Gunman opens fire outside Empire State Building, is shot by police

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A gunman opened fire Friday morning outside the Empire State Building in New York, and as many as 10 people were shot, one of them fatally, before the assailant was killed by police, news services reported.

Law enforcement sources in Washington said the shooting appeared to have no connection to terrorism. They confirmed that police killed the gunman and said that seven to eight people were wounded. Officials were trying to sort out the numbers, and FBI agents were on the scene, the sources said.

CNN initially reported that five people were hit and that police, who were nearby, fatally shot the gunman. The network later quoted New York’s Office of Emergency Management as saying 10 people were shot and that two, including the gunman, were dead.

The New York Post said a total of 10 people were shot and that one of the two fatalities was a woman described as an innocent bystander who died of her wounds.

The Post said the shooting stemmed from a dispute between co-workers. The paper’s Web site said it was unclear what sparked the deadly argument.

A New York Fire Department spokesman said a call about the shooting was received shortly after 9 a.m. and that emergency units arrived within minutes at the scene at 34th Street and Fifth Avenue.

After the shooting, the body of the gunman lay on the sidewalk under a white sheet outside the Empire State Building, a major tourist attraction that attracts long lines of visitors during the height of the summer tourist season. Police cordoned off the building and pushed a large crowd of tourists back half a block.

CNN quoted witnesses as saying the incident apparently started when a man chased another man and pulled out a weapon, described as looking like a sawed-off shotgun, and opened fire. An unarmed security guard in charge of elevators inside the Empire State Building then ran out and pursued the gunman while calling for help, CNN said.

Police quickly joined the chase and shot the gunman three times, CNN reported, quoting witnesses.

Culled from The Washington Post.

xoxo

Simply Cheska...

Banned for life! Disgraced Lance Armstrong to be STRIPPED of seven Tour de France titles as he stops fighting doping charges...

Done: Lance Armstrong's decision was viewed as an admission of guilt by the US Anti-Doping Agency.

Hello Friends!

My Thoughts: We must count the cost/consequences of every of our actions...A good name, is better than riches/fame...The former brings pride to posterity while the latter, most of the time doesn't...

American anti-doping officials plan to strip Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles and impose a lifelong ban from cycling -- the sport that made him an American hero and a sports icon, it was revealed on Thursday. 

The announcement from the US Anti-Doping Agency effectively destroys his legacy as one of the greatest cyclists in history and rubs a black smudge on a story that inspired millions of fans, drawn to his story of returning to glory after recovering from horrific cancer.

The USADA acted within an hour of Armstrong's announcement that he would stop fighting charges that he used blood doping to illegitimately enhance his performance.

Despite the action, Armstrong maintains his innocence and called the USADA's case a 'witch hunt.'

Scroll down for Armstrong's full statement

Banned: Armstrong can no longer race in a sport that he made famous. Millions of Americans were drawn to cycling because of Armstrong's dominance.

The battle over his Tour de France wins is likely not over. USADA chief executive Travis Tygart said the agency has the authority to remove the titles from the 40-year-old athlete -- and would act promptly to do so. Armstrong says only the International Cycling Union, which oversees the Tour de France, has that power.

'USADA cannot assert control of a professional international sport and attempt to strip my seven Tour de France titles,' he said in a statement. 'I know who won those seven Tours, my teammates know who won those seven Tours, and everyone I competed against knows who won those seven Tours.'

USADA maintains that Armstrong has used banned substances as far back as 1996, including the blood-booster EPO and steroids as well as blood transfusions -- all to boost his performance.

'It is a sad day for all of us who love sport and athletes,' Mr Tygart said. 'It's a heartbreaking example of win at all costs overtaking the fair and safe option. There's no success in cheating to win.'

Armstrong, who retired last year, declined to enter arbitration -- his last option -- because he said he was weary of fighting accusations that have dogged him for years. He has consistently pointed to the hundreds of drug tests that he has passed as proof he was clean.

Comeback: Armstrong was given a 40 percent chance of survival after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

'Innocent': Armstrong still claims he did not use performance enhancing drugs and says the charges against him are 'unconstitutional'.

'There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, "Enough is enough." For me, that time is now,' Armstrong said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. He called the USADA investigation an 'unconstitutional witch hunt.'

'I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999,' he said. 'The toll this has taken on my family and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today -- finished with this nonsense.'

Armstrong's disgrace on Thursday marks the dizzying fall of an athlete who was regarded as a hero by millions because of his remarkable recovery from testicular cancer. 

His foundation has raised some $500million through the sale of iconic 'Livestrong' bracelets, which were seemingly ubiquitous during Armstrong's heyday.

TONTO DIKEH REVEALS HOW TB JOSHUA’S PRAYERS ENDED HER 14 YEAR SMOKING ADDICTION

Prophet T.B. Joshua

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Popular Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh has sensationally revealed that the sudden end to her smoking addiction came through the prayers of Pastor T.B. Joshua via his Christian station Emmanuel TV.

Dikeh, who rose to fame after becoming the runner up in the Nigerian reality show, ‘The Next Movie Star’ in 2006, had garnered a controversial reputation in Nollywood for being a heavy smoker. According to Dikeh, she started chain-smoking at the age of 13 and there seemed no signs of the habit waning. When questioned about her smoking in an interview with Nigeria’s Nation Newspaper early last year, the Rivers State born star said, “If I want to smoke, I handle a stick of cigarette and I smoke it hard. It is my life I can decide to smoke myself to hell. It’s nobody’s business.”

Tonto Dikeh

The habit recently led to a serious clash between her and Ghanaian actor Van Vicker when he bitterly complained at her smoking on set, culminating in a heavy exchange of words. When probed in September 2011 about the health implications of her habit, the care-free actress retorted, “My smoking habit doesn’t affect your life in anyway. If I die tomorrow, you’re not going to bury me. My father has the money to bury me. So, why are they talking about it?” 

