U.S. Cyber Monday sales jump, high traffic leads to website outages

U.S. online sales grew 14 percent on Cyber Monday, on track to set a record, leading some retail websites, like Target Corp's, to crash temporarily due to high customer traffic. Website outages and slow checkouts during the five-day shopping spree starting Thanksgiving Thursday, were also reported at PayPal Inc, department store chain Neiman Marcus, Wal-Mart Stores Inc, L Brands Inc's Victoria Secret, and at Foot Locker Inc.
Sales on Cyber Monday, the busiest day of the year for internet shopping, were up 14 percent from a year earlier at $490 million between midnight to 10 a.m. ET, according to Adobe Digital Index, part of Adobe Systems Inc, which provides digital marketing and media solutions to merchants.
Adobe tracked 80 percent of all online transactions from the top 100 U.S. retailers and said sales are on track to meet its expectation of a record $3 billion by the end of the day.
The data underscored the ongoing shift in shopping to online retailers.
To compete with each other and Amazon.com Inc, most U.S. retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy began offering some of the season's best online deals, which traditionally had been reserved for Cyber Monday, several weeks in advance.
This hurt spending and customer traffic at stores during Thanksgiving evening and Black Friday.
"Consumers are hyped for Cyber Monday, with social buzz more positive than what we saw on Black Friday, but they need to brace themselves for the highest out-of-stock rates of the season so far," said Tamara Gaffney, principal analyst at Adobe Digital Index.
Adobe said 15 out of 100 product views were returning an out-of-stock message this morning, two-and-a-half times the normal rate.
Between Thanksgiving Day and Sunday, $8.03 billion was spent online, a 17 percent increase from 2014, Adobe said. The average shopper spent $135.25, up 4 percent from a year ago.
Mobile, which includes phones and tablets, accounted for 53 percent of shopping visits driving 32 percent of online sales, the data showed.
IBM has predicted Cyber Monday online sales will grow by more than 18 percent compared to 2014.
(Reporting by Nandita Bose in Chicago; Editing by Nick Zieminski)

A shopper takes part in Black Friday sales at a Target store in Chicago, Illinois, United States, November 27, 2015.

Reuters/Jim Young - RTX1W5G7

Chelsea eye Thomas Muller transfer from Bayern Munich as potential Diego Costa replacement

The Spain striker will NOT be punished over his Sunday sulk at Tottenham but they are tracking several frontmen for either January or next summer

A move brewing? Mulleris now a target for two of the Premier League big guns

Chelsea are ready to rival Manchester United for Bayern Munich striker Thomas Muller.
The champions are going to let Diego Costa escape scot-free for his petulant bib-throwing at boss Jose Mourinho during the draw with Spurs on Sunday.
But the 27-year-old could find himself replaced next summer by the Germany superstar, who has already been targeted by Old Trafford chief Louis van Gaal.
Former Bayern and Germany midfielder Lothar Matthaus however, has warned 26-year-old Muller to steer clear of the Premier League.
Matthaus said: “He does not need Manchester United or Chelsea. "Barcelona perhaps could use him, but I do not know whether he can deal with their game.

“My opinion is that he should definitely stay at Bayern for his lifetime.
“He started his professional career at Bayern and I think he should end his career here. He does not need any new challenge as he is always playing at the highest level every year at Bayern.”
Chelsea already have a number of strikers under consideration either for January or next summer.


They have scouted Leicester’s Jamie Vardy and have strong interest in West Brom’s Saido Berahino and Antoine Griezmann of Atletico Madrid, while Shakhtar Donetsk forward Alex Teixeira has claimed the Blues have already opened talks for him.

Summer of shove? Diego Costa's antics are putting his Chelsea future in doubt

As things stand, Chelsea are keen to draw a line under Costa’s attempt to humiliate Mourinho.
The Special One is even prepared to include the Brazil-born Spain international for Saturday’s home game against Bournemouth if he shows an appetite to regain his place in training.

Sunday’s controversial act, widely condemned as disrespectful by several ex-pros, was preceded by a no-show for the pre-match warm-up. Costa later emerged — without boots.
In pictures — Tottenham 0-0 Chelsea:

 

Yet Mourinho has not taken any action, and is not expected to do so with so few alternatives at his disposal up front — Loic Remy’s wife has just given birth while on-loan Radamel Falcao is no longer seen as being an option and is set to be offloaded in January.

Costa’s long-term future, however, remains in doubt on the back of Sunday’s incident, his poor form overall this season and his bust-up with Mourinho during the Champions League win over Maccabi Tel-Aviv last week.

The 40 best free apps for Android

Got a Samsung Galaxy S6, LG G4 or any other Android device? Then you need to download these 40 free apps 

 

Yay! Free stuff! Everyone loves free stuff. And there's plenty of it on Android, with more than 927,000 free apps available in the Google Play store right now. We know, because we counted.*
But a word of warning - much of it is rubbish: a frustrating mix of non-official rip-offs, shonkily designed bedroom projects and, in the worst cases, plain old arrgghh-this-doesn't-even-work-at-all duds.
Fortunately, for every 10 bad apps there's at least one good one. Which still leaves 92,700 good apps out there. We'll be honest, we've not tried all of them - but we have rounded up 40 crackers for you here. Read on, download and enjoy.
* We didn't really.

