Agenda for New Nigeria (ANN), a watchdog and non-profit making organisation has described as both defeatist and poorly conceived, attempts by some establishment persons to sling mud on the person and office of the Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Mrs. Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko.
Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Mrs. Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko
Describing the development as informed by an insensate and insensitive local politics of gender, ethnicity and religion, President of the organisation, Dr. Sam Abubakar, said the torrent of attacks against the ITF DG is a reflection of the poor mentality of underdevelopment and “na we get am” psychology of her attackers.
“A series of sponsored articles have been flying around lately, attacking both the person and office of the DG over alleged corruption in the region of billions. The attacks, which are believed to being sponsored by unions and groups within the organisations as well as persons alleged to have interest in her job had said the ITF under the new DG, who assumed office last year stinks of corruption,” the group said.
 
But Abubakar, who claimed to have been compelled to react to the development for factors of truth and reason about the leadership of Chukkas-Onaeko at ITF said: “It is only a people, who are averse to change and determined to retain a stinking status quo of squalor and underdevelopment that would go all out against an otherwise innocent, innovative and hard working woman.
“First, the problem is that a majority of these people feel because they are from Plateau State and consider the ITF a local patrimony, they reckon it should be manned by one of them. But they have failed in their inanity to address the fact that ITF has remained backward and in obscurity for the same reasons and yet, they seem comfortable with it.
“Second, they are yet to come to terms with the fact that a woman is the DG and therefore, having to be subservient to a woman is in a sense, a thing of pride they are still battling to accept in their head. Third, the fact that she is also a Christian is another factor they have been mobilising against her without recourse to the benefits of her transformational leadership which is fast blazing trail at ITF.
“This notwithstanding, we are confident in the fact that no one of sane mind, who has been following the leadership of Chukkas-Onaeko at ITF and the degree of transparency with which she has held down so far would reckon with the swirling insanity in some of the unscrupulous news platforms lately. We are with her and we will stand by her because it is these same fault lines that have destroyed the fabrics of the unity and trust of this country that they are trying to ride on to achieve an aimless objective,” he said.
Dismissing some of the allegations against her as concocted, Abubakar said “The issue of the 400 illegally employed staff was not even her call as it had been done and concluded before she assumed office in 2014. The property they claimed was inflated had been in the works for over three years, obviously for same reason and at a cost she could not relate with until she came and saved the organisation of some N400 million before the deal pulled through.
“Although they did not specify, however, allegations of being fingered in scam cannot exist in a vacuum and we are yet to lay our hands on any. But here is a DG, who noticed a curious transaction to the tune of N14 million by a staff, when it should have been N4 million and ordered the entire process cancelled immediately. What this presupposes is that if she could weigh in heavily on a N14 million curious transaction you can be sure you would not find her anywhere near the billions they are peddling.
While noting that the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is not one to haste into decision-making or act on mere hearsay, he said, “This is why we are using this medium to warn those, who are clandestinely behind this mindless attack and preconceived character assassination of an innocent woman.
“It is in their interest and that of their career to desist from further attacking the innocent because the next time we come across any such attacks, we shall react by mentioning names and positions as well as what role is being played by who. Chukkas-Onaeko does not deserve this and these ungodly lots know as much if at all they still have a residual of dignity and conscience in their hearts cast in stone,” he said.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who is currently in Malta, has asked the formation of a Commonwealth committee to supervise the rendering of bigger assistance and support to Nigeria that has been suffered from the Boko Haram terror attacks.
Nigerian leader was speaking at a banquet hosted by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II for Heads of State and Government participating in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Buhari hoped that the commission would have been launched before the next meeting of the body.
Nigerian president stated that he also expects the committee to visit member-countries of the Commonwealth where terror groups have constituted a combat zone with a view to develop practical strategies for more substantive assistance to the affected countries.
President Buhari advised the Commonwealth to display greater resolve in assisting Nigeria and other developing nations in its ranks to defeat the problems of economic development, security, terrorism and corruption.
He said: “With the improvement of global communications, terrorism has no borders now. What happened recently in France had a profound effect on all of us, but very few countries realize that Nigeria has suffered terrorist casualties of over 10,000 killed in the last six years.
“Right now, we have over two million internally displaced persons, most of whom are women and children, and most of the children are orphans.”
“We have agreed to a joint task-force for the elimination of Boko Haram, but it may not be easy, especially after the events in Libya when trained people with weapons moved back to Sahel region from where they were recruited by the former Libyan leader.
“Those weapons and expertise in their use are now aggravating the situation in the Sahel and further south,” President Buhari stated.
While calling for greater international support for Nigeria the leader of the nation expressed his government’s appreciation of the helping already being received from the Commonwealth, Britain, the Group of Seven Industrialized Nations, France and the United States.
President Buhari added: “I am grateful to Britain, France and the United States. They have already sent teams to train the Nigeria Military and Police in the control of terrorism.
“The Commonwealth has helped us in so many ways by the visible support they have been giving to help us overcome the problem of terrorism.”
Buhari, who came to power in May, has made crushing the six-year rebellion a priority and in August gave his military commanders until the year-end to defeat the Islamists.


Most others who apply to university but don’t make it also decide to spend the year learning a vocation before they re-sit the UTME the following year.
Bimbo finished secondary school last year. She says: “I didn’t apply straight to university after my SSCE, so I decided to spend my gap year learning a craft or two. So then I learned bag making last year. Then this year I applied to university and I’ve now been admitted. So I’m starting school in January.”
Dotun is another student like that. “I’ve always been dexterous. I’ve always liked to do stuff with my hands. So when I finished school this year, I wrote the UTME too but I didn’t meet the cut-off in the school I chose. So I’m resitting the UTME next year, but I’m learning graphic design and programming at the moment,” he explained.
Twenty-year-old Bimbo said revealed that she has to engage in something that would fetch her some money.
She said: “I think I made the right decision, because when I start school I’ll be able to make some money for myself by making bags for students on campus. That way I won’t have to rely on my parents for everything I need. I think it will also help me when I finish school.
“You know jobs are scarce and graduates often have trouble finding work. So I’ll have an alternative when I finish school. I can either look for a job or decide to set up my own business if that doesn’t work out. That’s my backup plan.”
Adeola has a diploma and currently works as an assistant at a salon where she’s learning to make hair.
She said: “I plan to spend the next one year learning at this salon, then apply to university the year after. I think this will prepare me better for the future. I figure when I go to school I’ll still have to learn a craft at some point and not just depend on the certificate. So why not learn it now and get it out of the way?”
 
Many students in tertiary schools are also turning to crafts to prepare for life after school and plan for a possible career. Many graduates who can’t get a suitable job are taking up crafts too.


