More than 200 people are believed to have died in underground tunnels after a collapse at North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear facility.
The test site was reportedly badly shaken by the aftermath of the country’s sixth nuclear test, a 100-kiloton hydrogen bomb roughly seven times more powerful than the atomic bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.

North Korean sources told Japanese television channel Asahi TV that the collapse occurred in October during the construction of an underground tunnel at the facility.
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Around 100 workers were stuck underground and a group that was sent to their rescue were also buried after another collapse, causing a total death toll of around 200.
A series of small-scale earthquakes that followed the September 3 test indicated the facility, built south of the Mantapsan mountain, may no longer be stable enough to conduct further tests.
According to experts, the building of new underground tunnels would indicate a willingness to move the test site to another part of the mountain, as the facility is unlikely to be abandoned.
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“If North Korea were to attempt to continue testing under this mountain (such as in the area more to the eastern side), then we would expect to see new tunneling in the future near the North Portal, still under Mt. Mantap,” researchers Frank Pabian and Jack Liu wrote in a report published earlier this month on the North Korea monitoring website 38 North.
A South Korean scientist shows seismic waves taking place in North Korea on a screen at the Korea Meteorological Administration center on September 3, 2017 in Seoul. More than 200 people are believed to have died in underground tunnels after a collapse at North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear facility. Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
South Korean and Chinese scientists worry that a collapse at the mountain could trigger a radiation leak. South Korea’s weather agency chief Nam Jae-Cheol told a meeting of the lawmakers Monday that any future nuclear test at the site could cause a collapse, the Associated Press reported.
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One of the Korea Meteorological Administration researchers, Lee Won-Jin, presented an analysis of satellite images indicating landslides occurred near the facility following the September test.
North Korea’s next test may not be confined to underground spaces. In September, the country’s Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told reporters in New York ahead of his speech at the U.N. that his leader Kim Jong Un may be planning to conduct “an unprecedented scale hydrogen bomb” test over the Pacific. A North Korean senior official recently told CNN the threat should be taken “literally.”

 A 41yrs old woman, Mrs. Catherine Sefunmi Urouna, has allegedly committed suicide by drinking poisonous and harmful substances in protest of her husband's inability/refusal to buy her an iPad device.

    "She was said to have threatened to kill herself a fortnight ago if her husband failed to get her an iPad; even as the husband had pleaded with her to be patient and asked her to use the Blackberry phone he bought for her until he could afford to buy her an iPad."

Their neighbours are shocked that a woman, who was happily married with children, could take such a nasty decision to take her own life over an ordinary gadget, iPad.
Her family of five was on Saturday morning thrown into mourning over her action.
The 41-year-old woman and mother of three, two boys and one girl, was a senior account officer at the Akure North local government council of Ondo State.
The police in Ondo State said they are investigating the unfortunate incident.

Bird that’s ruffling government feathers: Stork suspected of being a SPY detained by police in Egypt
Egyptian authorities have detained a bird that a citizen suspected of being a spy.
Officials say a man took the bird to a police station in the Qena governorate, some 280 miles southeast of Cairo, on Friday.
He suspected the bird was an undercover agent because it carried an electronic device.

A migrating stork is held in a police station after a citizen suspected it of being a spy and brought it to the authorities
The head of security in Qena confirmed that officials examined the bird and the device.
 
Mohammed Kamal said the device was neither an explosive nor a spying device. It is thought to have probably been a wildlife tracker.
Earlier this year, a security guard filed a police report after capturing a pigeon he said carried microfilm.

Officials say the man suspected the bird was an undercover agent because it carried an electronic device
With turmoil gripping Egypt, authorities and citizens remain suspicious of anything foreign.
The country has been in turmoil following the July 3 coup that toppled President Mohammad Morsi.
Clashes between Egyptian security forces and Morsi's supporters have killed hundreds of people.
'We do believe that the recent operations of the security forces have been disproportionate and we're worried about the resulting alarming number of people that have been killed,' said the EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Clashes between supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt's ousted president Mohamed Morsi continue
Political turbulence has kept Egypt on edge for months. At least 900 people, including 100 soldiers and police, have been killed in a crackdown on Morsi supporters, making it the country's bloodiest internal episode in decades.
The United States and the European Union have both been reviewing aid to Cairo in light of the bloodshed, but Saudi Arabia, a foe of the Brotherhood, has promised to make up any shortfall.
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/09/bird-thats-ruffling-government-feathers.html

