Khloe Kardashian Drops ‘Odom’ From Twitter Account Name

A few days after dropping the name “Odom” from her Instagram account, Khloe Kardashian has made the same move on her Twitter account. While her handle remains @KhloeKardashian, her display name has been shortened to just Khloe.

42 dead, 100 missing in Niger boat mishap

Minna – No fewer than 42 people were on Friday drowned in a boat mishap on River Niger close to Malilli village in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger.100 others on board were missing in the mishap which occurred at about 2 pm.

The Public Relation Officer, Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Malam Ibrahim Hussaini, confirm the incident to NAN in a telephone interview on Saturday.
Hassaini said the incident occurred around 2 pm when the traders were returning from Malili village back to Tunga Illo village across the River Niger, after the day’s market.
He said the details were sketchy, but the boat which had over 150 passengers capsized midway and drowned 42 people, while 100 others were missing.

The spokesman said that local divers from Malili village had recovered 42 corpses, while efforts were being intensified to rescue possible survivors or the corpse of those drowned.
“At the moment search and rescue is ongoing on the river.I will make the details of the incident later, but the agency has dispatch its officers to assist the villagers in the rescue efforts,’’ he said.
Hassaini said the recovered corpses would be given mass burial close to the river bank, adding that neighbouring villages had been alerted to look out for floating corpses.

The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Saidu Ndako, confirmed the boat mishap.“I received the information late in the night that a boat had capsized and 42 persons have drowned in the incident, while rescue operation is ongoing.We believe that the boat was overload because the boat’s capacity was put at 60 passengers, but over 150 passengers were said to be on board during the incident.The debris in the swollen river may also have been responsible for the incident,’’ Ndako said.

Ndako said that the government condoled with the family of those who had lost their loved ones, and pray that Allah grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. (NAN)


#vanguard

Megan Young of the Philippines crowned Miss World

Miss Philippines, Megan Young, has been crowned Miss World.


Young, who took the crown from Wenxia Yu of China, the 2012 winner, was born in the United States. When she was 10 she moved to the Philippines, where she has appeared in films and as a television host.

There has been tight security on Indonesia's resort island of Bali, where the contest's final round was moved following protests by Muslim extremist groups. Despite threats from the extremists to disrupt the contest, police said no rallies were staged on Saturday.

"I promise to be the best Miss World ever," Ms Young, 23, said after winning the 63rd annual event.

Would you eat your placenta? U.S. company turns placenta into 'health supplement' for new mothers

• PlacentaWise in Utah turn new mothers' own placentas into pills
• Around 100-175 capsules are produced, depending on size of placenta
• Claim multiple health benefits, though there is lack of research
• Process begins with form-filing and £31 ($50) deposit

Saving your placenta after birth and consuming it, due to its supposed health benefits, is a growing trend among new mothers.

Despite scarcity of research some mothers swear by eating their placenta - a practice with no anthropological precedent - saying it enhances milk supply, helps with hormonal imbalances, reduces depression and much more.

Now one U.S. company has taken the trend, dubbed human placentophagia, one step further by turning the organ in to handy pills that can be popped for years after the birth.



Being processed: Laura Curtis, of PlacentaWise in Lindon, Utah, prepares a placenta for a client that will be turned into capsules as a supplement for new mothers



Under the knife: Many swear by the benefits of consuming nutrient-rich placentas - although there is no anthropological evidence that it was widely done by humans before the mid-20th century

The placenta connects the developing foetus to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas exchange via the mother's blood supply, and is usually discarded after birth.

But PlacentaWise in Lindon, Utah, offer a service where they prepare new mothers' own placentas and turn them into health supplement capsules, just 48 hours after birth.


'It's not weird or freaky or gross, it's science' is their slogan.

They say your personal placenta pills will be full of nutrients and essential hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone for mammary gland development in preparation for breastfeeding.

The oxytocin supposedly decreases pain, increases mother-child bonding and counteracts the production of stress hormones such as cortisol.



The organ connects the developing fetus to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake and waste elimination


Multiple other naturally occurring ingredients with supposed health benefits for new mothers (and those suffering PMS) include thyroid stimulating hormone, cortisone, interferon, iron, hemoglobin and human placental lactogen.

Critics are yet to be fully convinced.

'It is very very rare in the UK for people to eat their own, or other people's placentas,' said Claire Friars, midwife for Tommy's Baby Charity said.

'A certain taboo does exist around it. Midwives may be surprised by such a request but are aware that this ritual does happen.'


'There was some suggestion that a mother could avoid postnatal depression by eating her placenta but no evidence has backed this up,' Ms Friars said.



'It's not weird of freaky or gross, it's science': The website for the Placenta Encapsulation Service lists a range of health claims





Benefits: Naturally occurring ingredients that can be healthy supplements for new mothers include thyroid stimulating hormone, cortisone, interferon, iron, hemoglobin and human placental lactogen


'Some people also believe that because the placenta provides the baby with the vitamins and minerals it requires the placenta would be full of these when eaten. Again there is no evidence for this.'

However, Ms Friars said: 'There have been some concerns raised around eating it raw and may carry the same food infection risks as eating raw meat.

'There have also been concerns raised around blood infections as the placenta will contain the mother's blood.'

Eating your placenta: Facts, stats and figures:

In the wild, mammals bite through the umbilical cord and eat the placenta straight after the birth.

