Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom give their marriage a second chance

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Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian  Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian are giving their marriage a second chance.

Report has it that Kardashian's lawyer Laura Wasser has met wth the judge to request for withdrawing their divorce filing, which the judge granted.

A close relation confirmed the news to Us Weekly and said, "This is a very delicate and difficult time for both Lamar and Khloe, and the most sensible thing to do at such a time is not make any big moves and put everything on hold. So that's what she is doing."

As earlier reported, Kardashian and Odom are still legally married despite both signing divorce documents in July this year, but the judge is yet to sign off on the papers.

The KUWTK star first filed for divorce in December 2013.

Tribunal nullifies akwa Ibom governorship election, orders re-run

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The election tribunal sitting in Akwa Ibom State has nullified the governorship election in April 2015.

The tribunal, while giving its judgement on Wednesday said it was satisfied that there were discrepancies in the governorship election conducted on 11th April, 2015.

The tribunal therefore ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct re-run election in the 18 local government areas affected by the nullification.

Akwa Ibom has 31 local government areas in the state.

New INEC Chairman Emerges, He Is Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

At last, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has a new chairman in person of professor Mahmood Yakubu. He was a former Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND.

Prof. Mahmood was appointed on Wednesday October 21st 2015 by President Mohammadu Buhari. He will take over from the Acting Chairman of the Commission, Mrs. Bala Zakari, after long debate on whether she should be made substantive INEC chairman or not.

The National Council of States which had an emergency meeting in presidential villa, Abuja approved the appointments of the chairman and five other national INEC commissioners.

The council is normally chaired by the President with Vice President in attendance; all living former Presidents and Heads of State; President of the Senate; Speaker of the House of Representatives; all living former Chief Justices of Nigeria and all state governors among others as members.

The meeting had the presence of Vice President Osinbajo, former Heads of State, Generals Yakubo Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida, Abdusalami Abubakar, and Chief Ernest Shonekan.

Also in attendance are Speaker Yakubu Dogara, former Chief Justices of Nigeria which included Mohammed Uwais, Alfare Belgore and Idris Kutigi, and almost all the Serving governors.

Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, told State House correspondents on behalf of the meeting, that the situation in INEC necessitated the emergency meeting which approved the appointments.

He said: "As the first Council meeting in the life of this administration, the Council received a memo on the nomination of Chairman and five Commissioners for INEC. This is in conformity with the provisions of the constitution of Nigeria particularly Sections 154 (1 and 3 and 156 (3) that confers on the President the powers to appoint a chairman and national commissioners of INEC, in consultation with the Council of States.

"The situation in INEC as at today is such that requires for this emergency meeting to approve the nominations by Mr. President, because the law requires that a minimum of four commissioners should form a quorum in INEC, which is not the case as today, because the tenures of 11 of national commissioners of INEC had expired.

"In line with this, the Council considered and confirmed the appointments of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of INEC, Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari as member representing North West, Dr. Antonia Taiye Okoosi-Simbile as Commissioner North Central, Alhaji Baba Shettima Arfo, from Borno as Commissioner representing North East, Dr, Mohammed Mustapha Lecky from Edo as Commissioner representing South South and Prince Soyebi Adedeji Solomon from Ogun representing South West.

"The Council has agreed to stagger the confirmation of this appointment of Commissioners of INEC in view of the situation we found ourselves presently whereby the tenures of individual commissioners expired almost the same time. "So, to avert future occurrence of such a situation the Council has agreed that the next 6 of the Commissioners should be submitted to the Council subsequently for its approval. These names have been approved and would be transmitted to the NASS for confirmation", according to him.

Responding to question of whether the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States were discussed in the meeting, Tambuwal said it was not a matter for the council but acknowledged that the new INEC chair and his team have the responsibility of conducting the elections

Newborn Baby Boy Of Danielle Milian Dies After Dirth

The newborn baby boy of Danielle Milian has died immediately after birth due to omphalocele complication during pregnancy.

Danielle posted the sad news in her Instagram hours after welcoming her newborn son, Richie Bear.

"Yesterday I was blessed with the birth of my Richie Bear. Unfortunately, last night he took his place with the Lord and we said goodbye," she captioned a black and white photo of what appears to be his handprint. "I so appreciate the prayers and support from everyone. He touched my heart and was perfect in so many ways."

In March, doctor had advised the couple to terminate the pregnancy, when the unborn baby was diagnosed of omphalocele, but they decided to give their baby an opportunity to life.

Omphalocele is a life-threatening condition where organs form outside the body.

Kristen Taekman's husband denies having an Ashley Madison account

​Josh Taekman, husband to Kristen Taekman, says he has no Ashley Madison account as alleged by hackers from subscriber information stolen from Ashley Madison.

According to a report, the Real Housewives of New York City star's husband, in June 2011 reportedly signed up for an account with the affair website.

The Eboost founder was reported to have spent thousands of dollars on the site and made about 62 paid transactions. The Canada-based website connects married men and women who want to involve in extramarital affairs. The sign up is free, but subscribers must buy credits to send message to people. A fee of $49 gives subscribers 100 credits, while $250 will give users 1,000 credits and a money-back guarantee if the users don't have an affair.

Unfortunately for Josh, the address of the credit card that was used on the account matches his apartment and that of Kristen's Tribecca neighborhood.

Josh, an entrepreneur, who has two kids with the model, however denied the allegation. "I don't understand. There's not a shot in hell that I'm a subscriber. I have no knowledge of that. This is the first I've ever heard of it," he told the Daily Mail. 

