Welcome to Virgoworld Ventures Blog: June 2016

PALMA DE MALLORCA, Spain (AP) — Spain's Princess Cristina testified Thursday at her tax fraud trial that her husband handled all bill payments for the couple and she didn't know why some costs for their lavish lifestyle including an African safari and more than 1,000 euros ($1,100) for wine were charged to a credit card for a company they co-owned.

(1 of 6) Spain's Princess Cristina arrives at a courthouse in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Thursday March 3, 2016, to start testifying in a fraud trial that could result in her spending up to eight-years in prison if convicted. Cristina is the sister of King Felipe VI, who took power in 2014 after his father abdicated, and is the first member of Spain's royal family to face criminal charges since the monarchy was restored in 1975.

March 03, 2016 The princess spent about 20 minutes answering questions from her lawyer aimed at distancing her from involvement with Aizoon, the real estate consulting company he ran from an office inside the Barcelona mansion they lived in for years with their four children but were forced to sell as their legal troubles mounted.
Asked by her lawyer why she never talked with her husband about what the company did, Cristina responded that "they weren't issues that interested me. At that time my children were very small and we were very busy."
"He was in charge of the family expenses. I didn't get involved in that," she added. The case centers on accusations that Urdangarin used his former title of Duke of Palma to embezzle about 6 million euros ($6.6 million) in public funds for the nonprofit Noos Institute he ran with a partner that put on sport conferences. Seventeen people are charged, including Urdangarin and the princess.
Money went from Noos to Aizoon, which Urdangarin and the princess testified was set up to receive his income. A three-judge panel hearing the case will weigh whether the couple criminally abused Aizoon, described in court papers as a "front company" that may have funded luxury vacations and parties at the couple's modernist mansion along with other expenses.
Immediately after taking the stand, Cristina invoked her right to answer only questions posed by her own lawyer and sat silently and listened, but didn't respond to questions posed by a lawyer for the group that leveled the tax fraud charges.
Under Spanish law, groups like the Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) organization involved in the princess' trial can pursue criminal charges against people when authorities decide not to do so. Prosecutors had recommended not charging the princess, saying she should face an administrative fine at most.
The Manos Limpias lawyer, Virginia Lopez Negrete, told the princess she would have asked her about Aizoon and for explanations about personal and business expenses. Cristina's much-anticipated appearance came after Urdangarin wrapped up three days of testimony and was unable to explain in court how personal expenses like the safari trip and the wine were billed to the Aizoon credit card.
But Urdangarin, a former Olympic handball medalist-turned-entrepreneur, insisted he never knew he might have been doing anything questionable. Cristina faces two counts of tax fraud, each carrying a maximum jail sentence of four years. She is the first member of Spain's royal family to face criminal charges since the monarchy was restored in 1975. Urdangarin faces stiffer charges and a possible jail sentence of nearly 20 years.
Urdangarin testified that his wife never used the Aizoon credit but that he and other people did, passing the bills to his secretary at the firm. An investigative judge found that the couple never reported as income personal expenses billed to the company, but Urdangarin testified he relied on the advice of others for determining which expenses should be charged to Aizoon.
"I have never been aware of committing any tax offense because I had my advisers who told me everything was correct," Urdangarin said. The expenses charged to Aizoon cited in court included 15,797 euros ($17,174) for the Africa safari, 6,672 euros for a coaching course for Cristina and 1,357 euros for wine.
Urdangarin said he had made Cristina a co-director of Aizoon because he wanted her to be part of the business project but also insisted "she didn't have anything to do with the company's activities." Urdangarin testified Wednesday that palace officials who worked for former King Juan Carlos oversaw the princess' tax filings and had detailed knowledge of his business operations.
Cristina is the sister of King Felipe VI, who took power in 2014 after his father abdicated. Legal experts say Cristina's defense relies on her convincing the judges that she knew nothing about her husband's business activities.
Testimony by the defendants ended Thursday night but the judges are expected to hear months more testimony from other witnesses and experts. Cristina won't have to appear in court again until there is a verdict, which isn't expected until sometime over the summer.

The lawyer for Spain's Princess Cristina argued in court Tuesday that the sister of King Felipe VI should be found innocent of tax fraud after an anti-corruption group lawyer insisted she should be jailed for eight years.