People block a street during a demonstration billed as a "march for justice" on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015, Chicago in the wake of the release of a police video showing an officer fatally shooting Laquan McDonald. (Abel Uribe/Chicago Tribune via AP) MANDATORY CREDI
Demonstrators stood shoulder to shoulder in a cold drizzling rain to turn the traditional start of the holiday shopping season on Michigan Avenue's Magnificent Mile into a high-profile platform from which to deliver their message: The killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald — captured on a squad-car video made public earlier this week — was another example of what they say is the systemic disregard police show for the lives and rights of black people.
They chanted "16 shots! 16 shots!" and stopped traffic for blocks to express their anger over the Oct. 20, 2014, shooting and the subsequent investigation, which they say was mishandled. While shoppers continued to make their way along sidewalks and the empty street, some major retailers were forced to close, at least temporarily. Among them was the typically swamped Apple store, where dozens of employees in red shirts stood in an otherwise empty two-story space and watched through store windows as protesters linked arms to stop anyone from entering.
It was the largest demonstration in Chicago's streets since police on Tuesday released the video under a court order to make it public. The footage shows McDonald jogging down a street and then veering away from Officer Jason Van Dyke and another officer who emerge from a police SUV drawing their guns. Within seconds, Van Dyke begins firing. McDonald, who authorities allege was carrying a three-inch knife and was suspected of breaking into cars, spins around and falls to the pavement as Van Dyke keeps shooting.
Prosecutors charged Van Dyke with first-degree murder on Tuesday, hours before the video's release. Frank Chapman, 73, of Chicago, said the video confirms what activists have said for years about Chicago police brutality.
"That needs to end," Chapman said. "Too many have already died." Chicago police blocked off roads to accommodate the march down Michigan Avenue, and officers in some areas formed a barrier of sorts between protesters and stores and helped shoppers get through the doors. But protesters succeeded in blocking main entrances on both sides of the street for more than three blocks.
When one person tried to get through the front door of Saks Fifth Avenue, protesters screamed at him, shouting, "Shut it down! Shut it down." Entrances were also blocked at the Disney Store, the Apple Store, Nike, Tiffany & Co., and Neiman Marcus, among others.
Several protesters were seen lying face-down on the ground in handcuffs. A police spokesman says there were three arrests during the demonstration, two of them traffic related and the third resulted from a battery, but he didn't elaborate.


Firefighter Craig Bope assists Tarrant County Sheriff's Deputy Krystal Salazar after she was rescued from the raging waters of Deer Creek early Friday, Nov. 27, 2015, in Fort Worth, Texas. Salazar had gone into the water to attempt to rescue two other people that were swept away in the rushing waters, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The search continued for the missing people. (Glen E. Ellman/Star-Telegram via AP) MAGS OUT; (FORT WORTH WEEKLY, 360 WEST); INTERNET OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
"There's a pretty substantial shield of rain extending from parts of Texas across a lot of Oklahoma and into the mid-Mississippi Valley," said John Hart, a meteorologist with the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma.
The National Weather Service issued ice storm warnings in the Texas Panhandle and central Oklahoma that will remain in effect through noon Saturday, with up to a quarter or half-inch of ice expected to accumulate.
Oklahoma Department of Transportation spokesman Cody Boyd said road crews had been applying salt and sand since Thursday night, noting that roads there were slick and hazardous. "It is really a weather event with a lot of different aspects," Boyd said Friday. "We definitely understand that people travel to see family and friends (for Thanksgiving), and have to travel back home. If people have to travel ... plan plenty of extra travel time and check conditions before they head out."
Freezing rain and strong winds have been blamed for several fatal accidents in Kansas and Texas since Thursday. The eastern half of Kansas is under a winter weather advisory until Saturday morning, with freezing rain and sleet expected.
No highways in the Texas Panhandle and South Plains were closed despite the icy conditions, but about 100 crashes had been reported as of Friday evening, said Trooper Cindy Barkley of the Texas Department of Public Safety office in Amarillo. She advised motorists to slow down, noting that state troopers "see people passing us all the time. It's so frustrating."
Forecasters have issued flash-flood watches and warnings from northeast Texas, eastern Oklahoma, southern Missouri and most of Arkansas. In North Texas, three people died after their cars were washed away in rapid floodwaters. At least one other person remained missing early Saturday, as conditions were too dangerous to search for a 70-year-old woman whose car was swept off a bridge in Fort Worth. A local sheriff's deputy was swept away trying to rescue her, but a dive team later found and rescued the deputy, who was clinging to a tree.
.
Noor Mansoor
Noor Mansoor takes down the air mattress from his tent before entering as the first person for holiday shopping at Best Buy, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015, in Durham, N.C. (Bernard Thomas/The Herald-Sun via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Gone are the throngs of frenzied shoppers camping out for days ahead of the big sales bonanza on the day after Thanksgiving. And forget the fisticuffs over flat-screen TVs. Instead, stores around the country had sparse parking lots, calm, orderly lines, and modest traffic. Black Friday, which traditionally is the biggest shopping day of the year, almost looked like a normal shopping day. And not every shopper was happy about that.
In Denver, for instance, Susan Montoya had nearly an entire Kmart to herself Friday morning. Montoya half-heartedly flipped through a rack of girls' holiday party dresses and looked down the store's empty aisles.
"There's no one out here!" she said. "This is sad." Black Friday for decades was a rite of passage for U.S. shoppers. Many would spend Thanksgiving evening combing through circulars to plot their shopping route for the next day based on the deals they hoped to snag.
But in recent years, retailers have started offering mega-discounts in stores and online earlier instead of waiting until Black Friday. And in the last few years, they've opened locations on Thanksgiving Day, a once-sacred holiday from retail.
That has led to the "graying" of Black Friday. In fact, according to the National Retail Federation, the nation's largest retail trade group, nearly 60 percent of shoppers had already started holiday buying by Nov. 10.
Early numbers aren't out yet, but the retail group expected about 30 million people shopped on Thanksgiving and 99.7 million on Black Friday. It also expects about 135.8 million people will be shopping during the four-day weekend, compared with 133.7 million last year.
The group estimates overall sales for November and December will rise 3.7 percent to $630.5 billion compared with last year. Judging from the crowds so far, though, the shopper numbers could be hard to come by. "The frenzy and traffic levels were subdued," said Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, a retail consultancy.

Klay Thompson
Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson scores against the Phoenix Suns in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game, Friday, Nov. 27, 2015, in Phoenix.
Stephen Curry scored 41 points in three quarters and the Warriors made a franchise-record 22 3-pointers (in 38 attempts) during their highest-scoring game of the season, a 135-116 rout of the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
Golden State fell one shy of the NBA record for 3s set by Orlando on March 9, 2009, and matched by Houston, against the Warriors, on Feb. 5, 2013. The offensive deluge came three days after Golden State set the league record at 16-0 by beating the Los Angeles Lakers.
"We have an edge," Curry said. "We love the feeling of winning and our confidence is high right now. That's the only thing that motivates us." The 3-point record could well have fallen had Curry not sat out the fourth quarter. The reigning NBA MVP made a season-high nine of his 16 tries from long range in his 14th career 40-point game, five this season.
Draymond Green had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in his third career triple-double, two this season. The Warriors set another NBA mark by making 15 3-pointers (in 20 attempts) in the first half. Leandro Barbosa added 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting, including 5 for 5 on 3s.
"Yeah, they're a tough team to guard," Phoenix's Markieff Morris said. "They shoot 3s like layups." T.J. Warren scored a career-high 28 points for the Suns in their third straight loss and fourth in five games.
Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe added 21 points apiece for Phoenix. Klay Thompson scored 15 for the Warriors. "I know we shoot a lot of 3s," Golden State interim coach Luke Walton said. "They start blending together after a while. But that's the type of game it turned into. We would like to still get the ball inside and move it side to side."
Golden State jumped out to a 20-point lead in the first quarter and the Suns never got it to single digits again. Phoenix coach Jeff Hornacek lamented a lack of defense. "A team like that, who is undefeated world champs, you've got to make things tough for them," Hornacek said. "We didn't do that. Their shots were pretty much wide open."
Hornacek admired the ball movement of the Warriors. "You see several times when there is a missed shot," he said, "they get an offensive rebound, that ball is not in the offensive rebounder's hands more than a half a second and then they find Curry somewhere."
In the first half, Curry went 7 of 9 on 3s and scored 27 points. Golden State had a 75-57 lead at the break after matching its highest-scoring half in a so-far perfect season. Curry and the rest of the Warriors came out firing, scoring the game's first eight points, capped by the first of Curry's flurry of 3s. The Warriors kept hitting from long range and the last of Curry's five first-quarter 3s put Golden State up 39-19. The Warriors led 44-27 after their highest-scoring first quarter since March 25, 2011.
RAINING 3s Seven players made at least one 3-pointer for the Warriors. In the first half, Golden State shot 66 percent overall but was even better from 3-point range at 75 percent. The Warriors made 15 of 20 3s in the first half.
INJURIES The Suns lost starting center Tyson Chandler, Phoenix's major offseason signee, with a strained right hamstring in the first quarter. Golden State starting forward Harrison Barnes left in the third quarter with a sprained left ankle. X-rays were negative, Walton said, but it wasn't known how long Barnes might be out.
TIP-INS Warriors: Dating to the start of last season, including the postseason, the Warriors are 100-20. ...With eight straight wins on the road, Golden State is two shy of the franchise record set last season.
Suns: The 135 points were the most Phoenix has allowed this season and the 75 were the most in a half. ... The Warriors' 22 3s were the most ever against the Suns and 11 more than any other team has made versus Phoenix this season. ... Curry's nine 3s matched the most by a player against Phoenix.

