be making sure the spacecraft slows down enough to re-enter the earth's atmosphere safely.

Too fast and it could overheat or become difficult to track and control, Hu Hao, chief designer of the lunar exploration program, told The China Daily.

It is expected to take around a week to fly around the moon and will then land on the grasslands of Inner Mongolia.

The mission tests technology that will be used in a more ambitious launch, scheduled to take place in 2017, when an unmanned lunar probe will go to the moon, collect soil samples and return home.

Chinese astronauts have made five manned space flights on a series of Shenzhou "Divine Vessel" modules, with the latest mission in 2013 completing a successful manual docking with the Tiangong-1 space station.

Last December, China put a lunar rover -- known as the Jade Rabbit -- on the moon but it has been plagued by mechanical troubles, the China Daily said.

On course for the moon?

Joan Johnson-Freese, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College, said the lunar orbiter marks a step forward in the capabilities needed for a potential manned lunar program, which while under discussion hasn't been officially approved yet.

Detentions in Moscow over Total CEO Christophe de Margerie and three other's plane crash

A snowplow driver who's been blamed by Russian authorities for a plane crash that killed the chief executive of the oil company Total has been sent to pre-trial detention, his lawyer said Thursday.

Snowplow driver Vladimir Martynenko has denied claims by Russian officials that he was drunk at the time of the crash Monday at Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport.

Total CEO Christophe de Margerie and three others were killed after his plane hit the snowplow during takeoff and crashed.

Four other airport employees have also been detained in connection with the crash, a Russian investigative committee said earlier.

They are: the airport service chief engineer, Vladimir Ledenev, who's in charge of snow-clearing operations; flights director Roman Dunayev; air traffic controller Svetlana Krivsun; and the airport's chief air traffic controller, Alexander Kruglov.

"Investigators believe the detained persons failed to provide safety requirements concerning flights and on-ground works and it led to the tragedy," a statement from the investigative committee said. "They have been detained and questioned as suspects in the case."

Amid the fallout from the incident, the airport's director general, Andrei Dyakov, and deputy director general Sergei Solntsev have resigned, the airport said in a statement Thursday. Their resignations have been accepted.

The airport's shift director, the head of the airport's maintenance division and the leading engineer who heads the shift have been suspended from duties.

Noting that; 

Martynenko's lawyer, Aleksandr Karabanov, told the reporters that a court decided Thursday to place him in detention.

Nigeria To Procure Flight Simulator For College Of Aviation and other contracts.

The Federal Executive Council in Nigeria has approved a contract for the supply and installation of a full jet-flight simulator (5000 series b737) with complete accessories for the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) Zaria to be located at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos.

Briefing reporters at the end of the council meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday and presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, the minister overseeing the Ministry of Information, Dr Nurudeen Mohammed, said that the project would be used for training for the college and as a source of revenue generation.

The flight simulator will cost $21 million dollars.

It was the first meeting of the council members after the exit of seven of their colleagues to further pursue other political ambitions. The seven cabinet members resigned on October 20.

The first issue that was addressed was the replacement of the seven minister, with the former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs II, Dr Nurudeen performing his first function as the Minister overseeing the Information Ministry.

Other Contract Approved

While briefing the reporters, he gave a rundown of the six contract awards for the week, one of which was the contract for the flight simulator for the School of Aviation in Zaria to be procured with $21 million dollars.

The Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, said it would be located at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos.

Also approved was a contract for the construction of the east-west road, Section V ( Oron-Calabar) Phase 1 in Akwa Ibom in Cross River states.

The minister of Niger Delta, Dr Steve Oru, said the benefit of the road construction would reduce travel time from Oron to Calabar from three hours to 30 minutes.

Also approved was a contract for the construction of the road and drainage at the Mbaise Ring Road intersecting Owerri-Umuahia road in Imo State in eastern Nigeria.

The three contracts that were approved will cost 165 billion Naira.

The Calabar-Ajasor road will cost 106 million Naira, the Mbaise Ring Road will cost 106 million Naira.

Other approvals were in the power sector, where the Ministry of Power is to purchase a building at Owerri for the zonal office for the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission in the sum of 131 million Naira while the ministry of Trade and Investment got approval for the appointment of transaction adviser for the rehabilitation of independent building for National Trade and International Business Center projects in Lagos in the sum of 150 million Naira.

Ad of the Day: Whoa, Facebook Actually Made a Great Little TV Ad About Modern Love

Facebook swaps out its usual grandiose advertising with this cute TV spot from Wieden + Kennedy that captures some of the intimate emotions behind social media.
In the past, Facebook's ads have been criticized for not focusing on the intimate, human moments that social media can spur.