(1 of 1) Taken from court TV, Spain's Princess Cristina gives evidence in a tax fraud trial in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Princess Cristina is in court on Tuesday June 14, 2016 for final defense arguments in her trial for tax fraud that also includes her husband and 15 others charged with an alleged scheme to defraud millions in public contracts for sports events and conferences. A panel of judges could take weeks or months to issue verdicts. (Provincial Court of the Balearic Islands video pool via AP, File) TV OUT

June 14, 2016 Pau Molins urged a panel of three judges to "restore justice" for Cristina during final defense arguments in the trial that also includes her husband and 15 others charged with an alleged scheme to defraud millions in public contracts for sports events and conferences.
Prosecutors are seeking a 19-year jail sentence for Cristina's husband Inaki Urdangarin, an Olympic handball medalist turned entrepreneur. His lawyers on Tuesday also insisted that he committed no crimes and should be cleared by the panel.
A prosecutor and a state attorney representing Spanish tax authorities have said officials agreed she committed no crimes and should face at most an administrative fine for tax evasion. The judges could take weeks or months to issue verdicts.

Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga. addresses the Road to Majority Conference in Washington, Friday, June 10, 2016. Perdue told conservatives they should pray for President Barack Obama and suggested a biblical passage that says, "Let his days be few." (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican senator told conservatives Friday they should pray for President Barack Obama and suggested a biblical passage that says, "Let his days be few."

Georgia Sen. David Perdue told a gathering of religious conservatives that "we need to be very specific about how we pray." He suggested using Psalms 109:8, which reads: "Let his days be few, and let another have his office."

As the audience at the Faith & Freedom Coalition's "Road to Majority" conference laughed and applauded, Perdue said, "In all seriousness, I believe that America is at a moment of crisis."

The next lines of the Psalm read: "Let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow."

Kristen Orthman, a spokeswoman for Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, said Perdue's comments "left the impression he was praying for the death of President Obama."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., followed Perdue on stage "and did not condemn him," Orthman said. "If Republicans are still wondering why Donald Trump is their nominee, look no further than today's Faith and Freedom conference," she said.

Megan Whittemore, a spokeswoman for Perdue, said the senator told the Faith & Freedom audience that, "We are called to pray for our country, for our leaders and for our president."

Perdue "in no way wishes harm toward our president, and everyone in the room understood that," Whittemore said.

A spokesman for McConnell said the senator was not on stage when Perdue made the comment.

President Obama formally endorsed Hillary Clinton for president Thursday, her campaign announced. The endorsement came right after after the president met with her primary rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders, at the White House.

“I don’t think there’s ever been someone so qualified to hold this office,” Obama said in a video released by Clinton’s team. “She’s got the courage, the compassion and the heart to get the job done.”

The two will campaign together in Green Bay, Wisc., Wednesday.

The president, whose national approval rating hovers around 50 percent, will be a key ally for Clinton going into the general election. Presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, as of now, has no former presidents campaigning for him, as both former Bush presidents have indicated they will stay out of the race.

Obama has been impatient and eager to campaign openly for Clinton against Trump, but wanted to remain neutral during the Democratic primary. “I want us to run scared the whole time,” Obama told a group of donors last week in Miami, according to the New York Times.

In his endorsement, Obama congratulated Sanders on running a “great campaign” and said he believed the primary “will make the Democratic party stronger.”

Clinton gained enough pledged and unpledged delegates to become the nominee this week, but Sanders has said he will campaign at least until Washington, D.C., votes Tuesday — the final election of the primary. Sanders is under pressure to concede ahead of next month’s Democratic convention.

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Cross River State Police Commissioner, Mr. Henry Fadairo

Mudiaga Affe, Calabar

Bandits on Friday operated in Calabar freely for over three hours, killing an unidentified Inspector of Police that led a team to stop the robbery operations at a popular hotel located behind the headquarters of the Zone 6 Police Command.

The robbers also shot another policeman at the same hotel before making away with his gun to another part of the Calabar metropolis where they attacked a security operative at a bank, also snatching his weapon.

Southern City News learnt on Sunday that the armed bandits operated in the Cross River State capital from 9pm to 12 midnight and snatched seven cars before retreating to their hideout.

An anonymous source said the armed robbers took time to dispossess the hotel customers of their belongings for over one hour before the arrival of the police team whose leader was killed.