"This is crazy. I saw it on the TV the other day about the security breach and we were laughing about it. It is what it is but somebody is definitely fraudulently using my name and number."

His wife, Kristen Taekman has been vocal on the Bravo show about feeling invalidated by her husband of 10 years. The couple renewed their wedding vows after the hit reality show aired their couple's therapy sessions during Season 7.

BREAKING NEWS

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FORMER JIGAWA STATE GOVERNOR SULE LAMIDO HAS BEEN REMINDED IN PRISON TILL SEPT 28 FOR ALLEGED FINANCIAL MISAPPROPRIATION WHILE IN OFFICE.

Stephanie Linus-Okereke, Husband Finally Meet Queen of England

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Nigerian popular actress, director and producer, Stephanie Linus along with her husband was a guest of Queen of England last week Monday at the Buckingham Palace.

The couple had pleasant experience as they attended the Queen's Young Leaders Awards, a project that Linus Idahosa, who is the Media Executive and CEO of Del-York International has been actively involved with.

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A few months ago, Stephanie was promoting this campaign using the hashtag #TheSearchIsOn on her blog and Social Media Platforms trying to encourage young Nigerians who are partaking in worthy leadership and charity causes in their communities to register.

Four young Nigerian leaders were however selected to receive this award. They are Isaiah Owolabi of HACEY Health Initiative; Kelvin Ogholi of UNFIRE; Nkechikwu Azinge of The Sickle Cell Aid Foundation and Oladipupo Ajiroba of The Environmental Advocacy and Management Initiative.

These Nigerians are among 60 inspirational young people aged 18-29 across the Commonwealth who received their awards from Her Majesty the Queen on Monday.

The awards, which was initiated in 2014 by Prince William and Prince Harry, is a prestigious ceremony established by The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust in partnership with Comic Relief and The Royal Commonwealth Society.

Hero Sergeant Who Caught Escaped Prisoner David Sweat Is Jay Cook

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A veteran New York State Police sergeant was alone and on a routine patrol when he shot and captured convicted murderer David Sweat Sunday afternoon.

Officials say State Police Sgt. Jay Cook was supervising a perimeter post at about 3:20 p.m.  when he spotted Sweat on a road near Route 30 in the area of Constable.

Authorities believe Sweat was trying to make a final break toward the south of the Canadian border, which is approximately 1.5 miles from  New York.

New York State Police Superintendent Joseph D'Amico said Cook ordered him to stop, but Sweat then turned and fled across a field.

He said When Cook, who is also a firearms instructor, realized Sweat might get away, fired two shots.

"He realized Sweat was going to make it to a tree line, and possibly could have disappeared -- and he fired two shots from his service weapon," D'Amico told reporters.

New York Escaped Prisoner David Sweat Shot, Captured After 'Nightmare' Manhunt

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New York prisoner, David Sweat who escaped with Richard Matt, has been shot
and captured more than three weeks after escaped from a maximum security prison in upstate New York.

Sweat is hospitalized in critical condition after he was caught in the area of Constable, New York, approximately 1.5 miles south of the Canadian border, officials said. Authorities believe Sweat was trying to make a final break toward the border.

At about 3:20 p.m. on Sunday, State Police Sgt. Jay Cook was alone on a routine patrol when he spotted Sweat on a road near Route 30 and ordered him to stop, a source familiar with the investigation said. When Sweat started to run, the sergeant opened fire, the source said.

Officials said Sweat was shot twice in the torso. Sweat was not armed, New York State Police Superintendent Joseph D'Amico said.

Sweat was in critical condition at Albany Medical Center, an official there said Sunday evening, after being transferred from Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone, New York.


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No law enforcement personnel were injured during the capture, an official briefed on the manhunt said.

The man who escaped with Sweat, Richard Matt, was shot and killed by a border patrol SWAT team Friday afternoon in Elephant's Head, New York, just 50 miles away from the prison, after he was spotted by a law enforcement officer in the woods.

Matt and Sweat may have been using picnic-style pepper shakers to throw their scent off the dogs tracking them, D'Amico said today.

Authorities had found Sweat's DNA on remnants of food about a mile from where Matt was shot and killed.

On Friday afternoon before Matt was killed, officials announced they had reason to believe Sweat and Matt were planning to head to the border in a final play for freedom. As a result, U.S. and Canadian law enforcement sent in reinforcements in an effort to both squeeze the escapees and keep them from potentially making it out of the country.

"If you were writing a movie plot, they would say this was overdone," he said. "They were killers," Cuomo said. "Mr. Matt killed at least two people. Mr. Sweat killed a sheriff's deputy ... in a savage, savage way."

Matt was serving 25 years to life in prison after he kidnapped and beat a man to death in 1997. Sweat was serving a life sentence after he was convicted of killing a Broome County sheriff's deputy in 2002.

Pregnant Kim Kardashian Goes Braless, Exposes Nipples in Sheer Top

Pregnant Kim Kardashian left her bra at home as she stepped out to attend the 2015 Glastonbury Festival with husband Kanye West on Saturday, June 27.

Kardashian, 34, wore a tight-fitted skirt and a sheer top, which exposed her nipples. She added a gray jacket and accessorized with her personalized gold "North" nameplate necklace.


"Glastonbury here we come…" North West's mom wrote via Instagram before showing off her revealing look. The twosome appeared to make their grand entrance after flying in a private jet.

Angelina Jolie Denies Divorce Rumor

Popular American actress, Angelina Jolie denies rumor making rounds that she has divorced her husband, Brad Pitt.

