Stunning Map Reveals World's Earthquakes Since 1898

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  Photo By John Nelson, IDV Solutions - More than 100 years of earthquakes glow on a world map.

If you've ever wondered where — and why — earthquakes happen the most, look no further than a new map, which plots more than a century's worth of nearly every recorded earthquake strong enough to at least rattle the bookshelves.

The map shows earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater since 1898; each is marked in a lightning-bug hue that glows brighter with increasing magnitude.

The overall effect is both beautiful and arresting, revealing the silhouettes of Earth's tectonic boundaries in stark, luminous swarms of color.

The map's maker, John Nelson, the user experience and mapping manager for IDV Solutions, a data visualization company, said the project offered several surprises.

[Related: NZ due for major earthquake]

"First, I was surprised by the sheer amount of earthquakes that have been recorded," Nelson told OurAmazingPlanet. "It's almost like you could walk from Seattle to Wellington [New Zealand] if these things were floating in the ocean, and I wouldn't have expected that."

In all, 203,186 earthquakes are marked on the map, which is current through 2003. And it reveals the story of plate tectonics itself.

Earthquake makers

The long volcanic seams where Earth's crust is born appear as faint, snaking lines cutting through the world's oceans. The earthquakes along these so-called spreading centers tend to be rather mild. The best studied spreading center, called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, bisects the Atlantic Ocean, on the right side of the image.

Its Pacific counterpart wanders along the eastern edge of the Pacific Ocean, cutting a wide swath offshore of South America. Another spreading center makes a jog though the Indian Ocean and up through the Red Sea.

But one glance at the map shows that the real earthquake action is elsewhere. [7 Ways the Earth Changes in the Blink of an Eye]

Subduction zones, the places where tectonic plates overlap and one is forced to dive deep beneath the other and into the Earth's crushing interior — a process that generates the biggest earthquakes on the planet — stand out like a Vegas light show.

Nelson said this concept hit home particularly for the Ring of Fire, the vast line of subduction zones around the northern and western edge of the Pacific Ocean.

"I have a general sense of where it is, and a notion of plate tectonics, but when I first pulled the data in and started painting it in geographically, it was magnificent," Nelson said. "I was awestruck at how rigid those bands of earthquake activity really are."

That realization prompted one big decision about the map's design, Nelson said. Unlike many maps made in the United States, this one is centered over the Pacific Ocean. "That looked like where the magic was happening," Nelson said. California, a spot rattled by quakes where faults jolt horizontally, also shines brightly.

Teaching tool

There are undoubtedly many earthquakes missing, given the dramatic change in scope and accuracy of seismological instruments from 1898 to the present day. Nelson said he saw a huge jump in the volume of data from the 1960s forward. Yet even without the complete catalog of earthquakes, the map provides a striking visual reference — even though none of the data are new.

All the earthquake information and maps are freely available on the Internet courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey, university and state partners in California, and NASA.

"There's nothing new about plotting earthquakes," Nelson said. "It's just presenting it in an interesting way."

And although he was modest about his own role as a designer, Nelson emphasized the value of design in making data more engaging. The project was a follow-up to a recent map of more than 50 years of tornado tracks across the United States; he said both maps are designed to get people more interested in the larger phenomena behind them. "To get them to start asking questions," Nelson said.

In short, a colorful map will grab people more than an Excel spreadsheet, even when both contain the same information.

"It seems almost superficial, but it's true," Nelson said. "If something is treated with thoughtful design, then it becomes better."

China says plane hijack attempt thwarted

• Chinese police patrol a street …

Six members of China's Uighur minority tried to hijack a plane flying from a restive city in the far-western Xinjiang region on Friday but crew members and passengers thwarted them, authorities said.

The plane returned safely to the airport in Hotan city -- which has seen a spate of violent clashes between mainly Muslim Uighurs and police due to simmering ethnic tensions -- and the suspects were detained, authorities said.

"The six hijackers are Uighurs," Hou Hanmin, a spokeswoman for the government of Xinjiang told AFP.

"For the moment, we don't know the purpose of the hijack. It's still under investigation," she said, adding at least seven crew members and passengers had been injured in the incident.

Two security personnel were also seriously injured, the official Xinhua news agency said.

The aircraft took off at 12:25 pm (0425 GMT) from Hotan, then 10 minutes into the flight the six suspects tried to "violently hijack" the plane, according to tianshannet.com, the Xinjiang government's news website.

But crew members and passengers soon brought them under control and the aircraft returned to the city, the website said.

The plane -- which belongs to Tianjin Airlines, according to Xinhua -- had been bound for the Xinjiang capital of Urumqi, it added without providing further details.

