Fuse ODG proud of Reggie N Bollie despite placing second

UK based Ghanaian artiste, Fuse ODG has said he is proud of runner up for 2015 X Factor, Reggie N Bollie.

In a tweet after the finals, Fuse ODG expressed optimism the duo will excel in their music career.

Reggie ‘N’ Bollie failed in their bid to win the title as they lost to 17-year-old Louisa Johnson.

Andy Ukaegbu's Blog: Rawlings laments scarce patriotism in Ghana

Andy Ukaegbu's Blog: Rawlings laments scarce patriotism in Ghana: Ghana’s former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings has called for a paradigm shift in Ghanaians’ approach to patriotism, saying most Gha...

Rawlings laments scarce patriotism in Ghana

Ghana’s former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings has called for a paradigm shift in Ghanaians’ approach to patriotism, saying most Ghanaians concede there is a scarcity of patriotism in the country, with selfishness and the desire for money and power taking precedence over love for country.

He said the greed, thievery, fraud and lies we see around us are not peculiar to government or state institutions but constitute a societal malaise that needs to be confronted by all Ghanaians.

The decadence level in the country, President Rawlings cautioned, was high. He therefore called on Ghanaians to focus on doing what was right for society, community and country.

“Today we seek money so we can have power and then proceed to lord it over the vulnerable in society. Selfishness is now seen as a proud asset and patriotism seen as the pursuit of people without ambition,” he said.

The former President made the comments when he addressed a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Millennium Excellence Foundation at the Great Hall, Kumasi last Friday.

The five-yearly award scheme recognises and celebrates the contributions of distinguished personalities in various fields of endeavour.

Flt Lt Rawlings pointed out that Ghanaians are quick to join the chorus when there is talk of corruption and accountability but wondered how many Ghanaians have not played a part in the deterioration of the basic moral fabric of society.

He also lamented the involvement of some traditional authorities in the abuse of land sale, which has affected investor confidence in procurement of land for productive purposes.

The former President also spoke extensively on global issues describing the scourge of terrorism as a direct descendant of the discord and lack of equitable distribution of resources Ghanaians and others on the African continent take for granted. Selective justice and double standards in global affairs, he stated, have also seriously dented the exercise of morality in international relations.

“The new wave of global violence referred to as terrorism shows how man’s insensitivity to man can lead to violent upheaval almost impossible to contain and control. Even as the world empathizes and sympathizes with innocent victims of terrorist action all over the world, the world also supports the fight against terrorism.

“When the values of civilization are corrupted, democratic culture is in decline and political power and justice are up for sale, why will we not expect an increase in terrorist activities? ” Flt Lt Rawlings said.

The former President said the West and its allies would always be perceived as guilty if the unconscionable injustice perpetrated on Palestinians continues.

He said: “Although there are less guilty ones, there is also the guilt of silence, the guilt of inaction.”

Rawlings charged Ghanaians not to ignore global developments or the local degradation of values. He said the daily reports of murders, violent thievery, domestic violence and the upsurge in aggressive posturing by pressure groups was a direct result of the perception by some that just a few want to monopolise the right to power and money.

NPP never raised funds in churches at Amenfi - Wontumi

Ashanti Regional Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, a.k.a ‘Chairman Wontumi’ has refuted claims by the NDC youth in Amenfi West that the churches in the constituency have given their auditorium to raise funds to support the NPP's campaign for Tuesday's by-election.
A member of the NDC Youth in Amenfi West, Samuel Okwan in a press release expressed dismay and questioned why some major churches at Asankrangua in the Amenfi West Constituency allowed ‘Wontumi’ and the NPP to raise funds at their places of worship.
“We just can't understand the motivation to which these churches had to an extent of allowing the Ashanti regional Chairman of the NPP to raise funds to aid their campaign at their respective churches.
“Information we have gathered tells us that these churches, Methodist church, the church of Pentecost, the Assemblies of God church and the Christian Divine church all at Samreboi, allowed their churches to be used as a platform to solicit funds to aid the NPP towards the upcoming bye elections”.
 But 'Chairman Wontumi' in a response on Okay Fm’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show said the NPP didn’t raise any fund for itself in the ongoing by-election campaign in Amenfi West, but rather raised those funds as offertories for the churches.
He was of the view that the NDC cannot stand the heat in the by-election, hence this unfounded allegation by the NDC youth in the Amenfi West.
“We never raised funds for the NPP but for the churches. The NDC cannot stand the heat in the by-election…I went to the churches to pray to God for victory for the NPP’s Parliamentary candidate in the by-election and for Nana Akufo -Addo; we only helped to raise funds as offertories and not for campaign,” he stated.

Photos From Accident At Airport Road In Abuja

An accident occurred this morning, December 10, at Kushigoro bus stop on Airport Road in Abuja.

The driver was reportedly driving against the traffic when the accident happened. The driver was taken to a nearby hospital while  road safety officials cleared the car from the road.

However, there were no reports of any casualties.

See more photos below:

A few days ago, three people reportedly lost their lives while two others were seriously injured after a vehicle plunged off a bridge into a river in Ushafa, on the Dutse-Bwari expressway in Bwari area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

An eyewitness said the driver, who was driving at the maximum possible speed while approaching the bridge, lost control and veered off the road, plunging into the river.

SO SAD: Jos Local Government Chairman Dies In Auto Crash

Reports just reaching us indicate that the newly sworn in local government chairman of Jos-East council area of the state, Dr Hosea Azi, is dead.

NAN reports that the death of the chairman who was sworn in on Friday, December 11, was made known by the state government in a statement issued in Jos, by Governor Simon Lalong.

The statement revealed that Azi died in an auto crash that occurred at Garaku, Nasarawa state, on Sunday, December 13.

The governor who described the tragic incident as “very shocking,” said: “I received the news of the sudden demise of the newly sworn-in Management Committee Chairman of Jos East Local Government Council, Dr Hosea Azi, with great shock.”