Police kill Escaped New York Inmate Richard Matt

​One of the two inmates who escaped from US prison has been killed by the police when he refused to surrender.

 

Richard Matt, who was convicted murderer was shot and killed by authorities in upstate New York Friday twenty days after he made an elaborate escape from prison.

 

Matt, armed with a 20 gauge shotgun, was shot and killed by a border patrol SWAT team at about 3:45 p.m. in Elephant's Head, New York, about 20 miles south of the Canadian border. The location where Matt was killed is just 50 miles away from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, NY after he was spotted by a law enforcement officer walking in the woods.

 

The Search for his accomplice, David Sweat, is still Ongoing.

Muhammadu Buhari Dissolves NNPC Board

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Nigeria's president Muhammadu Buhari has dissolved the board of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), from which billions of dollars is missing, a move likely preceding an investigation.

 

The head of the civil service, Danladi Kifasi, announced the presidential directive on Friday regarding NNPC, the government agency that is in charge of nearly all aspects of the country's 200 million barrel per day oil industry, whic is the seventh largest in the world.

 

President Buhari took office May 29 with the promise to halt the corruption that keeps the majority of Nigeria's 170 million people in deep poverty. He said last that western governments have promised to help recover looted state funds.

 

Friday's move comes even before he has named a Cabinet and amid speculation that he plans to take charge himself of the petroleum portfolio.

 

The former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria Sanusi last year largely blamed the NNPC for missing federal revenues of about $20 billion, an amount the company disputes.

 

Mariah Carey Posts Photo With James Packer: Check Out My New Man!

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Mariah Carey confirmed her relationship with billionaire James Packer. The songstress, who's on vacation with the Australian media mogul and her children in Italy, posted the shot, which also included Warner Bros. Entertainment CEO Kevin Tsujihara and her good friend, director Brett Ratner, to Instagram on Tuesday.

"With Kevin Tsujihara, Brett Ratner & James Packer #ratpac @ratpacent @brettrat," she wrote.

The "Infinity" singer, 45, is dressed to the nines in the photo, wearing a low-cut, floor-length gown. Meanwhile, Packer's style completely contrasted Carey's look. He wore a black T-shirt, baggy jogging pants, and a hat bearing the logo of RatPac Entertainment, the movie financing company belonging to Ratner and Packer. In fairness, we can imagine Mariah waking up like that — gown, makeup, sunglasses. That's probably her casual wear.

Carey, who is in her first high-profile relationship since her split with second husband Nick Cannon, touched down in Italy last week, posting a photo in front of a private plane and writing, "Ciao Italia!!! #yay #vacation." From there, they set sail on a yacht, making a stop in Capri.

People Magazine called Carey's relationship with Packer "brand new" though it has "been bubbling for a couple of months." The couple, who was spotted holding hands, is also "enjoying spending time with each other."

The connection between the pair is Ratner. Funny enough, there were rumors linking him to Carey earlier this year, but it seems he was just playing matchmaker for his friends.

Packer, who has also been divorced twice, most recently was linked to supermodel Miranda Kerr. Kerr, Packer, and Ratner all attended the Cannes Film Festival last month.

Next month, Carey returns to Las Vegas, where she is doing a residency at Caesars Palace.

Culled from yahoo news

Pastor Laolu Akande Resumes As Vice President's Spokesperson

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Nigeria vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has choosen ex-North American Bureau Chief of The Guardian, Laolu Akande, as his spokesperson.

Pastor Akande resumed office on Monday in the Aso Villa as President Muhammadu Buhari and his vice officially relocated to the Presidential Villa.

As a journalist reporting for the leading Nigerian newspapers including The Guardian, Pastor Akande is regarded as the longest serving African correspondent at the United Nations, and the only Nigerian journalist so far to have interviewed a sitting American president in the White House when he

interviewed former President George W. Bush. He has also exclusively interviewed American folk hero, General Colin Powell, billionaires like Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Donald Trump and several African leaders and presidents.

His journalism career began as a Reporter in 1989 writing for the Guardian titles and later moved over to the founding team of The News Magazine in 1993, where he became that magazine's Senior Writer. In 1995 Laolu joined Nigerian Tribune titled first as Special Projects Editor and became the Editor of Tribune on Saturday in 1997, before he relocated to the U.S in 1998.

while in the U.S, Pastor Akande is adjunct college professor and he is the founder of Empowered Newswire, and has continuously reported about Nigerians and Nigerian issues especially in the U.S and Canada in the last 13 years.

Pastor Akande had worked with leading American newspapers including the Philadelphia Inquirer, and New York Newsday. He also worked briefly as a Press Officer and later as Advocacy Consultant between 2002-2004 at the United Nations.

He became a pastor in 2007 at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Jesus Friends Assembly in Long Island, New York. Pastor Akande is Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans, CANAN's Executive Director.

Members of parliament are evacuated after an attack on the Afghan parliament building in Kabul, Afghanistan

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Taliban Insurgents Killed By Afghan forces

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Taliban Launch Brazen Attack On Afghan Parliament, Seize Second District In North

​A Taliban suicide bomber and six gunmen attacked the Afghan parliament on Monday, wounding at least 19 people and sending a plume of black smoke across Kabul, as a second district in two days fell to the Islamist group in the north.

The attack on the symbolic centre of power, one of the most brazen in years, along with a series of Taliban gains elsewhere, raise questions about the NATO-trained Afghan security forces' ability to cope and how far the militants can advance.