President Obama declared Saturday that he has decided to take unilateral military action against Syria, but is seeking congressional authority before launching an attack.'I have decided that the United States should take military action against Syrian regime targets,' Obama said from the Rose Garden Saturday.
'Our military has positioned assets in the region. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs has informed me that we are prepared to strike whenever we choose,' he added. 'Our capacity to execute this mission is not time sensitive. It will be effective tomorrow, or next week ,or one month from now. And I'm prepared to give that order.'
But he said he said he will be seeking congressional authorization to launch any military action.
Obama made the remarks after meeting at the White House with members of his national security team, including Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, Joint Chiefs chairman Martin Dempsey and Vice President Joe Biden.
The White House said it would be giving Senate Republicans and Democrats separate briefings on Saturday. House members of both parties also received an invitation to attend an in-person, members-only classified briefing at 2 p.m. Sunday.
President Obama declared Saturday that he has decided to take unilateral military action against Syria, but is seeking congressional authority before launching an attack
Obama's Rose Garden statement comes after the administration on Friday made its strongest case yet for a 'limited, narrow' punitive military action against Assad.
'History would judge us all extraordinarily harshly if we turned a blind eye to a dictator’s use of chemical weapons,' Kerry said Friday, calling Assad a 'thug' and a 'murderer.'
 
'Some cite the risk of doing things,' he added. 'But we need to ask, “What is the risk of doing nothing?”'
The Syrian army said Saturday that it is ready for potential foreign strikes and has its 'finger on the trigger.'
'The Syrian army is fully ready, its finger on the trigger to face any challenge or scenario that they want to carry out,' Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi said in a written statement aired on state television.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin talks to journalists in the far eastern city of Vladivostok, August 31, 2013
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that it would be 'utter nonsense' for the Syrian government to use chemical weapons and urged the U.S. to hold off on any military action.
'While the Syrian army is on the offensive, saying that it is the Syrian government that used chemical weapons is utter nonsense,' he said. 'I would like to address Obama as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate: before using force in Syria, it would be good to think about future casualties.'
He challenged the U.S. to provide any evidence tying Assad's forces to the attack and suggested that top leaders discuss the issue next week at the G20 summit.
'If they say that the [Syrian] governmental forces used weapons of mass destruction… and that they have proof of it, let them present it to the UN inspectors and the [UN] Security Council,' Putin said. 'Claims that the proof exists, but is classified and cannot be presented to anybody are below criticism. This is plain disrespect for their partners.'
The Obama administration released a four-page intelligence report Friday that said at least 1,429 people, including more than 400 children, were killed by a chemical weapons attack on August 21.
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/obama-says-he-will-hold-assad_3601.html

A bus driver is being investigated by his bosses after he was apparently caught on film urinating on his vehicle.
The film, which was shot by a passerby, appears to show the driver zipping up his flies after relieving himself out of a gap between the central doors of his empty bus.
Johnson Rotimi, 24, captured the moment through the window of the Arriva bus parked in Crouch End, London.
Caught on camera: The bus driver appears to have been caught urinating on his bus (left) before turning around and zipping up his flies (right)
Mr Rotimi said: 'I just happened to walk by and I saw him doing his thing.
'He actually hadn’t left the bus at the time.
 'You know the second doors? He was actually peeing in the corner with his back facing towards me, through the little gap between the doors and the bus.
'When I saw him I was kind of shocked to be honest, then I quickly got my phone and started filming it.
 
