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Tuesday, 21 January 2014

Happy 64th Birthday, Billy Ocean!

'I treat every day like a new start, focusing on the present,' said Billy OceanBilly Oceanuser posted image




Exactly 64 years today, Billy Ocean was born in Trinidad. Billy Ocean is a British recording artist who had a string of R&B international pop hits in the 1970s and 1980s. He was the most popular British R&B singer-songwriter of the early to mid-1980s.


Originally, he was named Leslie Sebastian Charles, but he changed his name to Billy Ocean probably because he really liked goats and the ocean.....


As a child, Billy's father moved the family to London where Billy worked as a tailor for Bugle Boy pants. Billy Ocean soon became a singer and then achieved unprecedented chart success. Most people agree that out of Billy Ocean's 23 chart-toppers, his best song is "Caribbean Queen."


 

VIDEO: Ejigbo Pepper Sodomy & Murder Case : Perpetrators Arrested At Oba Moruf's Palace In Lagos

http://bit.ly/1jiu9nP



All the perpetrators of a bestial torture and sodomy of three women in Ejigbo which happened February last year, have been arrested according to Sahara reporters.

The arrest of the sodomy gang happened at the palace of Oba Moruf Adisa Ojoola of Ejigbo earlier today.

The arrest was possible due to immense pressure on Oba Moruf himself, he reportedly got all the men assembled at his palace around 11pm Saturday night. The gathering of the gang by Oba Moruf followed a closure of the market yesterday, which prevented the market men and women from carrying out their trading activities until the perpetrators were identified and brought to book.

The gang’s torture and sodomizing of a lady by thrusting of a bottle of ground pepper and sticks in her genital had resulted in her death, two months after. She was later identified as “Juliana” by her father, a palm wine tapper, who revealed that he also lost a toddler in the incidence as his wife, mother of the baby while being tortured by the gang was not allowed to attend to the baby.

In addition to torture, the gang also destroyed the palm wine tapper’s house and banished him from the community, after he was made to pay N50,000 as fine to secure the release of his wife and two daughters.

On Thursday, last week, Oba Moruf was invited by the Lagos Assembly Committee regarding the investigation into the crime. A source familiar with the meeting of the Oba with the committee told our correspondent that the Oba’s demeanor at the meeting was cooperative, and he did not spend much time. The previous day, Wednesday, the Iyaloja (Ejigbo Market women leader) also visited the committee on invitation. She was accompanied by her husband, who pledged support toward the investigation.

The Babaloja, who allegedly received a fine from the palm wine tapper and also supervised his banishment, did not honor an invitation by the committee. He gave the excuse that he had injury on his leg. But sources in the market said the Babaloja may have had the injury when he scaled a fence to escape arrest by a police team that visited the market for investigation last week.

At a public hearing upon constitution of the Lagos Assembly committee, the police, the local government chairman, market women and other members of the Ejigbo community had denied knowledge of the crime, even as sources from the community insisted the crime happened in the public glare.

As efforts progressed into finding the perpetrators, the police, through its DPO in Ejigbo, CSP Oliver Abbey had clearly shown complicity and laxity by claiming it doubted the event happened at all, evidently by doing nothing about it. CSP Abbey was later deployed out of the area after his compromised position became clear to his superiors.

It is expected that the arrested gang would be tried for the crime of murder, and the illegal sum collected from Mr. Freeman, the palm wine tapper to secure his wife and daughters recovered.

Mr. Freeman’s family is also expected to be rehabilitated.




#saharareporters

Monday, 20 January 2014

Hayley Cropper's death: Tributes and reactions pour in after Corrie's traumatic scenes



 


Coronation Street character Hayley Cropper took her own life tonight in one of the long-running soap's most controversial storylines.

The two emotional episodes had much of the country glued to the screen - and led to reactions and tributes flooding social media sites.

The much-loved character, played by actress Julie Hesmondhalgh , took her own life and ended her battle with pancreatic cancer.

The 43-year-old actress quit the ITV soap after 15 years as cafe owner Roy’s transsexual wife.