In the statement which was signed by the director of press affairs, Mr Emmanuel Nanle, Lalong hinted that the council boss died in an accident on his way to Abuja, when the vehicle he was travelling in, rammed into a stationary truck. He said the chairman and two other occupants of the vehicle died on the spot.

The governor said Azi was an astute politician and academic of repute, adding that he was appointed into government to give the needed people-oriented leadership following the wealth of experience he gathered during his membership of the Plateau House of Assembly.

However, the statement denied earlier reports that Azi had an accident while fleeing away from kidnappers that were allegedly chasing him to an unknown destination.

“Family sources have dismissed such rumour; government has actually confirmed that the death occurred while he was on his way to a legitimate function in Abuja,” the statement said.

Governor Lalong sympathised with the people of Jos-East over the sad incident, as well as the family and relatives of the late council boss. He prayed God to give them the strength to bear the irreplaceable loss.

Meanwhile, Azi was sworn in to replace Mr Sanda Daura, who was removed from office, “in response to the yearnings of the People of Jos East.”

Recall that Premium Times reported that Hosea Azi, the newly appointed transition committee chairman of Jos East local government area of Plateau state was kidnapped and killed by his abductors. The medium alleged that a family source said Azi was kidnapped on Friday, December 11, on Miango Road in Kufang, near the former NYSC secretariat in Jos South local government area of the state.

Massive Fire Erupts At NNPC Mega Station In Abuja

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mega station located on Kubwa road, Abuja , engulfed by fire.

The timely intervention of the National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) prevented a massive destruction.

Details are still sketchy.

Below are more photos from the fire incident.

Fire kills 23 people at Russian psychiatric hospital

A fire killed 23 people and injured another 23 at a Russian psychiatric hospital, authorities said Sunday.

The blaze started late Saturday night at the hospital in the southwestern region of Voronezh.

Hospital workers told state-run media there were 140 people in the building, including 50 who were bedridden.

An investigation is underway.

Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations said the fire has been extinguished. Search-and-rescue teams were surveying the site and inspecting the building.

Witness: Paris ringleader directed Bataclan theater attackers by phone

The ringleader of the Paris attacks last month appears to have directed the three terrorists inside the Bataclan theater by phone from a few blocks away, according to a French terrorism expert. And, a witness has told French investigators that they saw Abdelhamid Abaaoud standing in a doorway yelling into his phone for about an hour.

That night, the witness had several times gone to a car parked nearby, and Abaaoud had been there every time. They described the man as very agitated. When the witness later walked past him, they were able to see his face. Abaaoud's head was shaved and he was wearing layers of loose clothing, but when photographs were later published in the media the witness immediately recognized him and alerted the authorities.

Ringleader was planning more attacks

The witness account was disclosed by French terrorism analyst Jean Charles Brisard in the latest edition of the Combating Terrorism Center's journal Sentinel.

Brisard writes that "the presence of Abaaoud in the immediate vicinity of the attacks provides an indication of his degree of implication in the supervision and control of the plot, and suggests he was giving direct orders and instructions to his team inside the Bataclan."

Earlier in the evening, according to the Paris prosecutor Abaaoud's phone records show he was communicating with Bilal Hadfi, one of the stadium bombers, right until the moment the three suicide bombers at the Stade de France started blowing themselves up.

Earlier that same evening -- November 13 -- Abaaoud was detected on surveillance cameras at a metro station just a few hundred yards away from where one of the terrorists' cars had been abandoned. He then appears to have returned to the scene of the attacks, according to the Paris prosecutor, after analysis of his cell phone signal.

Paris terror attacks fast facts

The prosecutor, Francois Molins, told a news conference on November 24 that Abaaoud's phone was geo-located in the vicinity of the attacks between 10:28pm and 12:28am that night, inlcuding in proximity to the Bataclan before the attack was over.

Abaaoud had previously appeared in videos produced by ISIS, and the group claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks the day after they occurred.

He was killed five days later when police raided an apartment in the Paris district of St. Denis, along with a female cousin and a man who has not been identified. According to French investigators, Abaaoud was planning another wave of attacks in the business district of Paris known as La Defense and had also talked about attacks on public transportation, schools and "Jewish targets."

The ISIS "French contingent"

The investigation into the Paris attacks has uncovered that at least eight of those involved in the plot were French nationals who had been to Syria -- a worrying sign for European intelligence services. Several had been based in Molenbeek -- a suburb of Brussels that has been the base for previous jihadist plots. Abaaoud himself was Belgian and had grown up in the Molenbeek area.

According to Brisard, most of those involved in the plot re-entered Europe in August.

Salah Abdeslam, who drove three of the suicide bombers to the Stade de France, is still being sought. There has been no sighting of him since hours after the attacks, when he was stopped on the Belgium border, but let go because investigators had not yet connected him to the attacks.

According to Brisard, Abdeslam and Abaaoud are believed to have planned and co-ordinated the attacks. Abdeslam had made several trips between the French and Belgian capitals in September and October, and he had also traveled to Italy, Hungary and Austria.

Paris attacks: 'I would have killed him,' Bataclan bomber's father says

Brisard reports that investigators have established that the weapons used in the attacks were bought online or through criminal networks, Brisard says.

The Paris attacks have focused attention on the substantial French contingent within ISIS. The statement claiming responsibility was read by one of them -- Fabien Clain -- who is now thought to be a senior figure within ISIS according to Brisard. The terrorism expert writes that Clain's name "had been associated with a 2009 plot against the Bataclan" theater.

Clain was also a friend of the family of Mohammed Merah who carried out a series of gun attacks in the Toulouse area in 2012.

Other individuals of interest to French investigators are Salim Benghalem and Boubaker el-Hakim, who are both believed to be senior ISIS operatives based in Syria.