Xinjiang is home to around nine million Uighurs, many of whom complain of religious and cultural repression by Chinese authorities -- a claim the government denies -- and the region is regularly hit by unrest.

The exiled World Uyghur Congress (WUC) disputed the government version of events, claiming that a fight over seating broke out onboard the aircraft between a group of Uighurs and Han Chinese, who vastly outnumbered them.

"The Uighurs of Hotan believe that this story about taking hostages is a lie," Dilxat Raxit, a spokesman for the organisation told AFP.

"We call on the international community to demand an inquiry. The Uighurs of Hotan believe the government is taking advantage of this incident to reinforce repression," he added.

Exiled Uighurs have accused authorities of launching a crackdown ahead of the anniversary of deadly July 2009 clashes between Uighurs and Han Chinese in Urumqi, among the most violent ethnic unrest in China in recent years.

Earlier this month, 12 children were injured when police raided an Islamic school in Hotan, amid the crackdown that has also targeted "illegal" religious activities.

Police said they descended on an "illegal religious study centre" on June 6 to free children being held there when criminal suspects "ignited a flammable explosive device".

They said officers had to fight to put out the fire, and 12 children suffering from burns were sent to hospital. Authorities have since launched house-to-house searches in the city.

The WUC, however,cited sources on the ground as saying police tossed tear gas into the school and caused the confrontation.

In July last year, at least 20 people -- including Uighur protesters -- were killed in Hotan in a clash with police.

State media quoted an official in the region as saying the clash was a "terrorist" attack and said four people including a police officer were killed when a crowd set upon a police station in the remote city.

But Uighur activists called it an outburst of anger by ordinary members of the minority, and accused authorities of attempting to block information on the deadly incident.

Xinjiang, a vast resource-rich region that borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, has been under heavy security since the July 2009 ethnic riots.

Rights groups say the violence in the region stems from long-held grievances among Uighurs, who complain of decades of repressive rule by Beijing and say an influx of Han is eroding their culture.

The government, however, says it has provided much-needed development to the region, and blames much of the violence there on what it calls the three "evil forces" of religious extremism, separatism and terrorism.

Man Hangs Himself After Seeing Wife's Lover's Text

A heartbroken father killed himself on a family holiday meant to save his marriage after discovering text messages on his wife's phone from her new lover, an inquest heard.

Alun Rogers was found hanging by wife Rhiannon, 34, in the bathroom of their hotel shortly after he came across the messages from a man called Matt.

The couple, who had been married for five years and had two children, aged five and eight, had decided to take a make-or-break trip to Icmeler, Turkey, in a last-ditch attempt to repair their relationship which had been marred by her infidelity, the coroner was told.

Mrs Rogers told the inquest in a statement: ‘Our marriage was experiencing difficulties.

'We were separated and he was living with his parents.

'We went ahead with the holiday for the sake of our children. We had massive rows.

‘I had a new boyfriend and Alun found texts from him on my mobile phone. He was angry.’

Returning a verdict of suicide, Newport deputy coroner Wendy James said: ‘He was given conflicting signs from his wife.

‘During the time in Turkey she was playing emotional games.’

Alun’s father Gary told the inquest in Newport, South Wales, their five-year-long marriage had been damaged by her infidelity.

He said: ‘Alun had a suspicion Rhiannon was with a new man.

‘She had two previous affairs and even got pregnant, but Alun took her back.’

Alun had moved back into his parents’ home when the relationship hit rock bottom, but they still harboured hope to resurrect the marriage for the sake of their children, the inquest heard.

The couple decided to take the trip to Turkey and agreed to see marriage counsellors on their return from the holiday in September last year, the inquest was told.

But Mrs Rogers returned to their hotel room locked. Staff let her in and she found Alun dead.

Rhiannon is now thought to have moved from the family home in Caerphilly, Gwent

Nigeria’s life expectancy lowest in West Africa – Don

Gusau – Life expectancy in Nigeria is now 47 years, making it the lowest among west African countries, Prof. Abdulsalam Nasidi, Project Director, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has said.
 

He said this in Gusau on Thursday at the commencement of the second Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the state’s chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

Nasidi who stated this in a paper with the theme “Lead Poisoning: Zamfara Experience” said this position was 30 per cent below the world’s average life expectancy.

He said it was a situation that was attributable to some health factors, including child and maternal mortality, spread of polio virus and other epidemics.

“One out of every five children die before the age of five years due to polio and other infections.

“Nigeria is one of four countries where polio is still an on-going epidemic,” the Project Director said.

Nasidi said in Zamfara alone, acute lead poisoning had killed more than 400 children and caused brain damage in several others in Anka and Bukkuyum Local Government Areas.