ITV bosses announced in January last year that the actress would leave the series by ending her own life.
ITV Coronation Street
The tragic scenes
 

Before the episodes aired, actress Julia tweeted to say she wouldn't be online as her character's emotional exit was aired.
The actress  admitted she wept ­uncontrollably while watching her Corrie character Hayley Cropper take her own life  rather than continue a losing battle with cancer.
And she wasn't the only one.
Co-star Catherine Tyldesley tweeted her support for the actress, before admitting she was heartbroken watching her exit.
"master class in acting from @ juliehes and David ...just amazing... corrie" she tweeted.
 

 


Jennie McAlpine, who plays Fiz, was also keen to show her support.

She tweeted an on-set picture of the pair filming Hayley and Roy's wedding.

Sally Dynevor, who plays Sally Webster, said: “One of the great iconic soap moments. Stunning @juliehes #DavidNeilson.”
ITV Coronation Street
Hayley takes the dreaded cocktail
 

Antony Cotton (Sean Tully) took the opportunity to plug his co-star’s bid to win at the National Television Awards, posting a picture of an award on twitter.

TV presenter Jenni Falconer spoke of her emotions during the show when she wrote: “What incredible acting and emotional scenes. I know it’s a soap but my heart is aching for Roy. #GoodbyeHayley.”

Broadcaster Richard Bacon said simply: “Nice one Corrie” while Tory MP Nadine Dorries could not resist a political rant.

She wrote: “Not everyone has a loving Roy. For many people the NoK (next of kin) is a hospital, care home or a similar budget constrained autonomous body #scary.

“A reason why assisted suicide is unlikely to ever be fully legal. The law is there to protect the vulnerable from prey.

“For many disabled people, the prospect of legalised assisted suicide is abhorrent. The state is often someone’s carer #strappedforcash.”

Dignity in Dying, the organisation that campaigns for people to have the choice of an assisted death, tweeted: “Hayley was protecting Roy before she ends her life. Many dying people who want control at the end do similar. Very sad #Corrie.”

#goodbyehayley was the number one trending topic, with 8,000 tweets per minute being posted during the show.


What are your views about this traumatic story line? Comments below....


#mirror.co.uk

PHOTOS: Smiling serial killer Joanna Dennehy poses for chilling pictures hours before stabbing two more victims






Smiling serial killer Joanna Dennehy poses for a series of chilling photographs just hours before stabbing two more victims.

Grinning for the camera in her final moments on the run, Dennehy appears to be having the time of her life in the images - revealed at Cambridge crown court today.

On the day the shots were taken Dennehy allegedly moaned "I want my fun" as she and her alleged accomplice Gary Stretch hunted down innocent dog walkers to kill at random.

And jurors were told she boasted of wanting to end her killing spree like notorious American criminals Bonnie and Clyde.

In one chilling shot, Dennehy, 31, wields a large knife - not the murder weapon used to kill three men and injured two others. In another she happily flashes her bra before her 7ft 3ins tall pal Stretch, 47, strikes the same pose.

Shortly after these pictures were taken, Dennehy leapt out of the Vauxhall Astra driven by Stretch and brutally stabbed two men, Robin Bereza and John Rogers, the court was told.

They were lucky to survive the vicious attacks in Hereford on April 2 last year.

The pictures were revealed as witness Mark Lloyd, who appears in two of the snaps, gave evidence yesterday.

He recalls meeting Dennehy at a flat belonging to a pal in Kingstone near Hereford on April 2. It was here where several of the pictures were taken.

When she greeted him, Dennehy proudly told Mr Lloyd: "Hello Mark, I'm a killer.

"I've killed three people, Gary helped dispose of them and I want to do some more."

She then went on to say: "I want some fun. You have had your fun Gary, I want some fun now."

Mr Lloyd says he was "terrified" as Dennehy brandished a knife, which was covered in blood, but then began flirting with him.

"She was caressing my backside and running her hand down my neck," he said.

"It was like being touched by a rattlesnake."

He was forced to join Dennehy and Stretch in their Vauxhall Astra to Hereford. On the way, Dennehy made Stretch pull over, saying: "I want a photo."

She asked Stretch and Mr Lloyd to pose near some houses because she thought Hereford was an attractive place.

In the car, Dennehy took a picture of Mr Lloyd making an offensive hand gesture, although Mr Lloyd told the jury he cannot recall this being taken.

She then begged Stretch to find her some "fun".