Bus driver 'urinates' in vehicle. Filmed by passers-by
Zipping up: The footage was captured by a passerby through the window of the Arriva bus which was parked in Crouch End, London
'He was quite angry when he realised. He did give me a bit of a middle finger.'
The moustached driver is understood to have been taking a break to check his bus - the W3 from Finsley Park to Northumberland Park - when he stopped to urinate in Elmfield Avenue.
Trainee forklift driver Johnson, of Hornsley, London, added: 'I just want people to be aware of what is going on on the bus.
'Angry': The passerby said the bus driver was 'quite angry' when he realised he was being filmed
'I’m not very pleased about it. It is not nice as lots of elderly people and children they have to use the bus, and you know kids, they touch everything, and they could touch that bit when they climb on and off the bus easily.'
Bosses at Arriva said they were looking into the incident which happened around two weeks ago.
An Arriva spokesman said: 'This is not the sort of behaviour we expect from our drivers. A copy of the video will be passed to the management team in order to identify the driver and take the necessary action.'
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/bus-driver-is-investigated-by-bosses.html

The most many owners can get out of their cat is a brush against the leg now and then, but this video proves that some cats can be extremely affectionate.
Russian-speaking YouTube user Farikvlog posted a video titled, according to Google Translate, Kiss me as well! Most affectionate cat ever!
But a translator isn’t necessary because the video speaks for itself.
With big, round eyes that just beg to be loved, the odd-looking cat gently caresses its owner’s face.
Eventually, the owner gives the cat what it wants: a simple kiss.
Over here! A Russian YouTube user posted an adorable video of a cat begging to be loved
Look at those eyes: The video is aptly titled Kiss me as well! Most affectionate cat ever
 World's most affectionate cat wants owner to give it a kiss
Pwease? The pestering kitty begs for affection and won't stop until it gets what it wants
Pay off! The persistent kitty's badgering for love finally pays off with a kiss
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/worlds-most-affectionate-cat.html

Scientists have captured the remarkable moment a boa constrictor attacked a fully-grown howler monkey to claim it as a substantial snack.
The incident, which took place deep in the Amazon rainforest in Western Brazil, is rare, as monkeys are usually adept at protecting themselves from predators. But the video shows the huge snake crushing the hapless monkey before swallowing it whole.
The video has caused scientists to rethink how vulnerable primates can be to skilled predators like the boa constrictor, that usually stick to smaller meals like rodents and birds, LiveScience reported.
Scientists have captured the harrowing moment a boa constrictor attacked a fully-grown howler monkey to claim it as a substantial snack. Here the female howler monkeys clings to a branch in a futile attempt to pull herself from the crushing jaws of the snake
Júlio César Bicca-Marques, a researcher at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, said the female Purús red howler monkey did not see the snake lying in wait in the tree.
In the study, published in the journal Primates, Dr Bicca-Marques suggests snakes prey on more New World monkeys than was previously thought.
Commenting on the study, Paul Garber, a primatologist at the University of Illinois said it is known that snakes, raptors and big cats do attack monkeys but filming macabre spectacle is very rare.
 
The monkeys, which have good vision, usually defend themselves by living in groups and collectively keeping an eye out for threats.
 But the unfortunate monkey in the film broke away from her group of five in the Amazon jungle before meeting the snake.
The boa constrictor reportedly struck at the monkey and swiftly wrapped it in a death-grip by coiling its muscular body around the monkey, which tried to free itself by gripping a tree, but was crushed.

The snake lay in wait crouched in a tree while the female monkey broke away from her group. The boa constrictor struck the monkey before crushing it with its powerful muscles. Here, the dead monkey is being swallowed head-first by the snake
The snake's attack was typical, according to experts. It crouched in once place, camouflaged in the foliage to wait for its next meal.
Boa constrictors are so patient they have been known to wait in one spot for around one month.
The female monkey was followed by a companion who was unable to save her friend from the powerful snake, despite hitting it several times.
Defeated, the healthy monkey retreated, leaving the boa constrictor to swallow her crushed friend head-first over a period of just over one hour.
The video shows the snake using its muscles to swallow the bulky monkey, which is thought to weigh around six kilogrammes - and then a rather huge bulge in its belly.
Primatologist Dr Garber believes the monkey might have avoided being eaten if it had of stayed with its group, adding: 'being a solitary monkey is definitely not a good thing'. The monkey-shaped bulge is clearly visible in the snake's stomach
Dr Bicca-Marques told LiveScience: 'According to observations on predation attempts on howler monkeys made by other researchers, howlers often don't do anything to defend the victim.'
Dr Garber believes the monkey might have avoided being eaten if it had of stayed with its group, adding: 'being a solitary monkey is definitely not a good thing'.
The researcher claims it is the first time that a terrifying attack of this type has been caught on camera, although recent studies have found more rare types of primate predation, including a leopard eating a chimpanzee.
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/time-for-takeaway-macabre-moment-snake.html

God may hold them for Ajanaku Soul lost to Devil.

