£3,000 visa bond: We will retaliate, FG warns British govt...

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru (L), British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Andrew Pocock...

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There were indications on Tuesday that the Federal Government would opt for a retaliatory measure if the United Kingdom went ahead to implement its proposed £3,000 visa bond.

Nigeria was said to have made this known during a private meeting between Foreign Affairs Minister, Olugbenga Ashiru, and British High Commissioner, Andrew Pocock, in Abuja.

The PUNCH had reported exclusively on Tuesday that the Federal Government summoned Pocock over the policy which it said was capable of harming the existing cordial relationship between the two countries.

Nigeria is one of the six countries whose nationals would be required to pay the £3,000 bond under a proposed policy that will take effect in November. The others are India, Bangledish, Ghana, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

It was gathered that Pocock admitted at the meeting with Ashiru that the UK planned to introduce the “financial bond as a way of tackling abuse in the immigration system”, but added, “No final decision has been made.”

Ashiru, who was said to have recalled the days when nationals of Commonwealth travelled freely to the UK and other member states, expressed displeasure over the policy which he described as not only “discriminatory but capable of undermining the spirit of the Commonwealth family.”

Why Obama won’t visit Nigeria – US...

President Barack Obama of US.

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The United States on Tuesday hinted on the reasons why President Barack Obama won’t visit Nigeria during his upcoming three-nation trip to Africa.

According to US officials, the ongoing insecurity appeared to be responsible for the exclusion of Nigeria in Obama’s second visit to the continent.

Obama is scheduled to visit Senegal, Tanzania and South Africa.

The US government said the trip would focus on trade and investment, democratic institution-building, young people, and enhancing economic growth.

American Deputy National Security Advisor, Ben Rhodes, made this clarifications at a briefing on Tuesday.

The briefing was addressed jointly with the Senior Director for African Affairs Grant Harris and Senior Director for Development and Democracy Gayle Smith, on Obama’s upcoming visit.

The text of the briefing was made available to journalists in Abuja by the Information Office of the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy.

Nelson Mandela is on life support and 'family has the option to switch off', claim South African sources...

Nelson Mandela is on life support, according to sources in South Africa...

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Nelson Mandela is on life support, according to a South African tribal chief.

In South Africa's Eastern Cape province, where Mandela grew up, a traditional leader said the time was near for Mandela, who is also known by his clan name, Madiba.

'I am of the view that if Madiba is no longer enjoying life, and is on life support systems, and is not appreciating what is happening around him, I think the good Lord should take the decision to put him out of his suffering,' said the tribal chief, Phathekile Holomisa.

'I did speak to two of his family members, and of course, they are in a lot of pain, and wish that a miracle might happen, that he recovers again, and he becomes his old self again,' he said.

'But at the same time they are aware there is a limit what miracles you can have.'

A South African newspaper has also reported the anti-Apartheid icon is on life support, citing numerous sources close to the family.

The Citizen newspaper says Mandela has a team of doctors supporting him at a Pretoria hospital.

One source was quoted as saying that Mr Mandela's family had the option to switch off the ventilator.

CNN also reported that the former president could no longer breathe unaided, quoting an official who 'had been briefed in detail on his condition'.

George Bizos, one of Mr Mandela's closest friends and his former lawyer, told The Daily Telegraph that they had never discussed his wishes towards the end of his life.

'We can only hope for the best, and that is what the doctors decide to do,' he said. 'I am sure that the members of the family are discussing the matter with the doctors but it should probably be primarily the doctors in consultation with the family if the situation is critical.'

Last night a leading clergyman visited Nelson Mandela's bedside to offer prayers for his 'peaceful, perfect end'.

Thabo Makgoba, the Archbishop of Cape Town, issued an emotional statement asking that the former president of South Africa, who is in a critical condition, be released from pain and suffering.

US ultimatum on ports security in Nigeria...

Murtala Muhammed Domestic Airport (MMA2), Lagos...

