TRIBUTE TO THE YOUNG AND BRAVE PHOTOGRAPHER "MOLHEM BARAKAT" WHO LOST HIS LIFE IN SYRIA WHILE ON FREELANCE DUTY

A teenage photographer whose images of war-torn Syria were circulated around the world has been killed while covering a conflict at a hospital. 

Molhem Barakat (17) died on Friday as he took photographs of rebel fighters and Government forces battling over the Kindi Hospital in Aleppo, which had allegedly been turned into a regime barracks. 

The 17-year-old, who worked for news agency Reuters on a freelance basis, took dozens of photographs capturing the city's unrelenting violence. 

His portfolio is equally weighted with images depicting civilian life in the divided city. The teenager had been sending images to Reuters since May, with many of his photographs being published around the world. 

FATHER THROWS SON(3) OVER 52 STOREY BUILDING THEN COMMITS SUICIDE AFTER HE WAS ORDERED TO HANDOVER CUSTODY TO HIS EX-WIFE

Dmitriy with his Ex-wife and son

A heartless 35-year-old threw his three-year-old son to his death from the roof of a 52-story skyscraper and then jumped killing himself, after a judge ordered him to hand over the boy to his estranged wife. So sad.

The killer dad has been identified as Dmitriy Kanarikov, a systems analyst from Brooklyn.His son Kirill plunged 46 stories after being pushed from a ledge on the roof of the building. He landed on a sixth floor landing before crashing down onto a John Jay College building next door to the highrise. He was alive when paramedics arrived on scene, but died minutes later at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital.

Kanarikov was found on a fourth floor landing of the Midtown Medical Pavilion next door. He died at the scene. He lives in Brooklyn, but reportedly accessed the South Park Tower at West 60th Street and Eighth Avenue because a friend lives there, according to the New York Post.

He threw the Boy down from this apartment before also jumping to his death

(PICTURE) THE MAGICAL MOMENT GABRIELLE UNION SAID "YES" TO DWAYNE WADE'S PROPOSAL

NBA star, Dwayne Wade finally proposed to his girlfriend, Gabrielle Union with a One Million Dollar  diamond set on a platinum band ring and as expected, she said YES.

Wade (31) has been dating his Actress sweeteheart Gabrielle(41) for quite some time. It was the most romantic moment of her life and  couldn't contain her joy.

The picture released reveals the Miami Heat basketball player Dwyane Wade's proposal on Saturday and shows her embracing her new fiancé while he is still on bended knee. The cute picture shows Union dressed in a white skirt and grey and black vest top holding Dwayane’s head in her hands. While her face is hidden by her glossy black hair, his huge smile is clearly evident as he poses on bended knee with his head leaning against her, clearly having just proposed. 

MEET TIWA SAVAGE'S STEPSON & STEPDAUGHTER....

Tiwa Savage's husband Tee-Billz is not new to parenthood. The dude has 2 lovely children known to Tiwa even though he didn't share pictures of them before their marriage.

Some commentators feel Tiwa might have made a bad choice hooking up with a man with children when there are numerous single and eligible bachelors bu hey "LOVE IS STILL BLIND".

We wish their family, the larger family the best in their sojourn....

EMMANUEL EMENIKE MAKES TOP 100 FOOTBALLER LIST FOR 2013

EMMANUEL EMENIKE

Super Eagle's powerful striker, Emmanuel Emenike has been ranked 97th in the world by British newspaper Guardian. This was published on its electronic edition a list of the top 100 footballers in the world for the year ended 2013.

The Fenerbahce striker scored  four goals for the Nigeria  at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. “Emenike staked an early claim as one of Africa’s most influential players when his exploits propelled Nigeria towards a long overdue success in the Cup of Nations. “Emenike was prolific, consistent and finished as the competition’s top scorer.

“It is the determination and pace of his runs that make the difference to Nigeria’s counter-attacking strength – Emenike’s team-mates figure that if the pass is half decent, he should find it.

“Brazil 2014 could be a useful shop window for the Fenerbahce striker,”said the editors of Guardian. This season, Emmanuel Emenike has netted 6 goals in 14 Super Lig matches for his Fernerbahce side

THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC) WILL COLLAPSE SOON - PRESIDENCY BOAST

The war of words between the media aides of the President and the major opposition party rages on. 

The Presidency declared that the on Sunday that the APC will not last. It said it  was evident that the party was suffering from a leadership deficiency and  hence its  penchant for   embarking  on   journeys  in search of leaders to give  it direction.

The Presidency, through the Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, therefore predicted that the APC would soon collapse. Okupe, in an interview with journalists after addressing a press conference on the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan in Lagos, was apparently referring to the visit of the opposition party leaders to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday.