"I said they should call Papa back that anybody can come to the Bible school, that why should they reject people, that anybody, even a bricklayer or mechanic, who has interest in the scripture can come, why should they say my work is not under them. I told them to tell him that I will not leave and I must sit for the lecture and understand the scripture more, why should they reject me. I said they should tell him that ‘am going nowhere, I will not leave.
The workers also told me that their hands were tied and that they couldn’t do anything about it. I said I won’t give them their document in my possession, that if they liked they could return my money. Fortunately for me, they returned my money, I didn’t return what they gave me, to show the world that I went to the Bible school, but they didn’t allow me to stay," he said.

BIBLE SAYS,
God Has No Pleasure in the Death of the Wicked

The Bible teaches that God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Ezekiel 33:11, "Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel." If we are to be Christlike, then we must not rejoice in the death of the unsaved. It is a sad thing when someone dies and goes into Hell.

No Christian who has God's love in their heart should be glad to see anyone go to Hell. Many people rejoice that sinners are burning in Hell, but God is not pleased about it. God does NOT want any soul to perish into Hell. 2nd Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/winners-chapel-are-they-soul-winner-or.html
 

A cannibal cult leader calling himself Black Jesus, who slaughtered his 'Flower Girl' followers and drank their blood, has himself been murdered in the jungles of Papua New Guinea.
In flowing robes, Stephen Tari, 40, a failed Bible student, once led 6,000 'disciples' through the mountainous regions of the country, but was accused of killing at least three young girls and, as their mothers were forced to watch, drinking their blood.
Calling himself 'the true Christ', he was convicted of only rape three years ago - before the country brought in new laws that meant convicted killers and rapists could receive the death penalty - and was among 48 prisoners who broke out of jail six months ago.

'Black Jesus': Notorious cult leader Stephen Tari after he was captured in Papua New Guinea in 2007
Since then he has been on the run with a handful of faithful followers, but his bizarre life came to an end when he was said to have murdered a village woman this week and attempted to take the life of another.
 
Surrounded by furious villagers on Thursday, he is believed to have been beaten and hacked to death, along with one of his henchmen in the remote village of Gal in the northern province of Madang.
A special investigation by the Daily Mail six years ago heard from three women who said they had witnessed Tari drinking their murdered daughters' blood in bizarre sacrificial ceremonies in village huts as he led his followers through the jungle.
Because of the remote area where he was murdered, police have not been able to establish whether he allegedly murdered a woman because he had started up his former cult and needed more human sacrifices.
Madang provincial police commander Chief Superintendent Sylvester Kalaut told the Post Courier newspaper that the village where Tari met his death is several miles by foot along jungle tracks from the nearest small town.

Capture: The feared Tari was beaten by villagers and tied up before being handed over to the police in 2007
'We are sending police and a doctor to the village to ascertain the cause of death.
'The village where he was based is a four hour walk and from advice and given reports of the state of his body, he will have to be buried soon after the post-mortem is conducted,' said Superintendent Kalaut.

Followers: Tari gathered more than six thousand disciples with his preaching in the jungles (library image)
The police officer warned that other prisoners who remain on the run and who might be associated with Tari should give themselves up.
'He is now dead and this could be the fate of the others who are also on the run from the authorities. I am warning and strongly urging those escapees to surrender themselves to authorities.'
At the height of his infamy, Black Jesus wore long white robes as he stood on a rock in a jungle clearing and preached his own kind of gospel to his disciples. He told the crowds that they would receive gifts from heaven if they followed him.
But behind his preachings was evil intent. Luring young females he called his Flower Girls into huts, he cut their throats and consumed their blood, mothers testified later.
One woman said she was ordered to drink her own daughter's blood on one occasion.
Police were unable to capture him, despite knowing where he was because of the constant the presence of his large 'flock' - he was guarded by henchmen who carried rifles, spears and bows and arrows.
But villagers finally carried out a 'citizens' arrest' in 2007 and Tari was eventually jailed.
Now, it is village power once again that has brought an end to his warped teachings. It is expected he will be buried near the small jungle community where he was killed.
source[/b]dunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/cannibal-cult-leader-who-drank-girls.html]Odunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/cannibal-cult-leader-who-drank-girls.html