Its Facebook Home ads last year were big, cartoony and surreal, and 2012's "Chairs" was even more over the top.
But the new spot, titled "Say Love You Better," takes Facebook in a different direction. Life-size speech bubbles pop up over two lovebirds as they send short messages back and forth to each other via Facebook Messenger.

It's also a clever take on mobile messaging, which often only mentions texting features in ads. The idea is to show that Facebook Messenger can share much more than text—it includes audio, video and stickers.

This days: David Beckham Has a Really Difficult Time Keeping His Clothes on in Ads.

We've been gawking at him since he first stepped onto the pitch 22 years ago. Not much has changed since. The footballer turned international star has commanded our attention with his athletic performances as well as his looks. And that doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon.

Since the decline of his career (which would ultimately lead to his retirement) the global star has been working commercialization, full press. Throughout his career Beckham has teamed up with Pepsi, Samsung, Adidas and Burger King. Who can forget those H&M ads? Most recently, the icon has hooked up with his pal Guy Ritchie (who also directed H&M) for the launch of the Haig Club Whisky campaign, a glitzy ad with gorgeous scenery.

Ben Bradlee, America's Most Iconic Newspaper Editor, Dies at 93

He became the face, voice and spirit of tough-talking, detail-obsessed newspaper editors when his team's coverage took down a president, and Ben Bradlee's legacy is sure to live on among generations of journalists who will never even see a printing press.

Benjamin C. Bradlee died of natural causes at his home. He was 93. He is survived by his wife, Sally Quinn, and son, Quinn Bradlee.

As managing editor and later executive editor of The Washington Post during its rapid rise to international prominence, Bradlee steered Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward's Pulitzer-winning coverage of Watergate, a political scandal that eventually helped unravel Richard Nixon's presidency.

Bradlee transformed a sleepy, city newspaper into a national powerhouse that went head-to-head with The New York Times. He was tapped in 1965 by Washington Post Co. president Katharine Graham to run the paper, moving over from Newsweek (also owned by the Post) to be the managing editor. Len Downie Jr. succeeded Bradlee as executive editor when Bradlee retired in 1991. Bradlee will perhaps best be remembered not as himself but instead as he was portrayed by Jason Robards in 1976's All the President's Men.

Bradlee also signed off on publication of the Pentagon Papers, the government's secret history of the Vietnam War. After a hard-fought legal battle, the Post and The New York Times won permission from the Supreme Court to reveal the documents.

Bradlee's tenure at the Post was marked by great success for the newspaper. Its readership and newsroom staff both doubled under his leadership, the Post obituary noted.

World-class Education That Costs You Nothing Established in Germany

If you want a world-class education without the hefty price tag it usually carries, it's time you pack your bags and head to Germany.

The country's federal state of Lower Saxony became the last region to scrap tuition fees in mid-October, which means that studying in Germany is now completely free even for international students.

So wherever you come from, doors of elite institutions like the University of Heidelberg and Technical University of Munich, both among the world's top 100 universities, are flung wide open if you're a gifted student.

"We don't want higher education which depends on the wealth of the parents," Gabriele Heinen-Kljajic, minister for science and culture of Lower Saxony told German Pulse.

Her Hamburg counterpart Dorothee Stapelfeldt, whose region abolished fees in 2012, called tuition fees socially unjust: "They particularly discourage young people who do not have a traditional academic family background from taking up studies. It is a core task of politics to ensure that young women and men can study with a high quality standard free of charge in Germany," she told Britain's The Times newspaper.

Low cost/high rank

Germany has had a long tradition of free education, introducing fees only in 2006 when the constitutional court ruled that moderate tuition fees were not at odds with the country's pledge for education for all. However, even at around $1,300 per year, significantly lower than $14,500 and $30,000 paid by UK and U.S. students respectively, the fees caused widespread backlash, with federal states dropping them one by one.

The funding gap was mainly bridged by the government, with the average worker in Germany facing a tax burden on labor income of 49.3% in 2013, the second highest rate out of 34 OECD member countries.

The country is already a major destination for international students, ranking third in the world after the U.S. and Great Britain, according to data from the OECD. Overseas students flock to the Germany's illustrious universities, attracted by the relatively low cost of living and a vibrant cultural scene and nightlife.

Lol, Kylie Is Still In Vogue To Mingle: Not Dating Rapper Tyga, Says Kris

Kylie Jenner is still on the market to mingle!

Despite various reports that the youngest of the Kardashian-Jenner clan is dating rapper Tyga, 24, Kris Jenner told Ryan Seacrest during KIIS FM's On Air with Ryan Seacrest that Kylie, 17, is single.

"Kylie isn't dating anybody," Kris told Seacrest Tuesday morning. "[Tyga is part of] this whole little group of kids who have been around forever – and I call them kids because relatively speaking, they kind of all travel as a pack and they enjoy each other's company."