The APC leaders had also paid a similar visit to a former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. But the APC, through one its leading members,Rotimi Fashakin, said the Jonathan Presidency had since “lost direction and does  not really know how to constructively engage the myriads of problems that are besetting it.” Okupe however  expressed the  view that members of the APC seemed  to have forgotten that God had a hand in their search for capable leaders.

YOU LIED AND DID ME GREAT HARM - PRESIDENT JONATHAN REPLIES OBASANJO'S LETTER

The President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan has replied the CONTROVERSIAL LETTER written to him by Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Read the full text of the letter below........

December 20th 2013

His Excellency,

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR

Agbe L’Oba House, Quarry Road,

Ibara, Abeokuta.

RE: BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE

I wish to formally acknowledge your letter dated December 2, 2013 and other previous correspondence similar to it.

You will recall that all the letters were brought to me by hand. Although both of us discussed some of the issues in those letters, I had not, before now, seen the need for any formal reply since, to me, they contained advice from a former President to a serving President. Obviously, you felt differently because in your last letter, you complained about my not acknowledging or replying your previous letters.

It is with the greatest possible reluctance that I now write this reply. I am most uneasy about embarking on this unprecedented and unconventional form of open communication between me and a former leader of our country because I know that there are more acceptable and dignified means of doing so.

But I feel obliged to reply your letter for a number of reasons: one, you formally requested for a reply and not sending you one will be interpreted as ignoring a former President.

Secondly, Nigerians know the role you have played in my political life and given the unfortunate tone of your letter, clearly, the grapes have gone sour.  Therefore, my side of the story also needs to be told.

The third reason why I must reply you in writing is that your letter is clearly a threat to national security as it may deliberately or inadvertently set the stage for subversion.

The fourth reason for this reply is that you raised very weighty issues, and since the letter has been made public, Nigerians are expressing legitimate concerns. A response from me therefore, becomes very necessary.

THE MATCH MAKING OF 1,111 WOMEN IN KANO'S GOVERNMENT SPONSORED MASS WEDDING CEREMONY

More than 1,000 Muslim couples tied the knot at a mass wedding Thursday in Nigeria's second city of Kano, part of a government programme aimed at promoting stable families.The elaborate event at the city's central mosque included 1,111 previously divorced women and an equal number of men, many of whom had also been married before.

The mass wedding programme was launched last year by the state government and sharia police, or Hisbah, who enforce Islamic law, in response to what officials have described as a divorce epidemic.

'We are gathered here today to solemnise the weddings of 1,111 couples under Kano state’s mass wedding programme,' Deputy Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje said at the ceremony, the fourth of its kind since May 2012.

'The high divorce rate in our state leads to rampant cases of births outside wedlock, with children being born and dumped which leads to appalling social decay,' Ganduje said. Hisbah chief Aminu Daurawa said the programme has arranged 4,461 marriages over the last 18 months.

APC LEADERS VISIT OBASANJO IN OTA

Leaders of the major opposition party in Nigeria, All Progressives Congress (APC)  will today visit former President Olusegun Obasanjo. The meeting is scheduled for the Ex-Pesident's palace in Ota, Ogun State.

At the residence of a former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday, former Head of State and a chief of APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, hinted that the next stop of the party’s leadership in its visits to notable Nigerians would be Obasanjo’s residence.

Buhari said APC will meet Obasanjo and explain to him the reason for the formation of the party.

A source noted that the team to Obasanjo will be comprise of select leader of the party and some governors.

“The visit in happen tomorrow. Select leaders of APC will visit Obasanjo tomorrow. Some APC governors will also be there,” he said. The source however did not mention the names of the APC leaders, who will be part of the delegation, but noted that it would include largely the same set of the party’s leaders that had visited other former Heads of State such as Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.

Apart from the Interim National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande, other leaders such as former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu are expected to be part of the delegation to Obasanjo.

LAST PICTURE OF THE NOTORIOUS BRITISH TRAIN ROBBER RONNIE BIGGS

Wrapped in a football scarf and blanket in his north London care home, train robber Ronnie Biggs is pictured just days before he died. The sad image shows the decline of the notorious figure, who died in the early hours of Wednesday. 

Biggs had suffered with ill-health for years, which led to his return to Britain in May 2001 after decades on the run in Brazil after playing his part in the infamous Great Train Robbery of 1963. He had suffered three strokes while abroad, leaving him in need of medical care which he could not afford. He contacted Scotland Yard to arrange handing himself in, and struck a deal with The Sun newspaper, which flew him back to England, where he was arrested on arrival.

After serving eight years on his jail sentence, he was released in 2009 by Jack Straw, then the Justice Secretary, on 'compassionate grounds'. He was seen again in public this year giving a defiant gesture to the cameras at a funeral for his friend and fellow train robber Bruce Reynolds, who was said to be the mastermind of the heist.