Citymapper

Google Maps might be the best mapping app around, but its public transport smarts leave a little to be desired. If you’re in a supported city (London, Hong Kong, New York City, Rome, Paris, and over two dozen more), you need Citymapper installed.
It figures out where you are and plugs into all available transit information, enabling you to rapidly plan journeys via train, bus, bike, or ferry. Journey overviews enable you to compare how many calories or bucks you’ll burn, along with discovering which are ‘rain safe’, and those that’ll require you to hang around for ages before getting going.

Snapseed

We’ve long had a bit of a soft spot for Snapseed. Its intuitive interface was one of the most tactile on Android; moreover, the huge range of filters and effects made it perfect for all manner of photographic manipulation and fine-tuning. With 2015’s major revamp, Snapseed became further entrenched in must-have territory.
The star of the upgrade was Stacks, which converts each filter you apply into an editable layer. This means each effect can later be tweaked, rather than being burned into your image when applied, thereby providing even more scope for experimentation.

JustWatch

These days, figuring out what you want to watch is less of a problem than where to watch it. Your TV and boxes might consider themselves smart, but not to the point they can help you dig into a dozen telly silos and quickly access shows you might be into. Enter: JustWatch.
Tell it where you’re located and what you have access to, and it’ll make recommendations. Even better, if you’re the kind of person who still likes to buy stuff, JustWatch tracks price-drops on the likes of iTunes and Amazon.

Forest

The idea behind Forest is to use your smartphone less. You set a timer, and if you leave your phone alone, a little cartoon tree grows on the screen. Get tempted by Facebook or play Candy Crush, and you end up with a dead stick.
Your daily forests can be compared, and each successfully grown tree nets you some coins. These can be spent on new tree types to grow. Alternatively, if you’re socially inclined and have amassed thousands of coins (which takes weeks of dedication), use them to donate to tree-growing projects around the world.

Yousician

These days, people are just as likely to pick up a tiny plastic guitar as a real one. Yousician takes advantage of the gamification of music, essentially spinning Guitar Hero 90 degrees and having a proper guitar be your controller. You therefore work your way through timing-based exercises that have you strum chords and pick notes at precisely the right moments.
The free version limits how long you can play each day, but it’s a smart, fun way to pick up the basics and also to stop your inner Johnny Cash from getting rusty.

Osun’s Federal Allocation Can’t Pay Electricity Bill – Aregbesola

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, says Osun State received only N55m from the Federation Account for the month of September, 2015. He said the money could not even settle the electricity bill of the government secretariat. The governor said the development was evidence that Nigeria was experiencing an economic meltdown.

He, therefore, called on residents of the state to return to agriculture as oil could no longer sustain the nation’s economy. The governor said this during the inauguration of the new Ife/Orile-Owu 33KV feeder line at Orile-Owu in Ayedaade Local Government Area of the state, according to a statement on Sunday.

The governor said that apart from the price issue, crude oil was no longer selling as fast as it used to, adding that Nigeria must seek other sources of revenue.

He said, “We must at this point tell ourselves the truth; there is no money coming from the Federation Account, 34 million barrels of Nigeria’s crude oil are on the sea without buyers.“Money coming from the Federation Account has reduced seriously and our hope of survival is in our hands, what our forefathers lived on was agriculture.

“We must now go back to the farms and work. We also need to pay our taxes so that the government can meet its responsibilities. For September, our state got N55.8 million. The money we received cannot pay for the power supply by IBEDC that we use at the state secretariat monthly.

“I want to use this opportunity to admonish us to return to the farms, what we used to rely on as a country and state is no longer there. Oil prices have now dropped seriously, even at about $41 per barrel from a price of over$ 100; Nigeria still cannot sell her oil in the international market.”The governor said his administration recently gave hectares of land to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture for farming and with the electrification of Orile-Owu and other farm settlements, there would be a boost in agriculture around these areas. He urged the people of the state to pay their taxes to the government to discharge its duties.

However, the Peoples Democratic Party said the receipt of a paltryN55m by Osun State as the allocation from the Federation Account for the month of September was a confirmation that the state was highly indebted.

The spokesperson for the PDP in Osun State, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, who said this in a statement on Sunday, stated that the allocation remained N55m after deductions of over N1bn to service its debts were made from the source.

The PDP stated that the people of the state should know why Osun State got a paltry N55m while those in the same category with it got about N2bn.

The statement read, “We have been saying it long before now that Osun State has been slaughtered and eaten up by a gluttonous administration that has been in power in the last five years. The gimmick early this year was ‘Jonathan didn’t give Osun money’ but now, that cannot sell again, hence the confession.