Tyga is certainly close with the Kardashian clan regardless of whether or not he is romantically connected to Kylie. He attended Kim Kardashian's wedding with Kim's good friend Blac Chyna, who is his on-and-off girlfriend and the mother of his child. The rapper also happens to be neighbours with Khloe Kardashian.

"We all live in the same neighbourhood," Kris explained to Seacrest. "[Tyga] used to live across the street for a long time, and now he lives next door to Khloe. Khloe and Kourtney just moved in up the street, so we have all of us ? us four and Scott and all the kids are in the same neighborhood, which is really wonderful because all the cousins get to grow up together. Little Miss Kendall moved across town, Kylie lives upstairs, Rob lives with Khloe. So I've kind of got tabs on it right now and it's kind of exciting."

Brazilian man confesses to 39 murders

A Brazilian man nicknamed "handsome" nabbed serial killer has confessed to 39 murders. It's serious, when he's not in an abattoir... 

Multiple shooters reported in Canada attack

The Canadian government has informed the United States that one shooter is dead in Ottawa, a senior U.S. official said. So far, there is "no indication the shooter has ties to violent Islamic extremism," but it is still extremely early in the investigation, the source said.

In response to the ongoing situation at Canada's Parliament, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, has increased its alert posture, CNN has learned. That means that it has increased the number of planes on a higher alert status ready to respond if needed. NORAD and Canadian authorities are in contact, an official told CNN.

Previous story,

A Canadian soldier was shot as he and another soldier stood guard at Canada's Parliament war memorial Wednesday. Details are emerging as authorities try to secure the government building in Ottawa.

The violence is not confined to Parliament. Police say that there could be multiple shooters and shooting incidents in the capital.

At least one shooter is dead, Parliament member Bob Zimmer tweeted.

Parliament remains on lockdown.

No one was hurt in the shooting near Ottawa's Rideau Centre, Marc Soucy of the Ottawa Police Service told CNN. It was one of three shootings, he said. The other two were at the National War Memorial and Parliament Hill.

Shots rang out at Parliament around 10 a.m. ET as Parliament members, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, prepared for caucus. Some members tweeted that they heard many shots.

United States Limits Entry of West African Travelers to 5 Airports

The US Department of Homeland Security yesterday announced that travelers from West African countries where the Ebola Outbreak is present can only enter the US through one of five airports specially equipped for Ebola screening.

Countries affected by this policy are: Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, according to Sahara Reporters.

Starting from today, Wednesday October 22nd, all travelers from the aforementioned countries will have to enter the US via the following airports only: New York’s John F. Kennedy, Washington’s Dulles, Chicago’s O’Hare, New Jersey’s Newark airport or Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airports.

$9.3 Arms Deal: Group Drags Nigerian Govt. To International Criminal Court

  

President Goodluck Jonathan and members of his cabinet may be forced to a trial at the International Criminal Court, ICC, for ‘complicity’ in the Boko Haram narrative following a non-profit group’s application demanding a United Nations probe.

The United State-based Nigerian group, #NigeriaUnite, in a petition sent to the UN Secretary General on September 25, demanded that the United Nations step in to investigate and ultimately prosecute Nigerian state actors for involvement in the shady $9.3 million arms deal with an unlicensed South African gun runner.

The money is currently held by the South African government on suspicion it was laundered.

The group also wants the ICC to investigate Nigerian politicians who have been named as sponsors of the Boko Haram sect, as well as human rights violations by state actors battling the insurgents in northern Nigeria – the Nigerian security forces have also been indicted by international organisations for violating rights of citizens while claiming terror war.

“The United Nations, as a global body for peace and security must take urgent and holistic measures to investigate these issues for the peace and security of a population that is unjustifiably placed under siege and indiscriminately attacked and displaced,” the group’s petition which has been acknowledged by the UN read in part.

Since Boko Haram began its deadly insurgency in 2010, more than 10,000 Nigerians – mostly civilians, women and children – have been murdered while hundreds of thousands have been displaced.

The group alleges that the Nigerian government have been “lacklustre” in confronting the insurgents, and has in most cases denied the gravity of the challenge, leaving many communities in agony, trauma and devastation.

No trust

A leading member of the group, Solomon Dalung, told PREMIUM TIMES they petitioned the United Nations because of the Jonathan’s administration low trust quotient.

“We can no longer trust the government to investigate and deliver justice,” Mr. Dalung, also a member of the Northern Elder’s forum said. “We are convinced that there is something sinister going on in the government.”

He argued that government’s complicity in the Boko Haram narrative is emphasized by the President’s inability to act on a report by its Boko Haram negotiator, Stephen Davies, that indicted a top member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, Ali Modu Sheriff, and a former Chief of Army Staff, Azubuike Ihejirika, as sponsors of the sect.