In Chinese medicine, the placenta is known as a great life force and is highly respected in terms of its medicinal value. It is not cooked, but usually dried.

In 1998, chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall cooked a placenta on his Channel 4 programme and served it at a dinner party. He devised the recipe with mother Rosie Clear for a party to celebrate the birth of her daughter Indi-Mo Krebbs. The placenta was fried with shallots and garlic, flambéed, puréed and served as a pate on focaccia bread. Channel 4 was severely reprimanded by the Broadcasting Standards Commission as a result, although the practice is legal.

When placenta is eaten it is usually cooked and made into a pate or eaten like a steak or used in a similar way to other meats. It has been described as similar to liver in flavour and texture when cooked.

Eurgh! Am i the only one that finds it gross and disturbing? Comments below...

 

  

 

 

#dailymail

Jennifer Aniston and Katie Holmes step out in the same shirt on the same day!...Now, that is a coincidence

Jennifer Aniston and Katie Holmes decided to wear the Isabel Marant shirt ....on the same day.... with blue jeans.

However, luckily for the two women, they were on opposite sides of America at the time.

On the West Coast in Los Angeles Jennifer was visiting a beauty spa on Friday afternoon, and wore a black Trilby hat and matching sandal wedges with her designer shirt and rolled-up jeans.

On the East Coast in New York City, Katie wore her blue, white and red checked shirt with tan boots as she dropped off daughter Suri to school on Friday morning.

 

...at least they wouldn't bump into each other! Phew!

#dailymail

Westgate Massacre: Is this the escape route tunnel used by terrorists after shopping centre massacre?

Pictured below is the dark and dirty tunnel which terrorists are believed to have used to escape from the Westgate shopping mall.

The underground chamber starts in the car park of the shopping centre and goes directly into the heart of Nairobi.

The open section of the tunnel is guarded by thick shrubbery, which would have provided good cover for the militants.

After escaping from the mall, they could have easily headed down into the tunnel, which has water flowing through it, and into Nairobi.

 Sunday Mirror reporter Russell Myers is pictured inside the tunnel

Speaking from the tunnel, Sunday Mirror reporter Russell Myers said: "The tunnel starts at the Westgate centre where the siege took hold last Saturday, coming through the car park it comes 100 metres underground.

"It then comes out closely guarded by shrubbery and continues for two kilometres to the centre of Nairobi.

"The terrorists would have been able to come through here completely unseen making their escape through Nairobi museum. After that they could have changed clothes and got into cars to make their escape."



The tunnel leads from the centre of Nairobi and into the car park of the Westgate shopping centre

 

 

 

 

#Sunday Mirror

Alleged baby mama files paternity suit against former NBA player, Michael Jordan, Seeking some hard coins....

Laquetta Theus (pictured left) ; Michael Jordan (pictured)

Laquetta Theus is the latest alleged baby mama to claim that the legendary former NBA player Michael Jordan fathered her 2-year-old girl, according to TMZ.


Theus reportedly filed paternity suit documents at a Georgia court and is seeking child support of her baby girl, Juyana Rachelle Henderson. Theus even reportedly posted a message on her Facebook page:

 Michael Jordan, when are you going to support your 2-year-old daughter? You  drop 10 million on your nice wedding … that was nice but don’t you think it  time that you support your daughter?

 

Theus is the second woman to publicly come forth with a paternity suit against Jordan.

 

Earlier this year, wannabe baby mama Pamela Smith, also filed a paternity suit, seeking some hard coins from Jordan in a huge way for her 16-year-old son.

Smith withdrew her paternity petition from the court and was later ordered by the judge to pay Jordan $9,704.13 for her false paternity claim.

Now Theus has stepped up to the plate.

According to TMZ, Jordan has reportedly filed legal documents stating that Theus knows who her baby daddy is — and it is certainly not him!

 

Hmmm! Surely the truth cannot remain hidden for long...

 

BERLIN: Abandoned stash of gold bars and a pile of banknotes found by Polizei in train station

 


Attention all passengers: could the person who left a stash of gold bars and a pile of banknotes in the luggage deposit at Cologne's main railway station kindly contact German police?

That was the appeal that police in the western German city issued Friday for information to track down the owner of the several kilos (pounds) of gold and a six-figure sum of euros in cash.

The stash was found in April in a luggage locker at the station, a major European transport hub. Police said they're going public after being unable to link the haul to any crime and hearing nothing from any legitimate owner.

Whoever the owner is shouldn't leave it too much longer. Police say that if nobody comes forward, the stash will be sold.

Hey! That's mine.....!






#huffingtonpost

Wife Shames Hubby’s Alleged Infidelity By Making Him Confess On Facebook

When married couples have issues with their relationship, many take the traditional route of hashing out their differences under the guidance of a counselor or church pastor. Not Sonya Gore and her husband, Ivan Lewis.

In a very public admission of guilt, Lewis posted a photo of a hand-written note on his page that reads, “I Cheated On My Wife!!! (and she was ugly!!!).”

But Gore told NewsOne that she was the author of the note, not Lewis. In fact, she says she was with him at his computer when he posted the admission on his page.

“I wrote the post out myself,” she said. “Before he posted the post up, he asked me to marry him again on Facebook and I’m like ‘Well, if you want to put that on Facebook then you need to say that you cheated and put that on Facebook.’”