RAPISTS TO SERVE LIFE IMPRISONMENT IN KATSINA STATE

 

The Katsina State House of Assembly, on Tuesday passed a law that prescribed life imprisonment for those found guilty of rape. The assembly, which amended Section 283 of Katsina State Penal Code Law, Cap 96 of 1991, also provided 14-year jail term and a N50,000 fine for those with lesser offence.

The sponsor of the bill, Alhaji Rabiu Idris from Funtua Local Government, had earlier said that the amendment was to ensure that rapists received severe punishment to serve as deterrent to others. Idris said the measure became necessary in view of rampant cases of rape in the state.He observed that judges were constrained in handing over severe sentences as the offence was not specified in law.

The new amendment now reads: ``Whoever commits rape, shall serve life imprisonment or lesser charge of not less than 14 years in jail together with N50,000 fine.'' The law also requires the offender to pay compensation to the victim.

The Speaker, Alhaji Ya’u Gwajogwajo, directed the legal department of the house to prepare a clean copy of the law and forward it to the state governor for assent.

It would be recalled that the house had recently passed another law, which was signed by the governor, prohibiting homosexuality, lesbianism and sexual harassment in the state.

The law prescribed 14 years imprisonment on conviction and N10,000 liable for offenders.

Credits: NAN

NIGERIA RANKS 37TH BEST IN THE WORLD BEHIND THE LIKES OF IRAN & ALGERIA

African champions, Nigeria have dropped one place in the latest rankings released by World Football governing body, Fifa.

The Super Eagles notched up 730 ranking points but are now ranked 37th in the World and fourth in Africa in the latest rankings released on Thursday. The Ivory Coast, Ghana and Algeria who were all unmoved from the rankings for November are the three African countries higher placed than Nigeria in December’s rankings.

Nigeria’s highest position in the rankings is fifth, a feat which was achieved in 1994.

Spain remains at the summit of the World rankings for December with 1507 points while Germany, Argentina, Colombia and Portugal complete the top five places in the latest

See the best ranked 30 teams after the cut........................

THE NEW LOOK OF THE NIGERIA HOUSE OF REPS TROUBLES JONATHAN & OLD PDP

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was last night locked in a meeting with the remnants of the party caucus in the House of Representatives in Transcorp Hotel, Abuja. Last night's meeting was one of several carrot and stick options initiated by the party hierarchy to hold other fidgety legislators contemplating leaving the party. The day before the meeting 37 members of the PDP caucus in the House defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC turning the once dominant majority into a minority.

One of the responses from the presidency was the decision of President Goodluck Jonathan to absent himself from the presentation of the 2014 budget proposals to the National Assembly. In his stead, the coordinating minister of the economy and minister of finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala presented the proposals to the two houses of the National Assembly. It was the first time that a sitting and fit president would present the country's financial projections to the legislature in absentia.

Stakeholders were, however, divided whether the president was right to absent himself from the presentation or not.

The absence of the president some alleged, was out of apprehension that the APC members and especially the new ones just decamped from the PDP would embarrass the president by booing him.

SACK STELLA ODUAH NOW - HOUSE OF REPS RECOMMENDS

The House of Representatives on Thursday agreed that the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, breached the 2013 Appropriation Act.

It therefore asked Jonathan to review her appointment for approving expenditure of over N643m for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to procure 54 vehicles this year. The spokesman for the House, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, when contacted, explained that the lawmakers wanted the minister sacked. He said, “The review here means a change in status. It is a mild way of saying that Mr. President should sack the minister.”

The House noted that her approval limit as a minister was N100m. It  added that in the process, the agency purchased two bulletproof BMW cars at the cost of N255m without the approval of the National Assembly.

The House  took the decision at Thursday’s plenary after  endorsing  the report of its  Committee on Aviation, which investigated the purchase of the bulletproof cars. A major recommendation of the committee, which was adopted, reads, “The House urges  the President to review the continued engagement of the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, for having contravened the Appropriation Act, 2013 and the approved, revised threseholds by exceeding the Ministry of Aviation’s approval limit of N100m by the purchase of 54 vehicles valued at N643m.”

MANDELAS AT WAR OVER WHO SHOULD HEAD THE FAMILY AFTER MADIBA'S DEMISE

  Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has stepped into the reported family feud following the death of Nelson Mandela, saying that the oldest child will head the clan – not his oldest living male relative. The ex-wife of the human rights icon said Makaziwe Mandela, 60, the only living child from Mandela’s first marriage to Evelyn Mase, will take charge.

It has previously been reported that Nelson Mandela’s oldest male heir, grandson Mandla Mandela, would take over as head of the family. Ms Madikizela-Mandela denied that the family is engaged in a ‘succession or dynasty’ battle, refuting claims in media of a feud.

‘In accordance with customary law and tradition the eldest daughter, being Ms. Makaziwe Mandela, will head the family and will make decisions with the support of her two sisters. 'To this end there is no misunderstanding, or debate. Mr. Mandla Mandela is respected as one of Nelson Mandela's grandchildren, the next generation of the Mandela family,’ she said.

