Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart’s Super Romantic Wedding Of The Year

Hello Friends!

 

Forget the ‘Breaking Dawn’ wedding, Rob and Kristen are planning a wedding that will be far more authentic and soulful, according to a new report in ‘OK!’ magazine.

Twilight fans get ready for the biggest off-screen event of the year – a real life wedding between stars Robert Pattinson, 26, and Kristen Stewart, 22.

Their wedding is planned for later this year according to OK! magazine which has several sources revealing all the sweet details, including the fact that Rob recently gave Kristen a beautiful emerald ring. “He’s a real romantic and loves to take an opportunity to remind her that she’s the one. He gave her a ring because he adores her and wants to marry her,” says an insider. When Rob gave Kristen the gorgeous emerald ring, she was so overwhelmed that she cried and immediately called her mother, filmmaker Jules Stewart, then took a photo of the ring and texted it to her mom.

On the subject of rings, apparently the couple plans to wear extremely unique wedding rings. “They’ve talked about black wedding bands because Kristen isn’t into big diamonds,” a friend told the magazine.

As for the wedding location, they want to marry somewhere isolated, like a quiet beach, far from the prying paparazzi cameras. Brazil, where they filmed their Breaking Dawn honeymoon may be the destination, and Rob has admitted in interviews that he loved it there and wants to go back.

Now read on for the rest of the details:

Robert Pattinson’s Musical Gift to Kristen: Rob is writing a special song for his bride-to-be and he plans to perform it for her on the vintage Fender guitar she bought him for Christmas.

The Wedding Dress: Kristen wants her dress to be far simpler than her Breaking Dawn gown. She’s a fan of designer Reem Acra and surprise – she won’t be wearing shoes!

The Guests: There will be 100 guests at most. Most of the Twilight cast: Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli as well as good friend Katy Perry, who will be one of Kristen’s bridesmaids. Kristen’s SWATH co-star, Charlize Theron and Rob’s best friend, Tom Sturridge and baby mama, Sienna Miller will also be invited.

The Cake: Vanilla and decorated with edible flowers, but no bride and groom on top.

And if that’s not romantic enough, Rob’s already decided that their first dance will be to his favorite Van Morrison song, “Beside You,” reports the insider.

We can’t wait. And we bet that this real life Fairytale Wedding will lead to a marriage that lasts a whole lot longer than 72 days – like… forever!

Culled from HollyWoodLife.

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Simply Cheska...

Teacher who has been in coma for 10 months starts CRYING after he hears fiancee's voice from Bali down phone held to his ear

Hello Friends!

A teacher who has been in a coma for 10 months has shown the first signs of recovery - he began to cry on hearing his fiancee's voice on the telephone.

Mathew Taylor was critically injured after a horrific motorbike crash in Bali last July - and doctors warned his family that the 31-year-old might never regain consciousness.
He had met Anda Nurul, 27, when he moved to Indonesia to teach English in 2009, 18 months before the accident.

 

True love: Mathew Taylor showed the first signs of life since his accident when his Balinese fiancee Anda Nurul spoke to him down the phone

Heady days: The couple fell in love and got engaged after Mr Taylor moved to Indonesia to teach English

The pair got engaged, but then tragedy struck and Mr Taylor fractured his skull in the dramatic crash and had to have his eye socket reconstructed using a bone taken from his thigh.

Mr Taylor had no medical insurance, so his devastated family had to raise £100,000 for his treatment in Bali.

His father, Darrell Taylor, used £50,000 of his savings to pay for the treatment while his stepfather Simon Moore remortgaged his house to find the other half.

Mr Taylor was transferred to the Royal Derby Hospital, close to his parents' home in Overseal, Derbyshire last October.

His family has kept a bedside vigil ever since, but Bali-born Anda - whose full name is Handayani - was only granted a three-month visa to be with her fiance after his local MP appealed to the Home Office.

Mr Taylor, 31, moved to Indonesia 18 months before his horrific motorbike accident

Emotional moment: It was Ms Nurul's voice that triggered Mr Taylor's first signs of life as he lay in a hospital bed.

Miles apart: Mr Taylor's family were amazed when he moved his hand and tears streamed down his face as his fiancee spoke to him over the phone from the other side of the world

The 27-year-old, who studies Dutch Literature at the University of Indonesia, was forced to move back home and leave her unconscious fiance behind after her visa ran out.

But after an agonising wait, Mr Taylor finally showed signs of life three weeks ago - after his family held the telephone to his ear so Ms Nurul could speak to him.
His mother Heather and stepfather Mr Moore were speechless with shock when he moved his hand towards the phone and tears began streaming down his face.
Mr Moore said: 'Heather calls Anda while we are with Mathew and as soon as he hears her voice he lifts his hand for the phone.

'He listens to her and you can see this change in him. He had tears in his eyes as he held the phone to his ear. She asked him something and he said a silent yes.
'Then tears were coming down his face. It was brilliant.'
Now, Mr Taylor is making a slow but steady recovery, and the family hope he will eventually be ready for the wedding of his dreams.
'He's really come on the past three weeks,' said Mr Moore.

'He is still in a low awareness coma but he moves his hand left and right when the phone rings.

'We are so pleased he is recovering.

'We spend most of our days at hospital and some days are good and others bad but we take what we can get. We are just happy he is responding.'
Luke Griggs, spokesman for brain injury charity Headway, said today that Mr Taylor could well make a full recovery.

'Coma arousal programmes are often used to try to stimulate patients who are in reduced states of consciousness, such as a coma or a persistent vegetative state,' he said

 COMA PATIENTS: WHAT THEY HEAR
A coma is state in which a person is unaware of both self and external surroundings and unable to consciously feel, speak, hear, or move.

Doctors monitor consciousness levels by assessing eye opening, verbal responses and voluntary movements.

A higher score on the scale suggests that less brain function has been lost.

The cause of a coma and age of the patient are important in determining whether they will recover.

Some people remember events from when they were in a coma, while others do not. Most memories are likely to relate to the period when they were emerging from the coma.

Some people recall feeling reassured by the presence of a loved one when coming out of a coma.

A coma usually lasts for less than two to four weeks. It is unusual to remain in a coma for months or even years.

Generally, the longer the person has been in a coma, the poorer the outlook.

People do not usually suddenly 'wake up' from a coma, but regain brain function over time. Patients emerging from comas are often agitated and confused and may need to be sedated for their safety.

 

Miraculous: Doctors feared Mr Taylor would never regain consciousness after the crash in Bali

Overjoyed: Ms Nurul was forced to return to Bali after her visa ran out - but now she has hope that their wedding will finally take place.

'These carefully planned periods of stimulation - in the form of sound, touch, smell and taste - are combined with periods of complete rest in order not to overload the person's senses.

'While each individual case is different, in general terms the longer a person remains in a state of reduced consciousness, the less likely they are to make a full recovery.

'We have heard of several examples of people waking from comas and going on to make good recoveries and live happy, fulfilled lives.

'The amount and type of information a person can process while in a reduced state of consciousness will vary from case to case and accurately diagnosing someone's level of consciousness is notoriously difficult.

'However, examples like this demonstrate that coma arousal - or stimulation - programmes may well be effective.'

Culled from The Daily Mail UK.