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DESPITE reforms that have cost taxpayers so much money, many things are still horribly wrong with port operations in Nigeria. Instead of improving, the situation has become so critical that early this month, the United States Coast Guard, through the US Consulate in Lagos, issued a 90-day ultimatum, warning “the Federal Government to improve on its ports security system or face the stoppage of sail of vessels to Nigeria.” 

The US body threatened to mobilize its international partners to boycott Nigerian ports if the situation did not change. This is a self-inflicted indictment of recent federal administrations, especially under the incumbent Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the National Assembly committees on Marine Transport, which have oversight functions on the ports.

Top officials of the Nigeria Ports Authority and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, the body that manages security at the nation’s six port complexes in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, Onne and Calabar, also share a hefty part of the blame for the decay, since they are negligent in their duties. Although Sambo Dasuki, the National Security Adviser, has waded into the issue by giving NIMASA 45 days “to tighten its security network within and around the nation’s seaports,” the measure is too little to address the massive security breach at the nation’s gateways to international trade. The NSA must do more than this tokenism.

£3,000 visa bond: FG summons British High Commissioner...

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru (L), British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Andrew Pocock...

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A diplomatic row seems to be brewing between Nigeria and the United Kingdom following a proposed policy by the British Government requiring Nigerian travelers to the UK to deposit £3,000 as bond in case they overstay their visa limits.

On Monday, the Federal Government summoned the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Andrew Pocock, over the development while the House of Representatives which flayed the policy, argued that it could have negative impact on the relationship between the two countries.

Nigeria, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Pakistan and India are listed by the UK as countries whose citizens are to deposit the £3,000 under the proposed policy that will take off in November.

A Home Office official said the six countries highlighted were those with “the most significant risk of abuse.”

About 2.2million people are granted visas to enter Britain every year.

Last year, 296,000 people from India were granted six-month visas, as were 101,000 from Nigeria; 53,000 from Pakistan; and 14,000 apiece from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

According to media reports, the Home Secretary Theresa May, said the administration of British Prime Minister, David Cameron, is serious about cutting immigration and abuses of the system.

The Sunday Times of London had reported that every visitor aged 18 and above granted a six-month visa would forfeit the £3,000 if they overstayed in Britain after the expiration of their visa .

Initially, the scheme will target hundreds of visitors, but the plan is to extend it to several thousands, according to the broadsheet’s front-page report.

Keshi blames wasteful strikers for Confederations Cup exit...

Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi...

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Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi says profligacy in front of goal was a big factor in his side’s exit from the Confederations Cup in Brazil.

The African champions finished next to bottom in their group after a 3-0 loss to Spain in their last game on Sunday.

Prior to the defeat, Nigeria beat Tahiti 6-1 and lost 2-1 to Uruguay.

“There’s so much anxiety in front of the goal-line when we get there. The good thing is we create chances, but we’re not finishing them,” said Keshi.

“That’s something we need to work on. Hopefully it’s going to come quickly.”

Man who lived with 10-STONE testicles for five years hopes to find love after surgery...

Wesley Warren Jr's operation to remove his ten-stone testicles has left him hopeful that he will find love one day...

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A man who had his ten-stone testicles removed says he is looking for love after getting his life back.

Wesley Warren Jr, 48, carried his swollen scrotum around for five years until four surgeons spent 13 hours removing the mass in April.

He had to wear a hooded top on his legs instead of trousers to accommodate his testicles, could not work, and struggled to walk or drive.

His penis was buried so deeply within his groin that he had to urinate on himself instead of going to the toilet normally and could not enjoy a fulfilling sex life.

Now, Mr Warren, from Las Vegas, says a romantic relationship could help him be happy again.

'I cannot express how ecstatic I’m feeling about the future,' he told the Sunday Mirror.

'And if some way somehow or another I can stumble upon love – any kind of love – I think I will finally be happy.

'I’m very thankful that I’ve been given my life back.'

Mr Warren could only sit down with a milk crate between his legs after his scrotum swelled up, and said he missed simple everyday activities, such as going to the supermarket and post office.