HOW TWO NIGERIANS FROM DECENT CHRISTIAN FAMILIES BECAME KILLERS IN THE NAME OF ISLAM

In the end, Michael Adebolajo still showed absolutely no remorse at the killing of Lee Rigby.

As the verdict of murder was delivered, Michael Adebolajo smirked and kissed his copy of the Koran – the teachings of which he had twisted to justify his savagery. He then looked to the heavens as if obeying Allah’s command before being led away to the cells. It was a final act of defiance from the 29-year-old convert who used the trial to peddle his hatred of Britain and his love of Al Qaeda.

Again and again he told Lee Rigby’s family how he will never regret killing the fusilier because he is a ‘soldier of Allah’. It is an image completely at odds with his Christian upbringing in a loving lower middle class family in a London suburb where he once dreamed of becoming a policeman.

I AM NOT AN ARM-ROBBER, I ONLY GIVE THEM INFORMATION - SUSPECT DECLARES

A 28-year-old man, Nonso Egbuzobi, who was recently arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad during a robbery operation in Lagos State, has pleaded with the police to release him, saying he was just an informant and not a member of any robbery gang.

Police authorities had said Egbuzobi and three others were part of a gang that killed three policemen during an ATM robbery at an Access Bank branch in Ayobo, Ipaja area of the state on November 20, 2013.

It was learnt that after the Ipaja robbery, SARS men led by the officer in charge, SP Abba Kyari, commenced investigations. The suspect was arrested with one Ak-47 rifle while attempting to rob a house at the Ilasamaja area of the state. He said, “Some weeks ago, I was at a snooker joint around Lagos State University when a man approached me saying he had a target that we could rob at Ilasamaja. I told him I was not a robber, but I knew people who were capable.

FAKE INTERPRETER AT MANDELA'S MEMORIAL HAS BEEN ADMITTED TO PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL

Thamsanqa Jantjie, the "fake" sign language interpreter who stood feet away from world leaders including President Barack Obama at Nelson Mandela's memorial has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital, South African media reported Thursday.

He caused uproar at the ceremony in Johannesburg on Dec. 10 when he used sign-language interpretations that deaf groups say were little more than nonsensical gesticulations.The 34-year-old later claimed he may have suffered a schizophrenic attack in which he saw "angels" flying into the stadium.

There were even media reports last week that he had once been charged with involvement in a vigilante mob that had burned a man to death in 2003, but had never faced trial.

He was admitted to Sterkfontein Hospital, in Krugersdorp, on Tuesday, his wife Siziwe told Johannesburg-based newspaper The Star. She said he had visited the hospital for a check-up but when he got there it was suggested he be admitted immediately. The past few days have been hard. We have been supportive because he might have had a breakdown," Siziwe told the newspaper.

TWO NIGERIAN BORN MUSLIM EXTREMISTS TURNED KILLERS FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER IN LONDON

 

Two Muslim extremists were found guilty Thursday of hacking to death a British soldier in broad daylight on a London street. Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, ran over Lee Rigby with a car before attacking him with knives outside his barracks in May. Adebolajo tried to behead Rigby with a meat cleaver in front of horrified passers-by.

The pair had argued they attacked the 25-year-old soldier to avenge the deaths of Muslims at the hands of British troops.

Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain was united in condemnation of the killing, which state prosecutors described as "one of the most savage offences ever prosecuted by our counter-terrorism lawyers".

LATE LEE RIGBY

Rigby's relatives, who had walked out of the trial several times during harrowing evidence about his death, broke down in tears as the guilty verdicts were given. Adebolajo kissed his copy of the Koran as he was taken down to the cells at the Old Bailey court in London. Jurors cleared Adebolajo and Adebowale of the attempted murder of a police officer. The pair were shot by armed police at the murder scene in Woolwich, southeast London, after Adebolajo charged at them waving the meat cleaver, while Adebowale raised a rusty, unloaded gun.

KHLOE KARDASHIAN WILL BE $7M RICHER IN LAMAR ODOM'S DIVORCE

What exactly are the Kardashians famous for? XXX tapes? Expensive Divorce? TV Reality Show?

Marriage pays. That is if you're Khloé Kardashian. The December 30 issue of UsWeekly revealed the reality star will gain a fortune when she divorces her husband of four years Lamar Odom.

In addition to keeping their $4m Tarzana mansion and her $1m diamond engagement ring, the 29-year-old will be awarded a $2m cash payout. That means the daughter of Kris Jenner - who filed for divorced on December 13 - is lined up to get a $2m cash payout after her lawyer Laura Wasser (who also represented sister Kim Kardashian when she parted ways with husband Kris Humphries) ties up all the details.

This mansion will belong to Khloe