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Simply Cheska...

Mother Of 5 Sells 3 Of Her Kids

P.S. Picture does not represent Story...

Hello Friends!

A mother of five kids, Mrs Ijeoma Okafor, resident in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, has reportedly sold three out of her five kids.

 The 39-year old woman had been on the trail of the police after she sold two of her kids and was eventually arrested after she sold the third one.

 Police sources at State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti, Yaba, Lagos said she confessed to selling two of her kids at the Mammy Market, Navy Town before the third one.
She was arrested and charged to Yaba Magistrate’s court with child trafficking and trade.

 Ijeoma was charged along with her other accomplices, Nkechi Eke, 37, and Benjamin Uche, 40, who facilitated the deal.

 They are remanded at Ikoyi Prison, Lagos, after they were arraigned before the court.
P.M.NEWS gathered that their activities were exposed when Ijeoma, who delivered a child 12 months ago, contacted them that she wanted to sell the boy.

 They arranged with a buyer at a Mammy Market in Navy Town where they had earlier sold the last two kids.

 They were arrested and handed over to the police in the area. The matter was later transferred to SCID. They were charged to court where they pleaded not guilty.
The presiding Magistrate, Mrs. M.O. Taniwola granted them bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

 The matter was adjourned till 21 June, 2012, while they were remanded in prison custody at Ikoyi, Lagos pending when they will meet their bail conditions.

Culled from PM News Nigeria.

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Simply Cheska...
 

Dana Plane’s Dead Cabin Crew Unveiled

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The six cabin crew members who were on board Dana flight 992 that crashed on Sunday, killing everyone on board, have been revealed.
The Captain of the ill-fated Dana flight was Captain Peter Waxtan, 55, and an American.

 The first officer, the airline said on telephone today was an Indian whose name was given as Mahendra Singh Rathore while the engineer on board was Bidyo, an Indonesian.
His surname was not given.

 There were three Nigerians among them. Vivienne Atangakak, 34, who was to get married on 28 July. She had paid for everything, including the hall.

 The other cabin crew was Uche Ulasi who was to proceed on leave two weeks before the plane crashed. The last crew member was Eke Godwin
This is the first time that their identities are being revealed by the airline.

 Meanwhile, at least 13 bodies are missing from the final count of corpses recovered at the site of the Dana plane crash, P.M.NEWS learnt on Wednesday.
Dana flight 992 crashed in Iju area of Lagos as it was approaching the Murtala Muhammed airport, hitting two buildings and bursting into flames.

 In all, only 149 bodies were recovered, said Mr. Ade Ipaye, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, where Dana flight 992 crashed on Sunday.
Ipaye, at a press conference on Wednesday, said that only 52 bodies are identifiable while 97 were burnt beyond recognition.

 The plane crash killed all 152 passengers on board and 10 others on the ground, according to previous government counts.
The 52 identifiable bodies have been taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, at Ikeja, Lagos, while the 97 charred bodies were taken to the Lagos Mainland mortuary, Ipaye said.

 ìIt is possible that a bag contains the parts of two persons,î he said, explaining the discrepancy in passenger figure.
The airline first said there were 153 passengers on board, but with revelations that Major General Tahir Umar, whose name appeared on the flight manifest, missed his flight, the figure was reduced to 152. Authorities also said that at least 10 bodies were recovered from the ground.

 He said the bodies will not be released now as they will have to be properly identified and matched with names of victims on the flight manifest.
Ipaye disclosed that autopsy was conducted on 12 bodies on Tuesday and 18 on Wednesday. He added that the other 22 would be tested between Thursday today and Friday.

 ìThe relatives have to bear with us. Each of the victims is entitled to compensation and we are aware that Dana is fully insured,î he said.

 The Chief Medical Examiner, John Oladapo Obafuwa, described to journalists the process the bodies take when they get to the hospital, adding that all the bodies would be identified in the next two weeks and released to their families.
He disclosed that there are four Pathology teams with four persons in each of the teams, three of them headed by a forensic pathologist.

 A director at Dana Airline, Mr. Francis Ogboro, was vague and provided lame answers even as he could not name Dana insurers or provide basic operational answers.
The legal consultant to Dana Air, Barrister Yomi Oshikoya, explained that the airline is fully insured by Lloyd of London.

 He said, according to the law, relatives of the victims must receive 30,000 dollars within 30 days of the crash and up to 100, 000 dollars when identification is concluded.
Ipaye said foreign embassies have been contacted to provide information need to identify their citizens.

 On the plane were Americans, Chinese, French, a Canadian, a Lebanese, a German, an Indian and an Indonesian. There could have been other foreigners yet to be identified.
In another development, the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, has kicked against the federal government’s suspension of Dana Air’s license.

 At a briefing in Lagos today, the AON said it was wrong to suspend Dana’s license while investigation is still on going.
AON advised the government to allow the Accident Investigation Bureau and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority do their job.

Culled from PM News Nigeria.

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Simply Cheska...
 

N2b Suit Over Slap: Oyedepo Fights Back

Pastor Oyedepo


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The founder of the Living Faith Church, a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel Bishop David Oyedepo, is not leaving anything to chance in his defence against the N2 billion suit slammed on him for allegedly slapping a young female member of his congregation.


The multi-billionaire pastor has secured the services of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr. Dele Adesina to defend the matter which was filed by a Lagos-based lawyer, Robert Igbinedion, in April on behalf of the young lady.

 Igbinedion in the suit sought for the enforcement of the lady’s fundamental rights to freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment, human dignity, fair hearing, and freedom from discrimination.
 He also prayed the court to award the sum of N2 billion as ëgeneral and exemplary damages’ against the bishop as well as compel him to publish a public apology in two national dailies and one international satellite television.

 Initially, when the matter was filed, two members of the church, F.B. Agbanwu, the church solicitor and Olugbenga Adeboye, a senior legal officer in the church, filed a preliminary objection on behalf of Bishop Oyedepo.

 However, at the last adjourned date, Mr. Dele Adesina in company of other lawyers announced his appearance in the matter and informed the court that he has taken over the matter.

 Although most of the issues raised in the 32-page prelimary objection by Dele Adesina (SAN) were similar to those raised by the first defence team, Mr. Adesina argued that the court is incompetent to adjudicate on the matter as the case borders on assualt.

 He contended that slap being an act of assault is outside the provisions of chapter four of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the African Charter on human and people’s right and as such the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

 ìThe cause of action or principal claim in this application centres merely on slapping one Miss Justice by the 1st respondent.
 ìThe slapping of Miss Justice is an act that could be described as an assault which is a criminal offence punishable under the criminal code.

 ìWe submit that slapping being an act of assault, an item outside the provisions of Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution and the African Charter, this court therefore lacks jurisdiction over same.î
 Mr. Adesina also argued that the petitioner has not shown the court that the said Miss Justice who was allegedly slapped by Bishop Oyedepo, is a living person.

 He maintained that until Miss Justice is produced in court, the court cannot assume that she is a living person.
 Mr. Adesina further argued that that there is no record of anyone called Miss Justice – a sobriquet given to the young lady for the purpose of the suit – in any of its services organised in the past. Furthermore, he urged the court to determine whether Mr. Igbinedion is capable of ‘bringing this kind of application’ before it and whether ‘it is proper to bring this application against Bishop Oyedepo and his church respectively.