“Before the confession by Ogbeni Aregbesola, three Nigerian newspapers on Friday, November 20, published an allocation table and Osun got N55m, after all deductions, and came last. The next state to Osun among the least earners got N1.5bn.

“What other signs do we need to see that Osun has completely fallen into a recession? But the people of Osun deserve to know from their leader how the state got into this quagmire. This leads us to the question of how much Osun owes. Mr. Governor said the state owes N88bn. But we insist the amount is far more than this.”The party warned the governor against slamming high taxes on the people of the state, adding that the administration had already impoverished the people with its policies.

In a separate statement, the Civil Society Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State also said that Aregbesola’s administration had no right to collect any taxes from the people ofthe state because of its failure to comply with the sections of the constitution which stipulates conditions for the collection of taxes.

The chairman of the group, Mr. Sulaiman Adeniyi, said this in a statement made available to our correspondent on Sunday.

He said the policies of the government had led to the total collapse of the economy of the state and accused the administration of massive corruption and failure to perform its duties to the people.

Jonathan Was Not Attacked In Bayelsa.

The Bayelsa State Police Command on Monday debunked reports that former President Goodluck Jonathan was attacked in the state.

The state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Butswat Asinim, who spoke to The Nation, said persons peddling the rumour were mischievous.

Asinim said a group of hungry youths mistook a convoy of the former President for one of the governorship candidates in the state.

The PPRO, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said the youths traditionally followed the convoy, perhaps, for alms, only to discover it belonged to Jonathan.

He said on realising it was Jonathan’s convoy, the youths who had followed him up to his house in Yenagoa, pulled back and took to their heels, adding that security operatives pursued and arrested some of them.



He said: “There was no attack on the former President. The youths mistook his convoy for a governorship candidate engaging in campaigns.

“But when they discovered on getting to the entrance of his house in Yenagoa that it was that of the President, they ran away. Some of them were arrested. They did not haul stones at the President’s convoy. They did not attack the convoy and no weapon was found on them.

30 Great Reasons to Add Wheatgrass to Your Day

Wheatgrass is a source of living chlorophyll with more health benefits than you can imagine. It is a natural healer that will keep you healthy and happy all day long. This liquid nutrient boasts a plethora of vitamins, including vitamin A, C and a variety of essential B vitamins for your health. Wheatgrass increases the production of red blood cells, is great for thyroid health, detoxifies your liver, and is an excellent natural supplier of oxygen to the blood.
A 2011 study published in the Journal of Functional Foods in Health and Disease notes wheatgrass as a superfood, rich in nutrients, which offers up a healthy energy boost. The study states, “This plant is believed to have many nutritional values; it has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, immunomodulatory, laxative, astringent, diuretic, antibacterial and anti-aging properties.” 
There are clearly a wide variety of reasons to add wheatgrass to your daily regimen. Research has also noted, “100 g of wheatgrass powder is equal to 23 kg of fresh vegetables.” If you need more nutrient-rich vegetables in your diet, wheatgrass is most certainly your answer!    Here are 30 great reasons to add wheatgrass to your day:

• Wheatgrass is an excellent source of living chlorophyll and contains the minerals, vitamins and antioxidants you need to stay healthy and happy. This little gift from nature boasts vitamins A,  B, C and K coupled with a handful of amino acids.
• Wheatgrass boasts chlorophyll levels of up to 70 percent. Chlorophyll has a similar structure to hemoglobin. It is theorized that chlorophyll can therefore help increase the production red blood cells. Research conducted in India (2004) by Dr. R.K. Marwaha, professor of pediatrics at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, discusses the positive effects of wheatgrass for transfusion patients. Wheatgrass is a natural blood builder for sure!
• Wheatgrass will enhance your mind, body and soul. Wheatgrass, due to its high nutrient level, may increase your strength, endurance and overall well-being.
• Wheatgrass is gluten-free. You may be thinking that this can’t be right, but it actually is true. Wheatgrass juice is made from the stems and the grass of the wheat plant, not the seeds. However, there is a chance that wheatgrass can be contaminated with the gluten-containing seeds during harvesting.
• Want to take up gardening? Well, wheatgrass is a great place to start. Wheatgrass can grow in a matter of weeks, which means you can be enjoying a healthy daily juice that you grew with your very own hands and heart.
• Wheatgrass detoxifies your liver. Liver disease is no joke and affects millions every year. A 2010 study published in the Chronicles of Young Scientists discusses wheatgrass as an excellent detoxifying agent.
• Wheatgrass is a perfect secret agent for preventing and managing blood disorders.
• Wheatgrass fights hypertension. Research has found wheatgrass to be a cardiovascular helper. This could keep you out of the woods for stroke and heart disease.
• Wheatgrass is a dermatological wonder. It can be applied topically for itching, rashes, and acne. It can also be applied to your hands and face to make your skin smoother.
• You may be carrying around a little extra heavy metal in your blood that you’re not even aware of. Wheatgrass can help remove heavy metals from the body.
• Wheatgrass is illuminating. Wheatgrass contains chlorophyll, and chlorophyll is the beginning part of light. You are receiving one of nature’s gifts from its beginning stages of development.
• The chlorophyll in wheatgrass is an antibacterial agent. A study published in The American Journal of Surgery found a 25 to 70 percent increase in healing when chlorophyll was used to treat over 200 induced lesions on guinea pigs.
• The minerals in wheatgrass are essential to our health. Over 70 of the minerals contained in wheatgrass can be useful for human growth and life.
• Wheatgrass is beneficial in treating eczema. “A Study on Wheat Grass and its Nutritional Value” authored by Dr. Rajesh Mujoriya, an assistant professor at Nagpur University, India and Dr. Ramesh Babu Bodla of the Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Research discusses wheatgrass as a cure for eczema.
• Wheatgrass has been found to be a good treatment for mosquito and insect bites.
• Wheatgrass and chlorophyll can cleanse drugs from your body.
• Chlorophyll can rid your body of any toxins that may be lurking undetected.
• Research has found that wheatgrass juice can decrease blood sugar and help maintain a healthy blood sugar. This may come as no surprise when pondering the amount of nutrients wheatgrass provides.
• Chlorophyll is a natural antiseptic. Research conducted by Dr. Benjamin Gruskin, director of experimental pathology and oncology at Temple University, Philadelphia, published in the American Journal of Surgery, (1940) found chlorophyll to be beneficial in treating ulcers, inflammation, typhoid fever and vaginal infections.
• Chlorophyll can help knock out odors your body may be emitting.
• The chlorophyll in wheatgrass can help heal your lungs. Research has found chlorophyll increases hemoglobin and may keep your lungs protected from certain chemicals you breathe in.
• Wheatgrass and chlorophyll increase your oxygen levels, which can help you feel and perform better.
• Wheatgrass is considered a superfood — it offers the healing benefits that superfoods provide.
• Rubbing wheatgrass into the scalp can help alleviate dandruff.
• Wheatgrass is nature’s energy drink. If you need a quick energy boost, wheatgrass provides. The time it takes to kick in is approximately 20 minutes, and the best part, it is way better for you than any other energy drink on the market.
• Wheatgrass is a natural hunger suppressant. The amount of nutrients you get from 100 grams of wheatgrass juice far surpasses your Daily Value (DV) for vegetables. Your brain will shut off its appestat and you may feel a few pounds lighter in a few short weeks.
• Guys, wheatgrass may increase your sperm count and sex drive. Wheatgrass contains magnesium, and this mineral has been found to have positive effects on erectile dysfunction.
• Wheatgrass improves digestion. Just one ounce of wheatgrass juice provides 32 percent of your recommended DV of dietary fiber. This will help your digestion and also assist with regularity.
• Wheatgrass will pump up your blood and bone marrow production. A 2011 study published in Nutrients discusses the beneficial effects of consuming wheatgrass postchemotherapy. Cancer patients who consumed wheatgrass after chemotherapy were found to need less intervention from blood and bone marrow drugs.
• Wheatgrass contains essential free-radical-fighting antioxidants. Just one ounce of wheatgrass juice provides your body with a whole army of antioxidant nutrients ready to seek and destroy any free radicals looking for cells to kill.

Are you getting enough veggies? Is your diet providing you with the essential nutrients you need to stay healthy and happy? If you are on the fence about either of these questions, then it’s time to look at drinking wheatgrass as a means of achieving a healthier you.
Adding wheatgrass to your daily regimen can give you the energy boost you need, while fighting off diseases and illnesses you may be susceptible to if your diet is off-balance. Just a shot of wheatgrass per day can increase your vitamin and mineral DVs exponentially.

Absence From Court: TB Joshua Speaks After Failing To Be At The Court

The General Overseer of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet TB Joshua and 2 contractors who are facing trial for criminal negligence over a church building collapse that killed 116 worshippers in September 2014 failed to appear in court today, prompting the judge to adjourn the case. This case is following a coroner's ruling in July 2015 that blamed Synagogue and 2 engineers for the 12th September 2014 tragedy.


At the hearing today, Justice Lawal Akapo said,"It appears the defendants are not mindful that this is a criminal proceeding. This is a criminal trial and a sensitive matter like this one should be given accelerated hearing". Akapo has directed the defence team to provide the court with the engineers' addresses within 72 hours and he has adjourned the case until December 11. Meanwhile TB Joshua earlier today took to Twitter saying,""Those who BLESS GOD in their trials will be BLESSED BY GOD through their trials."

5 Fascinating Pictures That Will Change How You See Nigeria

Nigeria, a land flowing with milk and honey, a land of so much abundance. A land that has produced so many great men and women. A land that is richly blessed by God the creator with both human and natural resources has withstood the test of time despite the numerous challenges that have faced her, she still stands. This post is a tribute to our great country, bring the best out of her and shifting focus from all the negative media this great country has been getting of late. These are some amazing random pictures of Nigeria captured by guest photographers. 1. Central Mosque Abuja  The magnificient Abuja National Mosque, also known as the Nigerian national mosque of Nihgeria, a country with a substantial Muslim population. The mosque was built in 1984 and it is open to the non-Muslim public, except during congregational prayers. So what are you waiting for? you are cordially invited.