Buildup of European plots "alarming"

There are more French citizens and residents among foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq than of any other European nation according to Brisard.

"More than 2,000 French citizens and residents are involved in Syrian and Iraqi jihadi networks. Among them, 600 are believed to be fighting alongside terrorist organizations abroad and 250 are believed to have returned," he says.

Abaaoud was focused on using this contingent -- and Belgian jihadists who had returned -- to hit European targets. A plot similar to the Paris attacks was foiled in January in Verviers, in eastern Belgium, when authorities raided a safe house, setting off a gun-fight in which two alleged terrorists were killed. Abaaoud had been in contact with that group by cell phone from Greece, according to investigators.

In August a returning French foreign fighter told investigators he had attended a training camp for a week in Raqqa, ISIS' headquarters in Syria, before being told by Abaaoud to launch an attack. The chosen target was a concert hall. "Abaaoud had provided him a USB stick containing encryption software and 2,000 euros," writes Brisard.

The accumulation of ISIS-directed European plots this year is alarming for European governments, Brisard says. He writes that the Paris attacks "demonstrated major failures in European border control policy and the exchange of information between European Union member states."

"The fact that most of the perpetrators and facilitators of the attacks were able to travel and slip undetected into the heart of Europe, and then travel back and forth between Belgium and France to prepare the attacks raises significant concerns" about European security agencies' abilities to detect plots, Brisard adds.

Complete coverage of Paris attacks

Champions League draw: Arsenal face Barcelona

Arsenal will face holders Barcelona in the Champions League last 16.

Chelsea have been drawn against Paris St-Germain for the third consecutive season, while Manchester City face Dynamo Kiev.

Roma versus Real Madrid and Juventus, last year's beaten finalists, against Bayern Munich are two of the standout matches in the draw.

First legs are scheduled to take place on 16-17 and 23-24 February. Return legs are on 8-9 and 15-16 March.

The winners of each group, including Chelsea and Manchester City, are at home in the second legs, while Arsenal will host their first leg.

Barcelona v Arsenal is a repeat of the 2006 final, which the Spanish champions won 2-1 thanks to two late goals in Paris.

PSG, who are 17 points clear at the top of the French league, knocked Chelsea out on away goals at this stage last season, while the Blues beat them on the same rule in the quarter-finals the previous year.

Dynamo Kiev beat Manchester City in the 2010-11 Europa League last 16, with striker Mario Balotelli sent off for the English side.

The first leg in Kiev will be played in a stadium without any supporters present, as Dynamo Kiev were punished following racist attacks on fans during a group game against Chelsea.

Draw in full

Gent v Wolfsburg

Roma v Real Madrid

Paris St-Germain v Chelsea

Arsenal v Barcelona

Juventus v Bayern Munich

PSV Eindhoven v Atletico Madrid

Benfica v Zenit St Petersburg

Dynamo Kiev v Manchester City

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North West 2-year-old star yells at paparazzi "I said no pictures!"

"Like father, like daughter!" North West went all Kanye on the press while on her way to her dance class
North West proved she's the real daughter of Kanye West when she flared up at the paparazzi in Los Angeles for invading her privacy.

The two-year-old child star was filmed on her way to ballet class this week, where she and her nanny were moped by the papz.

"I said no pictures," Nori screamed at the pressmen while struggling to hurry for her dance class in the hands of her nanny.

PDP senators vow to withdraw support for Saraki if Amaechi is confirmed

ABUJA — Senators belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and their All Progressives Congress, APC, were, yesterday, preparing for a showdown over different positions on the confirmation of two of 16 remaining ministerial nominees.
It was, however, learnt that Senate President Bukola Saraki was determined to weigh in on behalf of the former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi and the ministerial nominee from Cross River State, Usani Uguru. The duo had been caught up in a grudge war mounted by PDP senators.
Amaechi is held in contempt by the PDP Senate caucus for his role in the defeat of the former ruling party in the last round of elections. Uguru brought himself into the bad book of the PDP Senate caucus when, during his screening, he said “God forbid” to a question as to his membership of the PDP. Following the end of the screening of the nominees yesterday, the PDP Senate caucus held a meeting where they reportedly took a position against the confirmation of Amaechi. The senators were said to have resolved not to consider Amaechi’s nomination unless the report of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges on the petitions filed against the former Rivers State governor was brought forward for consideration first.
Last five nominees screened
Five nominees were screened, yesterday, bringing to an end, the exercise that commenced about three weeks ago.
The five nominees screened were former Vice-Chancellor of Imo State University, Professor Anthony Anwuka (Imo); financial expert and medical doctor, Okechukwu Enelamah (Abia); newspaper columnist, Adamu Adamu (Bauchi); former Executive Secretary of National Hajj Commission, Mohammed Musa Bello (Adamawa), and Aisha Abubakar (Sokoto).
However, the confirmation exercise which was expected to commence immediately after, did not, as Senate President Saraki announced the adjournment of the Senate to today.
PDP senators sulk, plan offensive
PDP senators are also said to have been further miffed by the reverses suffered by the party in Rivers State in the last one week, including the cancellation of Governor Nyesom Wike’s election and that of PDP state legislators, and Tuesday’s Supreme Court’s rejection of Wike’s bid to negate the sitting of the Governorship Election Tribunals in Abuja.
Although they refused to address the media after their meeting which lasted for just thirty minutes, some members, who spoke to Vanguard on the condition of anonymity said the meeting resolved that before the confirmation, the Samuel Anyanwu-led Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions’ report, must be considered.
One of the sources also said the PDP senators, in the meeting, resolved not to allow Pastor Usani Uguru to be confirmed today. He described Uguru as a light-hearted man who cannot be entrusted with any sensitive public office like the one he was nominated for.
Also, at the meeting, the PDP senators, according to one of them, vowed to withdraw their support for the Senate President should he force Amaechi’s confirmation. Vanguard gathered that another meeting of the PDP caucus would be held before the confirmation.
APC senators plan counter-action
APC senators have equally scheduled a caucus meeting this morning before commencement of plenary where they are also expecting to fine-tune their strategies to push through all the nominees. The confirmation process is expected to hold today if enough APC senators are present in the chambers to outplay the PDP senators.
In that event, the Senate would first go into a closed-door session during which senators would raise issues about the nominees. Following the closed-door session the senators would resort back to plenary where a voice vote would be taken on each of the nominees.
The ruling of the Senate President would be final and can only be challenged when a senator calls for a division and it is at this point that PDP senators may challenge whatever decision Senator Saraki takes on Amaechi and Uguru.
Only one of the nominees screened yesterday, Aisha Abubakar, daughter of former super permanent secretary and minister, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji was waved through without a question. She was asked to take a bow and go upon submission by Senator Abiodun Olujimi.