The source said that after leaving the hotel, the bandits went to the Nelson Mandela Street end of the Watt market in Calabar-South stabbed and dispossessed one security operative of his gun.

He said, “The robbers operated at the hotel for over one hour before the intervention of policemen from the Federal Housing Police Station. The police team were ambushed by the robbers some few metres to the gate of the hotel.

“They immediately opened fire on them and in the process killed the police inspector that led the team and shot another policeman who is in critical condition.

“They also collected their guns and headed towards Nelson Mandela in Calabar South where they stabbed one policeman at an old generation bank close to Conoil Filing Station. They also collected the gun of the injured policeman. As they were moving, they were snatching vehicles. I learnt they collected up to seven cars in the course of the operations that lasted from 9pm to 12 midnight.”

Robbers had also last Tuesday invaded one of the old generation banks along Mayne Avenue in Calabar South and killed one of the mobile policemen on duty and made away with his gun.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. John Eluu, confirmed the robbery operations on Friday.

He said, “Yes, I am aware of the robbery operation at the hotel. The police are still investigating and will soon arrest the perpetrators.

“We are calling on members of the public to avail us with useful information at all times to help curb this ugly development,” Eluu said.

Bolaji Akinyemi

My generation, by which I mean the generation which came into political and social consciousness in the 1960s, was lucky in the sense that we had many real heroes, men and women from whom we drew inspiration, who made us feel that the best was within reach and that God’s mission on earth was achievable by doing good. They did not come any greater than John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Kwame Nkrumah, Patrick Lumumba, Nelson Mandela, Kaduna Nzeogwu, Francis Fajuyi and yes, Mohammed Ali (the Greatest boxer of all times). It was also the age of independence for African states, an age that liberated not just territories but the can-do spirit of the whole world.

It reminded us of the can-do and elevating atmosphere prevalent in the court of King Arthur and his knights of the roundtable. That Court was known as Camelot.

But it was also an unfortunate generation because we watched helplessly as each one of our heroes was assassinated, overthrown, and incarcerated. It was a generation that watched as dreams were aborted. We watched as the dreams of independence turned into the nightmare of massacres, genocide, civil wars and kleptocracy.

Now, the last of the Camelot Titans, Mohammed Ali, is gone, just gone.

I met Ali only once in Lagos during the Shehu Shagari period. The United States under President Jimmy Carter was trying to organise a boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games then due to be held in Moscow. Ali was sent by the Carter Administration to lobby African states to join in the boycott. I was still at the Institute of International Affairs as the Director-General and Professor Isaya Audu was the Foreign Minister.

I turned up in Professor Audu’s office on appointment only to be told to wait a while as an unexpected visitor had shown up. Soon, the door opened and I leapt up as Ali floated out in a boxing posture as he exited the Foreign Minister’s office. Then, we shook hands.

Professor Audu said jokingly that Ali should seek to persuade me about the Moscow boycott. That Ali went on diplomatic missions on behalf of the US showed that even though he was against the Vietnam War and was against racism in the US, he was not against the country. He had a presence and a charm that masked the gritty determination of his beliefs. Ali showed a more profound and nuanced opposition to racism in the US than most of the leaders of the anti-discrimination movements.

The singular act of changing his name from Cassius Clay Jr. to Mohammed Ali sent a more powerful message as a symbolic message than a thousand marches. Ali was probably, actually definitely, not aware of the linkage between Islam and Arab slave trade in Africa. A later awareness of this in his later years might account for his switch from Sunni Islam to Surfism (another variant of Islam).

Ali was a master of the grand gesture, gestures timed for maximum effect. Without a university education, let alone any specialisation in psychology, he used psychology to devastating effect against his opponents before they even climbed into the ring.

Ali, the master performer, elevated boxing from the basement of the poor to the sitting room of royalty and billionaires. Boxing will miss him; sports will miss him; humanity will miss him.

He survived in spite of the fact that he did not play safe. He took on the American system when in 1964, he changed his name from Cassius Clay to Mohammed Ali after joining the Nation of Islam otherwise called the NOI and when he refused to fight in the Vietnam War.

Those who took on the system especially in the 60s and the 70s usually paid with their lives as one hero after another got hunted down by the invisible forces that formed the underbelly of rapacious and vicious system. Mohammed Ali survived.