Police take a man into custody near a Planned Parenthood clinic Friday, Nov. 27, 2015, Colorado Springs, Colo. A gunman opened fire at the clinic on Friday, authorities said, wounding multiple people. (Andy Cross/The Denver Post via AP) MAGS OUT; TV OUT; INTERNET OUT; NO SALES; NEW YORK POST OUT; NEW YORK DAILY NEWS OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
For hours, police had no communication with the shooter other than intermittent gunfire from inside the Colorado Springs clinic. As the standoff progressed, officers inside the building herded people into one area and evacuated others.
Officers eventually moved in, shouted at the gunman and persuaded him to surrender, police said. About five hours after the attack started, authorities led away a man wearing a white T-shirt. Police identified him as 57-year-old Robert Lewis Dear of North Carolina. Jail booking records indicate Dear is due in court on Monday.
No other details about the suspect were immediately available, including whether he had any connection to Planned Parenthood. "We don't have any information on this individual's mentality, or his ideas or ideology," Colorado Springs police Lt. Catherine Buckley told reporters.
Planned Parenthood said all of its staff at the clinic was safe. The organization said it did not know the circumstances or motives behind the attack or whether the organization was the target. The University of Colorado in Colorado Springs police department identified the officer killed as 44-year-old Garrett Swasey, a six-year veteran of the force. He was married and had a son and daughter, according to the website of his church, Hope Chapel in Colorado Springs.
There were no immediate details about the two civilians killed in the attack. Five officers and four others were hospitalized in good condition, police said. "Certainly it could have been much, much worse if it were not for the heroism of our police officers to corner the person in the building," Colorado Springs Fire Chief Chris Riley said.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene when the shooting first started just before noon. Ozy Licano was in the two-story building's parking lot when he saw someone crawling toward the clinic's door. He tried to escape in his car when the gunman looked at him.
"He came out, and we looked each other in the eye, and he started aiming, and then he started shooting," Licano said. "I saw two holes go right through my windshield as I was trying to quickly back up and he just kept shooting and I started bleeding."
Licano drove away and took refuge at a nearby grocery store. "He was aiming for my head," he said of the gunman. "It's just weird to stare in the face of someone like that. And he didn't win." Inside, terrified patients and staff hid wherever they could find cover. Jennifer Motolinia ducked under a table and called her brother, Joan, to leave him final instructions for the care of her three children in case the gunman found her.
Joan Motolinia said he could hear gunshots in the background as his sister spoke. "She was telling me to take care of her babies because she could get killed," he said. For others, the first sign that something was wrong was when police officers appeared and ushered people to the building's second floor. Planned Parenthood employee Cynthia Garcia told her mother, Tina Garcia, that the officers wouldn't say why they were gathering everybody together — then she heard the gunshots.
Her daughter and the others were holed up there for hours while the standoff continued, Tina Garcia said. Some people managed to escape the building and flee to a nearby bank. An armored vehicle was seen taking evacuees away from the clinic to ambulances waiting nearby.
With the immediate threat over, authorities swept the building and turned their attention to inspecting unspecified items the gunman left outside the building and carried inside in bags. They were concerned that he had planted improvised explosive devices meant to cause even more destruction. As of late Friday, police did not say what was found.
Associated Press writers Kristen Wyatt in Colorado Springs, Alina Hartounian in Phoenix and Colleen Slevin, Dan Elliott and Thomas Peipert in Denver contributed to this report.


Most  Nigerians do not remember their country’s civil war. A large majority were born years after the 30-month fight between Nigeria and the breakaway region of Biafra, which ended when the secessionists surrendered in 1970.
Yet over the past month independence protests have erupted in cities across the south-east, where the self-declared state once was. Agitators say that this time they will not be beaten. “Biafra is a country to be restored,” declares one of them. “We are determined to fight to the end.”

This is a concern for Nigeria’s new government. Secessionist organisations in Biafra have been agitating for years, but analysts reckon the scale of the current marches is unprecedented.
Superficially, they were sparked by the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, the outspoken head of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement, and director of Radio Biafra, a pirate station. But the grievances run deep.
Nigeria did not exist until British colonialists drew a line around hundreds of fractious ethnic groups dominated by the Igbo in the east, the Yoruba in the west, and the Hausa-Fulani in the north.
The country’s regions have jostled for power ever since. Predominantly Igbo protesters have not forgotten that tens of thousands of their people were killed before Biafra unilaterally declared independence in 1967.

Between 1m and 3m people died during the war, many as the rebel territory was starved into defeat. In the 45 years since the war ended, they feel they have been blocked from senior political posts, denied public services, and impoverished by a post-war programme that they say auctioned off their houses and returned just £20 ($320, in today’s money) to them.
In the presidential election in March most south-easterners voted for the incumbent, Goodluck Jonathan, who comes from their region. He lost to Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim from the north. “#NigeriaWillRot”, Mr Kanu’s radio station declared after the results were announced.

Coach Samson Siasia’s mother in the early hours of today, November 28, regained her freedom after spending close to two weeks in a kidnappers’ den.
 
Madam Ogere Siasia, 72,
However, confirming her release, an excited family spokesman Dennis Siasia, told Goal.com that the woman was released and has been moved to her village in Bayelsa state.
Coach Samson Siasia
He said: “I sincerely thank the Nigeria Police and the DSS (Department of State Services) for their efforts in ensuring that Mama was finally released by her captors.
“My elder brother Samson Siasia was very happy to receive the news of Mama’s release and I think this will help a great deal in Samson’s concentration to the task ahead.”
Samson Siasia who is currently on national duty with the Nigeria U23 team, will be leading the team to the CAF U23 Championship in Senegal for a slot in the 2016 Olympic Games.
The Africa U-23 Cup of Nations will be played in Senegal from November 28 to December 12. Nigeria are drawn in the Group B of the U-23 Nations Cup along with Egypt, Mali and Algeria.
Butswat Asinim, the public relations officer of the Bayelsa state command of the Nigeria police also confirmed the release of the 72-year-old, Premium Times reports.
Asinim said: “Madam Beauty Siasia, who was abducted on the November, 16, was abandoned by her abductors along the East West Road, November, 28, due to hot pursuit by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Police Command.
“She is hale and hearty and has been reunited with her family. The Police has intensified efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects.”
 