Petrol price to come down – VP Osinbajo

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says that the government is working to reduce the price of petroleum products by encouraging and working with private refineries and reducing importation. Osinbajo, who is in the UK to sign the Nigeria-UK solar energy agreement, told Bloomberg in an interview…
“We are going to be unbundling the NNPC so that its various components are effective core centres and are able to do their business well. We are going to have private refineries at the site of the old refineries, so they can benefit from the available infrastructure. So, we think that in the medium term, we would be able to get cheaper pump price, pump price of oil would be cheaper because we would be importing far less refined petroleum. A lot of that will be produced locally.
“Now, we have well over 30 modular refineries licences, so we think a lot of modular refineries would come. Many of them, their major concern is feed stock, are we going to be guaranteed feed stock? We are working on that. Once we are able to deal with that, we feel we would substantially be able to reduce pump price and get the whole business of importation of refined petroleum and the NNPC just getting directly involved in business; we are going to reduce that. The objective is to make the NNPC play more regulatory function.
“They are options that are always there. But we think that there are ways we can raise our own potion of contribution to the Joint Ventures. It will only be a last resort and we have not come anywhere near that.” Osinbajo said

Robbers raid home of Arsenal goalkeeper, steal £100,000 Mercedes

Arsenal goalkeeper, David Ospina is the latest in the long line of English Premier League footballers who have fallen victims to home robberies.

Robbers raided the mansion of the Colombia international while his wife, Jesica Sterling and young children- daughter, Dulce María and son Maximiliano- were sleeping upstairs and made away with a £100,000 Mercedes.

The robbery happened during the last international break while Ospina was away with his Colombian teammates.

The robbers according to reports stole the key of the white Mercedes AMG and took it for a joyride. Police said the stolen car was eventually tracked down and found dumped in Wembley Park.

It is believed those responsible may have sneaked into the garden through a side door before climbing into the house through the open window.

Speaking about the incident, Ospina’s wife Jesica said she woke up that night to find a kitchen window open, a tap running and the car key’s missing. We think that everything was planned because they came to the house through the window and took about 10 minutes maximum and left with the keys,” She told the Evening Standard.

“It was strange they didn’t look for anything else – just took the keys and went.”

“I can’t speak about it because the problem is still there and even though the police have the car they can’t give all the information,” Ospina is quoted to say by Daily Mail.

“We do not know what happened, this happened in the night time and the car was taken away.”

Ospina moved into the mansion which was previously occupied by  fellow Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny who is on loan at Italian club, Roma.

The Met Police confirmed officers are still hunting those responsible for the raid on Ospina’s property, and said no arrests have yet been made.

“The offence took place between 11pm on Friday October 9 and 8am on Saturday October 10,” a spokesperson is quoted to say by Daily Mail.

“Keys to a car were stolen and the vehicle subsequently taken. The car was later recovered in the Wembley Park area. No arrests have been made at this time and enquiries continue.”

Rapper Olamide Practicing For His Show In UK

Rapper, Olamide, showed the reason why he was a superstar earlier this evening by working hard on his rehearsals and sound checks even after a long flight and a gruelling schedule.

Slated to perform in Birmingham and then in London on Sunday, the YBNL boss arrived in London and rapidly got down to a busy rehearsal programme with his instrumentalist (Compozers), backup singer and dancers.

The show is being organised by UK events organiser, extraorodinaire SMADE, who recently got married to his beautiful Zimbabwean bride, still came to the rehearsal venue to ensure that everything was going to plan for a stellar performance.

The UK audience is in for a good time as Olamide, Phyno, Li’l Kesh, Viktoh and Adekunle Gold will be thrilling us with their hits!

Feds raid drug 'super tunnel' with railway on U.S.-Mexico border

Drug lord 'El Chapo' escapes from Mexican prison

Details emerge in drug lord's capture

Drug lord 'El Chapo' no longer on the run

2014: Ex-teacher runs drug cartel

Violence plagues Mexican investment hub

Chicago twins infiltrate international drug cartel

The woman patrolling cartel territory

Drug cartels profit on human trafficking

Drug cartels show force on social media

Mexican cartel leader killed ... again

Drug lord feared, revered in hometown

Drug lord 'The Legend of Sinaloa'

Inside 'El Chapo's' safe house

Drought may cause avocado shortage

Authorities raid drug tunnel along Mexican border

Six tons of cocaine seized from submarine

Unarmed teen killed by police in drug investigation

Drug tunnel discovered near U.S. border in Tijuana

Drone drops weed, heroin package in Ohio prison yard

From 'crack baby' to the mayor's office

Teen cartel hit man living free in U.S.

American teens killed for Mexican cartel

Teen hits cyclist, admits he's high

Ohio teen is accused $3M drug dealer

'El Chapo' breaks out of prison through tunnel

Inside 'El Chapo's' safe house

Who is Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman?