Violence has spiralled in Afghanistan since the departure of most foreign forces at the end of last year. The insurgents are pushing to take territory more than 13 years after the U.S.-led military intervention that toppled the Taliban from power.

Spokesman for Kabul police, Ebadullah Karimi, said the attack started when a Taliban fighter driving a car loaded with explosives blew up outside parliament gates, raising questions about how the driver got through several security checkpoints.

Six gunmen who took up positions in a building near parliament, were killed by Security forces after a gun battle that lasted nearly two hours.

Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi said all lawmakers were safe. TV pictures showed the speaker sitting calmly and legislators leaving the building, engulfed in dust and smoke, without panicking.

Four women were among the 19 wounded, said Sayed Kabir Amiri, a health official who coordinates Kabul hospitals.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility, saying the attacked was launched there was an important gathering to introduce the country's defence minister.

The withdrawal of foreign forces and a reduction in U.S. air strikes have allowed Taliban fighters, who ruled Afghanistan with an iron fist from 1996 to 2001, to launch several major attacks in important provinces.

The second district to fall to the Taliban on Monday was in the northern province of Kunduz. Officials said it fell after urgently needed reinforcements failed to arrive.

The Taliban captured Dasht-e-Archi district a day after hundreds of militants fought their way to the centre of the adjacent district of Chardara.

Monday's heavy fighting was just three km (two miles) from the governor's compound.

Iran Deal Still Not Clear As Deadline Nears ----France's Foreign Minister

​France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius says it was unclear whether an international deal could be reached on Iran's nuclear program by a June 30 deadline.

Fabius has however promised to meet his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday to assess where Iran stands ahead of the final round of talks on its nuclear program, which begin later in the week.

"We need to be extremely firm, at the stage where we are now, things are still not clear," Fabius said in talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Monday's bilateral meeting, on the sidelines of an EU foreign ministers' summit in Luxembourg, will be followed by a meeting between Zarif and all the European parties negotiating with Iran.

"Toward the end of next week the ministers will go (to the talks), so I'd like to have an explanation and conversation to see where the Iranians are," Fabius told reporters in Cairo on Saturday, on the first day of the two-day Middle East visit.

Dylann Roof Charged With Murder In Attack On Black U.S. Church

​A 21-year-old white man, Dylann Roof who killed nine persons in Charlston church has been charged with nine counts of murder for an attack on a historic black South Carolina church.

Reports quoted him saying he had hoped his actions would incite a race war in the United States.

The Charleston Police Department said Dylann Roof is due to face a bail hearing later on Friday, where he will appear by video link and also face a charge of possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.

The charges come a day after his arrest in North Carolina, 220 miles (354 km) north of the nearly 200-year-old Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church where he shot dead nine black worshippers.

U.S. officials are investigating Roof's attack, in which four ministers were killed including a Democratic state senator, as a hate crime. It came in a year of turmoil in the United States, where police killings of several unarmed black men has provoked angry national debates about race relations, policing and the criminal justice system.

Roof confessed to the attack and said he intended to set off new racial confrontations with his attack, CNN reported, citing a law enforcement source.

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley told NBC's "Today" show on Friday that she would prefer to see Roof tried on state charges and believed state prosecutors should pursue a death sentence.

South Carolina is one of just five U.S. states that does not have a hate crime law, which typically imposes additional penalties on crimes committed because of a victim's race, gender or sexual orientation.

President Barack Obama said Thursday the attack stirred up "a dark part" of U.S. history and illustrated the continuing dangers of the nation's liberal gun laws, which gun-rights supporters say are protected by the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Charleston Shooting: How a Good Samaritan's 911 Call Led to Dylann Roof's Arrest

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A North Carolina woman's 911 call brought an end to a desperate manhunt for Dylann Roof, the alleged gunman authorities say is responsible for killing nine people in a Charleston, South Carolina, church Wednesday night.

Police has earlier released pictures from surveillance footage showing Roof, 21, as well as the car he was driving.

Debbie Dills, a bookkeeper who works at a florist shop in Kings Mountain, North Carolina said she was leaving church in her car when she looked over and saw a driver next to her with a bowl haircut.

Dills said she then thought there was something about the car that she had heard about somewhere, but couldn't place it. She then spotted the white tag that was in the police description of the shooting suspect.

The observant good Samaritan called her husband and then 911.

Police in Shelby -- about 13 miles west of Kings Mountain where Dills works and 245 miles north of the Charleston church -- said they were informed at 10:32 a.m. today "that a business had contacted them of a possible sighting of the suspect from the Charleston, South Carolina, church shooting traveling into Shelby."

At 10:44 a.m., Roof was apprehended at a traffic stop in Shelby. He was taken into custody five minutes later, police said.

Roof cooperated with the officer who stopped him, according to police.

A court clerk confirmed to ABC News this afternoon that Roof waived extradition in North Carolina and is cleared to return to South Carolina.

Culled from yahoo news.

Charleston Shooting Suspect, Dylann Roof Arrested in North Carolina.

MICHELLE OBAMA AND DAUGHTERS GET A ROYAL WELCOME FROM PRINCE HARRY IN LONDON

 
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Michelle Obama kicked off her week-long European tour on Tuesday in London, where she shared a private afternoon tea with Prince Harry.

 

The prince welcomed the First Lady, her daughters Malia and Sasha, and her mother Marian Robinson to Kensington Palace.

Prince Harry and Mrs. Obama discussed her Let Girls Learn initiative to promote worldwide education for young girls.