Coach Siasia which was later cut to N50 million then N32 million.
The abductors finally agreed to take whatever the Siasia family could offer, an amount which is said to be around N600,000. But there was, however, no confirmation if there was a deal between the family of the septuagenarian and her abductors.
Oby Ezekwesili   obyezeks    Twitter
ADVERTISING
 
However, Audu Abubakar’s  lawyers in a letter to Naij.com tagged this story as fake.
There are allegations that the 26-year-old Nigerian woman, whose real name is unknown, is using the story as a PR move for her page.
Thanksgiving Week is upon us.

Aside from emotionally preparing yourself for the warm Merlot you'll be drinking on that train ride home to you parents after work on Wednesday night or the devastation you'll feel in line at the airport Au Bon Pain, the most important thing for you to be focusing your mental energy on is thinking of places to hide from your family this week.

Of course, it's good to be present around your family during holidays -- physically and spiritually -- but vacating yourself from this earthly realm at least once (or five times) during the four or five days you're tied to your kin is absolutely vital. Don't think of it as hiding; think of it as pressing pause on the glass-in-a-blender effect a week with your family can (momentarily) cause.
But to make things easy, I'll call it hiding.
Here are 10 perfect places to hide from your family during Thanksgiving.
1. Your room.
Don't worry about it being basic bitch 101 to seek sanctuary in your childhood bedroom -- there's nothing wrong with hiding under your comforter while drafting a text you'll never send or liking a friend's Instagram of them with their toddler niece as your mom calls up to you from downstairs. You reply to her "Yeah," even though you can't understand what she's saying.

2. A walk outside with your pet.

To find the perfect excuse to go outside to dramatically sigh or smoke a cig, get your dog (or cat), on a leash, and take 'em around the block. Even if you don't have a pet, this still applies.

3. Furnished basement.

If you're lucky enough to have a furnished basement with a giant television and a large wrap-around couch, you can make it a bonafide catacomb of seclusion -- your face lit by the gray glow of the TV screen as you watch an episode of The Nanny in the dark...at least until your dad wanders in wearing only his underwear to check the football scores.

4. Unfurnished basement.

No carpet? No problem! Damp cement floors? Fuck yeah! Don't bother turning those lights on, either. Just go on down and Blair Witch it in the corner for a few.

5. "The 7-Eleven"
Just say you're going to the 7-Eleven real quick but actually take the time to drive around the neighborhood and scream. Yep.


6. On the road alongside a moving vehicle.

Tumble out of a moving vehicle onto the street (preferably a residential road)...if you're not behind the steering wheel, it might be your only hope.

7. Air vent.

A great ego boost is to try to fit into the same one you used in high school.

8. A birdbath in your parents' backyard.
It's deeper than you think!

9. A pile of laundry.
Contort your body to match the "flow" of the laundry pile, and remain as still as you can in whatever position that is. It works! Trust me.

10. Behind a relative at the dinner table.
Pick a broad shouldered sibling or aunt mid-way through the meal, and simply squat behind them for a breather. Hopefully, with the right angle, you can pull it off -- even if it's for a second. That, or your family be too confused to say anything slash pretend like it's not happening. Just as good!

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Three police officers have been apprehended by the Lagos state police command for allegedly falsely collecting the insurance claims of their dead colleagues.
Insurance section of police department. Photo Credit: The Punch
The Punch reports that the three officers, an assistant superintendent of police, a female inspector and a corporal, received claims running into millions of naira from the force belonging to families of dead police officers. They also forged non-existent names of officers to swindle the force.
 
The officers were arrested on Monday, November 10 after police authorities received a petition that families of some dead policemen had yet to get the claims.
A police source said: “The policemen are attached to the insurance section, and they are in charge of handling the claims and gratuities of deceased officers. They were arrested about two weeks ago. What happened was that they defrauded the police by collecting money on behalf of non-existent and dead policemen.
“Their mode of operation is to cook up names of policemen, claim that the policemen are dead, and then collect their claims. The money runs into millions. They are currently in the cell, and they are going to face an orderly room trial.
“It was when a petition got to the command that investigation began into the matter. We went to some divisions where the three officers claimed policemen had died and had collected gratuities for them, but we discovered that there were no such names.
“We also discovered that the families of some dead policemen, whose claims had been paid by the police, had not got their claims. That was how the three were arrested. The total sum of the fraud is not known, but if each insured policeman gets about N500,000, then the amount runs into millions.”

Joe Offor, the spokesperson of the state police command confirmed the incident but declined to give the names of the suspects.
He said: “Some police officers were arrested on an allegation of fraud. The fraud borders on tampering with records of deceased members of the Force. We have some families of deceased policemen whose families said they died as far back as 2013, and the families had not got their entitlements. There could still be others involved. But investigation is ongoing into the matter.
A 28-year-old burglary suspect in Lagos, Olamilekan Olaoluwa, met his waterloo recently when he decided to entertain himself after breaking into a house.
Ebute-Meta area Photo: Samson Folarin
The Punch reports that Olaoluwa broke into a two-bedroomed apartment located on Brickfield Road on Sunday, November 22 at about 2pm. The Kwara state born burglary suspect met the absence of the occupant. He took his time to removed a Plasma TV from the wall where it was hung, packed clothes, wristwatches and a handset he saw in the house.
ADVERTISING
He decided to refresh himself by picking a can of malt from the fridge in the kitchen. It was while he was at it that one of the occupants of the house walked in, met the secondary school dropout with the things he stole. She was said to have raised the alarm, drawing the attention of residents who came to the woman’s rescue. Olaoluwa decided to hide, making the crowd of people search for him frantically in the apartment after which they found him, beat him up and then handing him over to the police officers attached to the Iponri division.
Olaoluwa, who claimed to have spent six years to train as a plumber, said he did not have a job or a place of abode. He said he broke into his victim’s house because the gate was left open. He said: “I am a secondary school dropout. I do not have a permanent place of abode, but I sometimes sleep in the Oko Baba Sawmill in Ebute-Meta. I don’t always steal from people. On Sunday, November 22, around 2pm, I was passing by when I saw that the gate was slightly opened and that made it easy for me to enter.
“I broke the padlock and entered the sitting room where I removed the Plasma TV. I then entered the bedroom and took the woman’s husband underwears and wristwatches. I also took the handset and the TV’s remote control. I opened the fridge and took a can of malt and drank it. I was going downstairs when I saw the woman. She asked who I was and what I was doing in her house. I asked her not to shout, but she shouted and people came inside the house.”
The police said the suspect was arrested with the Plasma TV valued at N150,000; two wristwatches valued at N50,000; underwear estimated at N10,000; a mobile phone valued at N5,000, adding that everything summed up to N215,000. The Investigating Police Officer, Chukwuocha Augustine, arraigned the suspect on Tuesday before an Ebute-Meta Magistrates’ Court on four counts of burglary, malicious damage, breach of the public peace and stealing.
A police officer – name withheld – has reportedly shot his wife to death accidentally when he tried to remove his gun from its pouch.
The Sun reports that the corporal who was attached to the Special Anti Robbery Squad in Ikeja, La­gos police command accidentally shot his wife on the night of Tuesday, November 24. It was reported that the officer arrived at his house in the Egbeda area of the state around 10pm. The police, described as one of the best officers, forgot to put on the safety catch of his gun. He was about to remove it from his pouch when it accidentally fired and hit his wife who was sitting on the bed.