Gore, 40, says she pushed Lewis to post the note to his page because she wanted him to feel the same humiliation she felt as a result of his alleged cheating. The Wilmington, N.C., native said she and Lewis wedded in February of 2010, but claims he began cheating soon after. Ten months into the marriage, Gore says they separated.

Newsone reached out to Lewis for comment but did not get an immediate response. However, his timeline is full of status updates expressing regret and asking for forgiveness. So far 3,096 people have liked the note and it has been shared 216 times as of 12: 45 p.m.

In prior updates leading up to the admission note, messages from random Facebook users have been pretty supportive, though Sonya has been quick to question some of their words, as you can see in a Sept. 22 update below:


And this is the post that prompted Gore (pictured) to ask her hubby to post the note she wrote:

Gore says that she wanted to divorce Lewis and even sought legal advice on the decision but has recently had a change of heart because of his social media overtures. While it is clear in the message threads on Lewis’s updates that he is getting sympathy and support over his public pleas, Gore says her friends think she is silly for taking her marital problems public. Such criticism doesn’t bother her.

When asked what she hopes will come out of the out the attention she and Lewis are attracting, Gore told NewsOne that, essentially, she wants him to go far and beyond to demonstrate his love and affection for her–despite what others say about his public pleas to get her back.

“If he loves me, he loves me,” she said.

As far as Lewis posting that Gore “said I got to get 10,000 before she take me back,” she says he set that mark, not her. But if he does, she said it would influence her decision but, “I’m not making the decision solely on that.”


#newsone

Extremists threaten to attack the Miss World Pageant's final which they have dubbed 'pornography'

• Saturday's final moved from Jakarta to Bali due to ongoing protests
• Extremists brand competition 'pornography'
• Threatening to launch fresh protest by breaching security in Bali
• Bikini round already been axed out of respect

 

This weekend, the final ten contestants will parade before millions of viewers to conclude the finale of Miss World 2013.

But the glitz and glamour of the iconic competition has been overshadowed by an ongoing outcry from Muslim extremists who have been protesting and threatening to attack the pageant, which they have branded as 'pornography' and a 'whore contest'.

The US embassy in Jakarta warned that: 'Extremist groups may be planning to disrupt the Miss World pageant…potentially through violent means.'

In a nod to conservative public opinion, organisers have decided that the contestants will not wear bikinis during the 'beach fashion' round of the event.

Instead, they will cover up with garments such as sarongs, which avoid revealing the body shape.

Final ten: Miss World contestants who were selected as top 10 in the fashion show pose during the event at the convention centre in Nusa Dua, on Indonesia's resort island of Bali

 

Conservative: In a nod to public opinion, organisers have decided that the contestants will not wear bikinis during the 'beach fashion' round of the event

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source

What's this hype about twerking?...358 Twerkers ASSemble in Newyork, twerking simultaneously to break a world record (video)

 

Guinness has officially recognized butt-wiggling as a legitimate world record. On Wednesday, a Guinness official spelled out the rules before all 358 twerkers shook what their mommas gave them for two straight minutes. A minimum of 250 people was required to set the record.

The Guinness rules for twerking are as follows:

• Body must remain upright, with movement concentrated in hips
• Participants can put hands on knees or hips for support
• Twerking action cannot comes from knees – hips only
• Freestyling or additional choreography not permitted – no hands on the ground, feet in the air, twirling, etc.
• Twerking action must be synchronized, can be at own pace
• All participants must twerk simultaneously for two minutes when Big Freedia gives the signal
• Any performers who do not participate fully for the entire two minutes will be deducted from the final total

358 New Yorkers who on Wednesday helped set the Guinness World Record for most people simultaneously twerking. Big Freedia -- a hip hop artist known for her booty poppin' videos -- created the event to promote her upcoming show on Fuse TV, "Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce."

 

 

 

Joan Wind, 73-Year-Old Twerker!
It may have been Joan Wind, 73, who stole the show. The Manhattan woman stopped shopping at Macy's so she could try her hand at twerking, which she'd practiced in the mirror before

 

 

Twogging!
This pup knew how to twerk it as well.

 

#huffingtonpost

British White Widow, Samantha Lewthwaite declared wanted

BBC - International police body Interpol has issued a wanted persons notice for Briton Samantha Lewthwaite, at Kenya's request.

Ms Lewthwaite, 29, is the widow of one of the four suicide bombers who attacked London on 7 July 2005.

Known colloquially as the "white widow", she has been linked with Somali militant Islamist group al-Shabab.

Interpol did not link the warrant to the Nairobi shopping complex attack that left at least 67 dead.


Interpol have issued a “Red Notice” for Samantha Lewthwaite. Photograph: Interpol website

 

However, it comes after much speculation linking Ms Lewthwaite to events there.

Al-Shabab was behind the attack and subsequent four-day siege at the Westgate shopping complex in the Kenyan capital.

An Interpol statement said she was "wanted by Kenya on charges of being in possession of explosives and conspiracy to commit a felony dating back to December 2011".

The Interpol alert, known as a "Red Notice", requires member countries to detain the suspect pending extradition procedures.

Ms Lewthwaite - who is believed to use the alias "Natalie Webb" - had previously only been wanted for the alleged possession of a fraudulently obtained South African passport.