However, there was a sudden twist in the tale in May 2012 when, seemingly out of the blue, Tonto tweeted to her over 80,000 followers on Twitter, ‘I’ve good news for those who wish me well. Its silly good news but ya’ll going to love this. I quit smoking!’ Although the announcement was met with almost unanimous approval from her fans, speculation was rife as to what caused her sudden decision, many doubting whether it would actually last. But in an online article published this week, the sultry actress shed light on the spiritual element to her quitting in an interview with Nigerian entertainment magazine, ‘E24-7’. 

Prezzo Dumps Wife For Goldie? Plans Wedding With Her Soon

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My Thoughts: I guess Goldie would be elated to see and talk more with Prezzo right? But be careful girl...A guy that would treat you like "trash", in public for the sake of money, is not worth the trouble....Believe me...Think twice Girl.

It was like wonders, at The Place, Ikeja, Lagos venue of the press conference for Prezzo when he visited Nigeria and had chat with some journalists in Lagos. 

During the question and answer time, the Kenyan rapper disclosed that he was in Nigeria for a serious and unfinished business, which is proposing to Goldie to marry him. With this, he and his BBA Stargame lover, Goldie, would finish what they started in the Big Brother House in South Africa.

When asked why he was in Nigeria, his response was, "My mission here is to look for Goldie. I have not spoken to her since the show ended. I came here for Goldie. In all honesty, I care about her and she cares about me. With God on my side, I pray everything works out well."

Commenting on his marriage with his Kenyan wife who he has a daughter with, the ONE Campaign ambassador said, "I was married before, but now, we are separated. I had a baby girl with her and that is not the end of the world. Our divorce is in process, my babymama has the divorce papers with her. 

"We have been living separately for the past three years. There is no relationship between us any more. I will tell Goldie that I have been thinking about her since I left the BBA house. I will marry Goldie, you will get the invitation soon." 

As at press time, there has not been any response yet from Goldie. Goldie and Prezzo developed an on and off love affair as contestants at the just concluded Big Brother Africa Stargame show.

Culled from NigeriaFilms.

xoxo
Simply Cheska...

Indicted marketers making subsidy refunds –Govt

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SOME of the indicted oil marketers had started making refunds of fuel subsidy payment they got in error, the National Economic Council said on Thursday.

At a post-Council meeting press briefing in Abuja, the Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, said a report submitted to members by Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, indicated that some of the indicted marketers had started paying back to the coffers of the Federal Government sums that were wrongly paid to them.

The council presided over by Vice-President Namadi Sambo has all state governors, the Central Bank Governor, and the ministers of Finance, National Planning and Federal Capital Territory as members.Obi was joined at the briefing by Governors Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State; Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State; and Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State as well as the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman.

Obi however refused to disclose the names of the marketers that had already made the refunds and the amount they reportedly refunded.

Obi said, “From the report we got today, some (indicted oil marketers) have started refunding. It is a serious case that people were paid for vessels that were not anywhere near the Nigerian waters.

“I think when the Federal Government does a thing that is courageous and right, it should be encouraged and that can at least give them the courage to do more.

“We support the Federal Government in its effort to clean up the entire value chain and process of petroleum industry it has our full support. The Council commends the Federal Government on its present stand on the prosecution of those who were wrongly paid subsidy money and on the need for them to refund it fully.”

Cynthia was hardworking, decent –Best friend

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Cynthia Osokogu, the 24-year-old girl who was allegedly murderered by her BBM friends in FESTAC, Lagos, has been described by her best friend, Aishatu Ella, as hardworking.

In a comment posted on the internet, Ella said Cynthia was not a wayward youth as some members of the public tried to paint her on social media and in some publications.

Her comment read in part, “In the last few days, I have had my heart torn, stripped and broken in pieces first by the disappearance and death of my dearest friend and secondly by the wickedness exhibited by some Nigerians, passing judgment on someone they never knew or met.

“When she was officially declared missing, we put up a number online so people with information can call and help out. Of over 500 calls we received in three days, only two of those calls were from people who actually helped with information. One was my dear friend, Nuhu Kwajafa. The other was the Area Commander, who called to inform us of the arrest of the suspects.

“Others were heartbreaking to say the least. I wondered how her mother would have coped if she had to deal with silliness, pettiness and undeserved hate from strangers, who just took one look at a lady and decided to judge her based on her looks.

“When the sad news of her death broke, I made a comment and said I hope ‘all those who have insisted she was with a man would have their answer now and let her rest in peace’. How wrong I was! They would only go back and manufacture a more hurtful and painful story and pass it around as facts.“I have no comments for such people; I just want to share with you the real Cynthia we knew and not the one created in the last few days.

The beginning

“Cynthia was born on November 10, 1987 to Gen Frank and Joy – Rita Osokogu. Udoka, as her mother named her, was a uniting factor in her family as a baby. Her mother had three boys before her. She was the last baby and only girl.

“Her parents settled in Jos where we were and still neighbours. We became friends because in those days, there were only few houses in the area.

Cynthia the model and businesswoman

“At 13 years, she was taller than me. She was of the same height with her brothers; she was a tomboy all the way, determined, stubborn and focused. As she grew, her mum and I playfully suggested she should try modelling because of her structure, Cynthia took it seriously; though her major focus was education, she gave modeling a shot and did quiet well as a model.

“In 2007, she got her first major run way job and I will never forget the day. She called me from Lagos after she had been paid; she said she wouldn’t want to waste the money and would buy clothes and bring to school to sell. The first batch of the clothes never made it to Keffi as industrious Cynthia who stayed with her brother at Airforce Quarters in Lagos, sold the clothes to her brother, his colleagues and their friends. She told me she made three times her capital and immediately re-invested it by buying more stock. She came to Keffi and rented a shop. That was the birth of her baby known as ‘dresscode’.