According to neighbours, the officer quickly rushed his bleeding wife to a nearby hospital but she eventually passed away.
One of his colleagues at the police headquarters said: “It is unfortunate that such a thing will happen to him. He was so close to his wife that he was always in a hurry to go home. We know that nothing can bring back the dead but we pray that the po­lice and her family will forgive him so that he can take care of his family.”
A neighbour described the officer as a cool-headed person who loved his wife passionately.
“They were best of friends and the corporal is a cool-headed man. Unless he tells you, you will never know that he is a policeman.”
 
The spokesperson of the police command confirmed the incident and said investigation had started to ascertain what actually happened on the night of the tragic incident.
In a related development, because he reportedly parked his transport vehicle in the wrong place
Sojojin Najeriya sun bayyana dalilin Boko Haram suna da yawa a Arewa Maso Gabashin Najeriya. Sunce yana kan ilimin addinin musulunci ba kyau da rashin fahimtan addini.
Yan ta’addan Boko Haram
Manjo Janar Abubakar Yushau, wanda ya wakiltar shugaban hafsin soji, Laftanat Janar Tukur Buratai, shine ya bayyana haka a taron kwanaku 2 wanda Daraktarat Harkokin Addinin Musuluncin Na Sojin Najeriya sunyi a Maiduguri, birnin Borno a Laraba 25 ga watan Nuwamba. Jaridar Leadership ta ruwaito.
Yushau yace wanda malamai masu jahilci da rabin ilimi suna da alhaki dasu koya daliban su ilimi mara kyau da abinda baya cikin addinin musulunci. Wani Manjo Janar yace wanda yana da amfani idan malamai suke koya mutanen su addinin gaskiya.
Yace: “Musulumai suke fuskantar jahilci da fahimtan addinin Musulunci mara kyau.
“Ya kamata muke bayyana ga jama’a da karbo addinin Musulunci mai kyau kamar yadda Annabi Muhammad ya koya kowa. Wani abun bayan haka, baya cikin addinin Musuliunci.
The Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and his wife Dolapo are marking their wedding anniversary on November 25, Wednesday.
VP Osinbajo with his wife Dolapo
The wife of the VP posted the beautiful picture of them on her Instagram on their wedding day.
Osinbajo is married to Dolapo (née Soyode) Osinbajo, a granddaughter of Obafemi Awolowo in 1989. They have three children together.

Osinbajo’s family has been kept out of limelight but they are now becoming popular after he joined politics as Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate.
Wedding photo of VP Oinbajo and his wife Dolapo
Mrs. Osinbajo is the leader of the Ladies Fellowship of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Jesus House Parish.
 
In 2007, Prof. Osinbajo and his wife founded “The Orderly Society Trust”, a non- governmental organization that is dedicated to the promotion of Christian ethics and orderliness.
Is not easy to stay 26 years in marriage. May the Lord guide them because it takes only Him to last long in marriage.
A newborn baby boy has been found abandoned in a church nativity scene in Queens, New York, USA.
Just hours after being born, a healthy baby with his umbilical chord still attached was abandoned in the Holy Jesus Child Church. The boy lying in the baby Jesus’ manger was found by Jose Moran, a maintenance worker, who immediately called the police.
A healthy newborn baby was left at a church nativity scene in NYC Source: CHRISTOPHER RYAN HEANUE
 
Recallling the incident Mr Moran said: “I was in the church sweeping. Then I hear a child crying. I didn’t make much of it. I thought there was somebody in the church with a child. But then I looked around and didn’t see anyone.
That got me curious. I followed the cries. I walked to the little nativity home we had installed inside the church… I couldn’t believe my eyes. The baby was wrapped in towels. He still had his umbilical cord. He was next to the Virgin Mary.”
When police officers arrived they took the boy to hospital, where doctors confirmed him to be only a few hours old but healthy and in a stable condition. Moreover, it seems that the baby, who is yet to be named, will soon have new responsible parents.
Father Christopher Ryan Heanue, one of the priests at the church, said: “The beautiful thing is that this woman found in this church – which is supposed to be a home for those in need – this home for her child. A young couple in our parish would love to adopt this child and keep this gift in our community. It would make a great Christmas miracle.”

According to New York state law a parent may abandon a newborn anonymously at a safe locations, such as a church, hospital, police or fire station, within 30 days of birth, as long as they tell an ‘appropriate person’ (such as a police officer or doctor) about it.
A Manchester United player has reportedly admitted that he is “half the player” under the Dutch manager Louis van Gaal.
According to reports, van Gaal has set quite a strict regime for the team and that has had a negative impact on the team.
Jason Burt, who is the chief football correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, said: ”I’ve got to be careful what I say here but I’ve spoken to one player at United who told me he’s half the player he can be here at the moment because of the way they are playing.
He doesn’t feel that it’s fair on him. He doesn’t feel that it’s fair on the fans.”



“He can’t express himself properly and finds it very difficult to play here,” Burt added.
Olympics gold medalist Chioma Ajunwa (MON) has lamented the deplorable state of grassroots athletics in Nigeria. 
DPO Chioma Ajunwa
DPO Chioma Ajunwa
The Atlanta ’96 medalist  criticised the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN), coaches and retired athletes for not doing enough to unearth young athletes.
She accuse the stakeholders and administrators of ignoring inter-house sports competitions in schools which used to be a spring board for athletes in her generation.
The retired athlete turned policewoman was speaking at the unveiling ceremony of the maiden edition of the Chioma Ajunwa Secondary Schools Athletics Championship due to commence Nov 19-22 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
She told saharareporterssports: “My greatest fear is the future of the Nigeria Athletics. You may ask why I’m worried. It’s because we-the stakeholders-AFN, Coaches and retired athletes are not doing much yearly by combing the nooks and crannies of the various parts of the country to search and groom talents.
 
“This is far from what was prevalent during our times when we came across AFN coaches at inter-house sports competitions’, they were the ones who encourage us to pick Athletics over other sports. Let me state that I was a good football player but my inquisitiveness to see what athletics offers made me switch. The rest is the successful career later on.”
Speaking on the need to establish her athletics school, Ajunwa said: “My foundation decided to float and organize this championship having seen the disparity in the level of talent hunt especially football taking the first place. You see we believe that everybody can run and thus athletic should be the first sport of choice amongst our youngsters.
“Football goes beyond running around, and over 1000 youngsters will be in attendance for the three-Day event where the best of them will be given sporting scholarship. Full accommodation and feeding will be provided throughout the championship.”
Ajunwa is Nigeria’s first individual gold medalist at the Olympics. She specialized in the long-jump event and was a police officer before venturing into Olympics. She is still Nigeria’s only individual gold medalist at the Olympics.


John Kerry, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Standing without shoes as a sign of respect in the mosque, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, and Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan speak to the media after touring the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Monday, Nov. 23, 2015.