He described lead poisoning in the area as the “worst-ever recorded outbreak of its kind in modern times.’’

The Project Director said mass lead poisoning and massive cholera epidemics were tragedies of the 19th century.

“This outbreak and our inability to interrupt polio virus transmission are serious indicators of the state of public health service in Nigeria,” he said.

Nasidi said a survey carried out in the affected areas of Zamfara in November 2010 had revealed that more than 85 per cent of the soil had lead contamination.

He said its spread was aggravated through heavy rainfalls.

Nasidi said blood samples of infected persons exceeded the US Environmental Protection Agency rate by three folds while some blood samples were as high as 100,000 parts per million.

He lamented that in spite of response measures through the collaborative efforts of the state and federal governments, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), illegal mining resumed in the area.

The Project Director said this occurred at Dogon Dajin Sarkin Noma village of Adabka ward in Bukkuyum local government area, killing 11 out of every 22 persons since September 2011.

He therefore urged the federal and Zamfara governments to continue to join hands in order to save lives of the people living in the area.

Nasidi suggested that government should consider moving the population from the high risk areas as part of the remediation efforts on the affected areas.

Alhaji Ibrahim Mallaha, the state’s acting governor, while declaring the conference open, had earlier urged the participants to come up with an acceptable framework to tackle environmental degradation in the state.

The acting governor assured of the state government’s readiness to partner with other agencies and foreign bodies in finding lasting solutions to the problems of illegal mining in the area.

The state chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr Kabir Sada, commended the state government in ensuring the comfort of medical practitioners in the state.

“This had included the payment of all improved doctors’ salaries and other benefits,’’ he said.

The association gave an award of “Health Friendly Governor” to the state governor in view of his successes in the health sector.(NAN)

‘I was not slapped’

Hip-hop sensation, David Adeleke popularly known as Davido, has refuted rumours that he had a scuffle with mobile policemen.
The internet was awash Tuesday night, with unconfirmed reports, claiming that the 
 young hit-maker was slapped by uniformed men ‘for being rude.’

*Davido

But the 19-year-old musician quickly took to his Twitter handle, to refute the story. He described it   as “untrue and baseless.”
“I am safe and at home … Stop the lies.” he tweeted.
Davido who is currently signed on to HKN records will be launching his debut album “O.B.O Genesis” at the Eko Hotel and Suites on Sunday, July 22.

Beckham Out of Olympic Squad

David Beckham has been omitted from Britain’s Olympic soccer squad in a blow for the former England captain’s dreams of crowning his career in style.


The Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder had been widely expected to win selection as one of the three over-age players in Stuart Pearce’s Under-23 squad for the London Games in July and August.
“Naturally I am very disappointed, but there will be no bigger supporter of the team than me,” Beckham, 37, said in quotes relayed by his spokesman on Thursday.
British media reports said Manchester United’s long-serving Welsh winger Ryan Giggs, Wales striker Craig Bellamy and Manchester City right back Micah Richards, who missed out on England’s Euro 2012 campaign, had been chosen.
An official explanation for coach Pearce’s decision has yet to be issued by the Football Association.
The FA will hand a final team list to the British Olympic Association next week.
“As with every sport, player selection is the responsibility of the National Governing Body, the coaches and performance personnel,” a BOA statement said.
“With respect to men’s football, the BOA has not yet received from The FA the list of players who are being nominated for Team GB, so we cannot confirm who is, and is not, under consideration for the side. We are expecting the list no later than the early part of next week.”
Beckham, who has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan in a glittering career, was watched by Pearce during a recent match for the Galaxy and was included in his initial 35-man squad.
Beckham told reporters last month, “I don’t want to be picked on a shirt sale or a stadium filler. I want to be picked because of what I can bring to the team.”
Beckham was England’s most capped outfield player with 115 appearances but has not played for the national team since 2009.
The world famous trend-setter now misses the chance to captain an England side at World Cup, European Championship and Olympic level.
LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe said he would now discuss a “Games time role” with the globally recognized sports figure who played a role in London winning the Olympics.
Beckham has been used extensively in the build-up to the event and helped to bring back the flame from Greece.
“David has been an extraordinary supporter, probably our number one supporter, of the Games from the very beginning and is keen to continue his enthusiastic support right to the end,” said Coe.
“He really gets this. He is from East London and knows how important the Games and sport are to young people.