“I remember I bought her forms to one of the national competitions some years ago, she passed the screening stages and called me one day to say she was asked to compromise to get through the next round. I told her to withdraw and she did. That was in 2011. She never entered any major pageant after that.

Cynthia the sister and daughter

“Cynthia was like the baby sister I did not have. She was my confidant, stylist and a great comfort. We shared a lot, tears and smiles. She was always at my service.

“She was greatly involved in charity. Anytime I sent a text or post a picture of someone needing medical support, I could count on Cynthia as one of the first respondents.

“To her mother, Cynthia was her heart. Several times I would ask Cynthia not to go to Jos because of its volatility and she will reply saying, ‘ Mumsy is alone at home’.

“When it was time to serve, Cynthia opted for to crisis-ridden Jos in order to be close to her mother.“At age 24, Cynthia had a successful business, and was running a post-graduate programme in Public Administration. She earned every kobo she had by hard work.

“The security situation in our country now is horrible; people are kidnapped, robbed and killed every day. Why is it so hard to believe that a young girl was killed while going to pursue her legitimate business?

“Her crime is being, young, pretty and a businesswoman. People should have the decency to let us mourn in peace.”

Culled from The Punch Nigeria.

xoxo

Simply Cheska....

Two former victims identify alleged killers of General’s daughter

Hello Friends!

My Thoughts: ...Everyday for the thief, one day for the owner of the house...I just wish these evil men, reaped all the evil they have sown sooner. Cynthia would have still been alive...I guess...

Two women have reported to the Area E Police Command, FESTAC, Lagos claiming that they were also drugged and raped by the suspects arrested over the death of Cynthia, the daughter of Maj.-Gen. Frank Osokogu (retd.).

It was learnt that the two identified the suspects – Nwabuzo Okumo and Odera Ezekiel – and wrote statements at the command.

The suspects allegedly drugged and beat up Cynthia before she died on July 22, 2012. One of the suspects also confessed that he had drugged, raped and robbed four girls before Cynthia.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, confirmed to our correspondent on the telephone that the claims of the girls were being investigated.

“Following the parade on Wednesday, two girls came on Thursday and complained that they had fallen victim to the suspects in the past. We are investigating it, she said.

She, however, declined to give the name of the two ladies for “security purpose”.

The suspects had told PUNCH Metro that they usually used hotels within the FESTAC area to commit their crimes.

Okumo said, “I chose hotels in FESTAC because there are many hotels in the area.

“I don’t kill the girls, I only drug them, sleep with them and steal their belongings.”

It was learnt that due to their confession, the police had quizzed some employees of some of the hotels in the area for not reporting such crimes in the past.

It was learnt that the suspects would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, soon.

Culled from The Punch Nigeria.

xoxo

Simply Cheska...

Naira to change again

Hello Friends!

My Thoughts: It's about time these women stand in the same place our male heroes stood...They do deserve every bit of the recognition...However, I do hope this huge change, would not affect our economy in any way...

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Thursday announced a comprehensive review of the structure of the nation’s currency that would lead to the introduction of a N5,000 bill as the highest naira denomination next year.

The N5, N10 and N20 notes will also be converted to coins as part of the review.

The CBN Governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, who made the announcement while briefing journalists in Abuja, said the bank would, early next year, introduce the N5,000 note.

Sanusi said the new N5,000 note would have the portraits of three women who fought for the country’s independence.

They are Mrs. Margaret Ekpo, Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and Hajiya Gambo Sawaba. In addition, Sanusi said the back of the N5,000 note would have the picture of the National Assembly complex.

Born in Creek Town, Cross River State in 1914, Ekpo was a women’s rights activist, social mobiliser and pioneering female politician in the country’s First Republic. She led the women’s wing of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons in the move toward decolonisation. Ekpo died in 2006 and the Calabar airport is named after her.

Ransome-Kuti, born in Abeokuta in 1900, was the mother of the late Afro beat legend, Fela. Fela’s mother was an educator and activist. In 1949, she led a protest against the Native Authorities leading to the abdication of the throne by the then Alake of Egbaland. And joined by Ekpo, she led the protest against the killings of Enugu miners in the 1950s. She died in 1978 from injuries she sustained when soldiers who stormed Fela’s Kalakuta Republic threw her out from a second floor window of her son’s house.

Couple have sex on Brighton Beach in broad daylight... as nine men look on and take pictures...

'Horrible': Police who approached the party made two arrests before issuing on-the-spot fines.

Hello Friends!

This is the moment a couple appeared to be brazenly having sex in broad daylight on a beach in front of shocked parents and children.

Disgusted Simon Cummins said he and his friends were stunned as they heard the woman's sexual moans while walking along the promenade on Brighton beach.

Mr Cummins, 30, had been to a friend’s stag party the night before but was up at 9am to pick up his car to travel to a charity football match, which is when he saw the display.

Debauched display: Simon said several men approached the couple and one attempted to join in.

However, as the party passed the famous Brighton Pier, they say they first heard - and then saw - a blonde woman gyrating on top of a man on the beach.

Just yards from the sordid scene holidaymakers and children can be seen passing by. At one point a youngster points to the lewd goings on before his disgusted mother pulls him away.

The incident happened close to the pier on the public side of Brighton beach. It is near the more secluded nudist beach which is situated on the other side of the pier.

'It was like an orgy or the last days of Rome. It was a horrible sight to see.'

Simon Cummins, witness

Mr Cummins said at one point several men approached the couple and one attempted to join in.

Sussex Police said they did catch up with the couple and made two arrests before issuing on-the-spot fines.But Simon, from Waltham Abbey, Essex, said he the couple should have been locked up.