She is the widow of Germaine Lindsay, one of the four bombers involved in the 7 July terror attacks in London in 2005 in which 52 people were killed and hundreds more injured.

The BBC's Dominic Casciani says Interpol's red notice acts like a global wanted poster, but it's also a concession by the Kenyan security forces that she is an international danger, not just someone who should be regarded as a passport fraudster.

Kenya is continuing three days of official mourning for the civilian and military victims of the siege.

The funeral of pregnant television and radio star Ruhila Adatia-Sood was one of many being held on Thursday.

Flags are flying at half mast amid visibly tighter security around the Kenyan capital. Security guards were scanning passengers with metal detectors before they boarded buses.

Kenyan investigators have been joined by experts from the US, UK, Germany, Canada and Interpol to comb the sprawling shopping complex for DNA, fingerprints and ballistic clues.

On Thursday the UK Foreign Office said that the number of British nationals known to have been killed in the attack was lower than previously thought. It had reported that six Britons were among those killed, but it now says that one of the dead previously thought to be British is in fact a Kenyan national.

But at the same time the Foreign Office has warned that the number of British dead could rise before the search of the shopping centre is over.

Somali Islamist group al-Shabab has said it had carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenyan army operations in Somalia.

The militants stormed the Westgate centre on Saturday, throwing grenades and firing indiscriminately at shoppers and staff.

Twitter posts on an al-Shabab account said the group's militants had held 137 people hostage, and claimed the hostages had died after security forces fired chemical agents to end the siege.

A government spokesman denied any chemical agents were used, and authorities called on Kenyans to ignore militant propaganda.

Al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaeda, has repeatedly threatened attacks on Kenyan soil if Nairobi did not pull its troops out of Somalia.

About 4,000 Kenyan troops have been serving in the south of Somalia since October 2011 as part of an African Union force supporting Somali government forces.

The group is banned as a terrorist group by both the US and the UK and is believed to have between 7,000 and 9,000 fighters.

Its members are fighting to create an Islamic state in Somalia.

VIDEO: Another Nigerian police officer captured in a video clip trying to extort money from a motorist

A citizen captured this video on his mobile phone in Onitsha where a Nigerian police officer was trying to extort money from a motorist.
Inspite of the recent dismissal of some of them due to similar corrupt practices, they are still extorting money from innocent citizens.
What do you think should be done to effectively eradicate such practices?

Kenya Mall Attack: White Widow Terrorist was in Nigeria before the attack

Samantha Lewthwaite, the British widow known as “White Widow” accused of masterminding the despicable terrorist attack on Kenyan shopping mall which killed about 60 people was in Nigeria and evaded detection, according to a report in the Daily Mirror, UK-based newspaper.

According to the newspaper, “In Nigeria, where police forces are notoriously corrupt, there were reports that she (Lewthwaite) was almost caught a while ago, but she bribed her way out of trouble.”

The full report read: “If White Widow Samantha Lewthwaite is on the run she will be hard to catch. If a Lewthwaite were to be on the run in Kenya, Nigeria or Somalia, it would be a easier to evade detection than in Europe.

"She would be wearing a veil, and sensitivities about searching Muslim women would be observed so she could easily slip through difficult checkpoints.

"In Nigeria, where police forces are notoriously corrupt, there were reports she was almost caught a while ago, but she bribed her way out of trouble," the news report said

"Extremist communities such as al-Shabaab are tight-knit in these countries, making it difficult to recruit agents to penetrate them and trace her.

"And Lewthwaite may hold a great deal of power as a special kind of jihadist, having proved her worth in previous attacks.

"As a white convert mum and widow of a 7/7 bomber, she would be invaluable propaganda and would command huge loyalty.

"Also, the austere nature of her adopted culture means she would rarely go out, so there would be few opportunities to follow her.

"Bounties have failed to nail jihadists as money has no value to individuals loyal to the cause.”

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Ambassador to Kenya, Ambassador Akin Oyateru, yesterday confirmed that no Nigerian citizen was affected in the terrorist attacks or involved with the terrorists in the Westgate Shopping Mall attacks which ended Tuesday after a four-day siege.

About 68 people including six security officers were confirmed dead with over 170 injured.

Briefing journalists via tele-conference, Oyateru said: "We have gone through the list with a fine tooth comb and found no Nigerian name among the dead or the injured."

The ambassador recalled that at the time the siege started, most members of the Nigerian community were attending a pan-Nigerian meeting at a hotel in the central part of the city.

"The meeting was immediately secured and the Nigerians given security briefing," he disclosed.

Oyateru, however, expressed Nigeria's condolences to the government and people of Kenya.

He called on the Nigerian community in Kenya to heed to the calls for blood donations for the injured and also contribute to the relief efforts in whatever way they could.

The Nigerian Mission in Nairobi, he disclosed, has already donated a modest sum of money to assist towards relief efforts, he said.

"Neither the Kenyan or Nigerian government or any other government would succumb to blackmail. These are people feeding on the orgy of violence, they have no cause, they just indulge in mindless killings," he said.

He appealed to the public to always be vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies.

"Terrorism is a transnational problem that confronts all nations and everyone has to work together to combat this. Kenya has responded that it will not pull out of Somalia, it will stay for as long as it is required," Oyateru said.