He had accidentally squashed his testicles getting out of bed, but antibiotics failed to make them return to their normal size.

Doctors diagnosed him with scrotal lymphoedema, a severe build-up of fluid.

The extremely rare condition is much more common in Africa and south-east Asia, where it is caused by parasites, than it is in the western world. 

Mr Warren was so desperate to escape the 'freak show' his life became that he considered auctioning his enormous testicle sac on eBay to raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for complicated surgery.

The 48-year-old bachelor from Las Vegas had his surgery two months ago and was filmed for a Channel 4 documentary...

He raised about $2,000 in donations after appearing on U.S. television, but social security officials stepped in and stopped his benefits.

The testicles were getting heavier by the day and Mr Warren's health was deteriorating and he feared he could die on the operating table.

Then Californian consultant Dr Joel Gelman offered to perform the procedure free of charge as long as Nevada's Medicaid system covered the cost of using a hospital theatre.

He boasted that he had never lost a patient or testicle in similar operations.

'There are a lot of shows about makeovers, but this is a real makeover,' said Dr Gelman, the head of the Center for Reconstructive Urology at the University of California.

'He's basically a new man.'

The operation, which saw 132.5lb of tissue cut away from Mr Warren's groin, was filmed for Channel 4's Bodyshock series and will be shown in Britain tomorrow night.

Pistorius 'has forgotten' code to unlock phone containing vital evidence in Reeva murder case...

Row: Prosecutors believe text messages on the Olympic sprinter's phone will prove the couple were having an argument on the night of the shooting...

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Oscar Pistorius has ‘forgotten’ the four-digit passcode needed to unlock a mobile phone he was using on the night he killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, The Mail on Sunday has learned.

Police have been forced to seek help from Apple in America to try to gain access to an iPhone 5 found on the floor of the bathroom in which the model was shot dead by Pistorius.

The 26-year-old South African athlete, known as ‘Blade Runner’ because of his distinctive prosthetic limbs, has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend, 29, and prosecutors believe his phone contains vital evidence.

The phone, along with three others, was found on the bathroom floor of his Pretoria home early on Valentine’s Day after Pistorius had shot and killed Reeva.

Lieutenant General Vineshkumar Moonoo, who is leading the investigation, said: ‘Pistorius is saying he can’t remember the code and we have been unable to access messages sent or received that night.

‘These could be crucial and Apple executives in America have made their technicians available to help us. 

‘I cannot say Pistorius’s memory failure is suspicious but the mobile phones were clearly in use up to the time of the killing.’ During the court hearing at which Pistorius was released on bail in March, prosecutor Gerrie Nel said examination of the mobile phones was vital. 

Mr Nel said detectives had found four mobile phones on the bathroom floor: two BlackBerries and two iPhones. 

Their position in the bathroom, close to the shower cubicle, could be evidence that the couple had a furious row during which Reeva had locked herself in.

Newborn baby boy is rescued ALIVE from drain under courtyard after 40 hours: Mother 'who could not afford abortion' is arrested by Spanish police...

Safe now: The baby in the arms of a rescue worker. The two-day-old, who still had his umbilical cord attached, was rescued from a drain in Spain after a 40-hour ordeal...

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A mother has been arrested for trying to kill her newborn by pushing him down a drain.

The two-day-old boy still had his umbilical cord attached when he was rescued from a shaft in a block of flats near Alicante.

The boy in a one metre-square manhole in a courtyard where drains from the surrounding buildings converged. 

It is thought the child, who was found wrapped in a plastic bag with a hole in it to let him breathe, could have been stuck there for up to 40 hours.

Survivor: The baby suffered a broken arm and other injuries but they are not thought to be life-threatening...

Firefighters and police had attended the flat in the working-class Alicante neighbourhood of Virgen del Carmen at 2am this morning after a neighbour called saying they thought there was a meowing cat stuck in the drain.

The baby, who weighs 4.6lb (2.1kg), is in a serious but not-life threatening condition with a broken arm and other injuries.