He said: 'It was broad daylight, the nearest families were 10 metres away if that, there were kids playing nearby. It was disgusting.'I have young nephews and nieces and if I had seen that kind of thing going on in front of them I would have had a word.

'The woman and the man didn’t look like they were druggies, or dishevelled, they looked like normal everyday people, except it looked like they were [having sex] on a beach in the middle of the day.

'It was like an orgy or the last days of Rome, it was a horrible sight to see. At one point a little boy pointed over at the couple and his mum had to haul him off in disgust.

'It’s not Ibiza at 3am in the morning, this was in broad daylight with families around and they just didn’t seem to care.'

Tourist attraction: Brighton beach, as it is usually seen, a popular destination with day-trippers.

Mr Cummins, who was with his friends Ben Stone and Richard Jones, said the reason the trio had noticed the couple copulating was because they heard the woman’s ‘screams’.

He added: 'Ben said "what’s that noise?". We thought there was someone in trouble but when we saw what was going on we realised she wasn’t screaming for help.

'As it went on things got even worse when a few blokes seem to turn up. It was disgraceful.

'When the police finally turned up I was shocked because it seemed to me they were almost scared about approaching the couple, and then they just gave them a fine. They should have been locked up.'A spokesman for Sussex Police confirmed officers attended the incident on Sunday.

She said: 'Police were called to Brighton beach, near West Street, on Sunday August 19 at 9am where it was reported a couple were believed to be having sex.

'Two people were arrested and given a fixed penalty notices.'

Culled from The Daily Mail UK.

xoxo

Simply Cheska...

Want to steal the Duchess of Cambridge's style? There's an app for that... New mobile phone style guide helps CopyKates dress like their royal idol...

Kate on an engagement at Dulwich Picture Gallery in London wearing an Orla Kiely dress, and right, the app will tell shoppers where they can buy the dress for themselves.

Hello Friends!

Have you ever wanted to emulate the Duchess of Cambridge's style? Well, now there's an app for that. Former actress Helen Barclay has given up a career under the stage lights to create the world's first mobile app that helps savvy shoppers create the Kate look. 

Admitting that she is 'absolutely obsessed' with Kate's iconic style, fashion fanatic Helen spotted a gap in the digital market while browsing the high street.

Stealing her style: Helen Barclay (wearing the same Next scarf the Duchess of Cambridge wore last week for the Olympics) created the Kate app after realizing there was no digital programme to help fans dress like the duchess.

Realizing that there was no existing app to help fans of the Duchess copy her sartorial magic, Helen developed her own programme to track and locate Kate's fashion finds.

Now, having sold thousands of the 69p app, Helen has given up her dreams of stage and screen to devote herself full-time to following Kate's clothing choices and keeping her users updated 24/7. 

Helen, 28, said: 'I love what I do now - I'm absolutely obsessed with Kate's style. Before I made the app, I kept seeing her in magazines and in newspapers and everywhere she popped up she always looked immaculate and dressed appropriately to the occasion.

The app lists stores that Kate frequents and features categorized items so that shoppers can search by item, and also allows to search outfits based on season.

I model my own style on Kate's, especially more so now, and I love her jean and jacket combos matched with little chiffon shirts which is the kind of thing I wear all the time. 

'I think more and more people are modelling themselves on Kate's style, especially now that she's become a fashion icon.'

Helen, from Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, graduated from Hull University with a degree in theatre studies in 2005 and began working in TV commercials and on the stage. 

But last year she decided to take a break from acting and came upon her idea for Kate's Style List, a handy pocket guide to imitating Kate's dress sense. 

Users of the app can click through to Kate's favourite designers, compile lists of their own favourite outfits, search by accessories and can even see where to find her most sought-after high street items - such as the £5 scarf from Next she wore during the Olympics. 

Helen said: 'I'd sort of promised myself that I would give acting a go until I was 30 and then take a step back and decide whether I wanted to carry on. 

'But when I took a break over Christmas last year I suddenly had the idea for the app while I was out shopping and I've not looked back.

Appy days: The app details all the outfits Kate has worn since her marriage to William last April

'A couple of friends helped me to develop it and did all the coding. Every day you can log on and read the latest news story about Kate, what she's been wearing and where to get it. 

'I spend a lot of my time trawling fashion websites and looking at the designers' shows online so I can identify her pieces. I also follow a lot of fashion writers on Twitter so I know what Kate will be wearing when she next appears. 

'I've managed to develop a real eye for it now as Kate does recycle things and wear them again and again. The great thing about her style is that she mixes high street with designer so you can find a lot of the things she wears in shops like Reiss and Zara, which is wear I buy most of my clothes.'

Helen said the app has been especially popular with Americans who cannot get enough of the former Miss Middleton.

Helen said: 'I'm not sure how many people have downloaded it but it's well into the thousands. Kate is always so elegant and so well dressed that people never get bored of her classic style.'

Culled from The Daily Mail UK.

xoxo

Simply Cheska...

'Absurd and not true': Kim Kardashian denies having threesome with porn stars at swingers' party...

Denial: Kim has denied taking part in a threesome when she was 20.

Hello Friends!

My Thoughts: This is crazy but who knows....With Kim's history? Anything is...However, I believe in CHANGE...This could also be a childish quest for cheap attention and publicity by Julian St. Jox...

Kim Kardashian's camp have refuted claims the reality star had a threesome with a male and female porn star 12 years ago.

Veteran porn actor Julian St. Jox says he shared a night of passion with the reality star when she was 20 years old back in September 2001 at a swingers' party.

And he claimed Kim, 31, also romped with his date of the evening - a female porn star called Emily Ann.

Kim is said to have arrived to the event on the arm of a black male, according to Star magazine.

At the time she was married to music producer Damon Thomas, although the publication says it is not clear if he was her date to the party. 