 Responding on the issue raised by Bishop Oyedepo’s lawyer whether the lady who was slapped is a living person, Mr. Igbinedion told P.M.NEWS this morning that the reason he chose not to produce the lady in court is because he fear for her life.

 He said certain unknown persons have been threatening to kill the lady if they sight her anywhere.
 He added that he hopes to intimate the court about the development in his further counter affidavit to the court.

The matter has been adjourned till 11 June, 2012 for adoption of written address.
In December last year, a YouTube video of Bishop Oyedepo viciously slapping a young lady who admitted that she was ‘a witch for Jesus’ during an altar call went viral on the internet.
A second video that surfaced days later showed the bishop justifying his action, adding that it is ‘his ministry to slap’ and that ‘if he sees another witch, he’ll slap.’



Culled from PM News Nigeria.


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Simply Cheska...
 

'Dead' Brazilian boy 'sits up in coffin at his own funeral

Hello Friends!

A two-year-old boy sat up in his coffin and asked for water before laying back down again lifeless, according to a Brazilian news website.

In a case that seems almost too incredible to be true, ORM claimed that Kelvin Santos stopped breathing during treatment for pneumonia at a hospital in Belem, northern Brazil.

He was declared dead at 7.40pm on Friday and his body was handed over to his family in a plastic bag.

Two-year-old Kelvin Santos was declared dead on Friday after he stopped breathing during treatment for pneumonia.

The child's devastated family took him home where grieving relatives held a wake throughout the night, with the boy's body laid in an open coffin.

But an hour before his funeral was due to take place on Saturday the boy apparently sat up in his coffin and said: 'Daddy, can I have some water?'.

The boy's father, Antonio Santos, said: 'Everybody started to scream, we couldn't believe our eyes. Then we thought a miracle had taken place and our boy had come back to life.

'Then Kelvin just laid back down, the way he was. We couldn't wake him. He was dead again.
Mr Santos rushed his son back to the Aberlardo Santos hospital in Belem,where the doctors reexamined the boy and confirmed that he had no signs of life.

He said: 'They assured me that he really was dead and gave me no explanation for what we had just seen and heard.'

The boy's family decided to delay the funeral for an hour in the hope that he would wake up again, but ended up burying him at 5pm that day in a local cemetery.

Devastated: Kelvin's father Antonio Santos claims his son was a victim of medical negligence

Convinced that his son was victim of medical malpractice, Mr Santos has now registered a complaint with the police who have launched an investigation.

He said: 'Fifteen minutes after rushing him away for resuscitation, they came and told me he was dead and handed me his body. Perhaps they didn't examine him properly. Dead people don't just wake up and talk. I'm determined to find out the truth.'

The local state department today confirmed the boy had been admitted to hospital in a critical condition and was declared dead after suffering cardiac-respiratory failure.

Culled from The Daily Mail UK.

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Simply Cheska...

Forced marriage to be outlawed: Parents face jail for coercing daughters to wed against their will, which PM says is 'little more than slavery'

The Home Secretary has warned that up to 8,000 young women a year are pushed into wedlock without their consent

Hello Friends!

Parents who force their children to marry face jail sentences under tough laws to be unveiled tomorrow by Theresa May.
The Home Secretary will promise a sweeping crackdown after warnings that up to 8,000 young women a year are pushed into wedlock without their consent.
David Cameron says forced marriage, which involves families from Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and east Africa, is 'little more than slavery' and 'completely wrong'.

The new laws will see the Government tackling an issue which has proved highly sensitive in the past.
In 2004, Labour considered making forced marriage a criminal offence, but dropped the plans before the 2005 General Election amid fears it would be resented by ethnic voters as an 'intrusion' into minority cultures.
Forced marriage prevention orders were introduced in 2008, but these put the onus on a victim to apply to a civil court for protection, rather than criminalising those who tried to force them into marrying.

David Cameron has said while most weddings involving families from Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and east Africa are happy celebrations, the Government will crack down on forced marriages

For a criminal conviction, the authorities must currently try to prove that those responsible have broken other laws, such as kidnapping, false imprisonment, harassment, or assault. Breaching a prevention order is also punishable by up to two years in jail, but for contempt of court.

Tomorrow Mrs May will announce that a specific criminal offence of forced marriage will be created, meaning anyone who tries to compel someone to wed against their will could be jailed.
Legislation is expected to be introduced next year. It is part of the Government's attempt to smash Labour's doctrine of multiculturalism, which ministers argue meant unacceptable practices such as forced marriage were not tackled effectively.

Home Secretary Theresa May (left) and David Cameron are spearheading the tough new laws that will be announced tomorrow

Mr Cameron believes a blind eye has been turned to extremism for too long for fear of offending minorities.

Some schools have even refused to put up posters advising pupils about forced marriage for fear of causing offence or being branded racist.

Last year, 1,468 forced marriages were investigated by the authorities but experts believe the true total is as high as 8,000 a year.

Cases often involve a girl or young woman being taken abroad, usually on the pretext of a holiday, then forced to marry a man they have never met in accordance with an arrangement reached by the two families.

One young girl from Yorkshire was married off by her parents when she had just turned five, while two teenage sisters were forced to wed strangers on the same day during a trip to Pakistan.
A Government source said: 'Some of those who oppose the criminalisation of forced marriage argue that it could disempower victims, as they might want a non-criminal resolution of their case and reconciliation with their family.

Baroness Warsi said in the worst cases children were drugged and taken overseas, where they were married off

'However, to avoid deterring victims from coming forward, the civil remedy will continue to exist alongside a new criminal offence. This means that a victim could choose to take the civil route, or to go to the police.

'Even when criminal proceedings are under way, the victim will have the right to stop those proceedings.
'The new law will be accompanied by a range of measures to increase protection and support for victims, as well as maintaining a focus on prevention.'

Mrs May will announce a £500,000 fund to ensure schools and other agencies know how to spot early signs of a forced marriage. Every local authority will have one official in charge of training for police, judiciary, health agencies and social services.

The Government also plans an advertising campaign over the summer to highlight 'the right to choose' who you marry.
And ministers will sign up to the Council of Europe's convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, which requires the criminalisation of various forms of violence against women, including forced marriage.

Conservative chairman Baroness Warsi, who has pushed for a change in the law, said in the worst cases children were drugged and taken overseas, where they were married off.
'It's now time to say no. The tragedy of these stories is long term. People are trapped in loveless marriages for a long, long, long time,' she said.

'There is often no relationship and they live as strangers in the same home. Forced marriage is akin to slavery and it is going on in Britain today. But it is time to draw a line in the sand and say enough. This is not acceptable.'

The new law will seek to draw a clear distinction between arranged and forced marriage. 'A forced marriage is where there is no consent. The time has come to call a halt,' Lady Warsi added.
The cross-party Commons Home Affairs Committee had called for forced marriage to be criminalised, but ministers have spent some months considering how to proceed without discouraging victims from coming forward.

One further measure being considered is for all those marrying abroad to be legally required to declare their intent first with their local registrar in Britain. Religious ceremonies would be void unless they were also entered in the civil register.

Culled from The Daily Mail UK.

