Happy 31st Birthday To Kate Middleton...Plus Photos Of Her Style Evolution...

 

Today, January 9, Kate Middleton turned 31, putting her solidly in her 30s -- and with a baby on the way, no less.

Yet even as she ages, the Duchess of Cambridge maintains her youthfulness through her fashion choices, from fit-and-flare dresses to high, slinky pumps. Catherine's had her fair share of sartorial misses, of course, such as some frumpier styles in 2012 and a very unfortunate Uggs incident in 2007.

But as she's stepped into the spotlight as Prince William's girlfriend and eventually his wife, Kate has streamlined her style, embraced high-end designers and perfected a look that is at once youthful and sophisticated. You'd barely even know she'd already passed the big 3-0.

See Photos Below:

 

Can you spot the duchess of Cambridge in this picture?....back row, third from left

 

Front and center

 

 

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2006:

 

 

 

 

2007:

 

 

 

 

2008:

 

 

 

 

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2010:

 

 

 

2011:

 

 

 

 

 

 

2012:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Huffingtonpost

VIDEO: How Church Security Molested, Arrested And Detained SaharaReporters Crew In Nigeria

A trip by a Saharareporters/SaharaTV crew in Lagos aimed at covering the “cross over” night of one of Nigeria's mega churches on New Year's eve ended in molestation, threats, arrest and detention by the church. The SaharaReporters' media crew drove into the church premises of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles ministry (MFM) on the Lagos Ibadan expressway in response to news that its cross over night event was the biggest in the Lagos area.

The crew was led by Saharareporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, who was traveling underground in Nigeria as part of a series of reports for the renowned website. Upon reaching the church's massive auditorium Mr. Sowore was ushered into the church service by church ushers situated at a small entrance, he bore a canon 5D camera mounted on his shoulder with proper photo and video recording gadgets. The period of the SaharaReporters crew arrival coincided with the sermon of the General Overseer, Dr. Daniel K Olukoya, however, the large church auditorium with several huge TV broadcast screens meant that the crew had to seek direction to the podium. As a result, twice during the sojourn, the crew tendered their local credentials to the church ushers and security to gain access near the pastor's podium.

At no time during the visit did any member of the church security team ask members of the team for "accreditation" or press passes to cover the event. Shortly after arriving near the podium, however, Mr. Sowore was accosted by a church security official who demanded to see his identity card. Promptly given one, the official nervously began scrutinizing the card while Mr. Sowore and the crew continued filming Dr. Olukoya's sermon, which was on the subject of fear. Within seconds of the first encounter, a mob made up of security officials descended on Mr. Sowore and a second member of the crew, demanding that they cease any form of filming in the church auditorium. Attempts by the crew to explain that they were granted access to the auditorium following presentation of their press credentials were met with a ferocious and more aggressive pack of church thugs who attempted to break the crew's camera. The argument escalated within the purview of the pastor, who continued his preaching. But it became intense, the church security growing nastier and more physical, pushing and shoving Mr. Sowore and another crew member to the back of the church altar. In an effort to avoid disruption of the service, the chaotic scene was pushed to the back of the church where the SaharaReporters crew was confronted by an army of security personnel comprising the State Security Service (SSS), mobile policemen carrying AK 47 guns, barrel-chested private security officials of the church, as well as the church production crew and a photographer who were taking photos of SR reporters.

Thirteen Feared Dead As Petrol Tanker Rams Into An 18-Seater Commuter Bus

 

No fewer than 13 people were feared dead today, Sunday when a fuel tanker rammed into a commercial bus at Odo Oba in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

Although details of the crash are still hazy, the tanker and bus reportedly caught fire immediately.

It was not clear where they were heading to when the crash occurred.

The National Emergency Management Agency confirmed the crash, saying three persons escaped.

It did not, however, state whether they were in the tanker or the bus.