2. Akwa Ibom Boulevard Contrary to popular believe, Nigerians cherish nature and beautiful green fields. Commissioned in August 2014, the Goodluck Jonathan boulevard in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state where 16 feeder roads are expected to empty into the boulevard, and the boulevard is designed with room for expansion in such a way that more lanes could be added in future as the city expands.

3. Christ Church Cathedral in Marina, Lagos The Cathedral Church of Christ is the oldest Anglican Cathedral in Nigeria. The church construction was completed in 1946 and is still well maintained till date. Did I hear someone say Nigerians lack a maintenance culture? Husssssh please.

4. Akwa Ibom International Stadium The Akwa Ibom Stadium meets world standard in respect to its sleek design and the array of facilities it has been equipped me. I can boastfully beat my tiny chest anywhere and say this Stadium can go head to head with other critically acclaimed stadiums across the globe. It is of the same high standards as the Old Trafford, San Siro, Alianz Arena, Camp Nou to mention but a few.

5. A Real Estate in Abuja Contrary to wild speculations that Nigerians only live under bridges and low poverty homes, Nigerians are well to do and they value shelter as much as they value any other basic need of man. Nigerians are comfortable in their homelands and not everywhere in Nigeria is a rural dirty suburb as the western media would want to make you believe. Good news to investors, Nigerians appreciate real good houses and we don’t mind spending all our cash just to live comfortably. God bless Nigeria, Good bless our good people, and God bless the beautiful readers of amebohub. Its your favourite amebor again.

Hours after EU deal, Turkey rounds up 1,300 migrants bound for Greece

 

 

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (R) is welcomed by European Council President Donald Tusk at the start of an EU-Turkey summit, in which the EU seeks Turkish help to slow the influx of migrants into southeastern Europe, in Brussels, Belgium November 29, 2015.

Reuters/Thierry Monasse/Pool

Turkish authorities rounded up some 1,300 migrants on Monday that they said were planning to sail to Greece from hideouts near secluded Aegean beaches and forests, hours after striking a deal with the European Union on stemming refugee flows. Turkish gendarmes apprehended hundreds of Syrians, Iraqis, Iranians and Afghans and three human traffickers, near the town of Ayvacik in Canakkale province, coastguard officials told Reuters.
In the largest operation of its kind in recent months, the migrants were sent to a repatriation center where some could face deportation, the officials said.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Sunday struck a deal with EU leaders to prevent migrants from traveling to Europe in return for 3 billion euros (dollars) in cash, a deal on visas and renewed talks on joining the 28-nation bloc.
A record 500,000 people fleeing a four-year civil war in Syria have traveled through Turkey then risked their lives to reach Greece in rickety boats this year, their first stop in Europe before traveling north.
Nearly 600 people have died on the so-called eastern-Mediterranean route, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Turkey is home to more than 2 million refugees as well as thousands of refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Chicago police officer charged with killing black teen to appear in court

Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke is seen in an undated picture released by the Cook County State's Attorney's Office in Chicago, Illinois.

Reuters/Cook County State's Attorney's Office/Handout via Reuters

A white Chicago police officer charged with murder after a dashboard camera video showed him shooting a black teenager 16 times is scheduled to learn whether he will be offered bond in court on Monday.The hearing for Officer Jason Van Dyke, 37, comes after several days of protests following the release last Tuesday of the video recording, which showed him gunning down 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in the middle of the street on Oct. 20, 2014, as he was walking away from police who had confronted him. Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder.
The case comes amid a national debate on race and police tactics sparked by a series of high-profile killings of unarmed black men at the hands of mainly white law enforcement officials in several U.S. cities over the past two years, leading to widespread demonstrations and some violent unrest.
Van Dyke began his incarceration under protective custody at a hospital facility segregated from the general population of Cook County Jail, the county sheriff's office said.
No information was given about his medical condition.
Van Dyke was denied bail at a hearing last Tuesday in Chicago's main criminal courthouse hours after the criminal charge was announced. He could face 20 years to life in prison if convicted.
Cook County Circuit Court Associate Judge Donald Panarese scheduled the Monday hearing to reconsider bail based on the content of the video.
The video clip, taken by a camera mounted on the dashboard of a squad car, showed McDonald being shot as he turned away from officers. Police were responding to reports that McDonald had a knife and was suspected of burglarizing cars, police said.

Violence Breaks Out At APC Headquarters In Abuja

There is currently an outbreak of violence at the headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja. About 1, 000 youths are at the secretariat of the party where APC leaders are holding a meeting over the Kogi state election.

They came in buses marked ‘Dekina’, a local government area in the‎ state. On sighting Yahaya Bello, who arrived at 2:48pm, they went out of control, attempting to attack him. It took the effort of security agents to smuggle Bello from their midst.