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Simply Cheska...

Katy Perry: I’m Going To Have Sex With Rihanna

Hello Friends!

Uh oh! They’re already best friends, but are they taking it to the next level? Read on for more details.

Katy Perry and Rihanna are both single and ready to mingle — which is why they may be turning to each other for romance.

In a new interview with radio station Wild 94.9 based in San Francisco, Calif., Katy was asked if she and Rihanna were going to pair up musically. But her answer revealed a potential hidden affair!

“No, but we’re gonna have sex,” Katy responded.

Yikes! We’re sure Russell Brand and Chris Brown would love that.

See Link to Interview Video Below:

http://www.wild949.com/player/?mid=22143649

Culled from The HollyWoodLife.

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Simply Cheska...

Fear of ghosts grips crash site residents

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Some residents of Iju-Ishaga, Lagos, have appealed to the authorities to bury the victims of the Sunday Dana aircrash far from the area.

Their apprehension was based on their belief in the existence of ghosts, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Idayatu Ali, a 24-year-old unemployed school leaver, said she would not want the victims to be buried at the scene of the accident, “for fear of ghosts”.

According to her, human beings are no goats and when they die prematurely, especially, violently, their ghosts will haunt the scene for a while.

“This is no superstition; I have witnessed where a young man died in an accident and his ghost continued to cry at the scene for days until a sacrifice was performed.

“Please, tell them not to bury the victims here or else some of us will have to abandon our houses,” she pleaded.

However, Jude Agwu, a commercial motorcyclist, said he and some colleagues could easily offer sacrifices to Ogun (the Yoruba god iron) in a bid to get rid of any ghost threat.

The South-West Zonal Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Iyiola Akande, said no decision had been taken on where to bury the victims.

He, however, believed that identifiable bodies should be released to their relations for burial, while badly burnt ones would be given mass burial, probably far from the scene.

“This is a densely populated area and erecting a memorial here may not be in the interest of the psyche of the residents,” he said.

Culled from The Punch Nigeria.

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Simply Cheska...

62-year-old grandpa remanded for raping girl, 10

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For allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl (name withheld), a 62-year-old, Mr. John Osunade, has been remanded in prison custody by an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court.

The charge sheet read in court on Tuesday accused Osunade of perpetrating the act on May 27, 2012, at his residence in Tonkere village, Gbongan town in Ayedaade Local Government Area, Osun State.

When his plea was taken, the accused pleaded not guilty to the one-count of rape.

Police prosecutor, Inspector Elisha Olusegun, said the offence was punishable under Section 218 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2003.

Defence prosecutor, Mr. Reginald Ngwu, urged the court to admit the accused to bail, adding that Osunade remained innocent until the contrary was proved in court.

Ngwu, who said Osunade was ready to face trial, added that the accused would provide reliable sureties if granted bail.

But the Magistrate, Mr. Olusola Aluko, ordered the accused to be remanded in custody, adding that the court would entertain Osunade’s bail application in written form and not in oral.

Aluko adjourned the case until Wednesday, July 4, 2012, for mention.

Culled from Punch Metro.

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Simply Cheska...

Airline operators fault FG over suspension of Dana

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The Airline Operators of Nigeria has faulted the Federal Government’s suspension of the operations of Dana Air following the crash of its Boeing aircraft in Lagos on Sunday.

In a telephone interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday, the Secretary General, AON, Captain Mohammed Joji, said it was wrong for the Senate to have called for the suspension of the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren.

Joji said it was wrong to have asked Demuren to step aside while investigation was being conducted since he would not in any way hinder the investigation of the accident, which killed 153 passengers and crew members on board.

The Senate had, while considering a motion brought by the Chairman of its Committee on Aviation, Senator Hope Uzodinma, recommended that Demuren and other top management officials of NCAA be suspended until the investigations were concluded.

But Joji said it was wrong to make such a recommendation before the investigation was concluded by the Accident Investigation Bureau, which is independent of NCAA, since Demuren had no power to influence its work.

He also faulted the suspension of the operating licence of the Dana by the Federal Government through the NCAA on Monday.

Joji said it was necessary for investigation to be carried out before far reaching actions, such as the suspension of the airline’s operations would be carried out.

He said, “It is wrong to close down an airline after an accident before investigation has been done. It is necessary to give time for investigation.

“Dana has three aircraft. One was involved in an accident. They fly 27 sorties (return trips) a day. Everything went well from 2007 when they started operations. It is not enough to suspend their operation after this incident.

“We are not supporting wrong doing but we need to be objective. It could have been another airline. The country has lost so much through the insecurity situation. Do you say because of that the President or any of the service chiefs should resign?”

The AON secretary general said the proper thing would be to allow the AIB that has the statutory responsibility to investigate accidents in the airline industry to do its work and then the government could base any action to be taken on the result of the investigation.

Culled from The Punch Nigeria.

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Simply Cheska...

Burial of crash victims to wait for two weeks

Hello Friends!

None of the dead victims of Sunday’s Dana plane crash will be buried until another two weeks. The Lagos State Government said on Wednesday that it would need the period to validate the identity of the dead victims and conduct an autopsy.

Though 103 of the victims were said to have been burnt beyond recognition, 52 bodies had been identified as of Wednesday. But the relations who have expressed a desire for quick burials would have to wait for the state government to process the necessary paperwork in line with its coroner law.

The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, who said this at a briefing, said the two weeks would also enable the government to work out victims’ compensation with the Dana Airline’s insurer, Lloyds Underwriters of London, United Kingdom.

Lloyds meanwhile has announced that it would pay compensation of $30,000 to each of the victims within the next 30 days. The compensation totals N693m.

Ipaye led top state officials, Dana Airline personnel, representatives of the insurance companies and other stakeholders to the media briefing to give an update on developments after the crash. He said, “You must understand that the government is working to protect the interest of the victims and their relatives.

“We are discussing with Dana Airline and its insurer to make sure that the bodies are properly identified and matched with relatives that claim the bodies.

“But that is not enough; we must conduct autopsies for each one of the recovered bodies. Fifty-two identifiable bodies were recovered, 97 were charred remains (to be taken) for further scientific probe. The total number with us is 149.

“We concluded autopsy on 12 bodies yesterday (Tuesday). We have done 18 today (Wednesday). By tomorrow (today), we will finish autopsy on 52 identifiable bodies. By Friday, work will start on the 97 charred remains.

“We also have to keep a detailed file for future references. We must issue Death Certificates. It is expected that all these would have to be done in the next two weeks when the autopsy will end.”

Ipaye said the state had liaised with embassies of the foreigners on the ill-fated flight for pre-mortem record to match its pathological investigation.

The Nigerian solicitor for Lloyds, the lead insurance company for the airline, Chief Yemi Oshikoya, said in line with the insurance policies that operate in Nigeria and globally, families of each victim were entitled to an initial compensation of $30,000 and a substantive payment of not more than $100,000.

He added that the insurance firm would comply with the initial payment within 30 days.

“The law says in a case of an accident which leads to death or injury, the claimant is entitled to an initial payment of $30,000 and substantive payment of $100,000.

“But all this compensation comes with litigation. We want to reassure the families that we won’t go below the international standards.”

Oshikoya explained that the company would also be compensating families of the victims who were not on board but lost their lives in the crash.