 

Both Kensington Palace and the White House released a photo of the two engaged in conversation over tea and scones.

A UK BILLIONAIRE IS FUNDING AN INSANE MULTI-STORY SKATEBOARDING COMPLEX

England billionaire Roger De Haan has commissioned construction of a local skateboarding park, in anticipation of keeping young people content in the small town of Folkestone.

It's not the kind of building you'd expect to find in an old town on the English Channel.

 

This will be a futuristic, over-the-top building, featuring the world's first multi-story skatepark, according to recently unveiled design plans.

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Architect Guy Hollaway, who is behind the project, told Dezeen magazine that the park's installation is supposed to prevent "brain drain" as many of the area's youth move elsewhere.

 

If and when the project is completed, skaters (of many types) and other "urban sports"

aficionados will be able to zoom around a giant bowl on the top floor of the building with a five-meter drop.

 

The top floor will connect to the lower levels with a series of ramps and an elevator. Three lower levels full of curving concrete ramps, ledges, and moguls will be encased in a metal mesh for light and ventilation.

 

"It sounds dangerous doesn't it?" Hollaway told Dezeen. "We're shrouding our children in what feels like rubber to protect them all the time, but I think—as the world becomes safer—a controlled adrenaline facility is what people will demand."

 

Hollaway's website says the park, or "centre for urban sports," will be used for skateboarding, rollerblading, BMX biking, and scootering.

 

There will also be a rock climbing wall, a café, and a first-aid office within the cavernous five-story building.

 

The project is scheduled to be completed by 2017.

COURT ORDERS FIRST BANK TO DISCLOSE DETAILS OF LOAN FOR BULLET PROOF CARS

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered First Bank of Nigeria Plc., to disclose details of a loan facility it granted to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, over alleged purchase of some bullet proof cars.

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Presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Yunusa also gave an order of mandamus compelling First Bank to grant access to or make available to Enough Is Enough (EIE) Nigeria, the information it requested, in a letter dated October 30, 2013.

 

The judge issued the order while delivering judgment in a suit instituted by EIE Nigeria against the bank over its refusal to disclose the information to the organization.

 

EIE Nigeria had written an application under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act on Oct. 30, 2013, requesting the disclosure of such information.

 

The suit was filed on behalf of EIE on January 9, 2014 by Mr Ayodeji Acquah of Media Rights Agenda's Network of Freedom of Information lawyers.

 

In that suit, EIE is praying the court for the declaration that the failure and or refusal of the First Bank to grant access to or make available to EIE the information it requested in its letter amounts to wrongful denial of access to information under Section 7(5) of the FOI Act.

 

However, EIE had obtained a similar order in March 2015, where Coscharis Motors Ltd., was directed to disclose details of the transaction.

 

It would be recalled that former aviation minister Stella Oduah allegedly acquired bullet proof cars running into hundred millions of naira for personal use while in the office.

GREECE APPOINTS ECONOMICS PROFESSOR MICHALIS AS NEW IMF REPRESENTATIVE

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Greece has appointed economics professor Michalis Psalidopoulos as its new representative at the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

 

Greece finance minister Yanis Varoufakis announced on Wednesday, after a ruling party backlash prompted a previous nominee not to take up the post.

 

Psalidopoulos, a professor at the University of Athens, accepted the proposal to represent Greece.

 

He has also been a professor at the U.S. University of Tufts in 2010-2014 and will take over on June 29.

 

The government had previously nominated Elena Panaritis as their representative, but this prompted a backlash from the ruling Syriza party, which said her views clashed with Syriza's program.

ARAB AIR STRIKES HIT YEMEN AS PEACE TALKS ENTER SECOND DAY

​Arab air strikes hit military targets throughout Yemen on Wednesday and expanded into one western province for the first time, despite peace talks in Geneva aimed at ending almost three months of fighting.

 

The bombings hit army bases in the capital, Sanaa, and Houthi militia targets in Yemen's central desert and the mountainous province of Mahweet, one of the last provinces in Yemen not to be bombed since the Arab campaign began on March 26.

 

A coalition of Sunni Muslim states led by Saudi Arabia has been bombing the Iran-allied Houthis, who hail from a Shi'ite sect, and their allies in Yemen's army since then.

Their aim is to restore Yemen's exiled president to power and head off what they see as Shi'ite Iran's expansion in the region.

 

The Houthis seized Sanaa in September and pressed on into the country's center and south, forcing President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his government into exile in Saudi Arabia.

 

The militia denies any military link to Tehran and says it is winning a revolution against Sunni Muslim militants and a corrupt government.

 

United Nations-backed talks among Yemen's warring factions are entering a second day in Geneva, and the U.N's special envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, began shuttle diplomacy on Wednesday to bridge differences.

HONG KONG LAWMAKERS DEBATE ELECTION REFORM PLAN

Hong Kong lawmakers have started a debate on Wednesday on a Beijing-backed electoral reform proposal that will define the city's democratic future, which could trigger new demonstration in the Chinese-controlled city.

 

The former British colony has reinforced security after mass protests crippled parts of the Asian financial hub late last year, presenting China's ruling Communist Party with one of its biggest political challenges in decades.

 

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Hundreds of people converged outside government buildings and the Legislative Council issued an "amber alert" before the crucial vote on the reform package, which is expected by Friday.

