NYSC punishes corps members over theft, fraud, others

ABAKALIKI—THE National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Thursday, punished some 2012 outgoing corps members in Batch B for allegedly absconding from service to unauthorized journeys, involvement in fraud, theft and other miscellaneous offences.

While five corps members who passed out yesterday would repeat their service year, ten others would have their service year extended for various offences.

Also, two other members of the batch, Edidiong Nelson Udoh and Ebiri Chinyere, died during the service period, while another member, Nkiru Angela Itodo, who relocated from Gombe State, is still missing since August last year.

The state NYSC Co-ordinator, Mr Otaru J. Eshimakhe, stated this during the passing out parade ceremony of the batch at Abakaliki Township Stadium.

He said:  “As the saying goes, in every twelve there must be a Judas. Some corps members did not live up to expectations and will be punished in accordance with the NYSC bye laws.

“Five will repeat the service year while ten will serve extension of service ranging from one month to four months on half pay.

“Their offences range from absconding from service to unauthorised journeys, fraud, theft and other miscellaneous offences.

“It is hoped that their punishment will serve as deterrent to corps members on ground and prospective corps members.

Eshimakhe enjoined the corps members to remain good ambassadors of the country and maximise the knowledge they got at the Skill Acquisition training while in camp and during the service year.

Governor Martin Elechi, who was represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Sam Mgbada, said the scheme was a veritable and enduring vehicle for effective youth mobilization in addressing critical issues of national integration and nation building.

Paris Jackson, Prince Michael Feuded Before Suicide Attempt

What led to Paris Jackson's attempted suicide? Sources told Us Weekly that the 15-year-old daughter of the late Michael Jackson had been battling a "major depression," and now an insider reveals that it was caused, in part, by "major fights" with her brother, Prince Michael.
After many years of estrangement, Paris recently began spending time with their biological mother, Debbie Rowe, and Prince, 16, didn't approve of the new relationship.
"[Paris and Prince] were always so insanely close until Debbie came back in the picture, and Paris wanted to get close with her," the insider explains. "Paris wanted her mom in her life, but Paris was younger and Prince remembers all of the awful things Michael told them about Debbie. Prince feels Paris is betraying their father by getting close to Debbie."
But Paris, who has been frequently visiting Rowe, 54, at her horse ranch in Palmdale, Calif., wanted to get to know her mother, who was married to their father from 1996 to 1999.
"Paris made her own decision to get to know her mom and found she really liked her," the source says. Another benefit of their renewed bond? "She loves the stories Debbie has told her about her dad.
Her big brother, meanwhile, feels betrayed.
"He has these massive fights with her and calls Paris a backstabber for getting to know 'that woman,'" the insider reveals. "Paris and Prince fight all the time, and it really hurts Paris as they used to be close."
In a December 2011 interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Paris said she idolizes Prince and tries to copy him. "Last year, when he was in eighth grade, he played on the varsity flag-football team as a left guard. This year, when I'm in eighth grade, I decided to go on the football team. I was on the same team, same position," she shared. (Paris and Prince also have a younger brother, Blanket, 11, who was born via a surrogate mother.)
Feud or not, Prince will apparently be by his sister's side while she recovers at an L.A. hospital following her shocking suicide attempt. He canceled a scheduled appearance on German talk show Wetten.

Davido hangs out in a strip club in Atlanta (Photo)

The “Gobe” crooner shared this photo of himself via his instagram page some minutes ago, he captioned it “‘#turnup #ATL #ballin”.
Well, do you see the poles in the picture? Do you also see the scantily clad lady, and the one in stripper heels? All indicating that he was actually in a strip club.

Kunle Afolayan dropped as a Glo ambassador for working with Saka

Prolific movie director and actor, Kunle Afolayan was recently dropped as a Glo ambassador (for the likes of Waje, Omawumi, MI and co) and even though the reason wasn’t revealed, new findings claim that he was dropped because of SAKA – Saka the actor and new MTN ambassador (Afiz Ayetoro).
Prior to him being dropped as an ambassador, Kunle had a smooth relationship with the company and did not go against any terms in his contract and was really shocked at his termination.

According to blogger Linda Ikeji, Kunle Afolayan was booted out when Globacom found out that one of the main characters in his Phone Swap movie (which was sponsored by Globacom) was Saka, an Etisalat face for many of their brands, at the time. (Before he ported to MTN ).