He added, “We have already asked our surveyor, who is also a Nigerian, to access the crash site and evaluate the value of the houses that were affected.

“It is the report that would determine the compensation. We will be discussing with every claimant. We do not want families to suffer additional hardship. It may be faster than we think but it has to do with litigation.”

The Chief Medical Examiner of Lagos State, Prof.Oladapo Obafunwa, said that the forensic team would ensure that all bodies were identified and that the team would open an identification file for each of the 149 bodies for future reference.

Obafunwa noted that the two weeks wait was to ensure that thorough scientific examinations were carried out on both identifiable and unrecognisable bodies.

According to him, when a body comes into the mortuary for examination, some paper work on identification must be done after which the body is taken to the radiology unit for X-rays, then it is transferred to the autopsy team before it is handed over to the dental team for conclusive examination.

“All these are done to ensure that accurate results are obtained and labelled against specific corpses,” he said.

Culled from The Punch Nigeria.

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Simply Cheska...

Crash: Black boxes to leave Nigeria for US today

L-R: Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, and Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, at the scene of the Dana Airline crash in Iju, Lagos ... on Monday.

Hello Friends!

Minister of Aviation, Mrs Stella Oduah, on Wednesday said the black boxes retrieved from the ill-fated Dana Air flight that killed over 153 persons in Lagos on Sunday would on Thursday (today) be sent to the United States.

Oduah said sending the black boxes to the US was to ensure that a thorough investigation was carried out to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The minister spoke with State House correspondents shortly after a special Federal Executive Council meeting organised to round off the three-day national mourning declared by the Federal Government in honour of the crash victims.

She said, “At the site of the incident, there were officials of the AIB who gathered information; they cut the parts from the aircraft, looking for clues. Every and any information that they take will be taken back to the laboratory where it will be analysed to get the exact reason for the accident.

“But in addition to that, because we do not have a laboratory for that, things like the black boxes, for instance, we need to take them outside the country for proper analysis and then they come back.

“I want to also say that amongst the team that worked with the Aviation Investigations Bureau were are international experts. So you are not likely to have collusion or reports that will have integrity issue. So, I want to assure that the report you will get will be a very authentic report.”

Oduah said President Goodluck Jonathan had approved the setting up of a nine-man technical and administrative panel that will audit all airlines operating in the country.

The move, she explained, was to avoid a recurrence of such incident in the nation’s airspace.

She said the committee, which has a time frame of six months to complete its assignment, was expected to come up with a comprehensive report on each of the airlines in the country.

The minister said the committee’s scope of work would include the immediate review of all domestic airlines; total auditing of all aircraft registered in Nigeria; outlining actions to be taken to improve safety as well as assessment of the financial health of airlines operating within the country, among others.

She gave the names of members of the committee as Group Captain John Obakpolor (rtd) (Chairman); Capt. Austin Omame; Capt. Dele Sasegbon, Dr. O.B Aliu, F.C. Onyeyiri, Capt. Mfon Udom, Capt. Mukhtar Usman, Dr. Tony Anuforom and Capt. A. Mshelia.

She said, “This review panel that we have established will immediately perform a comprehensive assessment of all the domestic scheduled airlines. They will ensure that management culture as well as effectiveness of NCAA’s oversight of airline maintainable practice is maintained and enhanced.

“The panel is mandated to make bold recommendations to the Federal Republic of Nigeria on actions that will need to be taken to improve the overall safety net of aviation sector.

“The panel will complete its assignment within six weeks. Their mandate includes assessing the financial health line of airlines that are operating within Nigeria, because this has direct and indirect co-relation with the ability of the airlines to function effectively and maintain their obligation.”

She added that despite the setback occasioned by the Dana crash, the Ministry had resolved to intensify its ongoing institutional reforms. This, she said, would include the strengthening of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.

She said the President had also approved the implementation of the report of a Central Bank of Nigeria/Ministry of Aviation’s committee on the financial stability of the airlines.

Oduah disclosed that reports of committees on the Sosoliso and ADC Airlines crashes were ready.

She promised that the findings would soon be made public because of the lessons to be learnt from them.

“I want to say that all the reports of past air crashes, the Sosoliso, ADC, etc are ready and when we get the proper approval to release to the public. We will do so because it serves no purpose to keep them because it is for public knowledge, because there are lessons we should learn from such incidents and not allow it re-occur, that is the purpose,” she said.

At least 108 persons died in the Sosoliso 1145 DC-9 plane crash on Saturday, December 10, 2005 at the Port Harcourt Airport, while the 2006 ADC crash led to the death of 96 passengers and one on-the-ground victim. Among the dead in the ADC crash was the then Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Maccido; and Abdulrahman, son of the second republic President Shehu Shagari.

Culled from The Punch Nigeria.

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Simply Cheska...

Unilag: Jonathan writes NASS to ratify name

Hello Friends!

ABUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, sent a bill to the Senate and the House of Representatives seeking endorsement to rename the University of Lagos, UNILAG to Moshood Abiola University, Lagos.

It would be recalled that Jonathan had in his Democracy Day broadcast changed the name of University of Lagos to its new name, Moshood Abiola, in recognition of the late politician and business icon’s role in entrenching democracy especially against the backdrop that he died in the course of fighting for democracy.

Also included in the Bill for Acts to rename three universities by the President were the change of the Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike to Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike and Federal University of Technology, Yola to Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola.

The letter which was read at the plenary by Senate President David Mark stated: “I forward here with, for your kind consideration and passage into law, the attached Bills for Acts to rename three Federal Universities as indicated below.

“Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike to Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; Federal University of Technology, Yola to Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola and University of Lagos to Moshood Abiola University, Lagos.

“It is my hope that the Distinguished Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will consider and pass these Bills in your usual expeditious manner.”

Also yesterday, President Jonathan sent to the Senate a Bill for an Act to amend the Public procurement Act, No.14,2007.

The President also, yesterday, forwarded to the Senate a Bill for an Act to provide for the enforcement and punishment of crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide and related offences, 2012.

In the letter to Senate President Mark, President Jonathan said, ‘’I hereby introduce for the kind consideration and enactment into law by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Enforcement and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity, War Crimes, Genocide and Related Offences, 2012.

‘’While I hope that the Bill will receive the usual prompt attention of the Distinguished members of the Senate, please accept, Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.”

Culled from The Vanguard Newspapers.

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Simply Cheska,,,

Kim Kardashian’s 2 Wardrobe Malfunctions Draw Attention To Her Infamous Backside

Hello Friends!

The reality star loves flaunting her curves — but her two wardrobe malfunctions in two days drew

even more attention to her larger-than-life backside! From a visible tag on her butt to the seam of her shapewear, check out both right here!

It’s odd for Kim Kardashian to even have a hair out of place, which is why her recent wardrobe malfunction at the Kardashian Khaos store in Las Vegas on Jun. 3 seems so bizarre!

The reality star is always done up and looks impeccable from head-to-toe– but that wasn’t the case when she stepped out for an appearance on Jun. 3. Sporting one of her signature bodycon dresses, when she turned around her butt drew more attention than usual, thanks to a visible tag beneath the sheer fabric. Just one day earlier, Kim had another style slip-up that put her backside on display!