Dasuki expects cease fire in weeks

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, on Friday, expressed optimism of achieving a Boko Haram ceasefire before the Ramadan Fast.
While addressing security stakeholders meeting in Maiduguri, the new NSA explained that his visit was aimed at getting to the root of the Boko Haram insurgence in the North-East.
Borno State has become widely known as the hot-bed of the radical Islamist sect responsible for hundreds of terrorist attacks in the country that has killed and maimed thousands of citizens. Boko Haram has been fighting a low-level insurgency for more than two years and has become the main security threat in the country.
“Since efforts to tackle the insecurity situation in the North-East have failed, I thought the best thing is for me to visit and get first class information on the problem,” said Dasuki. “I believe that the best thing is to talk to elders and get their views on the way forward.
I cannot just sit in Abuja and decide on the situation here without getting to the bottom. I am, therefore, here to get your views and opinion on how we can tackle the security challenges in the North-East.”
He said that he had the mandate of President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that the crisis ended in a few weeks. “The president mandated that I should work towards restoration of peace before the Ramadan Fast,” he said. “I believe that we can reach a sort of a ceasefire which will finally lead to the resolution of the crisis.”
He lamented that the crisis had negatively affected economic activities in the affected areas. “Nobody can say that he is happy with the situation of things when people cannot open their shops for business or freely conduct their economic activities. Until the security situation is tackled, we cannot achieve any development.”  
Also speaking, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State blamed the Boko Haram crisis on poverty and bad governance; and warned that the country might witness more crises in the future if leaders failed to be just in handling the affairs of the nation.

Nigeria’s deadliest killer

The Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nseobong Akpabio, on Thursday, said that road crashes have killed more Nigerians than HIV and AIDS.

Akpabio stated this on Thursday when he visited the Comptroller of Customs, Federal Operations Unit Command, Ikeja, Dan Ugo.

“It is only motor accident that can wipe out a whole family at once, but HIV/AIDS, if properly managed, the patient can still survive as long as God wishes,” he said. “It is only on the road that you can see a family wiped out in just a minute because of the indiscipline of one person.” 

Akpabio called for collaborative efforts by stakeholders toward ensuring safety on the roads. “Road safety is a collective responsibility and it should not be left for the FRSC alone,” he said. ‘It should be everybody’s responsibility as nobody is immune to road accident; it is no respecter of status of persons.”

According to him, about 1.3 million people die annually across the world as a result of road accidents. “More than 50 million had been injured or maimed for life and turning some women into widows and children into orphans,” he said.

Akpabio said the visit was part of efforts by the FRSC to collaborate with major stakeholders, including the Nigeria Customs Service, religious organisations, motor parks and schools.

He urged the custom’s boss to mount enlightenment campaigns for his officials on the need to imbibe road safety culture, adding that 15 formations of the corps had been established in Lagos State for effective enlightenment campaigns and coverage.

Responding, Ugo promised effective collaboration and support for the FRSC in a bid to rid the roads of accidents.

He blamed increasing rate of road crashes on indiscipline and ignorance on the part of motorists.

Akpabio later visited Lekki and Lagos Island units of the corps, where a mild drama occurred at the Lekki-Ajah toll gate when the operators insisted that the official car of the sector commander and his patrol van should pay toll.

The convoy was delayed for about 15 minutes until the toll of N270 was paid for the two vehicles.

Euro 2012: Balotelli Says Italy Win Best Night of His Life

Balotelli mobbed by team mates after firing Italy into a two-goal lead 

Mario Balotelli has described his match-winning performance in Italy's Euro 2012 semi-final victory over Germany as "the best night of my life".

The 21-year-old Manchester City striker scored two first-half goals to set the platform for the 2-1 win, dedicating the victory to his adopted mum, Silvia.

The Azzurri will now play favourites Spain in Sunday's final, reports the BBC.

"This was the greatest night of my life and I hope Sunday will be better," Balotelli said.

At the final whistle, Balotelli sought out his family and embraced them in the stands. "At the end of the game I went to my mother - that was the best moment," he added.

"I told her these goals were for her. I waited a long time for this moment, especially as my mother is not young anymore and can't travel far, so I had to make her happy when she came all the way here. My father will be in Kiev for the final too."

Balotelli's two goals took him joint top of the Euro 2012 scoring charts with three. "I will try to win the top scorer award," he said.

"In football sometimes you can try so many times and it doesn't go in, or try few and it does all the time. It was a fantastic assist, the kind only Antonio Cassano can provide, while Riccardo Montolivo's pass was great too."

He celebrated his second goal by taking off his shirt and striking a typically defiant pose. "They didn't get angry because I was booked for taking my shirt off, but they saw my physique and got jealous," he joked.

Balotelli, who was substituted midway through the second half, dismissed any injury worries and declared himself fit for Sunday's final. "I had cramp and was a little tired, but I told the coach to wait five minutes and by that point the substitution was already in progress. It's fine."