Globacom sponsored the movie and when it eventually came out and they saw Saka in it, that was it.

Super Eagles emerge victorious against Harambee Stars of Kenya

Super Eagles have emerged victorious against Kenya, after Ahmed Musa delivered a goal against the Harambee Stars of Kenya.
The Eagles were able to secure a goal after 91 minutes of play, as the Harambee Stars held a strict defense line throughout the game.
Earlier attempts by Brown Ideye, and Oduamadi in the second half kept the Kenyan defense on a tight rope and Ahmed Musa was able to lob the ball into the Kenya net during the last minutes of play.
The victory over Kenya has secured the team in their crucial World Cup qualifying game.
The goal keeps the Super Eagles on the top of their group at a comfortable eight points.

First gay marriage in France broadcasts live

Hundreds of invited guests including a government minister gathered for the moving ceremony Wednesday inside city hall in southern French city of Montpellier. Hundreds more flocked to the square outside the building as Vincent Autin, 40, and his 30-year-old partner, Bruno Boileau, were wed.

The politically charged ceremony was held under tight police surveillance — a stark reminder of the months of bruising opposition to the new gay marriage law that French lawmakers passed earlier this month.

Although the marriage itself went undisrupted, outside the city hall it was not trouble-free. A plainclothes policeman dragged back one protester on Wednesday who shouted threats and tried to approach the couple as they were being escorted into the building, before the ceremony. Police also used tear gas to push back a small group of demonstrators who gathered behind the city hall.

"Even if we have passed the hurdle of equality, there are still more battles to fight... But for now, it's a moment for festivity, for love," Autin said after exchanging vows. Some cried, others smiled as Frank Sinatra's hit "Love and Marriage" blasted out, marking them tying the knot.

The two men then walked hand-in-hand to the city hall balcony to wave to well-wishers alongside Montpellier Mayor Helene Mandroux, who officiated at the ceremony. Smiling proudly, Mandroux called the marriage a "historic moment" and "a stage in the modernization of our country."

The two men, who will adopt the names "Messieurs Bruno et Vincent Boileau-Autin," were holding a separate, private ceremony later Wednesday for close friends and family.

"Many people have been waiting for this law on marriage and adoption. Now, it's done. Many people are going to be doing as we did, and celebrating their unions... We are very pleased and honored," said Boileau.

It is not clear yet when the first gay adoption will take place.

News of the marriage will not be welcomed in every corner of France. Just last Sunday, tens of thousands of people protested fiercely in Paris against the new gay marriage law, demonstrations that ended with riot police shooting tear gas.

A plan to legalize same-sex marriage and allow gay couples to adopt was a liberal cornerstone of Socialist Francois Hollande's election manifesto last year. It initially looked like a shoo-in for the French president — since the measures were supported by a majority of the country — and an easy way to break with his conservative predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy.

But the issue became a touchstone as Hollande's popularity sunk to unprecedented lows, largely over France's ailing economy. The law became a political hot potato that exposed bitter divisions between urban France, where homosexuality is widely accepted, and the Catholic heartland where conservative attitudes hold sway.

"What happened in our country to create so many divisions?" Mandroux said Wednesday, reflecting on the wrenching debate.

Demonstrations against the gay marriage law have often spilled into violence.

In Sunday's protest in the French capital, several hundred protesters clashed with police, throwing bottles and chasing journalists. Interior Minister Manuel Valls said police arrested some 100 far-right protesters.

Paris police estimated that 150,000 people took part in the demonstration but march organizers claimed on their Twitter account that more than a million people did.

At the same time Sunday, on the shores of the Mediterranean, the prestigious 66th Cannes Film Festival gave the Palme d'Or, its top honor, to "Blue is the Warmest Color: The Life of Adele," a graphic French film about a tender, sensual lesbian romance.

France is the 14th country so far — and the biggest in political and economic weight — to recognize gay marriage.

Ronaldo thought he knew it all - Mourinho

Jose Mourinho has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo “thinks he knows everything” and that is why his relationship with the world's most expensive player broke down towards the end of last season.


Ronaldo joined Real from Manchester United for £80 million in 2009 and took his goalscoring exploits to new heights under Mourinho, who left Real Madrid to rejoin Chelsea as manager earlier this week.