Stretch spotted Mr Bereza, 64, walking his pet dog shortly after this and suggested: "Will he do?", it is claimed.

Mr Lloyd says Dennehy jumped out of the car and began attacking the retired firefighter.

Describing the attack, Mr Lloyd said: "She was holding the knife like the film Psycho."

Mr Bereza was left fighting for his life and had to be airlifted to hospital.

Mr Lloyd added: "She gets in the car, she's happy as Larry, big smile on her face.

"She kissed Gary on the cheek and said 'thanks'."

Following this, Stretch drive the group just a few minutes away and pulled over close to where Mr Rogers was walking his dog.

Mr Lloyd described this attack as even more brutal than the first.

He said: "It was frenzied. She just went absolutely mad on the fella.

"Gary was just mumbling away."

Dennehy left Mr Rogers, 56, bleeding on the ground and stole his pet lurcher.

On returning to the car she said: "Look at my best mate. He's so cute."

Mr Lloyd said: "This dog was terrified. He was shaking in her lap."

After this Mr Lloyd said Dennehy was desperate to take the dog for a walk but shortly after, they were arrested by police.

Earlier the court heard witness Georgina Page also told how Dennehy boasted she wanted to end her killing spree like Bonnie and Clyde - who died in a gun fight with cops in 1934 after killing nine people.

Miss Page said Dennehy warned Stretch: "You know we're going to get caught and go to jail for a long time. I want to be caught like Bonnie and Clyde."

In a further grim revelation, Dennehy tucked into a ham sandwich while looking at the bloody corpse of one victim.

The jury heard Stretch, 47, remarked there was "lots of claret (blood) on the floor" while Dennehy munched on her snack.

According to Miss Page, Stretch said he couldn't kill anyone, describing himself as a "professional burglar".

Speaking about Dennehy eating a ham sandwich while in the same room as a bleeding body, Miss Page said: "You are mad Jo, why did you do that?"

In response, she replied: "They shouldn't have p***** me off, they shouldn't have flirted with me."

An "ecstatic" Dennehy jumped for joy when she saw news reports about her crime spree. However she complained the picture police used in their appeal to trace her was "horrible".

Miss Page, who Dennehy visited with Stretch on April 1 following the three murders, said her friend insisted on showing her a news report on TV Ceefax.

She recalled it describing Stretch as "Britain's tallest murder suspect", adding: "She was jumping all about. She was proud."

Miss Page also revealed disturbing details about Dennehy's past. She told how her pal showed her scars on her stomach and arms, which were from self-harming, and confessed she would sometimes self-harm during sex.

Dennehy has admitted stabbing John Chapman, 56, Lukasz Slaboszewski, 31, and her landlord Kevin Lee, 49, in the heart and dumping their bodies in ditches in Cambridgeshire in March last year.

Stretch, of Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, has denied three counts of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a body and two of attempted murder.

Layton, of Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, denies two counts of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a body and one of perverting the course of justice.

The trial continues.







#mirror.co.uk

PHOTOS/VIDEO: Barack Obama and his family honor Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy of service by helping a soup kitchen prepare its daily meals

 
Obama celebrates MLK holiday, visits soup kitchen
 
 
Obama celebrates MLK holiday, visits soup kitchen
 
 

 
 
 CLICK BELOW TO WATCH VIDEO:
 




President Barack Obama honored Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy of service Monday by helping a soup kitchen prepare its daily meals and a host of administration figures fanned out across the capital to appear at holiday events.

Obama took his wife, Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha to DC Central Kitchen, which is a few minutes away from the White House by presidential motorcade. They joined an assembly line that was churning out burritos. Asked what the burritos were being stuffed with, Obama said it looked like lamb. It actually was beef in a sauce, along with unidentified vegetables and cheese.

Obama said he came to help the facility mark its 25th anniversary on Monday. Among those joining him there was senior adviser Valerie Jarrett.

DC Central Kitchen prepares thousands of meals every day for distribution to local shelters.

Vice President Joe Biden appeared at the National Action Network's annual Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast, and later joined the Catholic Volunteer Network in serving a hot lunch to guests at SOME — So Others Might Eat.

Several of Obama's Cabinet officers, including Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, as well as White House chief of staff Denis McDonough, also took part in various holiday-related events.