The death of our heroes, speaking for my generation, did not kill our dreams.Those who kill often do not realise that dreams cannot be killed. They sow seeds that germinate over time and hopefully serve to inspire another generation.

You said you were the Greatest. So say we all. Your death brings to mind the immortal words of John Donne in his poem, “For whom the bell tolls”, when he wrote, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main…any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls, it tolls for thee.”

Good night, Mohammed Ali

China has marked the start of Ramadan with its customary ban on civil servants, students and children in a mainly-Muslim region from taking part in fasting, government websites said as the holy month started on Monday.
China’s ruling Communist party is officially atheist and for years has banned government employees and minors from fasting in Xinjiang, home to the more than 10 million strong mostly Muslim Uighur minority. It has also ordered restaurants to stay open.
The region sees regular clashes between Uighurs and state security forces, and Beijing has blamed deadly attacks there and elsewhere in China on militants seeking independence for the resource-rich region.

Rights groups blame tensions on religious and cultural restrictions placed on Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in the vast area, which abuts Central Asia.
Several local government departments in Xinjiang posted notices on their websites in the last week ordering restrictions on fasting during Ramadan.
During the holy month, the faithful fast from dawn to dusk and strive to be more pious.
“Party members, cadres, civil servants, students and minors must not fast for Ramadan and must not take part in religious activities,” a notice posted Thursday on the government website of central Xinjiang’s Korla city said.
“During the Ramadan month, food and drink businesses must not close,” it added.
A Uighur official in the city’s Tiekeqi township named Ahmatjan Tohti told a group of men wearing traditional doppa hats at a meeting last Monday that officials should “resolutely stop party members, civil servants, students and minors from entering mosques for religious activities” during the festival, a separate report posted on the website last Tuesday said.
A website run by the education bureau of the regional capital Urumqi’s Shuimogou district posted a notice last Monday calling for “prevention of students and teachers from all schools from entering mosques for religious activities”, during Ramadan.
In the northern city of Altay, officials agreed to “increase contact with parents”, to “prevent fasting during Ramadan”, according to a post Friday on the state-run China Ethnicities Religion website.
Islamic threat-Meanwhile the website of the Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County government in northwest Xinjiang said Monday that restaurants in the area would be instructed to stay open during Ramadan to “ensure that the broader masses have normal access to cuisine”.
Dilxat Raxit of the World Uyghur Congress, an exile group, condemned the restrictions in an email Monday, adding: “China thinks that the Islamic faith of Uighurs threatens the rule of the Beijing leadership”.
China keeps tight control over religious groups, though Beijing often says it grants citizens broad freedom of belief.
China’s State Council on Thursday released a white paper which declared that religious freedom in Xinjiang “cannot be matched by any other period in history”.
“During the month of Ramadan, Muslim restaurants can decide whether they want to do business. There will be no interference,” it said.
“Local governments ensure that all religious activities during Ramadan go on in an orderly manner,” it added.

Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

“Is there anybody that doesn’t fall sick?”

That was President Muhammadu Buhari’s parting shot to Nigerians on Monday as he departed the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport Abuja for London where he is expected to see specialists over what the Presidency described as “persistent ear infection.”

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, had announced on Sunday that Buhari would be proceeding on a 10-day vacation beginning from Monday during which he will see Ear, Nose and Throat specialist in London.

During a brief interaction he had with journalists before leaving the Presidential Wing of the airport, Buhari was asked to react to the tension being created that the President of the country is sick.

It was at that point that the President asked the reporters if there was anybody that does not fall sick.

When asked what his message to Nigerians would be at this time, Buhari simply said, “I have already told Nigerians that I am going for 10 days to get my ear checked.”

When further asked if he had communicated his decision to go on vacation to the National Assembly as required by law, the President said, “The National Assembly knows; they have been formally informed.”

With the notice to the National Assembly, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is expected to act as President for the period Buhari will be away.

Graduating from university is normally an occasion for a family get-together.

And this was certainly a big celebration for the Ogunsanya quadruplets who were handed their well-deserved degrees from the same university on the same day.

The 23-year-old quads, identical sisters and the oldest by four minutes, Toks and Temi Ogunsanya, and identical brothers, Tobi and Tolu, graduated from Warwick University with Master Degrees.

Quadriple grads

Fabulous foursome! (Left to right) Tolu, Toks, Temi and Tobi have walked away with degrees and City jobs

And there was not a jot of sibling rivalry as all four have landed jobs in the City already.

