Demi fights back... and wants Moore money: Actress seeks spousal support from Ashton Kutcher in $285m divorce battle ...

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Demi Moore is seeking spousal support and money for legal fees from estranged husband Ashton Kutcher in their divorce battle, it emerged on Thursday.

The news comes more than a year after the pair split and three months after Kutcher filed papers to legally sever their six-year marriage.

Moore finally responded on Thursday by lodging her own application at the Los Angeles Superior Court.

Moore cites 'irreconcilable differences' as the reason for the split, stating the date of marriage as September 24th, 2005 and the date of separation as November 17 , 2011 - two months after Kutcher's alleged one-night stand with party girl Sara Leal.

While the couple have no children together, the financial stakes are high.

Costly split: Demi Moore is seeking spousal support from Ashton Kutcher in their divorce battle after lodging an application at the Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday
The pair are jointly worth a reputed $285m and in the last year alone Kutcher earned $24m from the CBS show Two And A Half Men.

On Wednesday it was reported how talks between the couple have broken down over money.

The pair could now be facing a courtroom showdown to resolve their differences.
Kutcher, 35, is said to have become ‘hostile’ whilst Moore, 50, has supposedly ‘had enough’ of his refusal to budge.

The couple split in 2011 after six years together and since then there has been much speculation about why they have not formally divorced.

Rebuttal: Moore filed her own divorce application, three months after Kutcher started the severance process

A source told the New York Post that money could well be the issue - Kutcher is the highest paid actor in US TV.
His personal fortune is estimated at $135 whilst Moore’s is thought to be around $150m thanks to her hit films in the 1980s and 90s.

A source told the New York Post: ‘Ashton made a lot of money after marrying Demi - a lot more than she made - but despite him becoming just as famous through her, he believes he doesn’t owe her that much.

‘Ashton has been very difficult during the talks. You could even say he has been hostile. ‘After over a year of attempting to reach a settlement, Demi is definitely ready to move on. It’s hoped lawyers for both sides can reach a settlement this spring, otherwise the divorce will go into litigation and trial.’

Muslims protest punishment of pupils for wearing hijab -

Muslims protest punishment of pupils for wearing hijab

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Muslim Students under the aegis of Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit, on Thursday protested the punishment of two pupils in Lagos by their principals.

The principal of Kadara Junior Grammar School, Ebute Meta, Mrs. E.C Ukpaka, allegedly flogged Aisha Alabi because she wore hijab, a head scarf worn by female Muslims, on the school premises.

Mafoluku Senior Grammar School principal, Elizabeth Omidele, was accused of harassing Barira by telling her to pull off her hijab outside the school premises.

The protesters, who turned the office of the Lagos State Governor into a praying centre, insisted on seeing Goveror Babatunde Fashola before they would end the protest.

When our correspondent left the scene of the protest at about 2.45pm, the protest was still on.

Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Religious Matters, Alhaji Abdul-Hakeem Kosoko, had earlier assured the protesters that government would attend to the matters judiciously.

He said, “The governor is not around. He is not in the state. If he is around, he would have attended to you on the matters. Our governor is a friendly person and does not want crisis in the state.”

The group’s secretary, Shuaib Okuneye, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, complained that the pupils were deprived of their rights.

He said, “Ironically, these principals have no problems with other female students wearing mini-skirt and mini-gowns as school uniform.”

Culled from The Punch Nigeria...

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Simply Cheska...

 

Pope Benedict promises obedience to successor...

Pope Benedict XVI

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Pope Benedict XVI promised his “unconditional reverence and obedience” to his successor in his final words to his cardinals Thursday, a poignant farewell before he becomes the first pope in 600 years to resign.

The pontiff appeared to be trying to defuse concerns about possible conflicts arising from the peculiar situation of having a reigning pope and a retired one.

Delivering an unexpected speech, Benedict also urged the “princes” of the church to set aside their differences as they elect the next pope, urging them to be unified so that the College of Cardinals works “like an orchestra” where “agreement and harmony” can be reached despite diversity.

He said he would pray for the cardinals in coming days as they choose his successor.

“Among you is also the future pope, whom I promise my unconditional reverence and obedience,” Benedict said in his final audience.

Benedict’s decision to live at the Vatican in retirement, be called “emeritus pope” and “Your Holiness” and to wear the white cassock associated with the papacy has deepened concerns about the shadow he will cast over the next papacy.

Cultists kill musician at LASU

Damilola Olaniyan

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Some suspected cult members operating on a motorcycle allegedly shot and killed a student of the Lagos State University while the latter was leaving the school through the Iba Gate on Thursday.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the deceased, Damilola Olaniyan, was an upcoming Hip Hop artiste who went by the pseudonym Damino Damoche.

According to reports, Olaniyan, a student of Banking and Finance, was killed after writing a test at Faculty of Management Science.

A student of the institution, who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said the deceased had a misunderstanding with some members of a cult group over an undisclosed issue.