Italy now meets Spain for the second time in the tournament, having played out a 1-1 draw in the group stages. And Balotelli believes that, despite Germany's lacklustre performance, the Azzurri are in the final on merit.

"When Italy wins it is because the other team played bad," he said. "I think we won because we were better and we deserved it.

"We are with Spain, we are the two best teams in the tournament," he added.

"I hope to win, I don't care if I play badly as long as we give our all. We have to relax, mustn't get frustrated with Spain's possession and keep playing our football.

"We are the only side to have scored against Spain so far. We proved that we are equal to them, if not more, and we want to win."

Italy coach, Cesare Prandelli said Balotelli's performance had proved he had developed into a team player and not just an individual.

"Mario is rather unique, he's atypical. He's very strong and fights for the team. He's always been there when called upon and he fights in the penalty area," he said.

"The career of Mario Balotelli has only just begun."

Not all the Italians were as content, however. Captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon stormed off the field at the final whistle, furious at Italy's failure to convert a host of second-half chances that would have put the result beyond doubt.

"I was annoyed because I don't celebrate second place and I was angry with us because we could have avoided the difficult final five minutes," Buffon said.

"When you can score seven goals against Germany, you have to score seven because if they come back to 2-2 they'll beat you 10-2 in extra-time. We need to be more mature and to know that even if football is a game, when you reach the European Championship final, it's no longer a game."

Andrea Pirlo, who was named man-of-the-match, also sounded a note of caution for Sunday's final. "We haven't done anything yet," he said. "There's no use going to Rome and not seeing the Pope. We want to go home with this cup."

45 Things A Girl Wants

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1. Touch her waist.
2. Actually talk to her.
3. Share secrets with her.
4. Give her your jacket.
5. Kiss her slowly.
6. Hug her.
7. Hold her.
8. Laugh with her.
9. Invite her somewhere.
10. Hangout with her and your friends together.
11. Smile with her.
12. Take pictures with her.
13. Pull her onto your lap.
14. When she says she loves you more, deny it. Fight back.
15. When her friends say “I love her more than you”, deny it. Fight back and hug her tight so she can’t get to her friends.It makes her feel loved.
16. Always hug her and say I love you whenever you see her.
17. Kiss her unexpectedly.
18. Hug her from behind around the waist.
19. Tell her she’s beautiful.
20. Tell her the way you feel about her and actually mean it.
21. Open doors for her, walk her to her car – it makes her feel protected, plus it never hurts to act like a gentleman.
22. Tell her she’s your everything – only if you mean it.
23. If it seems like there is something wrong, ask her – if she denies something being wrong, it means she doesn't want to talk about it – so just hug her.
24. Make her feel loved. 25. Kiss her in front of other girls you know
 

WE MIGHT DENY IT BUT WE ACTUALLY LIKE AND KINDA WANT YOU TO TICKLE US
 

26. Don’t lie to her.
27. DON’T cheat on her.
28. Take her ANYWHERE she wants.
29. Text message or call her in the morning
and tell her have a good day at school, and
how much you miss her.
30. Be there for her whenever she needs you, and even when she doesn’t need you, just be there so she’ll know that she can always count on you.
31. Hold her close when she’s cold so she can hold you too.
32. When you are alone hold her close and kiss her.
33. Kiss her on the cheek; (it will give her the
hint that you want to kiss her).
34. While in the movies, put your arm around her and then she will automatically put her head on your shoulder, then lean in and tilt her chin up and kiss her lightly.
35. Don’t ever tell her to leave even jokingly or act like you’re mad. If she’s upset, comfort her.
36. When people diss her, stand up for her.
37. Look deep into her eyes and tell her you love her.
38. Lay down under the stars and put her head on your chest so she can listen to the steady beat of your heart, link your fingers together while you whisper to her as she rests her eyes and listens to you.
39. When walking next to each other grab her hand. 

40. When you hug her, hold her in your arms as long as possible.
 

MAKE SURE SHE KNOWS SHES LOVED.
 