The youths are believed to be supporters of James Faleke, running mate to the late Abubakar Audu, and Bello, the preferred choice of the APC for Saturday’s supplementary election. More to follow

Top 10 Signs He Is Only Keeping You For Sex

Relationships could be so complicated especially when the exchange of love and affection is not balanced. There have been cases of several ladies being used as instruments of pleasure in romantic relationships they believe could lead to marriage.

Below are some top signs that your partner is only using you without any futuristic plans:

(1) He only calls you on phone whenever he is Hot: This kind of relationship is strictly based on business. He calls you to talk dirty and to satisfy his sexual fantasies. He insists you show up at his place immediately for s*x after which he goes cold for a while.

(2) He is always reluctant to discuss personal problems with you: Men naturally will only share their problems with who they have feelings for as well as trust in. No man goes to a brothel to discuss issues aside s*x and its immediate action.

(3) He maintains coldness with you on the social media and stays off anything related to you:
When a man truly loves a woman, he flaunts her everywhere he goes like a prestigious award especially when she is cute in order to gain the respect of his friends. When its strictly sex, he keeps the girl as his dark secret. Under no circumstance will her picture find his way to his Facebook, BBM or Whatsapp.

(4) Constant demand for unclad photos: No serious man with good intentions does this. A guy using you will demand for your n*de photos and later show his friends to brag about his social status and sexual prowess.


(5) Lack of public appearances: His business with you is in the bedroom. He will not want to be seen with you in public to prevent the sexual relationship from getting to the knowledge of the general public.

(6) Minimal conversations: Communication is key for the development of strong relationships that could lead to marriage. When all he does is head for ur panties and other sensitive body parts shortly after your arrival in his house, then there is a looming crisis.

(7) He doesn't want to meet your family members: when its strictly s*x with no plans for the future, definitely there is no need to associate with lady's family members to prevent unnecessary social ties.

( He flares up when you talk about marriage: This is simply because he doesn't see the image of a wife in you.


(9) When he frequently uses s*x enhancing drugs like Viagra: The truth is that these drugs turn the men into beasts and they end up hurting the woman. This takes off the pleasure of sex and turns it to torture.

(10) He shows up at your place once in a blue moon and keeps other girls: If he loves you truly, his heart will be wherever you are as his treasured asset, but because you are a mere option, he visits you only when his schedule isn't tight.

I hope these signs guide you from barking the wrong tree. Time is precious. Don't waste it on people that don't care.

Dasuki Got Jonathan's Approvals To Collect $2.1bn From NNPC In 9 Months-TheCable

Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser, received an extra-budgetary allocation of $2.1 billion from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) within nine months after approvals by former President Goodluck Jonathan, TheCable can report.
Dasuki is currently being investigated by the federal government over the billions of dollars released for the procurement of arms for counter-terrorism operations under Jonathan.

Documents seen by TheCable showed the breakdown of NNPC’s disbursements to the office of the NSA as follows: $1 billion on March 27, 2014; $200 million on April 9, 2014; $600 million on May 5, 2014; and, same day, $200 million following a request for $250 million.
The documents also showed that on January 12, 2015, he got $100 million, bringing the total amount his office received from the NNPC to $2.1 billion within the nine months.

All these were outside the statutory budgetary allocations to security during the same period, in addition to another $1 billion loan secured by the Jonathan administration to fight Boko Haram.
President Muhammadu Buhari recently ordered the arrest of Dasuki for awarding “fictitious contracts” in excess of N300 billion while he was NSA.

It is believed that the arms and ammunition were either not purchased at all or that substandard ones were procured instead, reportedly leading to the death of many Nigerian soldiers in the hands of the better-equipped Boko Haram insurgents.
There were various media reports, both local and foreign, quoting unnamed Nigerian soldiers complaining about inadequate arms as well as poor welfare in the counter-terrorism war.
Thousands of soldiers deserted the military and those who refused to fight were court-martialled and jailed or sentenced to death.

But Dasuki has denied any wrong doing, maintaining that there was no fraud involved in the procurement process and that the military succeeded in chasing the insurgents out of 22 local governments under his watch.

He also said all the contracts were awarded with the approval of Jonathan, but the former president swiftly denied giving such approvals.
TheCable can report, however, that Jonathan approved all the disbursements by NNPC, with his senior special assistant on administrative matters, Matt Aikhionbere, writing the covering letters conveying presidential consent to the corporation after the president had minuted on Dasuki’s requests.

Jonathan further approved that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should give Dasuki N40 billion following another extra-budgetary request.
This was after the removal of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the central bank governor in 2014.

Dasuki had written to the then acting governor, Sarah Alade, requesting for N60 billion, but she did not act on the request, reportedly because the president was not copied and there was no presidential approval.
Following the appointment of Godwin Emefiele as governor in June 2014, Dasuki re-presented his request but Emefiele too did not act on it because of procedural concerns.