 

The final round of a poll conducted by three Hong Kong universities showed 47 percent of respondents backed the reform proposal, which would allow a direct vote for Hong Kong's next leader in 2017, but only from pre-screened, pro-Beijing candidates, while 38 percent were against. Fifteen percent were undecided.

 

Police were deployed inside the council complex overnight, and police sources said more than 5,000 specially trained officers would be on standby, while some roads leading to government buildings were closed.

 

Legislators started debate on the blueprint on Wednesday afternoon. Opponents of the plan say they want a genuinely democratic vote for Hong Kong's next leader.

Michelle, Sasha & Malia Obama Wow With 4 Ladylike Dresses in London Again

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The African Billionaires 2015

The African Billionaires 2015

This year, a record 1,826 billionaires made it to FORBES' annual ranking of the world's richest people.

There are 29 African billionaires this year, the same number as in 2014. While 2 tycoons – South African mining magnate Desmond Sacco and Moroccan real estate mogul Anas Sefrioui fell off the billionaire rankings this year, Mohammed Dewji of Tanzania makes his debut on the list with a fortune estimated at $1.3 billion. At 39, Dewji is the youngest billionaire in Africa. Dewji's company, METL Group manufactures textiles and consumer goods and has annual revenues of more than $1.4 billion. Nigerian-born Femi Otedola, 50, rejoins the list of African billionaires after a 5-year hiatus with a $1 billion fortune. He owns  a controlling stake in Forte Oil, a publicly-listed energy distribution company in Nigeria. Folorunsho Alakija of Nigeria and Isabel dos Santos of Angola are the only two female billionaires on the continent.

Meet the 29 Africans who are worth $1 billion or more:

Aliko Dangote, $15.7 billion

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Nigerian, Cement, Flour, Sugar

Falling stock prices and a recent valuation of the Naira might have dented his fortune, causing him to lose roughly $10 billion since last year, but Aliko Dangote is still the richest man in Africa. His Dangote Group is West Africa's largest industrial conglomerate and has interests in cement production, flour milling, sugar refining and food and beverages.

Mohammed Dewji

Johann Rupert & Family, $7.4 billion

South African, Luxury Goods

Rupert is the chairman of publicly-listed Swiss-based luxury goods outfit Compagnie Financiere Richemont , which owns brands including Cartier , Van Cleef & Arpels, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Montblanc. He also owns stakes in investment holding companies Remgro and Reinet. He also owns two of South Africa's best-known vineyards, Rupert & Rothschild and L'Ormarins as well as the Franschhoek Motor Museum which houses his personal collection of over 200 antique vehicles.

Nicky Oppenheimer & Family, $6.7 billion

South African, Diamonds

Oppenheimer cashed out of the diamond business in July 2012 when he disposed of his family's 40% stake in his family's diamond business, De Beers to Anglo American for $5.1 billion in an all-cash deal that marked the end of the Oppenheimer family's multi-decade control of the diamond company. His E. Oppenheimer & Son entity controls investment arms Stockdale Street Capital and Tana Africa Capital, a joint venture with Singapore government-owned investment firm Temasek. Tana holds minority interests in African food manufacturers Promasidor and Regina Co.

Christoffel Wiese, $6.3 billion

South African, Retail

Wiese, a South African retail mogul, owns a 15% stake in Shoprite Holdings, a chain of low-price supermarkets with a presence across multiple African countries. He also owns a large stake in Pepkor, a private company that owns seven different discount fashion brands.  His other assets include Lanzerac Manor & Winery, a five-star hotel and a significant shareholding in Brait, a private equity firm.

Nassef Sawiris, $6.3 billion

Egyptian, Construction

Sawiris, Egypt's richest man, is the CEO of Orascom Construction Industries (OCI), the country's most valuable publicly-traded company. He plans to separate OCI's construction unit from its chemicals and fertilizers business, and list the newly formed Orascom Construction in Egypt and the UAE in the first quarter of 2015. He also sealed a partnership last November with Abu Dhabi's International Petroleum Investment Co. to develop a coal-based power plant in Egypt.

Mike Adenuga, $4 billion

Nigerian, Telecoms and Oil

The reclusive Nigerian billionaire is the founder of Globacom, Nigeria's second largest mobile phone network which has about 27 million subscribers. He also owns Conoil Producing, an indigenous oil exploration company which holds the rights to some of Nigeria's most lucrative oil fields. Notoriously private, Adenuga hardly grants Press interviews and travels around in with a retinue of bodyguards.

Mohamed Mansour, $4 billion

Egyptian, Diversified

Along with his two brothers, Yasseen and Youssef (also on FORBES' billionaires list), Mohamed runs the Mansour Group which owns the world's largest GM dealership.  The Mansour Group also owns the largest supermarket chain in Egypt, the country's second largest real estate developer, Palm Hills, and the Philip Morris franchise in Egypt.

Nathan Kirsh, $3.9 billion

Swaziland. Real Estate

Nathan Kirsh, a Swazi national is the founder of Jetro Holdings, a cash and carry wholesaler of perishable and non-perishable food products, household goods, equipment, supplies and related goods for grocery retailers. Kirsch made his first fortune in Swaziland several decades ago when he founded a corn milling business in 1958. He subsequently expanded into wholesale food distribution in apartheid South Africa and commercial property development.

Isabel Dos Santos, $3.1 billion

Angolan, Investments

The oldest daughter of Angola's president owns substantial stakes in a number of blue-chip Angolan and Portuguese companies such as Angolan mobile phone company Unitel , Angolan bank Banco BIC SA, Portuguese media giant ZON Optimus and Banco BPI. She is believed to hold many of these assets in trust for her father.