While it seems so weird for Kim to forget to snip the care tag, at the same time it’s also refreshing to see that even this done-up reality star sometimes forgets to do a double-take in the mirror — she’s just like us! The tag definitely was distracting, but in the land of wardrobe malfunctions this offense is mainly minor.

The star is a huge fan of SPANX and shapewear, and she showed off her main style staple in a tight striped maxi on Jun. 2. While her look was casual, when she bent over the seam of her style secret was visible for all to see. Sure, shapewear isn’t meant to be seen, but it happens to some of the most savvy style stars! We also much rather get a glimpse of shapewear than something else!

What do you think of Kim’s two malfunctions in just two days?

Culled from HollyWoodLife.

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Simply Cheska...

Are you drinking too much water? Millions chugging 'excessive' two litres a day are wasting their time

Hello Friends!

Health advice to drink eight glasses of water a day is over the top and does not help with weight loss, says a leading nutritionist.

Fruit, vegetables and juices should have a major role in providing the fluids we need, he added.
Spero Tsindos, an academic and public health expert, also argued that the push to encourage people to drink more water was driven by vested interests.


 

Lapping it up: Scientists say we are being misled into thinking we have to drink far more water than is really necessary (posed by model)

Mr Tsindos said sales of bottled water had risen in tandem with guidance from bodies such as the National Health Service telling individuals to drink large volumes.

He said the NHS had reinforced the notion that two litres or eight glasses of water a day was good for health ‘without any substantial evidence to support it’. If people drink two litres of water in a hurry to make up their daily allowance it will not hydrate the cells that need it – but simply dilute the urine, he pointed out.

Health and dietary authorities generally recommend two litres a day of fluid for optimal health, but ‘this has been misinterpreted to mean two litres of water specifically and it has driven a steady growth in the use of bottled water’, he added.

Mr Tsindos says in an editorial in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health: ‘Thirty years ago you didn’t see a plastic water bottle anywhere, now they appear as fashion accessories.

Healthy snacks: Much of our required daily fluid intake can be gained from the water contained in fruit, vegetables and other food.



As tokens of instant gratification and symbolism, the very bottle itself is seen as cool and hip.’
While water was now regarded as a slimming aid, tea and coffee were being wrongly shunned as potentially leading to dehydration. Mr Tsindos, of the department of dietetics and human nutrition at La Trobe University, in Melbourne, added: ‘Drinking large amounts of water does not alone cause weight loss.

A low-calorie diet is also required.Research has also revealed that water in food eaten has a greater benefit in weight reduction than avoiding foods altogether. 



Myth-busting: Researchers emphasised that drinks containing caffeine contribute to our fluid needs and do not lead to dehydration.



‘We should be telling people that beverages like tea and coffee contribute to a person’s fluid needs and, despite their caffeine content, do not lead to dehydration.’

He added: ‘We need to maintain fluid balance and should drink water, but also consider fluid in unprocessed fruits and vegetables and juices.’
Independent dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton said individuals tend not to drink enough.

She added: ‘Drinking water is useful for weight loss, as part of a strategy of eating less and being more active. Research shows a  glass of water before meals reduces appetite.
‘I agree that caffeine is wrongly thought to be dehydrating, people can drink up to eight cups of tea or four cups of coffee a day and be reassured that it’s healthy.’

A spokesman for British Bottled Water Producers said the World Health Organisation and the British Dietetic Association recommends the average 60kg (9st 6lb) adult should drink 1.5 to two litres (3.5 pints) of fluid a day.

She said: ‘At a time when many people are overweight and there is a tendency to drink too much alcohol, it cannot be disputed that water is the safest, simplest route to calorie-free, toxin-free, safe and healthy hydration.
‘And if people want to back Britain at the same time, they can do no better than buy British bottled water.’


Culled from The Daily Mail UK.

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Simply Cheska...

Fire guts Redeemers varsity’s hostel...

Hello Friends!

There was panic at the Queen Esther Hostel of the Redeemers University, Ogun State, on Tuesday as one of the rooms was gutted by fire.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the fire started from a faulty air conditioner in Room D2.

However, when the incident happened the three occupants of the room were not in.

A resident of the hostel, who craved anonymity, said the occupants were relocated because the room suffered leakage whenever it rained.

She said, “There was nobody in the room when the incident happened. They had been relocated to another room pending the fixing of the leaking section which we learnt was as a result of a construction defects. What they do is that they just come into the room, pick their things and dash out.”

She added that the frequent power outages on Monday might have damaged the AC before it caught fire.

She said, “The AC worked overnight despite the fact that nobody was sleeping there. Unfortunately, the electricity supply to the hostel was going on and off yesterday (on Monday). That must have damaged the AC before it caught fire.”

A student, who also craved anonymity, said the smoke emanating from the hostel caused panic as students feared it could extend to other rooms on the ground floor.

She said, “Panic gripped everyone on the ground floor here as a great cloud of smoke billowed out of the room. We then started pouring water through the window before the Fire and Safety Department arrived.”

When contacted, the Students’ Affairs Officer of the university, Mr. Ademola Ipesko, confirmed the incident.

He said, “The fire started from an air conditioner which got faulty after working overnight. The fire was brought under control by the joint efforts of the students and the Fire and Safety Services Department. The fire department moved promptly to the scene after receiving a distress call from one of the students.”

Ipesko said apart from Room D2 where the fire started, the smoke also affected Room D1 resulting in the relocation of occupants.

Culled from Punch Metro.

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Simply Cheska...

Patience Jonathan not responsible for crash –Govt.

Hello Friends!

There was controversy on Tuesday over the alleged closure of the nation’s airspace for a Presidential jet carrying the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, to land in Lagos on Sunday.

The closure was said to have prevented the pilot of the distressed Dana Air’s plane from making an emergency landing at the airport.

But the Ministry of Aviation denied the report, saying the President’s wife came to Lagos on Saturday and not Sunday.

Reports circulated through Facebook and BlackBerry Messenger on Tuesday had claimed that although the Dana plane had an engine failure, the distressed aircraft could have made it to the airport if it was not delayed by the VIP movement.

The social media also said the Presidential movement on Sunday affected some owners of private jets who were forced to story in the air for some times.

But a statement by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Joe Obi, said the airspace was never closed for the First Lady on Sunday.

He said, “There is a widely circulating rumour that the airspace was closed to facilitate the First Lady’s movement and that that was partly responsible for the Dana plane crash of Sunday June 3, 2012. The Federal Ministry of Aviation will like to clarify that nothing could be farther from the truth.

“For the records, we wish state that the First Lady arrived in Lagos at about 4.45pm on Saturday, 2nd June, 2012 and only departed for Abuja on Monday, the 4th of June, 2012 at 1.30pm, whereas the ill-fated Dana flight 0992 departed Abuja on Sunday, 3rd of June, 2012 at 2.54pm and its last contact with the Lagos Control Tower was at 3.42pm as has already been announced. We wish to stress that the First Lady did not fly on Sunday, the 3rd of June, 2012 as is widely been speculated.”

An air traffic controller at the Lagos airport, who spoke under condition of anonymity, also said the airport did not record any Presidential movement on Sunday.

According to the official, an air traffic controller on duty on Sunday had told him earlier there was no time the “airfield was sterilised” for any VIP on Sunday.