St Jox said: 'As soon as Kim walked in, everyone was looking. She wasn’t known at the time at all, not like today, but for everyone who frequented these parties, she was interesting because she was a new face.'

The porn star said his date - Emily Ann - took a liking to Kim and propositioned her.

After some dirty dancing, Kim and her date joined the two porn stars in a private room later in the evening, the magazine claims.

There, Kim apparently had sex with both St Jox and Ann, the publication reports.

Claims: Veteran porn actor Julian St. Jox says Kim had sex with him and a fellow female porn star.

'She knew what she was doing. She was very responsive to me', St. Jox recalled.

However a representative for Kim told MailOnline the report is 'absurd and not true'.

Kim rose to fame after a sex tape of her and then-boyfriend Ray-J - filmed in 2003 - was leaked online in 2007.

Culled from The Daily Mail UK.

xoxo

Simply Cheska...

KANYE WEST MOVES TO RECONCILE D’BANJ,DON JAZZY EXPOSED!…D’banj’s Connection

Hello Friends!

My Thoughts: Guess we should say "Bravo D'Banj?" This so called re conciliation, must also come from the hearts of these two people...No strings attached... We hope it works out well...

In a bid to get his former maverick producer back, D’Banj, we gathered, has asked Kanye West to talk to Don Jazzy. DB Records owner and pop artiste D’Banj is desperately trying to reconcile with his former Mo’ Hits partner Don Jazzy. A few months ago the rap superstar called Don Jazzy to try and get the two Mo’ Hits owners to forget the past and work again. 

Our source who is close to both D’Banj and Don Jazzy confirmed this to be true and says that D’Banj’s attempt to get Don Jazzy back has been going on for sometime. 
According to inside source, “Kanye West, believed to be at the center of the controversy that led to their fight is making efforts to reconcile them…Kanye West was not aware of the fight between D’Banj and Don Jazzy until three months ago and has been trying to get them together.”

We gathered from news from other media organizations that“while he was in the studio with D’Banj some weeks back working on the remix of “Scapegoat” Kanye West brought the topic up again and asked D’banj why Don Jazzy was not in the US with him working on the song?

D’Banj was said to have told him that they are still friends but work on different platforms now. Again, Kanye is not happy about the fact that his name was on the internet as one of the reasons the duo fell apart. He insists they get back together if he has to keep working him. He prompted D’Banj to once again try and make up with Don Jazzy.

“Recently D’Banj invited Kanye West to come to Nigeria for the video shoot of “Scape Goat” remix he did with him.He accepted but gave a strict condition that he will come only after he has reconciled with Don Jazzy who must also be in the video.”

According to informed sources, after several attempts by D’Banj, Don Jazzy agreed to appear in the video on a condition that he gets paid for his appearance. As it is now, to reconcile the duo, it will take divine intervention to have such formidable spirit back.


xoxo
Simply Cheska...

Robert Pattinson looks suave in shades as reports say he WILL 'walk red carpet with Kristen Stewart at final Twilight premiere' ...

Will they won't they? Robert is 'to walk the red carpet with Kristen Stewart at final Twilight premiere'.

Hello Friends!

My Thoughts: This is some really great news! This is a positive step to their reconciliation (I deeply hope). It's so clear K & P are connected and this should be maintained, in spite of the evil schemes of detractors...

It seemed more than a little improbable after she cheated on him with director Rupert Sanders.

Yet Robert Pattinson has reportedly confirmed that he will walk the red carpet at the final Twilight premiere with estranged girlfriend Kristen Stewart in November.

And the 26-year-old English hunk has allegedly put her well-being before his own feelings when he made his decision.

Moving on: Robert Pattinson looks suave in shades as he arrives for Jimmy Kimmel interview in Hollywood.

Mayhem: R-Patz was greeted by fans and flanked by security at the El Capitan Theatre.

A source told The Sun: 'He’s told movie bosses he’ll walk the red carpet to save her from embarrassment and any female fans booing her. 

'He is being professional and taking the higher moral ground.'

As reports surfaced that he is willing to let bygones be bygones for the sake of their professional career, R-Patz was seen arriving at Hollywood's El Captian Theatre today for a Jimmy Kimmel chat.Prior to his interview, he looked cool as a cucumber in his shades while flashing the peace sign.

Pattinson and his beloved K-Stew became superstars after their first appearance as vampire and human lovers Edward Cullen and Bella Swan in the smash hit romantic flick in 2008.

But Kristen, 22, has not met up with him since she was caught enjoying a passionate tryst with married Snow White And The Huntsman filmmaker Sanders last month.

Scarlet woman: Kristen cheated on Robert with married Snow White director Rupert Sanders.

And despite the chivalrous gesture, it appears Robert is still far from forgetting about his lover of the last four years and her transgressions.

For the actor has revealed he is desperate to keep himself busy with movie projects as he tries to recover from his heartbreak.

He made his feeling clear when he discussed his disappointment that The Rover has not started shooting yet, in which he plays a naive simpleton in a dystopian future, alongside Guy Pearce.

He told the Playlist: 'I really wish I could move The Rover up. I wish it was shooting this fall.

'I was supposed to be doing this movie this fall but that was pushed to after The Rover, which is a good thing because it needs a ton of work. 

'But I really wish I could move The Rover up. I’ve got to find something else to do.'

Nice sneakers! Jamie Foxx was also seen arriving for his Jimmy Kimmel interview.

Culled from The Daily Mail UK.

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Simply Cheska...

I’ve not anointed Lamido, Amaechi for 2015 –Obasanjo

Hello Friends!

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said he is not thinking of 2015 elections now.

He, therefore, said there was no iota of truth in the speculations that he was throwing up someone as presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

A statement by a Media Adviser, Mr. Garba Muhammad, said the former President was not throwing up the Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, as a presidential aspirant and the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, as his (Lamido) running mate as being speculated.