The Rome Statute – the treaty establishing the International Criminal Court – stipulates that the ICC can step in to investigate and prosecute crimes bordering on genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression if a government is unwilling or unable to investigate.

The group argues that Boko Haram’s trajectory is a crime against humanity and that the Nigerian government’s “refusal” to investigate and prosecute sponsors of the group leaves justice in the hands of ICC.

The petition will be subjected to hearings and investigations before the ICC presses charges.

The Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta, is currently facing charges including genocide and crimes against humanity at the ICC.

The Nigerian president’s office could not be reached for comments. Telephone calls to his spokesman, Reuben Abati, were neither answered nor returned.

U.S. drug war in Afghanistan failing so unthinkably

America's drug war in Afghanistan is failing badly, a U.S. government watchdog says in a new report.

Afghan farmers are growing bumper crops of opium poppies -- an unprecedented 209,000 hectares in 2013 -- even though U.S. agencies spent $7.6 billion to stop narcotics production in the nation.

Afghanistan is the source of 80% of the world's illegal opium, the U.S. government says, yielding $3 billion in sales in 2013, up from $2 billion from the previous year.

U.S. authorities say a big chunk of that money funds Afghanistan's insurgency and terrorism.

As NATO winds down its war effort in the nation, the trend would appear to bode ill. Since 2002, the chief factors that appear to have caused temporary drops in poppy production were crop disease and high prices for wheat, an alternative crop for farmers, according to the report by the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

"The recent record-high level of poppy cultivation calls into question the long-term effectiveness and sustainability of those prior efforts," the report says. "Given the severity of the opium problem and its potential to undermine U.S. objectives in Afghanistan, I strongly suggest that your departments consider the trends in opium cultivation and the effectiveness of past counternarcotics efforts when planning future initiatives."

The report says last year's 209,000-hectare record surpasses the previous high of 193,000 hectares of opium poppies grown in 2007. The report relies on figures from the United Nations Office on Drugs on Crime.

The report says that areas that were once models for successful counterinsurgency and counternarcotics efforts are now booming poppy producers.

The report cites Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan, which the United Nations declared "poppy-free" in 2008 but saw a fourfold increase in opium poppy production between 2012 and 2013.

The inspector general sent the report to the State, Defense and Justice departments, which fund anti-drug efforts in Afghanistan.

Stolen 15 Billion Naira: EFCC Witness Testifies Against Former Afribank Boss

A prosecution witness, Emmanuel Al-Hassan, in the ongoing trial of a former Managing Director of the defunct Afribank Plc, Sebastian Adigwe and six others have told a Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere how the bankers plotted to cover-up over 15 billion Naira (about $93.7 million) allegedly stolen from the bank.

Al-Hassan, who led a team of investigators from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the alleged crime, told the trial judge, Justice Olabisi Akinlade, on Tuesday, that the accused persons concocted various documents to mask the fact that the money was diverted to companies they had links with.

The former Afribank boss, Adigwe was arraigned alongside Osa Osunde, Jibrin Isah, Isa Zailani, Chinedu Onyia, Henry Arogundade and Peter Ololo before the court by the EFCC on a 36-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and receiving stolen property.

Fraudulently Converted

While being cross-examined by Adigwe’s counsel, Mr Anthony Idigbe, Al-Hassan said that the stolen money was fraudulently converted to the use of AIL Securities Limited, Asset Management Nominees Holding Limited and Falcons Securities Limited allegedly belonging to the defendants.

The witness Said: “Though I am not a banker or a stockbroker, but during the course of investigation we discovered that Adigwe and other directors of the defunct bank transferred 15 billion Naira in favour of another Rehoboth Asset Limited.

“Also, during investigation, the team discovered a document showing that the money was granted as a loan facility to buy shares from another party other than from the floor of the Nigerian stock Exchange”.

Documents Contrived

Al-Hassan further informed the court that in the course of their investigation, they obtained various documents after the exits of the defendants from the bank that explained what transpired and led to 11.5 billion Naira being transferred to Spring Capital limited.

The witness stated that when the alleged stealing was committed, documents were contrived to cover-up the stealing. He explained that some of the exhibits before the court were part of the documentations made to cover up the alleged fraud.

Al-Hassan said the Managing Director of ACL told his team that she was instructed by the Adigwe to transfer the money to Spring Capital limited.

He also maintained that Afribank granted 15 billion Naira loan to AIL Securities Limited without a formal letter requesting for the facility.

Al-Hassan further alleged that another bank account was opened in Falcon Securities’ name with “zero Naira” for the purposes of transferring the 15 billion Naira credit facility.

The witness also informed the court that additional 15 billion Naira was given to Falcon Securities as loan for the purchase of stocks of blue chip companies on the floor of the NSE.

The trial has been adjourned till January 26 and 28 for continuation of cross-examination of the witness.