The source added that after shooting the deceased, the attackers also stabbed him repeatedly.

He said Olaniyan, a native of Ogun State, was popular on campus having produced songs with DJ Zeez and Konga in the past which had received considerable airplay.

He said, “The incident happened around 4pm when Damoche (Olaniyan) was leaving school. Some guys wielding guns and machetes on a bike started shooting at him and even after he fell to the ground, they stabbed him repeatedly before fleeing.

“At this point, everyone took cover for fear of being hit, but it was obvious that Damoche was the target.”

Asked if the deceased was a cult member, the source said it could not be ascertained immediately saying, “It is very hard to identify a cult member but Damoche was very popular, sociable and was always at every social gathering involving students.”

Nigeria loses N8tn to illegal gold miners....

Nigeria loses N8tn to illegal gold miners...

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The country lost $50bn (N8tn) in the last two years to neighbouring countries as a result of illegal mining and exportation of unprocessed gold.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Linus Awute, said this on Wednesday during an interview on the sidelines of the Nigerian-Brazil Investment Forum in Abuja.

He described the loss as monumental, adding that the activities of illegal gold miners were far beyond control. Awute, however, added that the Federal Government had put in place mechanism to address the problem.

He said, “What the country loses to illegal mining is tremendous; but the truth is that the amount of gold that left this country because of the illegal mining activities was more than $50bn in the last two years.

“The amount of unprocessed gold that has left this country through the neighbouring countries, Ghana in particular, and being processed in Ashanti, is enormous.”

Awute, however, said the Federal Government had begun the process of formalising the operations of illegal miners in the country, adding that such a move would help to generate revenue in the form of royalties to the government.

Whitney Houston's ex-husband Bobby Brown 'sentenced to 55 days in jail following THIRD drink driving arrest' ...

Mugshot: Brown posed for a mugshot after being arrested for DUI back in March 2012 

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Bobby Brown is reportedly heading to jail.

The ex-husband of the late Whitney Houston was sentenced to 55 days in prison on Tuesday, according to TMZ.

The 44-year-old was handed down the jail term after being arrested for drink driving for the third time back in October last year.

As well as prison time, Brown was given four years probation and ordered to complete an 18-month alcohol program.

Brown is required to turn himself into the jail facility by March 20 of this year.

In the interim he must attend three Alcoholic Anonymous meetings a week.

Brown pleaded no contest to the charges in court on Tuesday.

Following his arrest last year, Brown denied multiple DUI charges after being pulled over at around 1 a.m. on October 24, 2012 when police believed he was driving erratically in the Tarzana area of Los Angeles.

After the arrest, the Don't Be Cruel star pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol.

The singer maintained his innocence at a Los Angeles court, despite the fact it was the third time he was charged with DUI.

Officers subsequently discovered he was behind the wheel without the dashboard breathalyser he was previously ordered by a court to carry around with him.

Brown was charged with driving under the influence with a refusal to submit to a chemical test, driving with a suspended license due to a conviction of an alcohol offence, and driving a vehicle without an ignition interlock device.

The last two counts are the result of another DUI arrest back in March in the San Fernando Valley.At the time, Brown received three years' probation and did a spell in rehab after pleading no contest in that case.

Jail time: Bobby Brown has been sentenced to 55 days in jail following his third drink driving arrest...

Culled from The Daily Mail UK...

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Simply Cheska...

UPDATE: Was Oscar Pistorius' girlfriend PREGNANT? 'Blade runner' hit with new claim that 'sent him over the edge' before she was shot dead..

Pregnant? A new report claims that Reeva Steenkamp, pictured left with Oscar Pistorius, had been murdered after revealing that she was pregnant...

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A bombshell new report has claimed that Oscar Pistorius may have shot his girlfriend dead after learning that she was pregnant with his child.

If true, the revelation would be the latest in a string of twists since the death of model Reeva Steenkamp at Pistorius' home on Valentine's Day.

Pistorius claims he killed Steenkamp accidentally, opening fire after mistaking her for an intruder in his bathroom.

Memorial: Oscar Pistorius is at his uncle's home after being granted bail following his hearing and is planning to hold a memorial for his dead girlfriend

But prosecutors say he intentionally shot her in cold blood after the couple had an argument.

The National Enquirer reported on Monday that the argument was sparked by the news that Pistorius was about to become a father.

A source close to investigation told the supermarket tabloid: 'Police believe the preg­nancy secret she revealed is what sent Pistorius over the edge and left her dead, with bullet wounds to the head, chest, pelvis and hand.'

The source added: 'Later that night, neighbors complained of shouting and fighting coming from the house. 

'Police were called to investigate  but it appeared to be just another lover’s spat, so nothing was done except to ask them to quiet down.'

No warning: Steenkamp is pictured outside Pistorius' home in her car hours before she was murdered

An autopsy on Steenkamp's remains would prove whether she was carrying a child or not, but police have said that the results of her post-mortem would not be revealed.