The statement read, “Former President Obasanjo wishes to state that these media reports are not true. Far from thinking or planning for the 2015 elections, the former President is deeply concerned with more pressing national issues.

“However, the former President does recognize the rights and privileges of any Nigerian to vie for any elective office of his or her choice.”

This, he said, applies to Lamido and Amaechi and other Nigerians.

He said at the end, the political party to which aspirants belong would determine who bears its flag. The former President, therefore, enjoined all Nigerians to be mindful of the present challenges facing the country and try to contribute their quota towards finding a lasting solution to them, rather than speculating on an election he said was still several years away.

Obasanjo also berated a former Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina, who he said criticised the efforts of his administration in fighting corruption.

In a recent interview with some newsmen, Adesina was reported to have described Obasanjo’s battle against corruption as deceitful.

The former governor specifically cited the issue of the contract for the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to support his claims.

But Obasanjo said it was sad that at his age, Adesina would make statements that he said could “ridicule him and make nonsense of his elderly status.”

He said, “It is self-evident that no government after former President Obasanjo had fought corruption with the same commitment as his administration.

“It is equally self-evident that the institutions for fighting corruption that the country relies on today were set up by the Obasanjo administration, likewise some of the individuals manning those institutions today were nurtured by the same Obasanjo administration that Adesina so mischievously described as ‘deceitful’.

“Adesina’s attribution of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway contract to the Obasanjo administration shows how puerile or perhaps how senile the former governor has become.

“The contract in question was not awarded by the Obasanjo administration. It was in fact awarded after Chief Obasanjo had left office.”

Culled from The Punch Nigeria.

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Simply Cheska...

Naked pictures of Harry viewed by millions online... then furious Palace acts to ban them in Britain...

Scandal: Prince Harry mingles with the ladies on his Las Vegas holiday when he was pictured cavorting naked with women in a hotel.

Hello Friends!

Minutes after naked images of Prince Harry appeared on an American website, they were available to millions of internet users around the world – including in Britain.

The two grainy pictures of the young royal cavorting with a naked woman in his Las Vegas hotel suite were published on the internet at around 12.30am British time – 4.30pm in California.

Yet despite the ease of finding them with a simple internet search, the photographs could not be used by British newspapers or television stations after St James’s Palace warned that the Royal Family regarded the pictures as a gross invasion of the prince’s privacy.

The pictures first appeared on TMZ - the second most popular entertainment news website in the US and has an audience of more than 18.5million on its own.

A Google search allows internet users to find just where to go to see the pictures that are 'banned' in the UK.

 

Surrounded by new-found friends, the Prince was free to act as he pleased - until photos of his fun were shared around the world.

But within hours, they were also being shared on dozens of other websites with a huge combined global reach.By last night, a Google search for ‘Prince Harry Naked’ produced 68,300,000 results. A search for ‘Prince Harry Naked Pictures’ generated 25,800,000 results.

In response to the blanket ban on their use in the British Press, Sir Christopher Meyer, who chaired the PCC regulatory body between 2003 and 2009 told The Times it was unclear whether the prince's privacy had in fact been breached.

'You could argue, "Sure it's a private place, it's his room", but if he invites a bunch of strangers to his room is his privacy already violated.'

But St James’s Palace stance on the issue has lead to some commentators to raise questions about the influence of the Leveson inquiry.Royal correspondent Robert Jobson, writing for CNN, said: 'Surely the British paying public has a right to know what their royal family is up to.

'But post-Leveson no editor seemed, initially at least, is prepared to risk the backlash.

'Amid all the media navel-gazing there seems to be a genuine fear that the press feels it is no longer drinking in "The Last Chance Saloon" but time has already been called.'

BANNED IN BRITAIN - BUT THE PICTURES CAN BE SEEN WORLDWIDE

The photos were first published by US site TMZ. But by yesterday evening dozens of websites were using them including:

Guido Fawkes - Order Order, Westminster gossip blog

CNN International

Huffington Post US

TIME

MSNBC (NBC news video)

JustJared.com

New York Daily News

The Atlantic

People.com

Power FM, Australia

Entertainment.ie, Ireland

CBC News, Canada

Hindustan times, India

National Turk, Turkey

Zee News, India

Like wildfire: How the story of Harry's naked photos broke and then swept across the globe online.

What happens in Vegas... doesn't stay in Vegas: The party-loving royal was enjoying himself - but it is unclear as to what sort of reaction he will face on his return home.

Meanwhile, a former News of the World executive editor said the decision by the British press not to publish the naked pictures of Prince Harry is a sign that the Leveson Inquiry has resulted in 'neutered newspapers',Neil Wallis said he would have published the photos before the inquiry into media ethics began.He said newspapers were now 'terrified of their own shadow' and would not print the pictures even though it was in the public interest.

Once Harry had returned to the UK, lawyers for his father Prince Charles issued threats of legal action. Meanwhile, the pictures continued to be available online, making a mockery of our privacy laws.Popular American blogs including Rickey.org and NYDailynews.com picked up on the story and published the pictures within an hour of them appearing on TMZ.

By 8am in the UK, the American television network NBC had a video report showing the photographs and they were featured on magazine website The People.

The pictures also soon appeared on the Toronto Sun website in Canada, the Hindustan Times in India and the Daily Life in Australia.

Italian and Spanish websites – including Hot Magazine – had published the pictures yesterday afternoon, and even in France, where privacy laws are strict, websites were displaying them.

Respected broadcasters such as CNN in the United States and Canada’s CBC news showed all or part of the pictures in broadcasts.And by late afternoon yesterday, the pictures had been published by America’s LA Times and TIME websites, the Huffington Post, Australia’s Ninemsm and Powerfm, the Vancouver Sun in Canada and Jezebel, a popular American celebrity news and gossip website which closely follows the US tabloids.