However, Dasuki sent another request, this time copying Jonathan, who — TheCable understands — now sat the two men together and instructed that the bank should give N40 billion to Dasuki and another N20 billion to the Department of State Services (DSS), although there was no prior request from the department.
It is believed in security circles that the N20 billion went to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the former president’s party, apparently to finance the 2015 electioneering.

There was a slight twist in the story after the 2015 general election when a senator got wind of the N60 billion expenditure and tried to blackmail Emefiele, demanding N5 billion in order to keep it away from public scrutiny.
Emefiele reportedly resisted the pressure from the senator, insisting that he acted based on a presidential order.
The senator is now a principal officer of the national assembly against the wishes of Buhari, who was made aware of the blackmail in May before he was sworn in as president.
TheCable could not confirm if Emefiele eventually paid anything to the senator.

Arrival Of World Leaders In Paris For UN Climate Change Conference

Australia-Minister Malcolm Turnbull arrives in Paris ahead of the UN climate conference, accompanied by his wife Lucy and welcomed by Australian ambassador in France Stephen Brady and his partner Peter Stephens

Vietnam--Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his delegation were welcomed at Paris-based Charles de Gaulle International Airport by COP 21 Organizing Board representatives, Vietnam Ambassador to Vietnam Nguyen Ngoc Son along with numerous embassy staff

Canada-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family arrive in France on Nov. 28, 2015 to attend the United Nations climate change summit. (Photo: Adrian Wyld/CP

South Africa

Kenya-

South korea

Nigeria

David Mark Is An Asset To Nigeria – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Part (PDP) has described the former senate president David Mark as an asset to the Nigerian nation.

former Senate President, David Mark

A statement by the party’s national publicity secretary, Oliseh Metu said the PDP and the entire people of Benue state are “solidly” behind Mark in an election re-run for Benue South senatorial zone.
Metu said the former Senate president is expected to repeat his victory in a re-run ordered by the court of appeal.
He said  the Benue people and supporters of the PDP since 1999 would remain steadfast in giving Mark another resounding victory at the rerun election.
He said the party is confident the senatorial seat will be retained even stronger now.

He said this is possible now that ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC) deceit has become obvious to Nigerians.
Metu said: “The inexplicable ruling of the Appeal Court, even when all evidence pointed to Mark’s victory as upheld by the lower tribunal, is yet another evidence of APC’s dangerous interference in the judiciary, which negative consequences the PDP has continued to alert the nation.”
He said contributions by the senator in the growth and stability of the nation’s democracy  growing and stabilizing through his mature, responsible and patriotic leadership of the senate is still highly needed in the polity.
The party also urged its members in Benue South to resist any attempt of intimidation, especially in their determination to ensure effective and result-oriented representation in the senate as typified in senator Mark.

Mark’s elections as senator representing the Benue South zone was nullified by the Court of Appeal on Saturday.
The court also ordered a re-run of the election.
However, Mark has also said he is confident of winning the election many times.
‘I won the election clean and clear. If we go back to the polls 100 times , I will still win convincingly,” Mark said in a statement by his media assistant.

Subsidy: Senate Directs NNPC To Harmonize Claims

The Senate on Monday, November 30, directed the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to harmonize all subsidy claims from October to December 2015. 

The Senate in its directive said the harmonization of the subsidy claims will forestall a recurrence of scarcity especially during the Yuletide.

The committee led by Danjuma Goje said the N413 billion Maura proposed for subsidy payment did not include the claim for the three months and therefore charged the stakeholders to harmonize.

The breakdown of the budget includes subsidy payment for petroleum imports which is the major reason for fuel scarcity the country has been experiencing over the past weeks.

Goje who is the chairman of the senate committee on appropriation pointed out that the amount for subsidy payment did not have the sum for October to December 2015 included.

He queried the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) over forward carry-over of subsidy bills from 2014 fiscal year to join the ones from January to September 2015, leaving out three critical months of the year.

Albert Akpan representing Akwa-Ibom senatorial district said that NNPC had deducted without appropriation by hiding its own share of over N700 billion subsidy payment.

The committee also approved the request of Jamila Suara, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum resources, that all agencies of government concerned with subsidy including the Budget Office, Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF), CBN, and NNPC to return to the drawing board and submit later in the day, 3 pm, a comprehensive bill, that covers the remaining months of the year, 2015.

“This government is about change; change from sordid past; change is to totally eliminate queues from our filling stations; every person must play a role to effect positive changes in the economy,” the chairman continued.

Meanwhile, Naij.com recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari had requested the sum of N2.10 trillion to  finance the budget as against an earlier approved N882 billion.

The letter which was read on the floor of the senate by senate president, Bukola Saraki indicates that the N1.2209 trillion increments was predicated emerging realities in the country and the loans would be sourced from both local and foreign sources.

Meet Ishaya Bako, Director of Road To Yesterday

Ishaya Bako is a filmmaker who is currently based in Abuja. As a child, he was inspired to direct and produce films after watching movies like Jurassic Park and The Silence of the Lambs. Before studying film-making at the London Film School, he obtained a Bachelors in management information systems.