Road accidents involving tankers have become rampant in recent months, raising concern about the safety of road users.

saharareporters

Father Nabbed For Killing 4 Months Old Son For Ritual In Egbe, Kogi State

 

MR HOSEA FOLORUNSHO DIGGING UP HIS SON’S CORPSE FROM WHERE HE SECRETLY BURIED IT IN A SHALLOW GRAVE

Mr Hosea Folorunsho, a native of Egbe town in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi state, has been arrested by the state police command for the alleged gruesome murder of his son for ritual purpose. Briefing journalists on the arrest in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Katsina, says the suspect, who is also a herbalist, buried the child in a shallow grave in his own compound.

While parading the suspect, Hosea Folorunsho, at the state command headquarters, Lokoja-the state capital, Mr. Katsina disclosed that on the 31st of December 2012, the herbalist killed his son for alleged ritual.

Narrating the ungodly act based on police investigation, the police boss, Mr Katsina disclosed that on the New Year’s Eve, at about 11:55PM, the suspect quietly took the baby named Sunday Folorunsho who was asleep in the middle of the night and murdered him in gruesome circumstances.

He added that having accomplished his mission, the suspect dug a shallow grave in his compound and hurriedly buried the corpse of the baby.

Mr Folorunsho, 48, and married with three kids, was escorted by the police to his compound where the baby’s corpse was buried and was then asked to exhume it.

After digging out the corpse of the baby, the body was handed over to a pathologist who conducted an autopsy on the dead baby.

The autopsy result read that the child died of multiple fractures through the application of blunt object and trauma.
channelstv

Generator Smoke Kills 80-Year-Old Woman And 4 Grandchildren In Ogun State, Nigeria

Sorrow and sadness on Thursday enveloped Robiyan, near Ijoko in Ifo Local Government, Ogun State as residents discovered the lifeless bodies of an 80 year-old woman, identified as Madam Kuburat, and her four grandchildren, including a toddler in a newly completed house.

Five other people who slept in the house were in critical conditions at two general hospitals as doctors battle to save their lives.

Although there were different accounts of what could have caused their death, the Divisional Police Officer of Agbado Police Station, Mr. Okere Daniel, suspected it could be fumes from a generator.

The DPO said, “From the physical examination of the victims, it is obvious that they must have died of carbon monoxide, all foaming from the mouth; this means that they must be gasping (for breath).

“A similar thing happened at Obadofin in 2010, when I was a DPO at Alafia. A whole family was wiped off. It was during a festive period like this; they put on the generator and locked it up inside the house for use overnight.”

It was learnt that the generator which was placed in the veranda of the house must have worked overnight while the doors and windows were locked.

Apart from the 10 people, a man and his wife also in the house were said to have rushed their child to a nearby community hospital at midnight when they found her gasping for breath.

PUNCH Metro learnt that it was the woman that reportedly cried out and alerted the whole community to the tragedy when she returned in the morning and found everybody “sleeping.”

The traditional ruler of the area, Chief Olu Kujore, said he ordered his men to break into the house and forced the windows open.

Kujore said, “We hurriedly rushed those who were still breathing to the hospital. Some of them were taken to Ota General Hospital while others were taken to Ifako General Hospital.

“But two of the kids died before they could be attended to at the hospital and their corpses had to be returned to the house.”

One of our correspondents saw the five dead victims before they were taken to the Ota General Hospital for autopsy.

Another resident of the area, who identified himself as Baba Michael, said no fewer than five bricklayers with different sets of workers handled the construction of the house.

“During the construction, three times, a section of the house had collapsed and had to be re-erected,” he said.

A young lady, Amina Disu, who said she was Kuburat’s grandchild, said they had come to the village for the Christmas and New Year festivities.

She recalled that they prepared rice for the family and their neighbours on Wednesday before she left for business at Mushin in Lagos.

Disu said, “My mother had a protracted battle with two other people over the ownership of the land before she eventually built it. And we went through hell to get the job done.

“My mother was a fish seller at Mushin. We only came to celebrate the Christmas and New Year with granny. My brother, his wife and their children were around too. It was a full house. I was here yesterday (Wednesday). We had fun and had to serve food to our neighbours.”

She said she was surprised when her granny’s neighbours called her to inform her about the incident.

Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun State, Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the incident, said the matter would be investigated.

“The fumes were discovered to have got into the house through the veranda where it was placed. Three of the victims had died before they got to the hospital, while two others also died later in the hospital. Five others, who were affected, are currently recuperating,” he said.