TMZ – the website which broke the news of Michael Jackson’s death – was even running a poll asking its viewers if Prince Harry was ‘awesome’ or ‘disgraceful’. More than 340,000 had voted, with almost two-thirds opting for ‘awesome’.

Pugh's take on the Harry saga.

Explaining himself? The young prince was on holiday after an exemplary performance as an Olympics ambassador before his wild break.

Oh no! Prince Harry pictured just an hour after the photos went online in what could be the moment of realization.

All of these websites can be easily viewed from within the UK, and many, such as the Huffington Post, TMZ and Jezebel, already have a loyal British audience.

Popular British political blogger Guido Fawkes also published the pictures with a boast about how newspapers were unable to do so.

And despite the efforts by the Royal Family to block publication of the pictures in the UK, they were printed in Northern Ireland after Ireland’s Evening Herald put one on their front page.

The paper is readily available north of the border. Meanwhile on Facebook, which has more than 900million global users, the pictures were featuring on the newsfeeds of millions of UK users as they were discussed and debated around the world.

And throughout yesterday the pictures were commented on and shared by millions of Twitter users meaning ‘Prince Harry’ was one of the ‘trends’, or most popular discussion topics, on the social network.Mr Wallis told BBC2’s Newsnight: 'The situation is fun, it’s a good, classic newspaper situation, the problem is in this post-Leveson era where newspapers are simply terrified of their own shadow, they daren’t do things that most of the country, if they saw it in the newspaper, would think ‘that’s a bit of a laugh’.

'There would be no harm done and they would not think any worse of either the paper or of Prince Harry.'The public interest defence was 'pretty straightforward', he added.

'He is third in line to the throne, he’s been on the world stage for week and weeks and weeks, he is supposedly surrounded by police security officers.'

The situation was 'fine if you were my 27-year-old son, but this is the third in line to the throne'.

Former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie told Newsnight it was a 'fantastic' story: 'Literally any journalist worth his salt, whether at one end of the market or the other, would have said ‘thank you God’.'It doesn’t affect Prince Harry at all, because in a way he is a 28-year-old (sic) Army officer, he is single and he is cavorting with ladies who wish to be cavorted with.

'So where are the issues? There are no issues except one: Leveson.'

But broadcaster and alleged victim of phone hacking Vanessa Feltz told the programme: 'If there is some kind of moral awakening then it’s about damn time because there are too many people whose lives have been played fast and loose with for nothing more than a bit of titillation over your Frosties.'

Culled from The Daily Mail UK.

xoxo

Simply Cheska...

Prince Harry Naked Pics Leak After Night of Wild Las Vegas Partying (PHOTOS)

Hello Friends!

My Thoughts: Sincerely? Is the moment's pleasure worth the stigma on the character of Prince Harry & the entire Royal family? Grow up dear Prince...Grow up!

Prince Harry is the latest celebrity embroiled in a nude photo scandal — and the completely naked pics appear to be authentic.

In pictures obtained by TMZ, the royal can be seen fully nude as he goofs around with an unidentified female.

PHOTOS BELOW

The shots were reportedly taken in a VIP suite at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas last weekend, where a game of strip pool apparently got quite wild.

In this photo, Prince Harry is cupping himself as his female pal hugs him from behind.

In another pic, their positions are reversed, with the 27-year-old hugging the woman from behind.

The Palace has yet to comment on the leak.

Culled from Gossip Cop.

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Simply Cheska...

We drugged, beat General’s daughter before her death – Suspects

The Suspects and Items Recovered From Them...

Hello Friends!

The suspects who allegedly killed Cytnhia Osokogu, daughter of Maj.-Gen. Frank Osokogu (retd.), on July 22, 2012, have admitted that they drugged and beat the 24-year-old girl before she died.The suspects – Nwabuzo Okumo and Odera Ezekiel – described the incident as a mistake. They claimed that they only wanted to rob her and flee from the hotel before things went awry.

Okumo, a 300-level Accounting student of the University of Lagos, said he met the deceased on BlackBerry Messenger and established a relationship with her before inviting her to Lagos.

He said, “We met through a group on BlackBerry Messenger. We had formed a kind of friendship online.

“When she told me that she was coming to Lagos to buy some goods for her boutique in Abuja, I invited her to Casmillo Hotel, Amuwo Odofin, where an incident led to her death. It was not planned that way. It was a big mistake.

“She arrived in Lagos from Abuja on Sunday, July 21 and I took her to the hotel. I gave her a pack of Ribena juice, which had been injected with a drug I use on women that makes them dizzy, weak and wipes their memory afterwards. I have used the drugs on four girls but it did not kill them.

“I stayed in the room with her for about 12 hours. We talked; I used a vibrator (sex toy) on her. I noticed that she did not drink all the juice and so the drug was not as effective as expected.

“I had no choice than to engage her in a struggle. I had to tie her so that she would not be able to follow me after robbing her.”

However, Ezekiel, a 400-level student of Accounting at the Anambra State University, said he was called by Okumo to help him tie up the girl. He said it was when Cynthia was struggling with them that they beat her up before chaining her.

He said he gave Okumo two packs of Ribena juice that were injected with 10 tablets of Refinol.

He said, “I didn’t know the victim. The morning it happened, he (Okumo), said I should come and help him bind the girl because he wanted to steal her belongings. In the process of binding her, she was struggling so we had to beat her up and it was in the process that she passed out. We used our hands in beating her; we did not use any weapon.

“She was still breathing as at the time I left the hotel.”

While parading the suspects, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Umar Manko, said the suspects specialise in luring young ladies and robbing them. He added that it was unclear if the boys killed their previous victims or not.

“The young lady was found dead and chained in a room in the hotel. Someone called the hotel reception and said, ‘Go and get the dead body of a bastard from your room’. When the lady was found, her identity could not be ascertained,” he said.