In a statement by her Special Assistant, Mr. Ayo Osinlu, the wife of the president described the report as an orchestrated plan to politicise the Sunday crash.

She said it was “callous, inhuman and devilish” for anyone to have thought of wrapping such national calamity in political garb by insinuating that the plane crashed because the airspace was closed for her movement in Lagos.

“In compliance with her itinerary, the First Lady arrived Lagos on Saturday. She was at a public event on Sunday when the accident occurred and promptly abandoned the ceremony as a mark of respect for the victims and retired to the State House, Marina. She left Lagos at exactly 13.15hrs on Monday, 4th June, 2012, according to schedule.

“It is therefore surprising that some mischievous persons will see this moment of national mourning as an opportunity to blackmail and impugn the First Lady’s integrity.


“This is the time for all Nigerians to be sober and pray for the repose of the souls of the victims and not a time to subordinate the interests of our nation to narrow self-serving interests.

“Let us all put the interest of the nation first in whatever we do.”

The message which necessitated Mrs. Jonathan’s reaction had read in part, “Is there any way of getting confirmation about news I’m just getting that the Dana plane was distressed for a while but could not make an emergency landing because the airspace was closed for 2 hours for – the Presidential Jet carrying Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan.

“Private jet owners who had to hover in the air same time leaked this. This was apparently the reason local news didn’t report the crash for so long till CNN and foreign news stations started reporting it.

“Local news was ‘blacked out’ trying to kill the story of the airspace being closed while a distressed plane couldn’t land.”

A source however said, “It would be shocking if so. Though there was engine failure, there was still time for the plane to have landed apparently.

“You do know anyway that the airspace is closed for up to two hours each time the Presidential Jet needs to go into the air; two hours for a 15-minute takeoff or landing!”

Culled from The Punch Nigeria.

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Simply Cheska...

‘Pastor foresaw the crash two weeks ago’

Hello Friends!

Personally, from my relationship with God as a Christian, God would not show you anything without letting you have an input in it. He guides you to make the right choices in matters that concern you and never makes decisions for you!

If the pastor mentioned in this story or any other so called pastor whatsoever, saw and had an intuition of this terrible Dana Air crash, and did not have that same intuition to do something about it, then it wasn't GOD who showed them what they claim to have seen...  When each christian learns to know God for himself, life would be a whole lot easier to live....This is my opinion.

Read interview below:


How did you receive the news of your wife and daughter’s death?

I dropped them at the Airport by 12.30pm and then left. Then around 2.15pm, my wife called that they had boarded and I said ‘Okay, safe trip’. I then came back home and decided to take a short nap (sleep) before the commencement of the Nigeria/Namibia football match. Then, as I was sleeping, my phone rang, it was my friend from CBN. He asked me, “Are you in town?” I said Yes and he said, “Thank God, There is a plane crash involving DANA Air.” I asked from where? He said Abuja to Lagos. I told him that my wife and daughter are on that flight. I immediately took off to the airport. When we got to the airport, we couldn’t get any information because everybody was confused and many of the officials were crying. After spending some hours, we started monitoring it on the television.

What took your wife and daughter to Lagos?

My wife works with the Nigerian Shippers Council as a Deputy Director. She is based in Lagos with my daughter while I am here in Abuja. Usually, once in a while they come to Abuja for the weekend but this time around my daughter had an entrance examination on Saturday June 2, at African International School. My wife had official assignment on Friday, so they came on Thursday night. After these assignments, they decided to go back on Sunday.

How will you describe your wife and how long have you been married?

She was a very lovable wife and since we married in 1998, we have never had any quarrel. God is my witness. I repeat…I never had any quarrel with that lady. She is very respectful and highly religious. She is a great inspiration to the family. Anybody that comes across her will testify to it. I really feel sad for the death of my wife and my daughter. She is a very smart girl and would have been 11 years old in September; she is the only child I have. You can imagine how devastated I am; well, I leave everything to God.

Did you have a premonition of this disaster?

Yes! Just two weeks ago, a man of God told us as a family that he saw plane crash and asked whether I would be travelling soon in June. I said ‘No’; he said crash is hovering around the family and suggested that we should go on three days fasting which we did between May 29, 30 and 31 to avert the disaster; at the end of the day God knows what happened.


Culled from The Punch Nigeria.

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Simply Cheska...

Unusual love story of couple killed in crash

Hello Friends!

One of the most tragic stories from the ill-fated flight Dana Air 992 that crashed in Lagos on Sunday revolves around Maimuna Anyene, a Connecticut-based Nigerian woman, who died along with her husband, sister, her four kids, two cousins and her mother-in-law.

Ms. Anyene, who is being mourned by friends, relatives and colleagues around the world, was described by several sources as having a boisterous laughter, a happy spirit and an infectiously cheerful disposition.

One of the late woman’s spirits closest friends captured her spirits. “When Maimuna laughed, she was always loud, joyful, and even crazy in the good sense. She laughed spontaneously and excitedly. It was a full-of-life kind of laughter that seemed to come from deep within her belly. She laughed without inhibitions. She was pretty and had cute dimples that made her round face memorable.”

Maimuna was born into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Ndanusa and Birikisu Mijindadi on July 30, 1979. Her father, from Bida, Niger State, was a professor at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Her mother had worked for a few years as a nurse in the United States before returning to Nigeria where she began and ran several enterprises, including a large grape farm in Zaria.

Maimuna attended primary school in Zaria and completed secondary school at Queens College, Lagos.

She proceeded to the University of Ibadan, where she studied Economics, graduating in 2001 with a Second Class (Upper) degree. At UI, she made many friends, staying close to several of them years beyond her university days.

One friend said she stood out as the most studious in her circle of friends. “Maimuna was the one who talked to her friends to focus on their academic work whenever she found them in danger of getting too distracted by the many temptations of student life,” said the friend. “No surprise that we called her ‘effico,’ a nickname for nerds and bookworms. It meant she was efficient in organizing her study and play time. She was diligent and hardworking, and simply never lost sight of her priorities.”

Another friend said she fondly remembered how she and others called Maimuna “effico.” “It was a term of endearment but also a playful kind of derision. We derided her for keeping us honest by enforcing group discipline. And, at last, we cherished her for keeping us honest that some of us graduated with honors from Ibadan and other universities.”

On graduating from UI, Maimuna returned to Zaria for a few months before heading to Lagos for the mandatory one year stint as a member of the National Youth Service Corps. She served with Citibank in Lagos.

Maimuna was married to Onyeka Anyene, a lawyer who has offices in Abuja and Lagos. Friends described the marriage as one founded on religious tolerance and broadmindedness. A devout Muslim, Maimuna married Mr. Anyene, a Christian.

A few friends disclosed that Maimuna’s parents were at first reluctant to approve their daughter’s choice of husband-to-be. Even so, Maimuna and Onyeka displayed their determination by heading for the Marriage Registry in Ikoyi, Lagos to solemnise their wedding. The ceremony was marked by a simplicity that was characteristic of the couple; it was witnessed only by three persons: a close friend of Maimuna’s from her U.I. days, and a couple who were friends of the groom.