Punch

Inside Nigeria's secret gay club

About 50 people, mostly men, crowd around the front porch of a social club in Nigeria's biggest city, Lagos, cheering on a shy-looking young man, who proceeds to sing a ballad.

Backstage, another man puts on his wig and takes a quick glance at his pocket mirror, before adjusting his tight-fitting red dress.

Five other men also dressed in drag outfits appear, checking on each other's make-up as they wait for their turn to perform for the crowd.

"A friend invited me here a few months ago," one chatty spectator says excitedly. "I love this place because it makes me feel at home".

This gathering of members of the gay and lesbian community in Lagos is held regularly, albeit discreetly, but it could soon be illegal.

The vast majority of gay Nigerians may not be interested in this kind of event but they still have to hide their sexuality in this conservative society.

Whilst already illegal, homosexuality is widely frowned upon across Nigeria and has been the subject of several bills in the National Assembly.

The Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill specifically outlaws same-sex unions.

It also bans gatherings of homosexuals or any other support for gay clubs, organisations, unions or amorous expressions, whether in secret or in public.

'Repulsive'
The bill has been passed by Nigeria's Senate - the highest chamber - and is now being reviewed by the lower chamber, the House of Representatives.

Rashidi Williams is one of Nigeria's few openly gay human rights activists

If approved, it will be sent to the president to sign it into law, after which same-sex couples could face up to 14 years in prison.

But Nigerian homosexuals complain that the stigma they face is already enough punishment for their way of life.

Kunle (not his real name), a gay man living in Lagos, is outraged by the proposed law: "How does a government think that sending someone to prison would change his or her sexual orientation?
"How logical is that?"

One of Nigeria's few openly gay human rights activists, Rashidi Williams, notes that the bill seeks to ban something which is already illegal and which no-one is publicly advocating.

"All we are asking for is to repeal the repressive laws in this country," he says.

The bill has been condemned abroad - most recently by Australian lawmakers - making its proponents see this piece of legislation as a way of protecting Nigerian society from foreign influences.

"Ours is to weigh the aggregate of opinion - what the majority of Nigerians want," says Abike Dabiri, a member of the House of Representatives.

"If majority of Nigerians want same-sex marriage, then why not?"

She adds: "You have a right to your sexual preference but by trying to turn it into marriage do you realise you could be infringing on the human rights of the other person who finds it repulsive?"

In hiding
This view is echoed on the streets of this country, where religious influences, particularly from Christianity and Islam, are heavy.

"How do you even become gay, not to mention wanting to get married to another man?" asks Okechukwu Ikenna, a 33-year-old software engineer, visibly irritated by the topic.

Friends and family members of gay people could get implicated if they do not report cases of same-sex unions because they could be seen as being in support of them.

Critics of the bill also worry that health workers who provide HIV counselling and treatment to homosexuals could be committing an offence as well.

However, some of these doctors say they hardly ever know the sexual orientation of those they attend to because it is not a requirement for treatment and counselling, and even if the patients were to reveal that they were homosexuals, it would not affect the quality of healthcare offered.

Some lawmakers have condemned violence against homosexuals but this has done little to prevent the growing anxiety among those the bill would target as its likely adoption, in whatever form, approaches.

If the bill is passed, same-sex couples could face 14 years in prison

Mr Williams says some gay Nigerians may seek asylum in countries where homosexual people are accepted, while others will have to go underground.

At the gay club, despite the jovial atmosphere, there is heightened caution, and no-one is allowed to take any photos.

The thought of being identified as being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender in a country where the public still turns to mob justice haunts some here.

And that is a huge concern for Richard (not his real name): "If you don't become discreet and try to hide yourself, even the man on the street will want to also act on the bill because it has been passed.

"If you're walking on the street and he stones you, he knows the law would stand for him because the law is against you."