#thisday

Boko Haram’s Leader, Shekau appears in video after death claims

 

KANO  – A man who claims to be the leader of Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram has appeared in a video taunting world leaders after military claims that he may have been killed from a gunshot wound after a clash with soldiers on June 30.

He said:
“Here is Shekau, Shekau, Shekau, Shekau, original … I want the whole world to know that I’m alive by the grace of Allah.” 

The man resembled past images of Abubakar Shekau, in a video seen by AFP on Wednesday.

Sitting on the ground with an AK-47 leaning against his shoulder, he names Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, US President Barack Obama, French President Francois Hollande and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as Britain's Queen Elizabeth.
It was not clear when or where the video was recorded, but Shekau, speaking in the Hausa language, references recent attacks in northeastern Nigeria, denounces democracy and pledges to keep fighting.

The video, distributed through an intermediary to local reporters, shows the man believed to be Shekau surrounded by a group of fighters dressed in camouflage who are also holding AK-47s.-AFP

China Arnold: Mum Convicted For Microwaving baby To Death Wants New Trial...without the death penalty as an option

China Arnold, a mother convicted of microwaving her 28-month-old baby to death wants a new trial without the possibility of the death penalty.

She was convicted of microwaving her baby to death in 2005. According to pathological reports, baby was likely in microwave for at least 2 minutes.

Now, her attorney Christopher Thompson, is arguing that multiple errors were made in her previous trials and she should receive another one without the death penalty as an option. This would be the fourth trial in the case.



What are your views pertaining this case? Do you think she deserves a death penalty?

Arnold, 33, was already tried three times, with the death penalty a possibility each time, in the murder of her daughter, Paris Talley. Her first trial in February 2008 ended in a mistrial and her second trial ended in September 2008 when she was found guilty but the jury could not decide on the death penalty.
Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Mary Wiseman imposed a sentence of life in prison, but that decision ultimately was overturned on appeal in November 2010.
Arnold’s third trial ended in May 2011 when she was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after a jury did not vote for the death penalty.-CBS


As previously reported by NewsOne, Arnold’s second conviction was overturned by the Second District Court of Appeals in Dayton after the prosecution’s star witness admitted she lied when she testified that Arnold had confessed to putting her baby in the microwave.

The witness claims the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office threatened her with jail time unless she gave that false testimony.

 

#newsone
#cbs
 

Karamba Diaby makes history as the first Black lawmaker to be elected into the German Parliament

Karamba Diaby has made history as the first Black lawmaker to be elected into the German Parliament. The Huffington Post reports that until now there were no black lawmakers in the German Parliament, despite more than 500,000 people of African origin believed to be living in Germany.

“My election into the German Parliament is of historical importance,” Diaby said.
Diaby has been a German citizen for 12 years. A Senegalese-born chemist who moved to East Germany in 1986 for school, now 51-years-old.

Benin: 2 Suspects paraded over the death of Chinyere Onorfue who was found in a hotel room with slashed throat

An 18-year-old girl was reportedly found dead in a hotel room in Benin.


Chinyere Onorfue reportedly checked into a hotel with a man, Emmanuel Ajayi on the 19th of August and was found dead at about 8pm on the same day, with her throat slashed.

Police investigation led to the capture and arrest of Emmanuel Ajayi and another suspect who were allegedly found in the hotel room, with the girl’s mobile phone in their possession. They were paraded before journalists in Benin.

In a related occurrence, state commissioner of police also paraded 20 suspects who allegedly gang raped their victims at different locations in Benin.

Amongst them were Emmanuel Okoro, Lucky Ighodaro, Moses Israel and Osakpamwan Ameye, who allegedly dragged their 20-year-old victim (names withheld) into an uncompleted building at Evboutubu area of Benin at about 10 pm and gang-raped her.


#pmnews
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/48048.html

Simon Cowell confirms he's having a baby boy and plans to marry Lauren Silverman

Simon Jnr and wedding bells for Cowell
INFphoto.com



Simon Cowell has confirmed he is expecting a baby boy with pregnant lover Lauren Silverman.

Cowell also dropped a massive bombshell and revealed plans to marry the pretty brunette socialite: "I wouldn't expect Lauren to be a single mother."

The dad-to-be made the announcement in US radio interview with Ryan Seacrest and insisted his first born will have an English accent.

Speaking about parenting he told the American Idol host: "The baby has to have an English accent!"

When asked if he plans to be at the birth of his baby he said: "Are you out of your mind? There are certain things you shouldn't see and that is one of them."

He previously said his son - due to be born in February - will have to work for his own fortune because the X Factor boss plans to leave his £225million pile to charity.

The 53-year-old music mogul said: “I’m going to leave my money to somebody. A charity, probably — kids and dogs.

“I don’t believe in passing on from one generation to another.

“Your legacy has to be that hopefully you gave enough people an opportunity, so that they could do well, and you gave them your time, taught them what you know.”


You may now kiss the bride!
FilmMagic


Cowell, who is dating Silverman, 36, also insists he will never give up work, so mum will be left holding the baby.

He added: “A lot of people who retire, they hate their job so much, they just love the idea of not working any more.

“That horrifies me. I’m going to be still working in my 80s or 90s.”

And in October’s Esquire magazine he insists he can be cool despite being an older dad.