Ishaya Bako, the director of Road to Yesterday.

Ishaya has been a filmmaker for five years now. He tells Naij.com during an exclusive interview at his studio in Durumi, Abuja, that his first major project was his graduation film, Braids on a Bald Head, for which he won recognition at some film festivals.
“It was what would let me know whether or not I would finish my course,” he said of the 25-minute short.
However, the film that brought him out, so to speak, to the Nigerian audience was another short, Fuelling Poverty, a documentary, he says, about the fuel subsidy scam. It was banned by the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board for being “highly provocative and likely to incite or encourage public disorder and undermine national security.”
In spite of this, it won Best Documentary at the 2013 African Movie Academy Award. Ishaya says the movie inspired itself because at the time it was made, subsidy was the big issue in the country.
“I did a couple of other short films with PPDC – Public and Private Development Centre (Homevida Awards),” he says of his other projects. “After that I did Henna with Afrinolly and now my first feature length film, Road to Yesterday.”

The latter is a collaboration with popular Nollywood actress Genevieve Nnaji. It is her first self-produced film based off a story she conceived. Apart from directing the film, Ishaya co-wrote it with his writing partner Emile B. Garuba.
On how he came to work with an established star like Genevieve, being what some would consider next to an unknown in Nollywood himself, Ishaya said: “We met through a collaborative medium. We were developing a project Uzo Iweala, who wrote Beast of No Nation, a novel. From our conversations, she had the idea for Road to Yesterday and she talked to me about it and said, ‘This is something I want to do, this is a film I want to make; can you write it?’ It was a challenge because I had really little time to fully understand her idea and the story she wanted to tell and then to bring out a screenplay from it. But then it was a collaboration through and through.”
He praised the actress, calling her “iconic” and noting her “wealth of experience.”

Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed, Genevieve Nnaji and Ishaya Bako at a screening of Road to Yesterday in Abuja.

The movie, which stars British actor Oris Erhuero, Majid Michel, Ebele Okaro and comedian Chi Gurl, Ishaya says, is a road film and a modern day love story about a couple in distress.
“At the point in time we meet them we are not sure why but we know that marriage is difficult. So they go on a road trip to mend their relationship and in trying to mend their relationship, they discover what is wrong.”
It premiered on November 29 in cinemas around Nigeria.

Already, Ishaya has moved on to his next project. He is writing a comedy this time.
“It’s something I haven’t done in a while,” he said, which to those who know his work may sound like an understatement, seeing as he has done only “serious” films up till now.
But his lighter side may not come as a surprise, considering that one of the people he looks up to is the late Amaka Igwe, director and producer of such fare as Fuji House of Commotion and Pastor Kasali.

Amaka Igwe

“Rattlesnake is one of my all-time favourite Nigerian films,” he says citing one of the late director’s iconic works. “I think it was the first one I watched and was like, ‘Wow! This is how films should be in Nigeria.’”
Although, up till now, his major projects have been done away from the mainstream Nigerian film industry and have been produced independently or by a NGO or CSO, Ishaya still considers himself a Nollywood filmmaker.
“Yes, I am a Nollywood filmmaker,” he said. “Because I do make films in Nigeria. I live and work in Nigeria. There has been criticism of the film industry in Nigeria but with the criticism, I think there is a lot to appreciate and acknowledge because Nollywood as an industry exists very differently from every other film industry in the world. It adopted home video technology very fast, found an audience and this were people that were telling their own stories.”
He hopes that Nollywood will be an industry that “we can still work in.”
“We can pay rent with; marry, have our children with. That is it now. At least, let us be able to eat from making films, that’s all.”

Faleke Picks Mohammed Audu As Running Mate

The running mate to the late Prince Abubakar Audu in the November 21 governorship election in the state, Mr James Faleke, has vowed to reclaim the mandate of the people of the state given freely to the APC during the election.

Faleke who has been picked as the substitute for the late Abubakar Audu, made this assertion while addressing hundreds of APC supporters in Lokoja on Monday.

Quoting a section of the constitution while picking Mohammed Audu as his running mate, he pointed out that attempts to snatch power from the reins of the APC in Kogi State were fruitless as the party is poised to chart a new course for the state.

He explained that there is no contention between him and the immediate political family of late Abubakar Audu and described the task ahead as a moral burden on him to fight on, till the victory of APC is accomplished.

Going back to the primary election conducted on August 28, 2015, he noted that he remained the only person holding on to the votes cast for the APC.

Some APC leaders from the three senatorial districts of the state were present as Mr Faleke made his decision known to his supporters.

Prominent artist buried in massive shoe casket in Akwa Ibom (pics)

A prominent Akwa Ibom artist popularly called Teacher Ite was buried on Saturday November 28th in this magnificent shoe casket made by his two sons who are also artists. The burial took place in Ibesikpo LGA in the state and was attended by other prominent individuals in the community. The photos were shared on Facebook by Emmanuel Emmanuel Udoh. More photos after the cut...