Toks graduated with an MEng in manufacturing and engineering and Temi, Tobi and Tolu all gained an MSC in management from Warwick Business School.

‘The fact we all chose to study at the University of Warwick was a natural decision,’ says Tobi, who thinks a bit of sibling rivalry is essential for success.

‘We are a close-knit family and were all attracted by the strength of the courses on offer.

Quadriple 2

Quite brilliant quads: The foursome, originally from Nigeria, all went to boarding school before heading to Warwick University

‘We all gravitated to similar courses because we’ve always been interested in business and management and our father is a successful businessman in Nigeria.’

The quads, originally from Lagos, Nigeria, have been living in the UK since the age of seven when they began boarding schools. Since leaving university they have all landed top city jobs.

Quadriple 3

No sibling rivalry: The brothers and sisters are so close they were even attracted to the same sort of courses

Toks is due to started working for RBS in London after graduation, Temi, who interned at Santander over the summer, has been offered a permanent position with the bank, and Tolu soon strated working for one of the ‘Big 4’ accountancy firms in the City.

‘Our parents are four times as proud of us,’ added Tobi, who is mulling over two offers from two major City firms.

‘They’ve supported us financially and have encouraged us all the way – without their help we wouldn’t be here today.’

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The Federal Government has released the statement below detailing assets recovered from corrupt officials of the past administration.

Read full statement below.
The Federal Government made cash recoveries totaling:

N78,325,354,631.82 (Seventy eight billion, three hundred and twenty-five million, three hundred and fifty-four thousand, six hundred and thirty one Naira and eighty two kobo);
$185,119,584.61 (One hundred and eight five million, one hundred and nineteen thousand, five hundred and eighty four US dollars, sixty one cents);
3,508,355.46 Pounds Sterling (Three million, five hundred and eight thousand, three hundred and fifty-five Pounds and 46 Pence) and
11, 250 Euros (Eleven thousand, two hundred and fifty Euros) from 29 May 2015 to 25 May 2016.

In a statement in Lagos on Saturday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, also disclosed that Recoveries Under Interim Forfeiture (cash and assets) during the period totaled N126,563,481,095.43 (One hundred and twenty six billion, five hundred and sixty three million, four hundred and eighty one thousand, and ninety five Naira, forty three Kobo; $9,090,243,920.15 (Nine billion, ninety million, two hundred and forty three thousand, nine hundred and twenty Dollars, fifteen cents; 2,484,447.55 Pounds Sterling (Two million, four hundred and eighty four thousand, four hundred and forty seven Pounds, fifty five Pence) and 303,399.17 Euros (Three hundred and three thousand, three hundred and ninety-nine Euros, 17 cents ).

According to the statement, which is based on the interim report on the financial and assets recoveries made by the various government agencies from 29 May 2015 to 25 May 2016, the Funds Awaiting Return From Foreign Jurisdictions total $321,316,726.1 (Three hundred and twenty one million, three hundred and sixteen thousand, seven hundred and twenty six Dollars, one cent); 6,900,000 Pounds (Six million, nine hundred thousand Pounds) and 11,826.11 Euros (Eleven thousand, eight hundred and twenty six Euros, 11 cents).

It showed that Non-Cash Recoveries (Farmlands, Plots of Land, Uncompleted Buildings, Completed Buildings, Vehicles and Maritime Vessels) during the period total 239.

INTERIM REPORT ON FINANCIAL AND ASSET RECOVERIES MADE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA FROM 29 MAY 2015 TO 25 MAY 2016

Cash Recoveries

These women who show serious passion, drive and tenacity cover this week’s Vanguard Allure.....

Omoni Oboli, Adesua Etomi, Linda Ejiofor and Chioma Onyenwe are four pro-active women that have put in their best in to their art.

Omoni’s electrifying performance in ‘Fifty’, Adesua in ‘Falling’, and Chioma Onyenwe steering the ship in her directorial debut ‘8 bars and a clef’ starring Linda Ejiofor have most certainly proved that they are forces to be recognised for the hard work that brings out the best in their art.

These women have shown serious passion, love and drive for their art and chosen career. In this week’s Vanguard Allure, the ladies also chose stylish looks serving their fiercest poses yet for the magazine while discussing about their careers and more.

Check out their stunning photoshoot for the magazine.