He says: “You can be cool as you get older if you’re (a) successful and (b) you can relate to younger people without acting like an idiot. But don’t dye your hair.”

Cowell’s comments about money echo those of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who says his kids won’t see his £750million either.

In an interview with the Mirror in 2008, Lord Lloyd-Webber said: “It is about having a work ethic - I don’t believe in inherited money at all. They’d have no incentive. I’ll give them a start but they ain’t going to end up owning my Really Useful Group.”

Cowell said earlier this week he had seen a baby scan which was “surreal” and he is “over the moon” to be having a mini-Simon, according to reports in America yesterday, which claimed his child will be a boy. After Cowell had an affair with Lauren, she split with husband Andrew. They will share custody of their son Adam, eight.

Ladbrokes is offering odds of 4-1 that the music mogul names his baby Simon junior, with his dad’s name Eric running at 5-1.

Louis and Gary, the names of the other male UK X Factor judges, are 33-1.



#mirror.co.uk

PHOTOS: Annie Idibia Pregnant With Tuface's Child

 Annie Idibia sighted with a growing baby bump



Shortly after her wedding to Tuface Idibia, there have been speculations that Annie might be pregnant. Well, like they say... A baby bump has no hiding place!


Congrats to the Idibia family! When the child is born, it becomes the second between the couple and the seventh for Tuface

Kenya shopping centre siege finally over

 

The four-day siege involving suspected Islamist militants at Nairobi's Westgate shopping centre is over, Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta says.

Five attackers were shot dead by troops and 11 suspects are in custody, he said in a televised address to the nation.

Kenya has "shamed and defeated our attackers" but the "losses are immense", he said, confirming that 61 civilians and six soldiers had died.

Three days of national mourning have been declared starting on Wednesday.

President Kenyatta said that several bodies were still to be recovered from the mall.

Somali Islamist group al-Shabab said it carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenyan army operations in Somalia.

The president said he could not confirm reports that a British national and two or three US citizens were involved in the attacks, but he said forensic experts were carrying out tests to ascertain their nationalities.

#BBC

VIDEO: Snake Grounds Jet With 370 Passengers in Sydney

A tiny exotic snake was found on a Qantas Boeing 747 airliner, leading to 370 passengers being grounded in Sydney overnight, the airline said Monday.

Staff found the 20-centimeter (8-inch) Mandarin Rat Snake in the passenger cabin near the door late Sunday before passengers were due to board the flight bound for Tokyo from Sydney International Airport, Qantas said in a statement.

Australia's flagship airline said passengers were given hotel rooms overnight and left Sydney on a replacement plane Monday morning. Qantas said the original jet would be fumigated before returning to service in case there were other snakes on board.

The snake was taken by quarantine officials for analysis.

The Agriculture Department said the snake, a species that grows to an average 1.2 meters (4 feet), had been euthanized, "as exotic reptiles of this kind can harbor pests and diseases not present in Australia."

The department said the snake had arrived aboard the jet in a flight a day earlier from Singapore.

"The Department of Agriculture is looking into how the snake came to be on the plane, but isn't able to speculate at this time," it said in a statement.

The mildly venomous Asian snake was about the width of a pencil and did not pose a threat to humans, but it had the potential to cause ecological havoc in the Australian environment if it had escaped the plane with a mate, Canberra Reptile Zoo herpetologist Peter Child said.

While snakes rarely pose aviation hazards, a 3-meter (10-foot) python in January clung to the wing of a Qantas flight from the northeast coast city of Cairns to Papua New Guinea. The python died during the flight but was still attached to the wing when the two-hour flight ended in the national capital Port Moresby.

 

 

#abcnews

Kenya Terror Attack: Was British 'White Widow' Samantha Lewthwaite among the terrorists killed in the Kenya siege?

Samantha Lewthwaite with Jermaine Lindsay


Speculation is growing that terrorism suspect Samantha Lewthwaite from Northern Ireland, dubbed the White Widow, had been killed as Kenyan military forces attempted to end the three-day siege at a Nairobi shopping mall.

Americans and a British woman were among the terrorists who attacked the mall, killing more than 60 people, Kenya's foreign minister said today.

Amina Mohamed said the attackers included "two or three Americans" and "one Brit". She told the PBS NewsHour programme that the Americans were 18 to 19 years old, of Somali or Arab origin and lived "in Minnesota and one other place" in the US.

The woman is believed to be Lewthwaite, from Banbridge, who is already wanted in Kenya on terror charges.

A Muslim convert, she had been dubbed the "white widow" because of her marriage to Jermaine Lindsay, who blew up an underground train at King's Cross in London in 2005, killing 26 people.

She has been on the run in east Africa for two years after allegedly plotting to attack Western targets in Kenya.

Her father was a British soldier posted in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, who married a local woman.

Lewthwaite converted to Islam in her teenage years and later married Lindsay, one of the 7/7 London bombers.

She then married another jihadist while on the run in Africa where she became a leader of the al-Shabaab terror grouping.

Lewthwaite later arranged the assassination of a terror rival in an attack that also claimed the life of her second husband, Habib Ghani. She did not even acknowledge the fact he had been murdered.

Family friends in Banbridge yesterday said the publicity surrounding Lewthwaite in recent years had deeply affected her grandmother who lives near the town centre.