Drug lord 'El Chapo' escapes from Mexican prison

Details emerge in drug lord's capture

Drug lord 'El Chapo' no longer on the run

2014: Ex-teacher runs drug cartel

Violence plagues Mexican investment hub

Chicago twins infiltrate international drug cartel

The woman patrolling cartel territory

Drug cartels profit on human trafficking

Drug cartels show force on social media

Mexican cartel leader killed ... again

Drug lord feared, revered in hometown

Drug lord 'The Legend of Sinaloa'

Inside 'El Chapo's' safe house

Drought may cause avocado shortage

Authorities raid drug tunnel along Mexican border

Six tons of cocaine seized from submarine

Unarmed teen killed by police in drug investigation

Drug tunnel discovered near U.S. border in Tijuana

Drone drops weed, heroin package in Ohio prison yard

From 'crack baby' to the mayor's office

Teen cartel hit man living free in U.S.

American teens killed for Mexican cartel

Teen hits cyclist, admits he's high

Ohio teen is accused $3M drug dealer

'El Chapo' breaks out of prison through tunnel

Inside 'El Chapo's' safe house

Who is Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman?

Drug lord 'El Chapo' escapes from Mexican prison
Story highlights
'Super tunnel' with rail system stretched for eight football fields between Tijuana, San Diego
Authorities also seize at least 12 tons of marijuana with street value of $6 million
(CNN)Smugglers on the U.S.-Mexico border have become so sophisticated in moving drugs that one "super tunnel" raided this week featured a railway.

The tunnel stretched the length of eight football fields, from a Tijuana warehouse to a San Diego warehouse, and had a rail system, lighting, electricity, and metal beams to prevent a cave-in.

Authorities confiscated at least 12 tons of marijuana with a street value of $6 million and arrested 22 people in San Diego and Tijuana in connection with the one of the largest tunnels uncovered in recent years.

"We see a super tunnel open for business once every year or so," U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy of Southern California said in a statement. "Just when traffickers think they're ready to move, we put them out of business."

The newly constructed tunnel was discovered as part of a six-month investigation that began last May and involved an undercover agent who helped transport buckets filled with dirt from the tunnel warehouse and then offered to transport and store drugs for the defendants, authorities said.

The tunnel includes a rail system, lights and metal-beam supports.
The San Diego end of the tunnel is located just a half-mile from the Otay Mesa border crossing.

On Wednesday, the defendants told the undercover agent about moving loads of marijuana from the tunnel warehouse to another warehouse. Authorities believe this would have been the first time that a significant amount of drugs would have been moved through the tu

“He’s been watching a lot of rugby games” – Fans react to Matic’s sending off for Chelsea

Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic was sent off today as his side fell to their fifth defeat of the season at the hands of West Ham at Upton Park.

The towering Serbian was shown a red for a second bookable offence when he took down Diafra Sakho right in front of the linesman.

The two yellow cards came inside a nine-minute spell with the midfielder’s erratic and reckless play making a difficult situation even worse for the Blues as they were already 1-0 down.    

Gov. Rochas Okorocha Named A Government Building After His Daughter

The current Imo state governor’s first daughter is named Uloma Nwosu (nee Okorocha). She married one of his commissioners, Uche Nwosu in 2014.

According to Chinedu Ozordi, the governor named a government building after his daughter.

Chinedu shared the photo and wrote “In 2015 public building in Imo State is named after the daughter of the gov.”

Tribunal Sacks Wike As Rivers State Governor, Orders Rerun

The Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal has sacked Nyesom Wike as the Governor of Rivers state.

. According to Premium Times, the tribunal, which delivered its ruling in Abuja on Saturday, October 24, also ordered that a fresh governorship election be conducted in the state.

The petition challenging the election of Wike as the Rivers state Governor was filed by Dakuku Peterside, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election.

The Rivers state governorship election, which was criticised by local and international observers, witnessed the largest amount of violence both in its build-up and after the elections

Why Nigerians Seek Medical Treatment Abroad

MEDICAL TREATMENT ABROAD

The popularity of Medical treatment abroad is expanding globally mainly due to its greater capacity to provide safe, high quality treatments to those who cannot receive comparable care in their country of origin; many turning to India and Israel.

Medical Tourism once broadly focused on provision of health care and emergency treatment provided by higher-income countries to less developed nations, has since expanded to include patients from many parts of the world to countries with the full range of health care system infrastructure and modernity. Medical Tourism (MT) has become particularly popular in the United States, mainly due to high living costs and costly health services and care. In the United States, a staggering 50 million people are uninsured and over twice as many are uninsured for dental care. Nevertheless, insurance may not cover specific treatments and many are unable to meet the financial requirements specified for medical procedures that they require.

Therefore, Americans have many reasons for seeking treatment elsewhere - since it has also become easier over time to receive the treatment they need that is on average 30% cheaper than in the United States. They can also receive the quality and safety that equals national standards for the very same procedure. Furthermore, patients reap the benefits of getting medical care and treatment while they travel and vacation.

In the modern MT industry, international patients can be rest-assured that in nearly all countries, patients receive quality treatment in the same hospitals that also serve the local population. Services are provided by licensed professionals who maintain international accreditations that adherence to strict medical protocols.

MT is forecasted to expand even further, becoming an increasingly global phenomenon. Along with its growth, affordable and highly sophisticated diagnostic tools that guide the development of innovative treatments. Renowned specialists work with international patients; contributing to the growth of the industry and its success through expertise in specific branches of medicine. Today, an astounding 7 million people have travelled the globe for medical services for procedures like heart transplants to cosmetic surgery and dental care.

MT allows those seeking care to obtain treatment for conditions requiring procedures and processes that would be otherwise unobtainable in their home country; specifically in countries with a medical infrastructure, that lacks important resources for health care delivery.