As often said, beside every successful man, there is a woman. It has just come to the fore that every successful politician has a woman of great influence who plays along with him. If it was the man’s spouse, it is considered better because courage and support are brood right from home. This is more so, considering the fact that no woman will watch her husband record a public and documented failure during his stay in office.

Below are details of the women behind Nigeria's current powerful politicians...

DAME PATIENCE JONATHAN:
As it stands now the biggest influence on the Nigerian political landscape is undoubtedly President Goodluck Jonathan. President Jonathan’s ascending political profile since the advent of this democratic dispensation is a feat that is rarely achieved. Yet one cannot glorify him and underestimate the role played by his spouse, Dame Patience Jonathan. It is believed that Patience wields much influence on Jonathan’s political decisions. For instance, it was

Rumoured recently in some quarters and carried by some media that Lady Jonathan, who is known to be a strong advocate of women rights and growth, might have influenced the expulsion of the Rivers State governor, Rotimi Chibuike Ameachi, by the State chapter of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as there has been a face-off between her and the Governor who are both indigenes of the State. Dame Patience pursues the course for the empowerment and respect for the rights of women with unprecedented zeal. She was known for this course even right from when her husband was Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State.

Patience, who has a BSc. in Biology and Psychology from the University of Port Harcourt, was born in 1957 into a respectable Christian family of Lazarus Iwari-Oba in Port-Harcourt.

AMINA SAMBO (OFR):
Mrs Amina Sambo (OFR) is the wife of Vice President Namadi Sambo, and therefore Nigeria’s Second Lady. She was Kaduna State’s First Lady between 2007 and 2010 when her husband was governor of the State. As a background influence to her husband, she must have been a good companion and adviser, contributing to the political ingenuity that has seen him to the topmost echelon of Nigerian politics today.

Mrs Amina Sambo was born in Riyom, Barikin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria. She had her primary education at Girls Boarding School, Gindiri, Plateau State, after which she enrolled for a Nursing course before she had her secondary education. She is currently the Executive Director of the Grassroots Health Organisation of Nigeria (GHON).

She coordinated a national programme on the prevention of Vesico honeypotl Fistula (VVF) towards safe motherhood in Nigeria, and was a consultant on delivery at the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA) projects in northern Nigeria. In view of her outstanding achievements and contributions to national growth, she was conferred with the award of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) by President Jonathan.

HELEN DAVID MARK:
The Senate President, David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark is married to four wives. They are Omale, Kate, Helen and Randa. Mark, who represents Benue South federal constituency, is a former military governor of Niger State. He was first elected into the Senate in 1999 and has clinched the position till date. He is indeed, one of the influential political figures in Benue State, if not the most powerful and sophisticated politician in the state.

Senator Mark enjoys a lot of support from all his wives, one of whom is Helen, who often identifies with him in his political struggles and is often seen with him in official outings.

SENATOR (MRS) DAISY DANJUMA:
She is the wife of Theophilus Yusuf Danjuma, a retired General who, by virtue of his philanthropic gestures has received various awards and titles across the country; a man who is now seen by many as a political benefactor and advisor to the political elites, especially those of northern extraction. Senator (Mrs) Daisy, a former senator from Plateau State, is a graduate of Law from Ahmadu Bello University.

In 2003, she was elected Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where she has served on various committees, most notably, as Chairman of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Women and Children Committee and Chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs and Youth Development.

HAJIYA INNA MARYAM CIROMA:
Former minister of Women Affairs and current Acting Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority, Hajiya Inna Maryam Ciroma, is the wife of former minister of finance, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma. Hajiya Inna was born on September 11, 1954 in Biu, Borno State. She attended Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, where she graduated in 1978 with a degree in Political Science. She later obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration, perhaps, in her desire to sharpen and equip herself for the task of public service and administration.