Elizabeth Allen is said to be devastated by the revelations regarding her grand-daughter.

It is understood the stress on Ms Allen, who is in her late 80s, is such she was hospitalised recently.

The frail pensioner previously told how she was issued with a panic alarm with which she was to contact police if Lewthwaite ever made contact with her.

Kenyan security forces battled al Qaida-linked terrorists in the upmarket mall for a third day in what they said was a final push to rescue the last few hostages in a siege that has left at least 62 people dead.

While the government announced that "most" hostages had been released, a security expert with contacts inside the mall said at least 10 were still being held by a band of attackers described as "a multinational collection from all over the world".

US officials said they were looking into whether any Americans were involved. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the department had "no definitive evidence of the nationalities or the identities" of the attackers.

The security expert, who insisted on anonymity to talk freely about the situation, said many hostages had been freed or escaped in the previous 24-36 hours, including some who were in hiding.

But there were at least 30 hostages when the assault by al-Shabab militants began on Saturday, he said, and "it's clear" that Kenyan security officials "haven't cleared the building fully".

Flames and dark plumes of smoke rose above the Westgate shopping complex for more than an hour yesterday after four large explosions rocked the surrounding neighbourhood. The smoke was pouring through a large skylight inside the mall's main department and grocery store, where mattresses and other flammable goods appeared to have been set on fire, a person with knowledge of the rescue operation said.

The explosions were followed by volleys of gunfire as police helicopters and a military jet circled overhead, giving the neighbourhood the feel of a war zone.

By evening, Kenyan security officials claimed the upper hand.

"Taken control of all the floors. We're not here to feed the attackers with pastries but to finish and punish them," police inspector General David Kimaiyo said on Twitter.

Kenya's interior minister Joseph Ole Lenku said the evacuation of hostages had gone "very, very well" and that Kenyan officials were "very certain" that few if any hostages were left in the building.

But with the mall cordoned off and under heavy security it was not possible to independently verify the assertions. Similar claims of a quick resolution were made by Kenyan officials on Sunday and the siege continued. Authorities have also not provided any details on how many hostages were freed or how many still remain captive.

Three attackers were killed in the fighting yesterday, authorities said, and more than 10 suspects arrested. Eleven Kenyan soldiers were wounded in the running gun battles.

Somalia's al Qaida-linked rebel group, al-Shabab, which said it carried out the attack, said the hostage-takers were well-armed and ready to take on the Kenyan forces.

An al-Shabab spokesman, Sheik Ali Mohamud Rage, said in an audio file posted on a militant website that the attackers had been ordered to "take punitive action against the hostages" if force was used to try to rescue them.

The attackers have lots of ammunition, the militant group said in a Twitter feed, adding that Kenya's government would be responsible for any loss of hostages' lives.

A Western security official in Nairobi said the only reason the siege had not yet ended would be because hostages were still inside.

Westgate mall, a vast complex with multiple banks that have secure vaults and bulletproof glass partitions, as well as a casino, was difficult to take, the official said. "They are not made for storming," he said of the labyrinth of shops, restaurants and offices. "They're made to be unstormable."

At least 62 people were killed in the assault on Saturday by 12 to 15 al-Shabab militants wielding grenades and firing on civilians inside the mall, which includes shops for such retail giants as Nike, Adidas and Bose and is popular with foreigners and wealthy Kenyans.

The militants specifically targeted non-Muslims, and at least 18 foreigners were among the dead, including six Britons, as well as citizens from France, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, Peru, India, Ghana, South Africa and China. Nearly 200 people were wounded, including five Americans.

Fighters from an array of nations participated in the assault, according to Kenya's chief of defence forces General Julius Karangi. "We have an idea who these people are and they are clearly a multinational collection from all over the world," he said.

Al-Shabab, whose name means "The Youth" in Arabic, said the mall attack was in retribution for Kenyan forces' 2011 push into neighbouring Somalia. It was the deadliest terrorist attack in Kenya since the 1998 al Qaida truck bombing of the US embassy in Nairobi, which killed more than 200 people.

An extremist Islamic terrorist force that grew out of the anarchy that crippled Somalia after warlords ousted a long-time dictator in 1991, al-Shabab is estimated to have several thousand fighters, including a few hundred foreigners, among them militants from the Middle East with experience in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Others are young, raw recruits from Somali communities in the United States and Europe.

For years Minnesota has been the centre of a government investigation into the recruiting of fighters for al-Shabab. Authorities say about two dozen young men have left Minnesota since 2007 to join the group. Minnesota's Somali community is the largest in the US.

Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said the attack showed that al-Shabab was a threat not just to Somalia but to the international community.

Reports that some of the attackers may have been Somalis who lived in the United States illustrate the global nature of the militant group, the Somali leader said in a speech at Ohio State University.

"Today, there are clear evidences that Shabab is not a threat to Somalia and Somali people only," he said. "They are a threat to the continent of Africa, and the world at large."

As the crisis passed the 48-hour mark, a video emerged that was taken by someone inside the mall's main department store when the assault began. It video showed frightened and unsure shoppers crouching as long, loud volleys of gunfire could be heard.

Kenyans in many parts of the country stood in long lines yesterday to donate blood to aid the nearly 200 people injured in the attack. Fund raisers collected hundreds of thousands of dollars, though government officials warned of scam artists taking advantage of the tragedy.