It was learnt that a yellow card belonging to the victim was found in the hotel room. From the card, he said the police called immigration authorities and got the passport number and details of the victim.

Manko said, “Her identity was not known but from the telephone number used in calling the hotel, we started our investigations until we got her passport number through the Immigration Service and were able to establish her identity.

“Through CCTV footage, we discovered that two young men entered into her room. We were able to trace the suspects through the phone number that called the hotel.”

Our correspondent learnt that the police initially arrested Ezekiel’s girlfriend. She aided them in apprehending Ezekiel who had run to Anambra State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Ezekiel then led the police to Okumo in FESTAC.

Manko said, “The boys are cousins and both are from Anambra State. We’ve been told that this is not their first time but we’ve not been able to able to establish if they always kill their victims. It’s a very long investigation and it’s still ongoing.

“The case is a lesson to people using social networks to be very careful. The suspects will be charged to court for murder.”

The CP however added that no employee of the hotel was involved in the crime.

The items recovered from the suspects are seven driving licences (three belonging to Ezekiel, four belonging to Okumo with different names); the deceased’s belongings, including her shoes(found in Okumo’s house); 17 mobile phones, two Diamond Bank rubber stamps, two syringes, a pack of Ribena, 22 SIM cards, a chain, 12 debit and credit cards.

Culled from The Punch Nigeria.

xoxo

Simply Cheska...

Another Miracle Baby Born In Lagos With 'Allah' Inscription

Hello Friends!

Months after a baby was born in Lagos with a Holy Quran in his hand, another miracle baby has again been born in Lagos. This time, the baby boy was born on Friday, August 17, 2012 at Alapere, Ketu, Lagos.

According to reports, the boy was born on the 29th day of Ramadan at Sekinah Hospital in Ketu. The birth was said to have been done through a caesarean section. Two days after his birth, the Arabic inscription of Allah was reportedly noticed on the left ear of the child by a family friend of his parents who came to visit them. 

The mother and child are said to be in good conditions.

Culled from NigeriaFilms.

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Simply Cheska...

Eight policemen arrested for illegal roadblocks, improper dressing...

Hello Friends!

Eight riot policemen were on Tuesday arrested in parts of Akwa Ibom and Cross River states for illegal roadblocks and improper dressing.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, had on assumption of office inaugurated a new Police Mobile Force to arrest and institute disciplinary measures against policemen found mounting illegal roadblocks.

A PMF team led by the Commander in charge of Ethics, Doctrine and Monitoring, Mr. Anietie Eyoh, arrested three errant policemen in Uyo and five in Calabar.

Two riot policemen, who abandoned their beat at the National Independent Power Plant to mount illegal checkpoint along the Calabar-Itu Expressway, were arrested while two others were picked up for improper dressing at the MOPOL 11 Command, and one outside in another part of Calabar.

Also, at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar, another riot policeman was arrested for violating the rules on escort of VIPs stipulating that the security personnel must not be less than two in number.The Commissioner of Police in charge of PMF, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Mbu Mbu, said suspects would undergo in-house trial and if found guilty shall be punished.

He said, “We have our departmental disciplinary procedure. The IG made a pronouncement that had to do with dress code, that they must be combat ready at all times. These are the things that we are now trying to enforce.

“We have forwarded the signals to all field commanders and have given them enough time so that the men would conform to the directive.”

Culled from The Punch Nigeria.

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Simply Cheska...

General’s missing daughter strangled by students –Source

Hello Friends!

Cynthia Osokogu, the only daughter of Major General Frank Osokogu (retd), who reportedly went missing on July 22, 2012, was strangled in a hotel by students in FESTAC, Lagos,PUNCH Metro has learnt.A senior police officer, who craved anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the case, said the deceased was drugged, bound hand and foot and then strangled by her assailants.

Osokogu, who was a postgraduate student in Nasarawa, came to Lagos to purchase goods for her boutique.The deceased was received at the Murtala Muhammed Airport by the students, who later took her to the hotel.The deceased’s family is based in Jos but she went to her friend’s place in Abuja, where she parked her car before leaving for Lagos.

But the police source said on getting to the hotel, the students used a powerful drug to paralyse her and robbed her of her valuables, including an undisclosed sum of money.The source said, “According to the confession obtained from two of the suspects, they met the deceased on the internet and lured her to Lagos to purchase goods at a cheaper rate.

“On getting to the airport in Lagos, the suspects took her to a hotel, drugged her, and bound her by hand and foot. They confessed to inflicting pains on her and strangling her before stealing her money, phone and identity card.“The suspects confessed that their modus operandi is to lure young females to Lagos for such purpose. They said they had done it before.”

Our source said when Osokogu’s corpse was discovered by employees of the hotel, the matter was reported to the police but because her phones and identity card had been stolen, there was no way the police could ascertain her identity so her corpse was moved to Isolo General Hospital.

Our source said there were indications that an employee of the unnamed hotel was complicit and had been arrested.He added that the pharmacist, who gave the rare drug which was used to paralyse the deceased, had been arrested as well and was suspected to be a member of the syndicate.The police source said the case was reported at the Area E command a few weeks ago but the police only began to make headway recently when they received CCTV footage of the suspects entering the room with the victim.

The source said the police embarked on an undercover operation which led them to Ogun State to arrest one of the suspects.“The last suspect was arrested at about 3am on Tuesday and we have almost completed investigations. However, only two of the suspects have confessed,” the source said.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, said she could not comment on the issue.She said, “The Commissioner of Police for the state Police command, Mr. Umar Manko, will hold a press briefing on Wednesday (today) on the issue.

“The girl was killed but all details will be disclosed during the briefing,” she said

Culled from The Punch Nigeria.

xoxo

Simply Cheska...