Kerry spoke between meetings with senior Arab officials in the United Arab Emirates, and as the Belgian capital of Brussels was in virtual lockdown over terror threats a continent away. President Barack Obama's administration faces pressure at home and abroad to step up the fight against the Islamic State after its Nov. 13 attack in Paris killed 130 people. Obama meets French President Francois Hollande in Washington on Tuesday.
"The key is to destroy Daesh rapidly in Syria and in Iraq," Kerry told reporters, using an alternative term for the Islamic State. "I'd like to see us go faster," he said. "The president would like to see us go faster."
The chief American diplomat said Obama was asking everyone in the U.S. government for new concepts to speed up the fight. Some steps were in motion before the Paris attack, he said, such as the decision to deploy some U.S. special forces to Syria and ongoing efforts toward a cease-fire between Syria's government and rebel groups.
But Kerry didn't outline any specific post-Paris additions to the strategy. He made no mention of any country authorizing a large-scale deployment of boots on the ground to Syria, as some Republican presidential candidates have suggested. And he dismissed the notion of a no-fly zone in Syria, proposed just last week by his predecessor as secretary of state, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton. He said it was "not a new idea."
Kerry didn't rule out greater cooperation with Russia, which Hollande is expected to ask Obama about. Obama and other U.S. official say Russia must first limit airstrikes to the Islamic State and other extremist groups, and not Western-backed, moderate forces.
If rebels see new cooperation with Russia as designed to keep Syrian President Bashar Assad in power, "that complicates issues, and then you will have greater support going to bad actors." "It has to be done in a way that manages the passions and the disappointment and the sacrifices and the anger that exists on the ground among people who have been fighting Assad for four years now," Kerry said. "You have to do this in a way that actually brings them to the cease-fire."
Separately, the U.S. military said it destroyed 283 tanker trucks used by IS militants to transport oil from producing fields in eastern Syria to smuggling points in an acceleration of attacks on one of the militants' most important sources of income.
The attack by four A-10 attack planes and two AC-130 gunships was carried out Saturday at a site near Deir el-Zour and al-Hasakah but not made public until Monday. It followed a similar assault on Nov. 15 that destroyed 116 tanker trucks as part of a concerted campaign to cripple the militants' oil revenues.
Kerry said IS militants "are losing territory, they are losing towns, they are losing people, they are losing oil revenue." But they're gaining support from other terrorist groups around the world, making defeating them more urgent.
"We have to cut off this notion of success," he said, by which IS "gets a cheapie: Someone who already is a terrorist does something in their name." Kerry was clearest in outlining his focus in the overall strategy: Getting Assad and moderate rebels into a political transition process.
A truce could be a couple of weeks away, he insisted, even if several matters remain unresolved. For one, the plan doesn't say when Assad might leave power. And no agreement has been reached on which fighting forces, beyond IS and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, would be barred from participating.
Kerry said discussions Monday with Abu Dhabi's crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir touched on Ahrar ash-Sham. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey back the hard-line Islamist force; Assad's government and its defenders, Iran and Russia, see it as a terrorist entity.
Kerry sought a middle line. "You don't want to categorize everybody automatically," he said. "If you can talk to some people and bring them back from there, and they want to go be part of the political process, and they're willing to observe a ceasefire and put down their weapons, and so forth, then maybe that's an opening.


Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho shouts during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Norwich City at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015.
The playmaker was feted as the Premier League's finest talent as last season ended with Chelsea winning the title and England's top two individual awards were presented to the 24-year-old Belgian. As Chelsea has struggled since August — starting its title defense by collecting 14 points from a possible 39 and sitting second in Champions League Group G — so has Hazard.
"I didn't start the season well. I tried to find out why, but I don't know," Hazard said ahead of Tuesday's match at Maccabi Tel Aviv. "Sometimes you don't know. You have to keep going. I gave everything in training, on the pitch when I played. I hope I can get a lot of form and try to help the team win games."
Chelsea, which can qualify for the knockout phase with victory in Israel if leader Porto beats Dynamo Kiev, ended a run of three league losses on Saturday by beating Norwich 1-0. Hazard thrived in a central role playing behind Diego Costa rather than being on the left flank — the result of a conversation with under-pressure manager Jose Mourinho.
"I said to him, 'Maybe we have to try to change something. If I can play number 10?" Hazard recalled. At a time when Chelsea is struggling to score, Hazard's only goals this season have come while on international duty with four for Belgium.
Hazard accrued 19 goals for Chelsea in winning the player of the year awards for 2014-15. Far from that being a launch-pad to try to challenge Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for elite global status, Hazard's career has stalled.
Mourinho isn't being blamed for his or Chelsea's loss in form. "I don't have a problem with him," Hazard said. "He is the best manager. He is the best manager for Chelsea and we hope we can win a lot of trophies together. Maybe not this season because it will be difficult, but next season and on."
Here are some other talking points ahead of Tuesday's games in Group G:

POINTLESS MACCABI

Top of the Israeli league but bottom in Europe, the Tel Aviv side can still qualify for the Europa League by finishing third in Group G — just. But it is yet to collect a single point and sits five behind Dynamo Kiev with two games remaining. Domestically, Maccabi is thriving at least: winning six of its last seven league games.

BUENO PUSHES FOR A PLACE

With Porto winning eight in nine in the league, Alberto Bueno is being kept out of the team.
The Spanish striker arrived at the Portuguese club in the summer transfer window from Rayo Vallecano, where he excelled with 17 goals last season. But Porto's solid run and the top form of Vincent Aboubakar and Yacime Brahimi in Porto's attack has shut Bueno out of the main competitions so far.
Only when coach Julen Lopetegui made six changes to his usual team for the Portuguese Cup game against lowly Angrense did Bueno open his account for Porto: scoring both goals in a 2-0 win.
"FC Porto has a great team and we have to wait for our chance," the 27-year-old Bueno said. "I'm happy but I want to play more."
He'll be hoping that comes against Dynamo Kiev when a place in the round of 16 can be secured by Porto, which leads Chelsea by three points.

DYNAMO AWAITS FATE

Not only could Dynamo's qualifying hopes be ended by a loss in Portugal, but the club also faces a heavy UEFA punishment.
UEFA is expected to rule imminently on racists attacks which marred Dynamo's 0-0 draw at home to Chelsea last month. Possible punishments include playing home European games in an empty stadium or a points deduction.
On the field, things are better for Dynamo, which has won its last three Ukrainian league games without conceding a single goal.