41. Call or text her at night to wish her sweet dreams.
42. Comfort her when she cries and wipe away her tears.
43. Take her for long walks at night.
44. Always remind her how much you love her.
45. Sit on top of her and tell her how much you love her and then bend down to her face and kiss her while you’re sitting on her. You’ll never know when she needs just a little more love

Married Lover Dies During Sex Romp

 

 A married man, Amaechi Uche Padmore, has been arrested by the police and charged to a Lagos court on the allegation that his lover, Edith Nwokolo, died while he was having sex with her.
He is now facing a murder charge at Ebute Metta Magistrate’s court, Lagos over her death.
P.M.NEWS learnt that the lovers, who are both married, engaged in sex romp at 94, Mushin Road, Mushin, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
It was gathered that while Uche was on top of Edith, she started breathing heavily, jerked and died.
They were reported to have dated each other before they got married to different spouses.
Sources said immediately the incident happened, Uche, who has three kids, abandoned his pant and shoes and fled.
Edith was found dead on top of a bed and a neigbour who saw Uche with her before she died, raised the alarm and the matter was reported to the police at Olosan Division.
He was arrested and arraigned on Wednesday for murder before the presiding Magistrate, Mr. T. Aborinwa under section 221 of the criminal code law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.
P.M.NEWS gathered that her death triggered controversy as the deceased woman’s family insisted that Uche was responsible for her death.
But the autopsy report presented at the court showed that she died of heart related problem. When the matter came up at the court, Uche pleaded not guilty.
The presiding magistrate granted him bail since the autopsy showed she died as a result of heart problem.
The court referred the matter to DPP for advice, while adjourning it till 25 July, 2012. PM news

Eto'o may go to jail

Cameroonian striker and the world's highest paid footballer, Samuel Eto'o, may be facing between one and five years in a Spanish prison for alleged tax fraud.

According to media reports from Spain, the Anzhi Makhachkala's hitman, concealed over €3.5 million from the country’s treasury, while he was playing for FC Barcelona between 2006 and 2009.

The Cameroonian received the money from the Catalan club and major German sportswear manufacturer, Puma, but reportedly declared different sources of income – from firms in Spain and Hungary – in order to reduce tax payments.

If the 31-year-old is found guilty he’s at risk of spending from one to five years in prison and paying a fine more than six times higher than the sum he allegedly tried to hide.

Eto’o joined Anzhi Makhachkala from Inter Milan last summer, becoming the highest paid footballer on the planet.

The striker is being paid over €20 million annually by the side from Russia’s republic of Dagestan in a three year deal.

‘How Kabiru Sokoto Escaped From Custody’

The Senate Committee on Police Affairs yesterday gave a detailed insight into how Kabiru Umar alias (Kabiru Sokoto), the mastermind of the Christmas Day Madala bombing, escaped from the custody of the police. He has since been re-arrested though.

The Senate had at its sitting on January 19, mandated its committee on Police Affairs to carry out a full scale investigation into the activities of Boko Haram and the escape of Kabiru Sokoto, whose bombing claimed many lives.

According to the report of the committee read by its Chairman, Sen. Igwe Paulinus Nwagu, it revealed that prior to Kabiru Kokoto’s arrest on January 14, he (the suspect) had been on the checklist of police intelligence as one of the principal Boko Haram members.

“He was reported to have been noticed within the vicinity of Snake Island in Lagos. He left Lagos sometime on December 13, 2011 and disappeared from surveillance monitoring until January 11, 2012 where he was traced to Abaji in the Federal Capital Territory.

“Police detectives traced him from Abaji to Abuja on the same date and further traced him to Asokoro-Abuja where he was finally apprehended at about 02:40 hours on the January 14, 2012 at the Borno State Governor’s Lodge at Iro Dan Musa Street, Asokoro, Abuja.

“The suspect was subsequently handed over to the Commissioner of Police Zakari Biu who was in-charge of terrorist cases, and was thus in-charge of the suspect and expectedly, the general follow-up for further investigation,” the report stated.

This Is How Nigeria Will Become In The Future

This Is How Nigeria Will Become In The Future        Just to elaborate more, I didnt include the states on the map, because new states are under way. But the current states includes; Arewa Republic - 11 States Kano Jigawa Bauchi Gombe Yobe Borno Kaduna Katsina Zamfara Kebbi Sokoto Republic of Nigeria - 9 States Niger Kwara Kogi Nassarawa Benue Taraba Plateau Adamawa Abuja Odua Republic - 7 States Oyo Osun Ogun Lagos Ondo Ekiti Edo Biafra Republic - 10 states Delta Bayela Anambra Rivers Imo Abia Akwa Ibom Cross Rivers Ebonyi Enugu

source ;.Nairaland

Jonathan, Tukur, meet NASS on national security

 

 

 

WORRIED by the current security problems facing the country, eminent Nigerians including President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State met with members of the National Assembly yesterday on the matter. 

 

The president was also accompanied by the Sultan of Sokoto, Mr. Sa’ad Abubakar; the Bishop of Kaduna Diocese of the Catholic Church, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, among others.

 

It was at a three-day retreat organised by the leadership of the Senate in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, to fashion a way out of the prevailing state of insecurity orchestrated by the Islamic sect, Boko Haram in the last few years.