The MT industry strengthens local economies and provides important employment opportunities of countries that offer medical treatment to foreign patients. Patients worldwide are drawn to new and efficient treatments that have become more cost-effective in places such as Israel and India – this includes complex surgical procedures. Other popular destinations for Medical treatment abroad include Thailand, Singapore, and Mexico.

Medical tourism in India

India often attracts patients that require orthopedic and cardiac surgeries, as well as IVF and oncological treatment. Complications have arisen in incidents of malpractice, lack of comprehensive follow-up care and other difficulties that result in patients seeking services elsewhere. India also has a long rainy season (monsoon) that makes the country difficult to navigate due to weather conditions from May to September – which may affect a patient’s decision to travel to India, especially if the patient is living with a chronic disease.

India is emerging, creating new departments within government-managed facilities to serve medical tourists and working to improve the coordination of healthcare services.  In addition, India aims to promote traditional and alternative medical care through the incorporation of yoga and ancient medicine - Ayurveda.

Israel: Top medical tourism destination

Israel’s rising popularity as a destination for MT ori

French Crash Victims May Take Weeks To Identify

Correspondent in Puisseguin, France

French investigators say it could take up to three weeks to identify all of those killed when a bus and a lorry burst into flames after a head-on crash near Bordeaux.

Authorities have begun analysing the charred wreckage of the tourist bus, which collided with the lorry in the village of Puisseguin.

The crash killed 41 passengers on the bus, mostly French pensioners who were on a day trip to the wine-producing region of Bearn.

Eight of the passengers survived after motorists smashed windows on the burning vehicle to free those inside.

The lorry driver and his three-year-old son also died.

Play video "Video Shows Deadly Crash Corner"

Video: Video Shows Deadly Crash Corner
The boy's body was discovered some time after the crash, after relatives told authorities he must have been inside the lorry.

A few miles from the crash site is Petit-Palais. Twenty-eight of the victims came from this tiny hamlet.

One of the villagers who died was the former mayor and the chairman of the pensioners group who organised the trip.

The current mayor,Patricia Raichini, has lost three of her sisters-in-law.

Four survivors are in hospital and in a critical condition. Two have severe head trauma and two have severe burn injuries.

The bus driver has been released from hospital.

Play video "President Hollande Reacts To Crash"

Video: President Hollande Reacts To Crash
He has been hailed a hero for managing first to open the door of the bus and then managing to help some of the survivors from the vehicle.

He knew many of them personally. He is now helping police to understand what happened.

The road is known as a black spot for accidents but it was resurfaced in 2011.

According to regional officials, all the signage and warnings were present and clear for drivers to see.

Christophe Auger, the prosecutor for the nearby commune of Libourne, said it is "impossible at this stage" to determine what caused the crash.

Mr Auger said the investigators' main priority over the coming days will be to identify the victims, a task made difficult by the charred state of their remains.

Play video "Mayor Praises Bus Crash Driver"

Video: Mayor Praises Bus Crash Driver
From aerial footage it appears that the lorry jackknifed and the bus hit the front of the trailer.

Inside the small community hall in the neighbouring town of Puisseguin 43 candles have been lit.

Each has been placed on top of a wine barrel to represent the 43 who died.

This is the heart of one of France's best known wine regions.

Through the night and into the morning relatives have gathered to place photographs on the barrels, next to the candles to remember the dead.

Colorado Theater Shooter James Holmes Assaulted in Prison

Officials say an inmate assaulted theater shooter James Holmes and a security officer at the Colorado State Penitentiary.

Adrienne Jacobson, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Corrections, told The Denver Post that the inmate lunged at Holmes and took a few swings at him while the officer was escorting Holmes through a hallway on Oct. 8. Holmes was not injured.

Jacobson told The Associated Press that the 27-year-old inmate accused of attacking Holmes will be disciplined during a hearing inside the prison.

Holmes is allowed to spend four hours in a day hall. No other inmates are in his cellblock.

A judge in August sentenced the 27-year-old to life in prison without parole for killing 12 people and wounding 70 others at a movie theater in suburban Denver in July 2012.

Croatia defeat Group A winners Nigeria 2-1

Croatia came from behind to defeat Group A winners Nigeria 2-1 and advance to the knockout stages of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015.
Croatia, knowing a win would be enough for them to advance to the knockout stages, started the match in Coquimbo with great determination and created a number of chances early in the match. Croatia captain Nikola Moro had a shot from around the penalty area deflect strongly off Nigeria’s brave defenders.
Four minutes later, Nigeria had their first significant chance of the match when Victor Osimhen, after an impressive counter attack, slotted a shot past Croatia goalkeeper Adrian Semper only for it to hit the base of the goal post.
Osimhen would not have to wait long to see his fortunes change when, after another swift counter attack, he calmly danced around Semper to score and become the tournament’s outright top scorer, tallying his fourth goal at Chile 2015 so far.
Croatia continued to have the majority of possession for the remainder of the half. In the 39th minute Moro had a strong free-kick saved superbly by Nigeria keeper Akpan Udoh. Croatia would have one more significant chance before the interval but Borna Sosa’s shot was deflected for a corner after Ejike Ikwu’s intervention. When the referee blew the whistle for half-time, Croatia had 18 attempts to Nigeria’s three, but it was the Africans who held the important advantage.
Croatia returned from the break anxious
Croatia continued to have the majority of possession for the remainder of the half. In the 39th minute Moro had a strong free-kick saved superbly by Nigeria keeper Akpan Udoh. Croatia would have one more significant chance before the interval but Borna Sosa’s shot was deflected for a corner after Ejike Ikwu’s intervention. When the referee blew the whistle for half-time, Croatia had 18 attempts to Nigeria’s three, but it was the Africans who held the important advantage.
Croatia returned from the break anxious to finally convert a chance and they did so just five minutes into the second half. Josip Brekalo scored the equaliser after Moro wriggled his way along the Nigerian defense’s goal-line and found his team-mate on the back post.
Dario Basic’s Croatia then used their momentum to take the lead four minutes later when they capitalised on an error from Nigeria’s backline. Karlo Majic cooly curled in a right-footed shot to score his second of the tournament and, more importantly, give his team the lead.
There were chances for both sides towards the end and Nigeria threatened to score an equaliser in the final minutes. The stand-out moment was Croatia defender Branimir Kalaica’s last-ditch block on Samuel Chukwueze to keep his side 2-1 ahead.
Croatia held on to their lead in the end to become the first Croatian team ever to reach the Round of 16 in the tournament and will now face the runners-up in Group C on Thursday 29 October, while Group A winners Nigeria will wait to see which third-placed team from Groups C, D or E they will come up against in the Round of 16 on Wednesday 28 October.