BBC

Sister Accidentally Shoots Brother Dead While Posing For Facebook Picture

SAVANNAH RAMIREZ, RIGHT, SHOT HER BROTHER MANUEL, LEFT, ACCIDENTALLY IN THE HEAD ON NEW YEAR’S EVE WHEN POSING FOR A PICTURE WITH A GUN FOR FACEBOOK

In what friends have called a terrible accident, 19-year old Savannah Ramirez, has shot and killed her brother, Manuel Ortiz while posing with a handgun for Facebook photos on New Year’s eve.

Police said 22-year-old Ortiz and his sister Savannah came back to the home they shared on New Year’s Eve after spending the night drinking. Reports say she was posing and playing around with the weapon when it went off striking Ortiz in the head.

While it remains unclear who owns the gun, it is also not known if the duo knew it was loaded but Savannah has been questioned and released pending further investigation in the case.

However, the victim’s sister would likely be charged with manslaughter if tests conclude she had alcohol in her system at the time of the shooting.

On both Manuel and his sister’s Facebook pages there are numerous shots of them posing with guns and making gang symbols.

informationnigeria

Amazing! Woman Finds Bicycle She Lost Over 50 Years Ago Swallowed In Tree

Helen Puz lost this bike more than 50 years ago only to discover it recently swallowed up by a tree.

Helen Puz, now 99, received the bike in 1954 as a gift from a member of her community in Vashon Island, Wash., in part, because she had been recently widowed.

“People were very sympathetic and generous,” Puz said, according to ABC News. “We were given a girl’s bike and my 8-year-old son Don seemed the natural one to ride it.”

But little Don felt riding a girl's bike cramped his style so he, in the way little boys do, conveniently "lost" the bike.

Or so the Puz family thought, until recently when Helen Puz read in the local newspaper about a bike that had been "swallowed up" in a tree and was now stuck in the trunk five feet off the ground, according to Discover Washington State.

Don and Helen Puz visited the tree -- located 50 feet off of the Vashon Highway -- and confirmed the bike was indeed the one that Don lost many years ago, Geobeats reported.

huffingtonpost

3 Grenades Found In Disney World Trash Can

A Walt Disney World maintenance worker found three grenades while he was emptying trash cans in the Downtown Disney section of the park at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, CF news 13 reported.

The grenades, however, were hollowed-out and therefore posed no danger.

Just in case, though, deputies said the casings would be destroyed.

Jeff Williamson, spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Office, told WOGX the grenades seemed to have been used for some kind of training, though he wasn't sure why the casings wound up in the trash. The area where they were found was open only to employees.

The startling find had little effect on visitors to the park. "There was minimal disruption to guests," Disney spokeswoman Kathleen Prihoda said, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

huffingtonpost

Student Molests And Beheads Girl Celebrating New Year In Minna

A 500-level expelled student of the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, David Ndako, has been arrested by the police for Molesting and chopping off the head of a lady while celebrating the New Year on Tuesday in Rafin Yashi area of Bosso town in Niger state.
We learnt that the girl, simply identified as Rahamat, was lured into the apartment by the man before he sexually abused her.

Ndako was said to have dragged the headless body of the girl to the toilet in the apartment before wrapping the bleeding head in a Bagco super bag which he carried on his way out of the compound.

However, it was learnt that the neighbours became suspicious of the killer boy, particularly when they noticed blood dripping from the bag.

They were said to have questioned him on the content of the bag and forced him to open it before discovering that he was carrying the severed head of his female visitor.

Our correspondent gathered that the neighbours raised alarm which attracted an angry mob that almost lynched the school drop-out before the community leader in the area rescued him and handed him over to the police.

The girl was said to be on a visit to his relative in Minna from Katsina state, but it could not be ascertained if they were in a relationship before the incident.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Niger state Police Command and Deputy Superintended of Police, Pius Edobor, confirmed the incident to us, saying that investigation was on to establish the identity of the murdered girl and the relationship between the boy and the deceased.

We learnt that the Ndako was expelled from FUT over six years ago in connection with cult-related activities.

naij.com

Fashion Trends In 2013...keep a track of what 2013 holds in the fashion world

Just because it’s new year doesn’t mean that all of the 2013 fashion trends are completely new. While there’ll be plenty of new fashion trends, a lot of them will evolve out of the past year’s trends. Check out some of the anticipated 2013 fashion trends and let us know what you think! We will be bringing more of them in the future ...so watch this space!!