FIFA president Sepp Blatter, right, and UEFA president Michel Platini talk before the semi final soccer match between Real Madrid and Cruz Azul at the Club World Cup soccer tournament in Marrakech, Morocco. On Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 file photo FIFA provisionally banned President Sepp Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini for 90 days.
Two of the most powerful men in soccer were handed 90-day suspensions by the FIFA ethics committee on Thursday, essentially ending Blatter's 17-year reign as president and likely stunting Platini's chances of replacing him.
Both Blatter and Platini, former allies who turned into rivals in the buildup to the most recent FIFA presidential election, have become embroiled in a Swiss criminal investigation. Blatter has been labeled a suspect and questioned by authorities, while Platini was said to be somewhere between a witness and a suspect.
Both maintain their innocence. "President Blatter looks forward to the opportunity to present evidence that will demonstrate that he did not engage in any misconduct, criminal or otherwise," Blatter's lawyer, Richard Cullen, said in a statement.
Platini also pledged to fight the decision, calling the allegations against him "astonishingly vague" in a statement sent from UEFA hours after the Frenchman was banned from working as the body's president.
"I want everyone to know my state of mind: more than a sense of injustice or a desire for revenge, I am driven by a profound feeling of staunch defiance," Platini said. "I am more determined than ever to defend myself before the relevant judicial bodies."
The statement from UEFA, which stressed "its full confidence" in Platini, has exposed the body's officials to potential action under FIFA ethics rules. According to UEFA statutes, Platini should have been replaced by Angel Maria Villar, the highest-ranking vice president.
"(Platini) is currently suspended and will therefore not perform his official duties for the time being," UEFA said in a statement, still referring to Platini as president. "UEFA is fully aware of its responsibilities under the relevant provisions of the statutes."
UEFA's 54 member nations are due to meet in Nyon, Switzerland, next Thursday to discuss the worst crisis in its history and the bid by Platini to succeed Blatter. The 90-day suspensions for Blatter and Platini were imposed after the Swiss authorities started investigating a payment from FIFA to the former France midfield great in 2011 for work carried out at least nine years earlier.
Another presidential hopeful, Chung Mong-joon, was suspended for six years in a separate case and FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke was banned for 90 days. The suspensions can be extended by up to 45 days.
The International Olympic Committee called on FIFA to consider a "credible external presidential candidate of high integrity" as Blatter's replacement. "Enough is enough," IOC President Thomas Bach said. "We hope that now, finally, everyone at FIFA has at last understood that they cannot continue to remain passive."
Issa Hayatou, the longtime head of the African soccer confederation who was reprimanded in 2011 by the IOC in a FIFA kickbacks scandal, took over from Blatter as acting FIFA president. The 69-year-old Cameroonian, who has a serious kidney illness that requires regular dialysis sessions, is currently in Yaounde, the Cameroon capital, and is expected to travel to Zurich soon.
Hayatou said he would not stand for president in the February election prompted by Blatter's earlier decision to resign at the start of his fifth presidential term. Blatter's suspension stops a career that began at FIFA in 1975 and includes the last 17 years as president.
Blatter had survived waves of scandals affecting close allies, but the corruption scandal engulfing FIFA severely escalated in May when seven officials were arrested in Zurich as part of an American bribery investigation.
At the same time, the Swiss authorities revealed their own probe into soccer corruption and a criminal case was opened against Blatter last month. Swiss investigators turned up at Blatter's office at FIFA headquarters and interrogated him. The criminal case centers on Blatter allegedly misusing FIFA money by making a $2 million "disloyal payment" to Platini.
Blatter was also questioned by Swiss investigators about broadcasting contracts sold to former FIFA vice president Jack Warner in 2005 that were supposedly undervalued. Cullen, Blatter's lawyer, said the ethics committee failed to follow procedure and based its decision on a "misunderstanding."
"The attorney general in Switzerland ... opened an investigation but brought no charge against the president," Cullen said. "In fact, the prosecutors will be obliged by law to dismiss the case if their investigation, barely two weeks old, does not establish sufficient evidence."
Blatter quickly submitted an appeal to FIFA ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert through lawyers and asked to see the reasons for the decision to suspend him, a person familiar with the situation said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the appeal process publicly.
The suspension of Platini could have the most far-reaching implications. The former European player of the year submitted his formal candidacy to stand in the Feb. 26 election to replace Blatter on Thursday morning. That means it will have to be considered by the election committee after the Oct. 26 deadline for candidacies.
Chung, a former FIFA vice president, was found guilty of breaches relating to the investigation into bidding for the 2022 World Cup, of which South Korea was a contender. Valcke, Blatter's top administrator, had already been put on leave last month after being the subject of allegations over a deal for black market sales of tickets to 2014 World Cup matches.


FIFA President Sepp Blatter drives his car into the garage of the FIFA headquarters on his way to work in Zurich, Switzerland, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015. Blatter was questioned by Swiss investigators on Friday about why FIFA paid 2 million Swiss francs (about $2 million) to UEFA President Michel Platini in 2011 for work supposedly carried out at least nine years earlier.
The seemingly-coordinated interventions from the long-standing corporate backers came a week after the Blatter was interrogated by Swiss investigators and placed under criminal investigation for alleged financial wrongdoing at FIFA, which he has led since 1998.
It marked an escalation in the dual American and Swiss soccer corruption investigations, which burst into public view with the arrest of seven FIFA officials at a Zurich hotel two days before the presidential election in May. They are among 14 officials indicted in the U.S. on bribery and racketeering charges.
The 79-year-old Blatter gained a fifth term only to announce resignation plans four days later in the face of private pressure from sponsors and the fear of a criminal investigation. But Blatter is determined to remain in power until his successor is elected on Feb. 26 and "respectfully disagrees" with the sponsors who demand his immediate departure, the president's lawyer, Richard Cullen, said.
"(He) believes firmly that his leaving office now would not be in the best interest of FIFA nor would it advance the process of reform and therefore, he will not resign," Cullen said in a statement. Coca-Cola, which has advertised in stadiums at every World Cup since 1950, was the first of the sponsors to demand Blatter's resignation, having previously just called for reforms at the scandal-battered governing body.
"For the benefit of the game, The Coca-Cola Company is calling for FIFA President Joseph Blatter to step down immediately so that a credible and sustainable reform process can begin in earnest," Coca-Cola said in a statement.
"Every day that passes, the image and reputation of FIFA continues to tarnish. FIFA needs comprehensive and urgent reform, and that can only be accomplished through a truly independent approach." That call was echoed by fast food giant McDonald's, which has been a World Cup sponsor since 1994.
"The events of recent weeks have continued to diminish the reputation of FIFA and public confidence in its leadership," McDonald's said in a statement. "We believe it would be in the best interest of the game for FIFA President Sepp Blatter to step down immediately so that the reform process can proceed with the credibility that is needed."
A further blow came from Visa, which has a FIFA deal through the 2022 World Cup. "We believe no meaningful reform can be made under FIFA's existing leadership," Visa said. "And given the events of last week, it's clear it would be in the best interest of FIFA and the sport for Sepp Blatter to step down immediately."
The fourth statement was delivered by brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev, whose Budweiser branding has appeared on advertising signage in World Cup stadiums since 1986 and its current deal runs until 2022. "It would be appropriate for Mr. Blatter to step down as we believe his continued presence to be an obstacle in the reform process," the beer maker said in a statement.
Blatter's own position has been weakened as lawyers oversee key decisions at FIFA and he waits to hear whether he will be suspended by the ethics committee. Swiss prosecutors allege that Blatter undervalued World Cup broadcasting contracts for the Caribbean sold to disgraced former FIFA vice president Jack Warner in 2005. Blatter was also questioned over an allegedly "disloyal payment" of 2 million Swiss francs (now $2.04 million) in 2011 from FIFA to UEFA President Michel Platini for work carried out at least nine years earlier.
Blatter has denied being corrupt but he is a target of U.S. investigators. Although the sponsors did not respond to Blatter rejecting their demands to resign with a threat to withdraw cash from FIFA, English Football Association chairman Greg Dyke praised their intervention as "a game changer."
"It doesn't matter what Mr. Blatter says now, if the people who pay for FIFA want a change they will get a change," Dyke said. "What is important is that it isn't just about Mr. Blatter standing down, it's about making sure there is a comprehensive and effective reform program.
"So for those of us who want fundamental change this is good news." FIFA generated $5.7 billion in 2011-2014, which encompassed the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, with sponsors and commercial partners contributing $1.6 billion.
The crisis is damaging FIFA's attempts to attract new sponsors ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Only seven of 14 available positions in FIFA's top two commercial categories have been filled. Two top-tier sponsors, Dubai-based airline Emirates and Sony, were among several commercial partners who did not renew last year.