Breaking News: Many Feared Dead In Fresh Boko Haram Attack On Yola Mosque

Barely 11 hours after suspected members of the deadly Islamist sect, Boko Haram attacked a mosque in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, another bomb explosion has occured at a Jummat Mosque in Jimeta town, Yola, the Adamawa State capital.

Sources say the blast reportedly killed several worshippers.

Hackers Steal N8m From Osinbajo’s Bank Account

Policemen attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Ikeja are investigating an alleged theft of N8million from Vice Pres ident Yemi Osinbajo’s bank account.

It was gathered that two undergraduate students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka identi fied as Ebuka Orumba and Patrick Nwafor allegedly hacked into the account of Simmons Cooper Partner, a law firm said to belong to Vice President Osinbajo and allegedly stole eight million naira (N8miilion) from it.

According to investiga tion, the undergraduates Nwafor is a final year 500level student of Envi ronmental Science while Orumba is a final year Computer Engineering student.

It was gathered that the students used fraudulent means to hack into the email of the Account man ager of the VP’s law firm, one Mr. Tunde Irukera, and they allegedly sent a mail to UBA PLC branch to one Obuba Fidelia on July 2nd instructing the bank to transfer eight mil lion naira from Simmions Cooper Bank account to three different bank ac counts they opened for the fraud.

It was further gathered that the undergraduates allegedly connived with a tricycle rider one Artor Kalu to open a bank ac count with Zenith bank ac­count number 2086943174 where three million naira (N3,000,000) was trans ferred to with the false name Engineer Asukwo Okoro.

The remaining amounts were said to have been transferred to two other unnamed bank accounts.
Luck however ran out on the undergraduates when their alleged gang member, Mr. Kalu went to the Zenith bank account at Mushin to withdraw the N3,000,000 but was nabbed by detectives from SARS following a tip off from the bank.

The police subsequent ly arrested Kalu and fol lowing his statement, the police arrested Orumba but Nwafor escaped.

Following the investiga tion, the police discovered that Kalu with the help of others got a fake Driver’s license which he used to open the Zenith Bank ac count.

The police has since charged Orumba and Kalu to court on a 5 count charge on conspiracy, stealing and fraud while efforts is on to arrest Nwafor whom the others claimed to be the master mind of the fraud.

Spanish Billionaire Owner Of Zara Clothing Overthrows Bill Gates As The Richest Man In The world

Spanish clothing magnate Amancio Ortega, 79, over took Microsoft founder Bill Gates for the first time ever in the Forbes rich list. According to Forbes’s real-time tracker, the elusive multibillionaire founder of European clothing retailer Zara smashed past Bill Gates to become the wealthiest person on the planet, with a fortune of $79.8 billion (€71.83 billion or £51.84 billion). Bill Gates’ estimated net worth is $79.5bn as of this afternoon. He’s expected to take back his top position from Ortega.
The elusive Ortega isn’t as much of a household name as Gates, but he’s quietly ascended the wealth rankings in recent years, as his company continues to perform well and expand.

Unlike many of the richest people in the world, Ortega has a fascinating rags-to-riches story. Born in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War, Ortega’s father earned 300 pesetas a month, a meager salary.
Ortega’s biographer described his memories of a childhood during which his family could not always afford enough food. He left school in his early teens, working his way up from the absolute bottom rung as a messenger boy in a shop.

It wasn’t until he was 40 years old that Ortega got around to setting up Zara, the fast-fashion retailer that has gone from strength to strength — first growing in Spain, then neighbouring Portugal and France, then London. Now it’s all over the globe.

According to Forbes, Ortega’s wealth rose by 5.3%, another $4 billion, over the last 24 hours. That’s partly down to a surge in Inditex shares, the parent company that owns Zara.

In the last 10 years, the market value of Inditex has risen by about 570%, the main driver of Ortega’s climb up the ranks.

In an odd turn of events, Ortega has Mario Draghi to thank for his new rank — the head of the European Central Bank’s hints that the ECB would boost its quantitative-easing programme on Thursday sent shares in the eurozone surging upwards.

Davido adds to the family

On Sunday, October 18, Davido saw a picture of a crazy fan his who tattooed his (Davido) face on his body. 

In his character, an impressed Davido told his followers to help him find this super fan.

On the evening of Thursday, October 22, HKN music label boss shared on his Instagram that he has finally met the guy.

On Sunday, October 18, Davido saw a picture of a crazy fan his who tattooed his (Davido) face on his body. 

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In his character, an impressed Davido told his followers to help him find this super fan.

On the evening of Thursday, October 22, HKN music label boss shared on his Instagram that he has finally met the guy.

READ ALSO: 5 Nigerian Celebrities Born Into Wealth

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Davido and the fan
Davido said the guy’s act has qualified him as a part of his HKN family.

He wrote: “Finally met dude that tatted me on his body!! He is family now,” he said.

Davido also gave him a HKN neck chain.

On Friday, October 16, a day after promising to buy a fan Macbook, a fan of Davido shared the picture of a little boy who hawks for survival with Davido. Davido then told his fan to find the boy for him.He promised to take him off the street and give him education education to the university. Abubakar was found and an excited Davido shared a picture of the little boy smiling on his Instagram on Monday, October 19.