The 26-year-old mother, who has not been named, was escorted back to the flat yesterday afternoon by police for a scene-of-crime inspection. She has reportedly confessed to officers, saying she did not have enough money for an abortion.

In a statement the Ministry said the mother was under arrest and that an investigation was under way to try and discover whether she acted alone, or if a third party could have been involved.

'What really killed her was the bulimia': Amy Winehouse's brother says eating disorder caused death... not drug and alcohol abuse...

Cause: Amy Winehouse's brother Alex has revealed that he believes bulimia killed his sister...

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Amy Winehouse’s brother has said he believes his sister was killed by bulimia.

Alex Winehouse admits that while the drug and alcohol abuse would have eventually killed his sister, who died in July 2011, the eating disorder made her body weak and ‘more susceptible.’ 

Speaking to the Observer Magazine he said: ‘She would have died eventually, the way she was going, but what really killed her was the bulimia.’

Discussing the disorder, which she developed at just 17 years of age, he continued: ‘Had she not have had an eating disorder, she would have been physically stronger.

‘[Her friends] were all doing it. They stopped doing it, but Amy never really stopped. We all knew she was doing it but it's almost impossible [to tackle], especially if you're not talking about it.’

Alex, who expressed surprise in the interview that he discovered his sister had kept her school jumper, also revealed that the Amy Winehouse Foundation had recently donated money to an eating disorder charity.

Upset: Alex Winehouse admitted that he thought she would have died eventually without the eating disorder...

Speaking about the charity, which was set up in the singers name, and their decision to support Beat, he said: ‘We had to support eating disorder charities because no-one talks about it.

‘The situation in this country is that about five or six years ago there were around 10 to 15 eating disorder charities out there. Now there’s only three, one of which is exclusively for young men.

‘Beat was in real need of an online forum so that there’s always someone there to talk to. I just want to try to raise awareness of bulimia. It’s a real dark, dark issue.’

Nigerians to pay £3,000 to enter Britain...

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Britain is planning to force visitors from India, Pakistan, Nigeria and other countries whose nationals are deemed to pose a “high risk” of immigration abuse to provide a cash bond before they can enter the country, a report said Sunday.

The Sunday Times newspaper said that from November, a pilot scheme would target visitors from those three countries plus Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ghana.

Visitors aged 18 and over would be forced to hand over £3,000 ($4,600, 3,500 euros) from November for a six-month visit visa.

They will forfeit the money if they overstay in Britain after their visa has expired.

Initially the scheme will target hundreds of visitors, but the plan is to extend it to several thousand, according to the broadsheet’s front-page report.

The weekly paper said the move by Home Secretary Theresa May is designed to show that Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservative Party is serious about cutting immigration and abuses of the system.

The populist United Kingdom Independence Party has been encroaching on the Conservatives’ traditional core vote in recent months.

BREAKING NEWS: Nelson Mandela in 'critical condition' in hospital with lung infection, as South African president denies heart attack rumours...

South African authorities have announced that former president Nelson Mandela is in a 'critical condition'. He has been in hospital for two weeks for a recurring lung infection...

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Nelson Mandela is now in a 'critical condition', according to the South African president.

President Jacob Zuma and ANC Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Mr Mandela in hospital this evening.

They were briefed by Mr Mandela's medical team and told that the 94-year-old's condition had 'become critical over the past 24 hours', but denied media reports that he had suffered a heart attack.

Mr Zuma said in a statement: 'The doctors are doing everything possible to get his condition to improve and are ensuring that Madiba is well-looked after and is comfortable. He is in good hands.

'The doctors also dismissed the media reports that Madiba suffered cardiac arrest. There is no truth at all in that report.'

Mandela, who became South Africa's first black president after the end of apartheid in 1994, was hospitalized on June 8 for what the government said was a recurring lung infection. Previous statements have indicated that Mr Mandela’s health is improving.

Kanye West 'asks Kim Kardashian to marry him after she gives birth to their daughter North'...

Down the aisle again: Kanye West is said to have asked Kim Kardashian to marry him shortly after she gave birth to their daughter...