Issad Rebrab, $3.1 billion

Algerian, Diversified

Algeria's richest man owns a controlling stake in Cevital, Algeria's biggest family-owned conglomerate. Cevital owns one of the largest sugar refineries in the world with an annual output of 1.5 million tons. The group also has interests in sugar refining, port terminals, auto distribution, mining and agriculture.

Naguib Sawiris, $3.1 billion

Egyptian, Telecoms

Naguib Sawiris is the CEO of Orascom Telecom Media and Technology (OTMT). The company owns a 75% stake in Koryolink, North Korea's only cell network. He is looking to acquire a 53% stake in French media company Euronews Television.

Youssef Mansour, $2.9 billion

Egyptian, Diversified

Youssef Mansour is a part owner of Mansour Group which owns Caterpillar dealerships in 8 African countries and General Motors dealerships in Egypt and Iraq, as well as supermarkets, McDonald's and Philip Morris distribution.  He maintains a lower profile than his billionaire brothers Mohamed and Yasseen.

Koos Bekker, $2.3 billion

South African, Media

Koos Bekker who has run Cape Town-based media conglomerate Naspers since 1997 will be stepping down as CEO in April this year, and will be taking a year off to travel the world and explore new business opportunities for the company. He is expected to take over as chairman of the company from next year. Over a 17 year period, Bekker transformed the storied publisher into a new media powerhouse, with investments in China (Tencent), Russia (Mail.ru), Brazil (Abril) and other countries in Eastern Europe, Latin America and Africa. Refusing to take a salary, Bekker has traditionally been compensated via stock option grants that vest over time.

Othman Benjelloun, $2.3 billion

Moroccan, Banking

Othman Benjelloun is the CEO of BMCE Bank, one of the largest commercial banks in Morocco, with operations in at least 15 African countries. He is also the chairman of holding company FinanceCom which has interests in banking, insurance, and telecom in Morocco.

Yasseen Mansour, $2.3 billion

Egyptian, Diversified

Yasseen Mansour and his brothers Youssef and Mohammed run Mansour Group, a large Egyptian conglomerate which owns Caterpillar and General Motor dealerships, supermarkets, restaurant franchises, and Philip Morris distribution in Egypt.

Patrice Motsepe, $2.1 billion

South African, Mining

South Africa's first and only black billionaire is the founder and chairman of publicly traded mining conglomerate, African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) which has interests in platinum, nickel, chrome, iron, manganese, coal, copper and gold. He also holds a stake in Sanlam, a publicly traded financial services company.

Stephen Saad, $2.1 billion

South African, Pharmaceuticals

Along with business partner Gus Attridge, Stephen Saad founded Aspen Pharmacare in 1997. It is now the largest publicly-traded drug manufacturer on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Aspen is a supplier of branded and generic pharmaceuticals in more than 150 countries and of consumer and nutritional products in selected territories. The company has a market capitalization of $11 billion. Saad is the company's largest shareholder.

Mohamed Al Fayed, $2 billion

Egyptian, Property

In 2010 Mohammed Al-Fayed sold his Harrod's department store in London to Qatar Holding for a reported $2.4 billion and last July, he sold Fulham Football Club, which he acquired in 1997 to American billionaire Shahid Khan for a reported $300 million. He now owns the famed Hotel Ritz in Paris which he closed in August 2012 to start construction on what will be the hotel's biggest redo since it was built in 1898 and also owns Cocosa, a U.K.-based discount fashion website.

Folorunsho Alakija, $1.9 billion

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Nigerian, Oil

Nigeria's first female billionaire built her fortune on oil. Nigeria's former President Ibrahim Babangida awarded her company, Famfa Oil a lucrative oil prospecting license in 1996 – now OML 127, which is one of Nigeria's most prolific oil blocks and produces as much as 200,000 barrels of oil per day on good days. Famfa Oil, which Alakija controls fully, owns a 60% stake in OML 127.

Onsi Sawiris, $1.8 billion

Egyptian, Diversified

Onsi Sawiris is the patriarch of Egypt's wealthiest family, and founder of the eponymous Orascom conglomerate, which is involved in construction, telecoms and hotels. The companies are all run by his three sons- Naguib, Samih and Nassef, all billionaires.

Aziz Akhannouch, $1.7 billion

Moroccan, Diversified

Aziz Akhannouch is the largest shareholder in Akwa Group, a multi-billion dollar Moroccan conglomerate with interests in petroleum, gas and chemicals through publicly-traded Afriquia Gas and Maghreb Oxygene, as well as media, real estate development and hotels. His wife, Salwa Idrissi, runs a successful real estate development company in Morocco, and holds the Moroccan franchise for Gap, Zara, and Galeries Lafayette, among other fashion brands.

Allan Gray, $1.6 billion

South African, Investments

Moneyman Allan Gray founded Cape Town-based investment management firm, Allan Gray Limited in 1973, after earning his MBA from Harvard and spending eight years at Fidelity in the US. The company manages $34 billion, making it the largest privately owned asset manager in South Africa. He also owns Orbis Investment Management in Bermuda which manages $30 billion. Venerable philanthropist funds the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation which awards higher education grants to students in Southern Africa.

Miloud Chaabi, $1.3 billion

Moroccan, Diversified

Miloud Chaabi got his start in 1948 developing housing, then expanded through his privately owned Ynna Holding into hotels, supermarkets and renewable energy.  Chaabi has committed to building a university in Casablanca in partnership with Indiana State University.