Belted floral dresses

Collarless blouses

Slash neck tees

Boucle suiting

Document clutch

Reworked cowgirl boot

Bermuda Shorts

Black and White

Peekaboo Pieces

Bold Stripes

Luxe Leather

Beautiful Beading

Shorts Suits

Sporty Dresses

Flats and Low Heels

fashionising.com
glamour.com

25 Year old Student Goes Missing After Leaving Home For School

Ismail at the motorpark

When 25-year-old Ismail Balogun bade his family farewell in Lagos and set out for Abia State on November 30, 2012, it was expected that he would call his father, Musibau, on arrival at his destination.

Even though the journey was supposed to last just 10 hours, members of his family have not heard from him more than a month after he embarked on the journey.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Ismail, a 300-level student of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture , Umudike, usually travelled by road whenever he was returning to school.

According to Musibau, his son left home around 4:30pm on the fateful day and went to Maza Maza to board a night bus.

Musibau said Ismail usually took the night bus and always called to intimate him of every development as the trip progressed.

He said, “My son left our home at Ikotun and headed for Maza Maza Bus Stop around 4:30pm. Around 7pm, he called to say that he mistakenly left his laptop and some credentials at home. I told him that I would the items across to him. Around 9:50pm, I called him and he said the bus was about leaving and I bade him farewell.

“However, around 5am, I called his two phones but both were switched off. I kept on calling until 10am the following day but the numbers remained switched off. At this point, I became worried. I later called his colleagues in school but they said they had not heard from him as well.

“Around 4pm, I went to Maza Maza Bus Stop to find out if any bus had had an accident or just to know if anything went wrong. The bus operators told me that there was no problem with all the buses. I checked all the bus manifests but my son’s name was not written in any of them.”

Musibau said three days later, he went to report the matter at Ejigbo Police Division. He added that the matter was subsequently transferred to the Area E Command, FESTAC for further investigation.

The investigation however took a sudden twist when it was discovered that Ismail’s facebook account was being updated.

PUNCH Metro observed that Ismail uploaded two photographs on his facebook page.

The first picture, it was learnt, was taken at the Maza Maza Bus Park on the day the student of Animal Production and Management left Lagos while the second picture was posted a day after he left Lagos.

It was observed that the second picture supposedly posted by the victim was taken along with three other young men in a market place. In the picture, Ismail was seen without a shirt.

Musibau said he had written a petition to the Area E Commander, Mr. Damian Okoro, since December 9, 2012, but no progress had been made.

The father of eight urged the police and members of the public to help locate his son.

He said, “On checking Ismaila’s facebook page, I saw the photograph he took before leaving the park with one Mass Transit Scheme managed by Urban Development Bank of Nigeria Plc and another one with some boys while my son was topless in their midst.

“Ismaila is my fourth child but the first boy. He is a good boy and does not keep bad company. I appeal to the area commander to use his good offices to rescue my son and bring the culprits to book.”

When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, said she would call back.

 

Punch

Breakup Therapy! Woman Auctions Ex's Most Prized Possession To Get Revenge

Hell hath no fury...than a woman scorned...

There is no better cure for a breakup than treating yourself to some lovely jewellery, and that is exactly what a Waikato teacher did after selling her ex-boyfriend's most prized possession.

The ex-boyfriend was a keen fisherman and had entrusted her with his secret fishing spots, but after he fled to Australia with little notice, Angela Potter got revenge.

Miss Potter was clearing out her garage when she found the GPS markings for fishing spots in the Bay of Plenty and many other areas of the North Island, so she auctioned them off on Trade Me last January and scored herself a whopping $3000.

The auction received 89,688 views, making it the 10th most viewed Trade Me auction of 2012, a surprise to Miss Potter.

"I only expected it to get 100 hits," she said.

"My ex-boyfriend is an avid and very successful fisherman who asked me to protect his collection of GPS fishing spot co-ordinates [with my life no less]. Not a problem," she wrote on the auction.

And sold secrets tend to make for an angry man - Miss Potter said her ex was less than pleased to find out they had been shared.