FIFA president Sepp Blatter after his election as President, left, is greeted by UEFA President Michel Platini, right, at the Hallenstadion in Zurich, Switzerland. FIFA's ethics committee has asked for sanctions against Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini after finishing investigations into their alleged financial wrongdoing. FIFA President Blatter and UEFA President Platini now face bans of several years at full hearings before FIFA ethics judge Joachim Eckert, likely in December. (Patrick B. Kraemer/Keystone via AP, File)
FIFA ethics judge Joachim Eckert formally opened cases on Monday against the FIFA and UEFA presidents for alleged financial wrongdoing. "The adjudicatory chamber intends to come to a decision in both cases during the month of December," a spokesman for the German judge said in a statement.
Blatter and Platini "will be invited to submit positions including any evidence with regard to the final reports of the investigatory chamber," the statement said. Both can request hearings, which are expected to be scheduled in December.
Blatter and Platini, who are currently serving 90-day suspensions pending Eckert's rulings, face bans of at least several years. Any sanctions passed can be appealed to FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The FIFA ethics investigations unit said Saturday it submitted case dossiers and asked for sanctions against both officials. Details were not given. In recently judged FIFA ethics cases, former FIFA officials Chung Mong-joon and Harold Mayne-Nicholls were banned for six and seven years, respectively, despite their offences not including financial corruption.
The latest case centers on $2 million of FIFA money Blatter approved for Platini in 2011 as backdated salary. Both deny wrongdoing and say they had a verbal contract to pay Platini for work as Blatter's presidential adviser from 1998-2002.
Platini cannot campaign for the FIFA presidential election on Feb. 26 while suspended, and will almost certainly have his candidacy ended if found guilty of wrongdoing by Eckert.
While senior officers of the Nigeria police have been deployed to oversee security activities during the Kogi state election, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has also sent some of its staff to monitor the conduct of these officers.
Some police officers
A statement by the spokesperson of the police service commission Ikechukwu Ani said a “high powered” team of monitors from the commission to monitor the conduct of all police officer deployed to Kogi state for the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
Ani said: “This is in the exercise of the commission’s constitutional mandate of holding the Police accountable for its actions or in-actions.”
“It is also part of the commission’s contribution to the sustenance of the nation’s fledgling democracy since the integrity of the electoral process cannot be fully achieved if the security personnel, more especially the Police fail to discharge their constitutional responsibilities,” Ani said.
He said the PSC, saddled with the responsibility of checkmating the activities of police officers wishes to advise the officers on electoral duty in Kogi state to abide by the rules and regulations guiding their job.
:
“The Officers are advised to be fair but firm and ensure that all eligible voters are allowed to discharge their civic responsibilities without molestation,” he said.
Ani warned that the commission will not hesitate to commence disciplinary action against any police officer caught acting contrary to the rules before, during or after the elections.
PSC promises to also continue playing its role in the advancement of the Nigeria’s constitutional democracy and the enthronement of the will of the people during elections, he added.
Meanwhile, the inspector general of police Solomon Arase has restricted vehicular movement in the state and within its boundaries from 6am to 6pm on Saturday, November 21. All travellers have also been advised to take alternative routes to their destination within this period.
There are seven simple universal laws affecting our lives every single day and you may not even notice that. Learn these rules and you will be surprised of your acquired ability to transform your life in a way you truly desire!
Real Madrid welcome Barcelona to the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday for the first El Clasico this season.
Both teams have had their good and bad times this season. Barcelona have been steady since Lionel Messi’s injury against Las Palmas two months go while Madrid have been solid but unspectacular.
Messi when he suffered the knee injury against Las Palmas
Both teams have injury problems coming into this clash that that should not stop fans from gluing to their screen’s to watch the biggest match of the weekend along with Juventus vs Ac Milan and Man City vs Liverpool.
Both teams have fitness issues ahead of the clash. Madrid will hope Keylor Navas, Sergio Ramos and Benzema will be fully fit while Barca have worries over Iniesta, Rakitic and Messi.
Despite the hitches the match promises to be a cracker…
 1. Lionel Messi’s comeback: What better way for the best player in the world to make his comeback from a two month injury layoff than against Madrid?While Neymar and Suarez have stepped up the plate in the Argentine’s absence, Messi’s superhuman abilities and consistency is just too much to write off.

The Argentine was expected to be out for eight weeks but returned in seven and used the last week to do full training. He is not fully fit but as we all know a half-fit Messi is a blessing to any team in the world.
2. Rafa Benitez will have his first true test: Rafa Benitez has been solid in the beginning of his Real Madrid coaching career. The Spaniard was not a favorite of fans, the press and players alike when he replaced Carlo Ancelotti in the summer but he has been winning over those against him recently.
His only defeat to date is that 3 – 2 defeat to Sevilla before the international break. Many are low to note that some of his best players have either been injured but off form. Ronaldo has continued to score and has 13 goals in fourteen games this season but five of those came in just one game against Espanyol.
He has missed Sergio Ramos (against Sevilla), James Rodriguez, Benzema, Gareth Bale, Danilo and Pepe at various times this season. Despite all the trouble results have been good. The two ‘three matches’ Madrid have played this season have seen different fourtunes.
Drew 1 -1 against Atletico Madrid, beat PSG 1 – 0 over two legs in the Champions league and lost 3 – 2 to Sevilla. Can Benitez see fortune against Barcelona? Saturday’s game awaits.
3. Can Madrid cope without Sergio Ramos?: Madrid might have to do without Sergio Ramos for the El Clasico. The midfielder injured his shoulder when he acrobatically scored against  Sevilla in that 3 – 2 loss. Immediately Ramos left the pitch, the team lacked leadership at the back, defensive cohesion and found it difficult to play the ball out of the back.
Sergio Ramos
Ramos is one of the best defenders in the world alongside Thiago Silva, Gerard Pique and Diego Godin but his absence will be keenly felt.
Madrid will hope their best defender is back to lead the ‘backline’ or could be overwhelmed by an attack that could line up as Neymar – Suarez – Messi.

4. Will the match be fixed?: Few weeks back, it emerged that
“According to Cadena COPE (h/t Sport), Per Malyon was asked to favour Real Madrid by the referee, who said he was under pressure from the referees committee, but he refused and was later contacted by Jose Angel Jimenez Munoz de Morales, a member of Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees, who threatened his career.”
If that report is to be believed, then we could have a strange match on our hands. It could lead to a series of comments, fireworks and other issues being raised. Will the match be fixed, will the referee favour Madrid?
L-R: Karim BEnzema, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Saturday’s game will tell…
5. Its the El Clasico: You should not miss this match because its simply…EL CLASICO. Its probably the biggest club game in the world barring finals of major tournaments like the Champions League, FA Cup, or any other match. The Jose Mourinho vs Pep Guardiola era of El Clasico’s were stuff of legends.
Guardiola and Mourinho shake hands before an El Clasico match in 2011
Madrid played dirty and sometimes got the results but Barcelona usually had the upper hand with their possession game and a certian Lionel Messi who was always settling the scores.
So Saturday, November 21 at 6pm should be booked for El Clasico.
Former United States President Jimmy Carter has described Nigeria’s former President Goodluck Jonathan as the symbol of democracy in Africa.
According to The Nation, Carter, the 39th US President, showered praises on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum located at the Carter Center in Atlanta.
Carter and Jonathan were said to have discussed a wide range of issues during the meeting, including how to promote peace, democracy and good governance on the African continent and the world at large.
Former American and Nigerian presidents, Jimmy Carter and Goodluck Jonathan, shake hands in the United States.
“President Goodluck Jonathan is the symbol of democracy in action. You set an example that other African leaders should follow,” the former US leader said.
 
While also praising Jonathan for organizing a transparent election, easily conceding defeat and handing over to the opposition, Carter said Jonathan showed his deep democratic commitment.
Jonathan, in his response, said that his actions while in office were based on his belief in a peaceful, transparent and people-oriented governance.
He added that Africa can only move forward through democracy and good governance and while commending Carter for the exemplary manner he had in his post-presidential life, the former African leader, noted that he (Jonathan) was inspired by Carter’s commitment to causes that advance the path of humanity.

Since his ouster as Nigeria’s president a few months back, Jonathan has been visiting many strategic pro-democracy institutions on invitation, to share his experience in office as a promoter of democracy and advocate of good governance in Africa.
, where he also preached peace during the voting process.
www.virgoworldventures.net. Powered by Blogger.

Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *

Followers

Followers

Labels

Tweet Us@virgoworldworl1

Labels