In Davido’s yet to be released sophomore album, he dedicated a track to his fans he titled Fans Mi. Davido’s recent actions has shown that he really cares about his fans.

Tribunal Upholds Victory Of PD Lawmaker, Dimisses APC

The victory of Prince Abayomi Akinruntan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the April 11, 2015, House of Assembly election in the Ilaje Constituency 1 of Ondo state has been upheld by the Election Petition Tribunal.

The three-man tribunal led by Justice Obojor Ogar, sitting in Akure, the state capital, dismissed the petition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Leke Akingboye on Thursday, October 22, This Day reports.

The APC candidate had approached the court to challenge the result of the assembly’s election won by Akinruntan on the grounds of malpractice and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

According to the tribunal, the petition lacked merit and Akingboye failed to substantially prove that the victory of the PDP lawmaker was marred by irregularities.

The tribunal also ruled that the APC candidate failed to tender admissible documentary and oral evidence to consolidate his claims.

Another allegation by the APC candidate that Akinruntan was a Labour Party member at the time he was given the PDP ticket to contest the election was dismissed by the tribunal.

READ ALSO: APC Supporters In Akwa Ibom Celebrate Tribunal Ruling

In his reaction, Akinruntan, who is the son of the Olugbo of Ugboland in Ilaje local government area of the state, Oba Obateru Akinruntan, described the judgment as a victory for democracy.

However, Akingboye’s counsel, Titiloye Charles, vowed to challenge the judgment, saying he was not satisfied with the tribunal’s verdict.

There are still petitions pending across the country as some who lost in the 2015 elections have been challenging the victory of their opponents.

On October 20, Vincent Bulus, a lawmaker belonging to the PDP was sacked and barred for life from contesting elections by the National Assembly and State House of Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Jos, the Plateau state capital.

New intriguing bank robbery technology in Akure

fit would have been disastrous if not for the ingenuity and dexterity of some crack detectives in the Ondo state police command. The detectives foiled a plan by some  robbers who dug a tunnel into the premises of one of the old generation banks in Akure, the Ondo State capital with the intention to bomb and subsequently rob the bank located along  Ado/ Owo road.

Robbers-tunnel
Observers said if the plan had succeeded, the  perpetrators would have hit a life time jackpot as it would have passed as the biggest robbery incident in the state. The tunnel, according to Police sources, could contain three persons at a time. Consequent upon the foiling of the plan no fewer than 15 suspects have been quizzed by detectives.
Those quizzed include farmers and construction workers  within the vicinity of the bank. It was gathered that detectives after the discovery of the tunnel rounded up the suspects and whisked them to the police command for questioning, The state Police authorities confirmed that some person have been invited for interrogation.
Spokesman of the Command, Femi Joseph, said those invited were not arrested but were called to help in the investigation as regards the foiled robbery attempt. Joseph assured that the Police Command would apprehend the perpetrators soon. Meanwhile, reports had it that following last week’s discovery, banks across the state have stepped up their security  and have reportedly given quit notices to shop owners and removed barriers within  meters to the bank’s buildings.
Also, a visit to some banks in the Akure metropolis showed that some their security guards now monitor the surroundings of the banks instead of the usual concentration on the main entrance of the banks. Some security guards were even seen manning strategic  positions around the bank buildings and car parks.
The weekend discovery was said to have sent jitters down the spines of management of banks in the state. The managers of banks in the state reportedly held an emergency meeting where some security hints from the state Police authorities were deliberated upon to guard against being caught napping by the hoodlums.
Vanguard gathered that the introduction of this new trend  by men of the underworld shocked the bankers. Meanwhile, the bank surveillance squad who discovered the tunnel were reportedly tipped off by some informants who noticed  strange movement of people on the footpath  leading to a farm behind the bank.
Vanguard also gathered that the perpetrators did the digging at weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) when traffic in  the area was thin and there would not be any banking activities.
Following the tip off, the surveillance squad reportedly laid an ambush on  the perpetrators but after a week and they failed to show up, the police authorities informed the bank management before going public on its findings. Police source said that the perpetrators may have been informed by their collaborators within the bank or any of those been quizzed by the police.
The source was certain that there was an inside collaborator hence the reason the culprits absconded when detectives laid ambush for them. A top police source said that it would have been a matter of days before the robbers blow up the bank if the tunnel had not been discovered by the police detectives.
According to him; “After another digging for 48hour s, the robbers would have gotten to the banking hall and blow it open and walk straight to the vault which will also be blown open. “ While this is happening the bank security operatives  would still be busy keeping watch over the bank from the front entrance not aware of happenings at the back of the fence.
“ They would have escaped the same way they came if the tunnel was not discovered by the surveillance squad . Vanguard learnt from a top security source that  the perpetrators only needed to dig the tunnel which is about 15 meters already for another two days for them to get to the banking hall
Giving the blow by blow account of how the state police command foiled the  robbery attempt, the State Police Commissioner, Mike Ogbodu, said that the tunnel was discovered by his detectives around 9.30am on the 14th of October. “ Our bank surveillance squad discovered a long tunnel dug by suspected armed robbers behind the Ado/ Owo road branch of the United Bank for Africa (UBA).
“The length of the  tunnel dug from the perimeter fence of the bank into the premises was about 10 to 15 meters. “ The tunnel was apparently prepared to serve as a passage to the bank premises to carry out their nefarious acts without being noticed. “Shovel, diggers and other tools used for the digging were recovered from the scene.
“This is a new trend being employed by men of the underworld these days,” he disclosed Ogbodu  has however advised bank management to be conscious of the happenings in their environment and also to endeavour to always remove any barrier that could serve as cover for criminals.
Dependable Police source informed Vanguard that the gang that planned