Miss Potter said she would never have sold the co-ordinates had it been an amicable breakup, however, the man packed his belongings into her suitcase, which had sentimental value, and fled the country.

"When he refused to return my suitcase that's when I sold his co-ordinates," she said. "I didn't list them to be vindictive. I listed them as a bit of a laugh."

Adding to the story is that Miss Potter has now hooked another fisherman, but out of respect to the people who bought the sacred fishing secrets, she is not willing to share them with him.

"I wouldn't do that. I'm fairly honourable in that respect," she said.

stuff.co.nz

Man Dies On Christmas Day, Wife Throws Party A Few Hours Later

In an extraordinary incident, a Mahatshula woman in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe hosted a party after the death of her husband.

According to sources, the party was held on Christmas Day just a few hours after the woman’s husband died. The woman, Nomasonto Zikhali is said to have lost her husband, Khumbulani Ncube, who died on Christmas day.

Zikhali reportedly invited her friends and relatives to join her in the party. Reports say Ncube’s relatives boycotted the party as they condemned the move with all the contempt it deserved.

“Surely, how can someone do such a thing? She should be taken for mental examination to ascertain whether all is still well in her brain. We are all in shock. We were about to join her in her mourning but we were left speechless after we heard music being played at a very high volume. I asked another neighbour to accompany me there and we found her dancing with some women and a few men,” said a source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The source said Zikhali was questioned about her seemingly uncultured behaviour by other neighbours and she sent them packing. She reportedly said life should not stop because her husband had died on Christmas Day.

“That woman is crazy. Even weddings do not go on if someone close to the groom or bride dies. This whole Christmas thing is a mockery of our values. I don’t think Jesus will be happy to see people soil the values of humanity using his name,” fumed a neighbour.

The source said Zikhali’s in-laws were gathered at their rural home and had decided not to involve her in the funeral proceedings.

“Who can blame them? I would have done the same if I were in their shoes. What she did is unheard of. Maybe she is from another planet,” said the source.

Our news crew caught up with Zikhali who by no means resembled a woman in mourning.

“Let them talk. I am living my life. So are they telling me that life should not go on after the death of my husband? They are getting it wrong. I wasn’t celebrating his death, but Christmas Day like all Christians,” said Zikhali.

The widow, who was putting on a gleeful smile during the interview further said she just wanted to relieve stress.

“I would have died of stress. A wife and husband dying on the same day, what would have that been? Perhaps good news for the media. I don’t care what they say. I know what I was doing and I am not going to sit here and try to please some people who do not even care about my welfare,” said the woman who lost her husband last week.

Zikhali said she was unmoved by the irreparable damage between her in-laws and herself.

“No one knows what I am going through, so it will be best for me to try and alleviate my stress by doing what makes me happy,” she said.

informationnigeria

Nollywood Actress, Toyin Aimakhu And Tinsel Actor Adeniyi Johnson Engaged

After dating for just five months, Yoruba actress Toyin Aimakhu and Tinsel actor Adeniyi Johnson are now engaged.

It was gathered that Johnson proposed to Aimakhu on December 31, 2012 (last night) at a dinner date.
Sources say the couple intend to wed sometime in 2013.

New Year's Eve Tragedy: 61 Dead, Several Injured In Stadium Stampede

More than 60 people, most of them children aged between eight and 15, have died in a New Year's Eve stampede at a stadium in Ivory Coast.

It happened in Abidjan at around 2am local time after crowds gathered to watch a fireworks display.

Officials said 61 people had died and around 50 were injured, although some estimates of the number hurt were much higher.

Rescue co-ordinator Lieutenant Colonel Issa Sako said the number of people trying to get into the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium to watch the fireworks had caused the accident.

He said: "In the crush people were walked over and suffocated by the crowd."

One woman, Assetou Toure, said her children had been at the event and she did not know if they had survived.

"My two children came here yesterday. I told them not to come but they didn't listen," she said.

"They came when I was sleeping. What will I do?"

A Reuters correspondent said there were bloodstains and abandoned shoes outside the stadium on Tuesday morning, and rescue workers and government officials were still on the scene.

skynews