 

The President, who took time off the retreat, which he personally declared open at the Le Meridian Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo, to commission three projects executed by the State government, admitted that the Boko Haram insurgency has impacted negatively on the socio-economic and political transformation of the country, saying it was time to confront it headlong.

 

He said the problem of Boko Haram has threatened the very foundation of Nigeria, assuring that their activities including bombing of worship centres, killing of innocent people and destruction of government institutions, would never lead to the dismemberment of the country.

 

Stressing the need for common synergy to tackle the menace, Jonathan urged the National Assembly to work in partnership with the executive and other arms of government including security agencies to defeat those he called forces of darkness.

 

He pointed out that only a strong union would be able to checkmate the activities of the criminal elements, maintaining that his administration would not engage in dialogue with leaders of the group, except they come out of their cocoons to state their real intention for waging the war against the rest of the country.

 

Akpabio was hopeful that the President would win the war very soon and advised him to explore the foreign influence bolstering the group, with a view to bringing the perpetrators and their sponsors to book

Fresh Explosions, Gunshots Rock Kano, Yobe

Some policemen and gunmen yesterday engaged in a shootout while heavy explosions occured at Gwauron Dutse police station in Dala Local government Area of Kano State.

Also heavy explosions and gunshots were heard around Yalwa along Kofar Waika road on Aminu Kano Way near the famous Gwauron Dutse Hill.

The gunmen were said to have attacked the police station at about 7pm, leading to a fierce gun battle between the policemen and the gunmen.

The gunmen reportedly threw explosives at the station and the police fired back.

The development was said to have prompted residents to scamper for safety.

The gunmen, who were suspected to be heading for the Gwauronn Dutse prison, threw several explosives at the security checkpoints on the Aminu Kano Way.

But the residents of the area have expressed worries over the heavy bombardment and hastily closed their businesses.

Kano state police spokesperson Mohammed Dutshe confirmed the incident, saying that there was a “problem” in the area. He said efforts are being made to reach the police divisional officer to verify the position on the ground.

Eyewitness further claimed that corpses of civilians and security men were seen on the street.

In a related development, sporadic shootings have rocked Damaturu, Yobe State capital as gunmen reportedly engaged in gun battle with security agents.

The Sabon Fegi area of Damaturu was said to be under attack at about 6pm in spite of existing curfew in the state.

Sterling Bank Plc Sacks 400 Workers

Sterling Bank Plc has sacked 400 workers in a systematic mass retrenchment aimed at reducing overhead cost, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Investigation NAN showed that 97 per cent of the retrenched workers were former staff of Equatorial Trust Bank Ltd. acquired by Sterling.

A source close to the bank said that the mass sack, which started about three weeks ago would also affect another 150 workers because of the consolidation of the two banks.  

He said that workers were thrown into the nation’s saturated labour market with only three months’ salary as severance package.

A member of the Executive Management staff, who wants to remain anonymous, said that the retrenchment was their best option toward sustainable growth and return to profitability.

He said that the workers were only victims of the economy, adding that they had to relieve them of their jobs to grow the bank.

NAN recalls that Mr Yemi Adeola, the Managing Director of Sterling Bank had at a recent annual general meeting, said that the business combination with former ETB had improved its scale and size.

Adeola said that the combination allowed the bank to leverage on the unique strengths of both banks to consolidate on overall market position.

According to him, 2012 would be another challenging operating year following current difficult global and local macro economic conditions.

``We see clear opportunities for reducing the bank’s cost-to-income ratio and increase revenues as the improved economic of scale arising from the business combination with ETB kick in,’’ Adeola said.

Meanwhile, Sterling Bank before the business combination grew its gross earnings by 49 per cent to N45.2 billion in 2011 compared with N30.4 billion in 2010.

The operating income in the period under review increased by 32 per cent to N27 billion from N20.4 billion in 2010.

Profit after tax increased by 11 per cent to N4.6 billion as against N4.2 billion in 2010. (NAN)

Jimmy Henchman Finally Confesses To Planning 1994 Tupac Shooting

One of the greatest mysteries in hip-hop has finally gotten some closure. The person who planned the 1994 hit on Tupac Shakur at Quad Studios has finally come forward.

After being convicted of running an interstate drug operation, Jimmy Henchman confessed to authorities that he was the mastermind behind the shooting and robbery of Tupac Shakur that began the East Coast vs. West Coast war. According to the Village Voice, Henchman participated in “Queen For A Day” government sessions last fall where he confessed to being the brains behind the operation that landed Tupac in the hospital nursing five gunshot wounds. (The “Queen For A Day” program allows suspected assailants under investigation to enter an agreement with the government to confess knowledge of certain crimes with the agreement that the information won’t be used to prosecute them.)