A relative said Maimuna was a woman of great professional ambitions who was willing to work hard to prepare for the realization of her dreams. This led her to Pennsylvania State University in the United States where she earned a Masters degree. In 2005, she relocated to Connecticut and lived there until her death in the Dana Airlines crash.

Ms. Anyene and her husband had four children: Kamsi (two-years old), twins Kayna and Kayne (one-year-old), and Kamal, also known as Noah (seven-months-old).

One friend in Connecticut recalled how “Maimuna loved to take pictures, to capture every memorable moment on film whenever possible.”

One source said she had traveled to Nigeria to visit with her husband, who lived mostly in Nigeria. “She also went to attend the wedding of her younger brother, Ndako, scheduled to take place in about a week’s time – on June 9,” added the source.
 

Culled from The Sahara Reporters.


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Simply Cheska...

Ajuonuma, four others bought last-minute air tickets.

Hello Friends!

Five passengers, including the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, who died on the Dana Air flight that crashed in Lagos on Sunday, were not originally on the passengers’ list, The PUNCH investigation has shown.

Ajuonuma and the four other victims bought the tickets of passengers that did not make it to the airport for the departure of the ill-fated aircraft.

Dana Station Manager at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, Mr. Ade Kayode, confirmed that the late NNPC spokesman and the others travelled in place of those who did not make it to join the flight.

Kayode said, “You know so many people buy tickets online. So there were many passengers that bought tickets online that could not show up. Their tickets were sold to passengers that wanted to travel. Levi Ajuonuma was among them.

“Unfortunately I cannot give you the names of those that did not show up because they are no longer on our system. However, any passenger that bought the ticket but could not travel can come forward for refund because they did not use their tickets.”

He said the names of all the passengers that eventually travelled were put on the manifest.

When reminded that the manifest had the names of 146 passengers while the aircraft had capacity for only 140 passengers, he said that 140 passengers were adults while the remaining six were infants that travelled in company with adults.

The disclosures came amid denial by the Ministry of Aviation that the airspace was closed against the crashed plane in order to facilitate President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife’s movement on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency said on Tuesday that it had stopped further search for bodies at the crash site.

Spokesman for NEMA in the Lagos zone, Ibrahim Farinloye, said the agency was satisfied that it had recovered all it could for the time being. He added that the stoppage would pave the way for the Accident Investigation Bureau to take over and conduct investigations into the causes of the crash and how a reoccurrence could be prevented.

He said, “From our records, we have 86 males, 49 females and 12 children. We have yet to determine the sex of the remaining corpses. Out of these 153 bodies, only 40 were identifiable; we have to do what we call Disaster Victim Identification on the rest.”

Farinloye added that the corpses had been taken to the mortuary at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital to allow their relations to have access to them for burial.

He said NEMA would still be at the site to assess the level of danger that the crash posed to the community.

“We are not ruling out fumigation of entire area. There will also be counselling of the victims’ relatives and we have to find a way of rehabilitating internally displaced persons,” the NEMA spokesperson said.

He added that property belonging to 24 of the victims had been identified and tagged. He said the property were bags, identification cards, BlackBerries, Ipads, laptops and foreign currencies among others.

Farinloye explained that five families were affected in the two storey building that was hit by the plane. He said one of the flats was unoccupied.

“We learnt that the tenant moved out of the apartment on Sunday morning, a few hours before the crash,” he said.

Culled from The Punch Nigeria.


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Simply Cheska...

Dana Air disaster: Potential health hazards loom

Wings of the crashed plane

 

Hello Friends!

EVEN before the pilot of the ill-fated Dana aircraft sent out the Mayday emergency distress signal just minutes before the plane crash-landed on a residential settlement in Iju-Isaga area of Lagos on Sunday June 3, 2012, there was already growing global concerns about aircraft safety and the management of mishap responses whenever they occur.

The reason for this was not far-fetched. By all standards, Nigeria had already had its fair share of fatalities arising from airline disasters in the last decade or so, concerns about management of potentially hazardous effects arising from accidents, such as the latest in question, were not exactly new.

But what could be described as new is the level of worry from utilisation of fibre-reinforced composites in primary and secondary structural components in construction of most modern commercial aircraft.

Vanguard Features, VF, gathered that fibre-reinforced polymer composites are lightweight functional substitutes for metals in civilian and military aircraft with a superior strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance; because they are lighter than their metallic counterparts, they are preferred.

But a downside to this development is the tendency to invoke aviation fuel-induced fires combined or not combined with explosion of the fiber-reinforced composite materials. According to aviation experts, such developments have high predisposition to present known and potentially unknown environmental, safety, and health hazards.

Besides the immediate trauma from fire and crushing impact of the crash, the danger of exposure to airborne carbon fibers that are released in the post crash fires are a force to contend with. Findings by VF reveal that potential dangers to the environment from the crashed Dana aircraft may not have ended with extinguishing of the fires or evacuation of the bodies.

 
 

Investigation shows there may still be need to worry over the three basic health hazards from fibre-reinforced polymer composites in any plane crash-fire situation. Apart from dangers from sharp splinters of exposed material, there is the need to be concerned about inhalation of fibrous dust dispersed by the fire or blast, and the toxic gases generated during burning of polymer matrix resins incinerated in the aircraft structure.

Inhalation hazard from these fibers, it was gathered, poses the greatest potential for adverse health effects on humans, says a medical expert who confirmed to VF that exposure to smaller particles such as asbestos can cause conditions ranging from pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma – a type of cancer of the lungs, noting that chronic toxicity is associated with this type of exposure.

Past airline crashes
Unknown to many, incidents from past airline crashes have actually reported on the irritant and toxic effects from fibrous matter and other adverse health effects by firefighters and rescue personnel responding to post crash aircraft fires. These range from skin and eye irritation to severe respiratory problems.

For instance, firefighters, rescue crew and other emergency personnel and even bystanders express concerns about long-term effects from these exposures.

Potential health risks are normally associated with fires involving fiber-reinforced polymer composites include the fibrous dust and airborne particles released during burning that can be inhaled and deposited in the deep lung region and the sharp fiber fragments that penetrate the skin.

Reports concerning the nature and severity of short and long term adverse effects are now rife. Records of varying degrees of adverse health effects, ranging from eye and skin irritation to severe respiratory problems are not uncommon.

An aviation expert told VF that the primary fire hazard of interior and secondary composites used in aircraft cabin and fuselage components are the heat release rate and the toxicity of the gaseous combustion products from the burning polymer matrix.

Aircraft cabin occupants are exposed to this hazard even during an impact-survivable accident. No doubt, the incineration of external structural aircraft components results in hazardous conditions for fire, rescue personnel and investigation and recovery teams in the immediate post crash situation.

Things such as release of a mixture of gaseous, particulate, and fibrous combustion products of unknown composition poses unique protection problems due to lack of proper understanding of the hazards related to composite materials.

The short and long term health effects from combustion of organic materials become airborne during the burning of structural applications in fibre-reinforced polymer composites in commercial transport aircraft structures is another hazard on which information is required.

In the wake of the Dana airline disaster, adoption of conservative protection measures in absence of detailed knowledge of the health effects of carbon fibers released in aircraft fires is desperately desired.

Culled from The Vanguard Newspapers.

xoxo

Simply Cheska...