Ms Mohamed said Kenya needed to work with other governments to fight the increasing terrorist threat and "much more with the US and the UK, because both the victims and the perpetrators came from Kenya, the United Kingdom and the United States. From the information we have, two or three Americans and so far I've heard of one Brit".

She added: "That just goes to underline the global nature of this war that we are fighting."

#belfasttelegraph

Obama - I quit smoking because 'I'm scared of my wife'

US President Barack Obama conquered a long-term smoking habit because he was afraid of his wife, First Lady Michelle Obama, he has joked with a UN official.

The jesting admission, which the president made apparently unaware he was on camera, came at the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday.

Mr Obama privately told a human rights campaigner that he had not had a cigarette in roughly six years.

"That's because I'm scared of my wife," he said with a smile.

The conversation between Mr Obama and Maina Kiai, the UN special rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, occurred near an open microphone and was later broadcast by CNN.

"I hope you've quit smoking," Mr Obama said to Mr Kiai, a Kenyan.

"Sometimes," Mr Kiai responded, as the two smiled and shook hands.

Both Mr Obama and Mr Kiai attended Harvard University Law School.

Mr Obama has publicly acknowledged his struggles to quit smoking in the past. In 2011, Mrs Obama said her husband had finally overcome the habit.

BBC 

Strawberries Are Not Berries, Yet Avocados and Watermelon Are

Ready to have your mind blown, your childish innocence shattered, your ideas of everything right in the world torn asunder? Strawberries are not really berries, but watermelon, pumpkins, bananas, and avocados are. It's ok. Take a few deep breaths. We're right here with you.

While we've tended to define berries as any small edible fruit, the official definition of a berry is "a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary." By this definition, oranges, kumquats, blueberries, and even tomatoes can be considered part of the berry family.

Strawberries, on the other hand, are known as "accessory fruits," which makes it sound like they did something wrong. They're just trying to exist, man! In these fruits, the surrounding flesh around the seed isn't derived from the fruit's ovaries but from the receptacle in which the ovaries are found. When fully developed, these aggregates have merged together into one single fruit. Hows that for fruitception?



#foodbeast

Photos from Madam Saje's 50th birthday bash

Nollywood actress, Fausat Balogun popularly known as Madam Saje, turned 50 over the weekend. Present at the birthday bash were fellow actors and actresses, Fathia Balogun, Iyabo Ojo, Mercy Aigbe Gentry, Bimbo Akinsanya, Funke Etti, Mistura Asunramu and Liz DaSilva among others.



See photos below:

“I’m still taking classes, still seeing a shrink” – Tonto Dikeh talks about her depression in new interview

In a recent interview with Man Hour Tv, controversial actress and singer, Tonto Dikeh, gave an insight about her life, the depression she had, her childhood and her future plans as a musician.




On her depression, she said “It brought me back to the beginning, I saw my self as a baby.I had to start from there. I’m still healing, I’m still taking classes, still seeing a shrink. Depression is the deadliest disease that I’ve ever come across. It is something that can kill you in a snap.”


She further disclosed how she loves to stay in-door saying “I think I’m very, very, very misunderstood. I’m a very homely person. I actually never go out. If you ever see me in a club, it’s going to be because something is happening, like my friend is having something. I just never go out. That’s something people don’t know. I love to be at home, I love to eat food from my house. I don’t go out to eat. I’m a home girl.”

Watch video HERE

Ini Edo replaces Genevieve Nnaji at Miss Earth Nigeria 2013

Nollywood star, Genevieve Nnaji was replaced by her colleague, Iniobong Edo Ehiagwina as a celebrity judge at the just concluded Miss Earth Nigeria 2013, for failing to return to Nigeria from her trip abroad.
Ini Edo joined Hollywood actor, Boris Kodjoe, Hollywood celebrity, model and video vixen, Amber Rose, ace photographer, Kelechi Amadi Obi and Karlie Redd as judges for the environmentally oriented pageant.

Beating 23 other contestants to emerge the 2013 Miss Earth Nigeria queen which held last night at the grand ball room of the Oriental Hotel, Lagos, Model and video vixen Marie Miller went home with a brand new 2013 Toyota Avensis and N3million one year salary. She will also represent Nigeria at the Miss Earth pageant later this year.




#dailystar

Marie Miller wins Miss Earth Nigeria 2013

Sunday was the grand finale of the Miss Earth beauty pageant and 23-year-old, Marie Miller clinched the coveted crown.

Video Vixen Marie beat other 23 contestants to emerge Miss Earth Nigeria queen 2013 at the event held at Oriental Hall, Lekki.

Marie, who will be wearing the crown for the next one year, got a new 2013 Toyota Avensis and N3 million one year salary.

Again, she will be representing Nigeria at the Miss Earth international pageant later in the year.

On ground to judge the contestants were Amber Rose, Boris Kodjoe and Ini Edo.

Miss Earth Nigeria is an affiliated to the international Miss Earth World pageant with her headquarters in the Philippines.
The Miss Earth Organizers believe that beauty queens would be a good and effective advocate of worthy causes.

To give life to this vision, Carousel Productions Inc. organized and launched in 2001 the Pageant, a beauty event whose reason is to have its candidates and winners actively promote and get involved in the preservation of the environment and the protection of Mother Earth.


#dailytimes