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His confession unfolded as he was trying to carve out a cooperation deal that might lead to a reduced sentence, according to federal prosecutors. “Rosemond apparently came clean about his involvement in Tupac’s ambush shortly after his former best friend, Dexter Isaac, stepped forward last summer to publicly confess that he had led the attack on Shakur in 1994. Isaac released a statement on June 16, 2011 to allhiphop.com, saying it was Rosemond who had paid him to rob and pistol-whip Tupac.”

As our friends at HipHopWired pointed out, the statute of limitations when it comes to the robbery has expired. Criminals suspected of robbery can be prosecuted up to seven years after the crime. Though Henchman and one of his partners in the Tupac shooting have confessed, they did so well after the statute of limitations had expired. So no extra years can be added on to Henchman’s sure-to-be lengthy prison sentence.

 

In the song “Against All Odds “  Makaveli: The Don Killuminati Tupac implicates Jimmy Henchman and Haitian Jack in his shooting at Quad. He rhymes:

I heard he was light skinned, stocky with a Haitian accent

Jewelery, fast cars and he’s known for flashing (What’s his name???)

Listen while I take you back (NIGGA SAY HIS NAME!) and lace this rap

A real live tale about a snitch named Haitian Jack

Knew he was workin for the feds, same crime, different trials

N*gga, picture what he said, and did I mention

Promised a payback, Jimmy Henchman, in due time

I know you b*tch n*ggas is listenin, The World Is Mine

Set me up, wet me up, n*ggas stuck me up

Heard the guns bust but you tricks never shut me up

FG increases excess crude account to N1.6 trillion

 

 

 

THE Federal Government has as part of an immediate plan to provide a buffer for the economy increased the Excess Crude Account (ECA) from N848 billioin ($5.3 billion) to N1.6 trillion ($10 billion).

 

This was part of the high points of the decision taken Monday by the National Economic Council (NEC) to protect the economy for at least three months from a possible global recession.

 

While expressing confidence in the economy, the National Economic Council stated, ‘the economy is in good standing but pointed out the need for more judicious borrowing and application of funds by different levels of government.’

 

Other measures taken to  protect the economy, according to Amaechi, include support for the President in his plans to appoint members of the Sovereign Wealth Funds Board of Directors including the Managing director, CEO as well as the executive and non- executive directors which is expected to come ‘after a painstaking  and credible recruitment process.’  

 

The council’s decision came following a presentation made by the Finance Minister and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy (CME), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on the Implementation Update on the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Athority (NSIA) as well as the need to protect Nigeria’s economy from the persisting global economic crisis.

 

Council also considered the report of the Inter-Ministerial Teams on the recent Nation-wide inspection of 111 Federal Ministry of Water Resources Projects across the country by the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe.

 

 The report noted that the projects, which are at various stages of completion, require about N191.7 billion for completion, following which the Council recommended that all on-going projects should be completed to achieve meaningful development and avail Nigerians the opportunity of benefiting from the intended gains of the projects.

 

 Both the Federal and State Governments will also partner to ensure that the various water, irrigation and dam projects are completed in a more beneficial and sustainable manner.

 

 It directed Directorates of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources in the states and the state governments to jointly review the details of the projects to enable the government work out the funding arrangements and prepare a framework for completion of the projects.

 

Federal and the states are also to collaborate in the budgetary processes of some strategic ministries including Water Resources, Health, Education and works going forward, to promote synergy in projects implementation

 

 The Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs Dr (Mrs) Precious Gbeneol, also briefed the Council on the N20.5 billion and N15 billion MDGs Fund for 2012 available to the States and LGAs respectively to fund development projects upon fulfillment of specified conditions including providing matching funds and bank guarantee bond.

 

 The council advised the States to take advantage of the programme by meeting the required conditions which would enable them to access as much as N550 million per state.

 

 It also mandated the MDGs office to provide a quarterly report on the progress made by the States as a means of gauging the overall progress made towards 2015.

 

 Also speaking on Child Trafficking,  the National Agency for the Prohibition of traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) also made a presentation to the Council on the growing incidence of trafficking and child labour and the danger they pose to the country’s growth and development.

 

 NEC said it noted the worsening development and backed the range of measures recommended by NAPTIP to check trafficking including deepening public enlightenment, rehabilitation and reintegrating of victims, establishing vocational centres for youths training, effective prosecution of traffickers and functional policing of our borders.

 

 The council therefore recommended greater collaboration with the State and LGAs to address the push factors of trafficking and child labour.