Mohammed Dewji, $1.3 billion

Tanzanian, Diversified

Mohammed Dewji turned a trading house founded by his father into industrial conglomerate MeTL Group. He acquired government-owned manufacturing plants in the textiles and edible oils industries on the cheap and transformed them into profitable businesses using lean management style. He owns 75% of the group.

Samih Sawiris, $1.1 billion

Egyptian, Property Development

Samih Sawiris is the youngest son of Egyptian construction magnate Onsi Sawiris. His company, Orascom Development develops integrated towns and operates resorts in Egypt. He also owns a minority stake in construction company, OCI N.V., which was founded by his father Onsi and is now run by his brother Nassef.

Sudhir Ruparelia, $1.1 billion

Ugandan, Property, Banking

East Africa's richest man is the founder of the Ruparelia Group, Uganda's largest conglomerate with interests in property, banking, education, insurance and agriculture. It owns a chain of hotels, hundreds of commercial and residential property in Kampala, a country club, a chain of forex bureaus, two Highbrow secondary schools and Crane Bank, one of the Uganda's top 3 commercial banks.

Femi Otedola, $1 billion

Nigerian, Gas Stations

Nigeria's Femi Otedola returns to Forbes' list of billionaires for the first time since 2009 following a sharp rise in the share price of petroleum marketing company Forte Oil, despite the drop in oil prices in 2014. Otedola is the controlling shareholder of Forte Oil, with a 78% stake. The company owns gas stations and fuel storage depots and manufactures its own line of engine oils.

Abdulsamad Rabiu, $1 billion

Nigerian, Diversified

Rabiu, 55, is the founder of BUA Group, a Nigerian conglomerate with interests in sugar refining, cement production, real estate, steel, port concessions, manufacturing, oil gas and shipping.  Rabiu used to work for his father, legendary Kano-based businessman, Isyaku Rabiu, before striking out on his own in 1988, importing rice, sugar, edible oils as well as steel and iron rods.

Rostam Azizi, $1 billion

Tanzanian, Telecoms

Tanzania's second richest man owes the bulk of his fortune to his 35% stake in Vodacom Tanzania, the country's largest mobile phone company with more than 10 million subscribers. He also owns Caspian Mining, a contract mining company that provides mining services to giants like BHP Billiton and Barrick Gold. Caspian Mining also owns several mining concessions for gold, copper and Iron ore in Tanzania. Other assets include a stake in Dar es Salaam Port in which he is a partner with Hutchison Whampoa and extensive real estate in Tanzania, Dubai, Oman and Lebanon.

 

Culled from: www.forbes.com

Little Girl’s Temper Tantrum at the White House Leaves President Obama Speechless

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Hillary Clinton Woos Technology Titans For Her 2016 Campaign.

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Hillary Clinton makes the final stop on Friday on a California fundraising tour where she has courted technology titans for her 2016 campaign and where one of her admirers tried comparing her to fellow former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Clinton, the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, is
gladhanding her way through the Bay Area's establishment and the newer technology class that could serve as an important source of money, votes and credibility among the broader electorate.

On Friday, she will attend a fundraiser at the Silicon Valley home of eBay (EBAY.O) chief executive John Donahoe and his wife Eileen, director of global affairs for the advocacy group Human Rights Watch. The event is expected to attract many of the area's power players.

The event on Friday follows San Francisco fundraisers hosted by hedge fund manager and environmentalist Tom Steyer and entrepreneur Susie Buell.

At Steyer's Wednesday gathering at his home, Clinton was asked by a guest whether she was the Eleanor Roosevelt of her day or if Roosevelt was the Clinton of her day, according to an attendee who didn't want to be named because the event was private.

The attendee said Clinton drew laughs with a self-deprecating response that downplayed the comparison to the storied national icon and feminist activist.

Later in the day, she visited the city's Century Club for an event hosted by
Buell, co-founder of the clothing chain Esprit. There, she spoke for about 30 minutes on topics ranging from student debt to healthcare to immigration.

Clinton, who called earlier this week for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, is expected to return to the immigration issue on Friday before a crowd that will likely include a high percentage of technology players.

Immigration represents the top political issue for many Silicon Valley
executives, who would like to hire more foreign engineers, data scientists, and other highly educated workers due to what they say is a shortage of U.S. workers in those fields.

PM Cameron Sweeps To Unexpected Triumph In British Election

​UK Prime Minister David Cameron won a shock election victory in Britain,

overturning predictions that the vote would be the closest in decades to sweep into office for another five years.

The sterling currency, bonds and shares surged on a result that reversed
expectations of an inconclusive "hung parliament" with Cameron jockeying for power with Labour rival Ed Miliband.

meanwhile, Cameron was due to meet Queen Elizabeth before noon to accept a swift mandate to form a government.

Cameron told his enthusiastic supporters at party headquarters that the

victory is the sweetest victory of all; the real reason to celebrate tonight,

the real reason to be proud and the real reason to be excited is that they are going to get the opportunity to serve the country again.

Despite the unexpectedly decisive outcome, more uncertainty looms over whether Britain will stay in the European Union - and even hold together as a country.

Scottish nationalists swept aside Labour, meaning that Scotland, which voted just last year to stay in the United Kingdom, will send just three
representatives of major British parties to parliament and be all but shut out
of the cabinet.

Cameron's victory also means Britain will face a vote which he has promised on continued membership in the EU. He says he wants to stay in the bloc, but only if he can renegotiate Britain's relationship with Brussels.