It's the latest lurid claim to hit the case, which has seen numerous sensational allegations in the wake of Steenkamp's death. However, it remains unconfirmed in South Africa.

Pistorius, who had both of his legs amputated below the knee when he was just 11 months old, competed on a set of prosthetic blades, earning him the nickname 'blade runner.'

He has competed as a sprinter in each of the Paralympic Summer Games since 2004 until running alongside able-bodied athletes in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

But his days as a runner will be numbered if he's found guilty of Steenkamp's murder.

His family said on Tuesday that the runner held a private memorial service for Steenkamp at his Uncle Arnold's home in Pretoria, where he has been staying since he was freed on bail.

In mourning: Friends and family arrived to pay their respects at Arnold Pistorius house in Pretoria, South Africa, where Oscar has been since he was released on bail, as a memorial service was held for Reeva Steenkamp

Arrivals: The South African Paralympic athlete, 26, who denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp, 29, has been free on bail since last Friday. Friends and relatives were pictured arriving at his uncle's home in Pretoria last night

The runner's family has asked for privacy but confirmation of the memorial service came after a leak in the media, Sky News reported today.

A statement by Pistorius' representatives said: 'This statement is released in response to a leak to the media regarding a planned private memorial service for Reeva Steenkamp.

'Oscar Pistorius, will hold a private memorial service for Reeva Steenkamp at the house of his uncle, Arnold Pistorius, tonight.

Oscar Pistorius claims he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp dead by accident believing her to be an intruder at his home

'Oscar specifically requested the memorial service as he continues to grieve and remains in deep mourning for the loss of his partner Reeva.

'Since it is such a sensitive issue, Oscar has asked for a private service with people who share his loss, including his family members who knew and loved Reeva as one of their own.

'The Pistorius family would like to make a personal request to the media, to please respect their privacy at their home in Pretoria tonight.'

Also on Tuesday, it was revealed that Desmond Nair, chief magistrate of the Pretoria Magistrate's Court who presided over the bail hearing, is in mourning after it is believed one of his relatives killed herself and her children.

The bodies of a woman and her two sons were found on Sunday evening at their Johannesburg home by her ex-husband, police warrant officer Balan Muthan said.

Authorities suspect the woman administered a substance that killed her children, and took her own life by ingesting it as well. 

'I can confirm the deceased is my first cousin,' Nair said.

The woman's brother, Vishal Maharaj, identified her as Anusha Maharaj. Police said Maharaj was her family name before she married. South African media identified her as Anusha Mooljee.

Muthan said police suspect 'she took her own life by ingesting a substance that killed her,' and that she 'most probably' gave the same substance to her children.

Autopsies were conducted on Monday and toxicologists were analyzing the substance believed to have killed the three family members.

Suicide notes were found and a murder investigation was underway, Muthan said. He said copies of the notes were admitted as evidence in the probe and declined to comment on the contents.

Eyewitness News, a South African media outlet, said the boys who died were 12 and 17 years old and cited neighbor Claire Osment as saying she rushed outside after hearing screams coming from the townhouse where they lived.

Pistorius is staying at the home of his uncle Arnold, right, while he is on bail and planning to hold the memorial there. Arnold is pictured here comforting his niece Aimee

Pretoria chief magistrate Desmond Nair, who presided over the Pistorius bail hearing in Pretoria, South Africa, is in private mourning, reports said

'We asked what happened. The dad just said, "She has killed my boys." He was just crying,' Eyewitness News quoted her as saying.

'He couldn't believe it, he couldn't believe that his sons are gone.'

Nair, 44, has presided over a number of high-profile cases, including the 2008 conviction on fraud charges of Sydney Maree, a South African who took American citizenship and became a track star in the United States.

He also presided over a 2011 plea agreement in which rugby player Bees Roux received a five-year suspended prison sentence for the beating death of a policeman; and inquiries into alleged misconduct by magistrates around South Africa.

On Friday, Nair delivered a lengthy discourse on why he was granting bail to Pistorius, including an assertion that prosecutors had not argued persuasively that the Paralympian was a flight risk.

Nair criticized shortcomings in the state's investigation, but he also said aspects of Pistorius' account of what happened were not convincing.

Charged: Carl Pistorius, with sister Aimee, in court to see their brother Oscar granted bail after being charged with murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

The murder-suicide would be the the latest in a series of twists that have come along with the Pistorius trial.

Last week, the chief investigator in the case against Pistorius, Hilton Botha, was removed from the inquiry after it was revealed that attempted murder charges against him had been reinstated in early February.

The charges relate to a 2011 incident in which Botha and two other police officers allegedly fired on a minibus.

In another surprise, a lawyer for the Pistorius family said Sunday that Oscar's brother, Carl, faces a charge of unlawful, negligent killing for a 2008 road death. 

That charge had also been dropped and later reinstated.

Culled from The Daily Mail UK.

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Simply Cheska...