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Kanye West proposed to Kim Kardashian after she gave birth to their daughter North, it has been claimed. 

The 36-year-old rapper asked the reality star to marry him just days after the couple welcomed their first child, The Sun reports. 

The pair are said to be planning a September wedding in Paris.

While Kanye is said to have asked Kim to marry him without an engagement ring he is said to have spent £500,000 on a rare black diamond ring, as a gift to mark the birth of their child. 

A spokesperson for Kim was unavailable for comment on Sunday. 

Kim gave birth to her first child Saturday 15 June - a month ahead of her due date.

Mail Online exclusively revealed that the reality star had been admitted to hospital in Beverly Hills the night before.

Double honour for Jackie Appiah...

Jackie Appiah...

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A week after she received the Fascinating Africans Committed to Excellence (F.A.C.E) award in far away New York, USA for her contribution towards the growth of the entertainment industry in Africa, Ghanaian actress, Jackie Appiah is set to bag another award.

The actress who hit stardom after starring as Enyonam Blagogee in the TV series Things We Do for Love a few years back has been listed among 15 celebrities that will be honoured at the forthcoming Accra International Film Festival(AIFF). She will be honoured alongside Nigeria’s Genevieve Nnaji.

4 yrs after: Nigeria’s Michael Jackson blames self!...

Walko-Chilko...

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Less than a week to mark the fourth year exit of king of pop music, Michael Jackson who died on June 25, 2009, his Nigerian look-alike, Michael Eze popularly known as Walko-Chilko, has blamed no one but himself for his inability to get in touch with the “stage idol” while he lived.

Expressing regrets in a chat with Showtime during the week, Walko-Chilko said, “ The greatest mistake I have ever made in my life was my inability to meet Michael before his death. While he lived, people advised me to send my photograph to him, but I never took the advice seriously until after his death.”

Speaking further, Walko-Chilko revealed that when PMAN used him to welcome Marlon Jackson to the country a few years ago, the first question the latter asked was whether his brother knew his activities.

The Imo State-born pop singer who is returning to the spotlight with a new album, ‘Come Let’s Heal The World,’ described the late king of pop as “ the greatest entertainer that ever lived in the history of the world.”

We may drop out of school soon – Rolling Dollar’s children...

The Late "Rolling Dollar'' and his family...

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Though death has stopped the beat of highlife singer, Fatai Olagunju, popularly known as Rolling Dollar, his family wants his fans to keep the tempo going, writes GBENGA ADENIJI

The location was the Millennium Estate, Oko-Oba, Agege, Lagos residence of deceased highlife singer, Fatai Olagunju, otherwise called Rolling Dollar. His two wives, Zainab and Serifat, some of his children including Sikiru-who is the singer’s 50-year-old first son, wore a pensive mood as our correspondent walked into their home.

It was evident from their faces that they were yet to come to terms with the reality of the death of the 86-year-old songbird, Rolling Dollar, who breathed his last on June 12, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the acclaimed “fairest and freest” election in Nigeria. The musician shot to stardom a few years back via a successful album, Won Kere si Number Wa. But despite his fame, the family is worried about the education of his younger children.

One of the children, Jamiu, told our correspondent that he was still saddened by the death of his father, expressing uncertainty over his future. He explained that he and his other siblings would miss their father’s pieces of advice.

The young Olagunju regretted that his late father was unable to fulfil the promise he made to him concerning his education.

Jamiu stated, “Anytime he was around, he used to advise us on things we should do and the ones we should avoid. He promised me that he would make sure I studied up to university level. It is unfortunate that when my father was making the promise, he did not know that he would die this year.”

He added that when the news of his father’s death was broken to him, the first thing he remembered was the promise he made to him, regarding his university education.

“When I was told about his death, I remembered what he promised me. I also thought about my education. It is my desire to be a singer like my father but I want to go to school first. To honour my father, I will take to music someday. He became popular as a highlife singer but I want to be a hip-hop artiste,” he added.