Having had several careers cutting across federal civil service, private entrepreneurship and investment, there is no doubt that she is very exposed. Her husband, Adamu Ciroma, is also a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He was the chairman of the Obasanjo 2003 re-election Campaign Organisation. This shows how the Ciromas are considered politically weighty and relevant by Obasanjo who was, then, very desperate for his re-election bid. Of course, he needed no less political personalities than the Ciromas whose role in capturing the north was considered un-negotiable.

There is no doubt that Adamu Ciroma is an old pillar in Nigerian politics. In 1979, he was a presidential aspirant on the platform of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). However, he did not scale through in the party primaries. He also served as NPN secretary. Ciroma was,

at other times, minister of Industries and Agriculture. Behind this unwavering politician who was a respected senior cabinet member during the Shagari administration, Hajiya Inna is the woman that provides all sorts of encouragement and support.

HAJIA HAUWA DANBABA SUNTAI:
The rave of the moment, Hajia Hauwa Danbaba Suntai is the wife of Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State. Hauwa, a Shuwa Arab from Borno State, is the reliable storehouse of the Taraba governor who was

involved in an air crash in October last year in Yola, Adamawa State, when he was reported to be flying himself in a private jet. Hauwa has been standing by her husband throughout his ordeal, practically demonstrating that what he needed mostly to recover is, perhaps, the affection and emotional therapy of a dear one. During this same time, Hauwa gave birth to twins in USA where her husband was receiving treatment after he was transferred from a German hospital where he was initially admitted.

Just last weekend, her husband was flown into the country from John Hopkins Hospital, USA. Following this, many are still in doubt if the governor is physically fit to function in his capacity as the governor of the state. It therefore, looks similar to the Umaru Musa Yar’adua sickness saga when Turai was practically doing everything possible to rule the country by proxy, thereby, safe-guarding her husband’s position.

Similarly, Hauwa Suntai is being rumoured to be playing the same role to ensure that her husband’s seat is retained. Despite that the Taraba State acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, is officially carrying out the constitutional duties conferred on him in the governor’s absence, Hauwa’s influence in the Taraba government house cannot be denied.

DAME JUDITH AMAECHI:
Dame Judith Amaechi is the wife of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State. She is the founder, Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI), a non-governmental organisation concerned with campaigns against HIV/AIDS, protecting the rights of women and children and promotion of gender equality as well as girl-child education.

Dame Judith was born on December 24, 1970. She attended Federal Government College, Abuloma in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. She later attended Rivers State University of Science and Technology, where she graduated in Urban and Regional Planning. Her husband has suffered high degrees of political crisis in recent times ranging from the imbroglio involving his official aircraft and officials of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in Akure, Ondo State, an attempt to unseat him as the chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum (NGF) which pitched him against President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor David Jonah Jang of Plateau State, to the recent violence that took over his state assembly in what was unexpected of civilised lawmakers of this century.

Not forgotten is the rift between Amaechi and the commissioner of police in Rivers, Mr Mbu J. Mbu which was interpreted by many as a stage-managed and tele-guided scenario. It is interesting to note that while the wranglings lasted, Dame Judith, like the proverbial rock of Gibraltar, stood closely by her husband with a rare philosophical calmness and in a manner that seems to assure him: “don’t worry; the coast will soon be clear and safe”.

HAJIYA JUMMAI BABANGIDA ALIYU:
Hajiya Jummai Babangida Aliyu is the wife of Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, the Chief Servant of Niger State, as often referred to. Her husband is one of the most powerful politicians in the country. Aliyu was elected governor of Niger State in April 2007 on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He was re-elected for a second term on April 26, 2011. Therefore, by 2015, he would have governed the state for eight years.

Also, Governor Aliyu is the incumbent chairman, Northern States Governors’ Forum, a formidable political forum to reckon with. At the pick of the crisis that rocked the NGF, Aliyu, not minding whose ox is being gored, stood his ground and maintained that the embattled governor Chibuike Amaechi should be recognized as the elected chairman of the forum, going by votes cast.

Hajiya Jummai, popularly known as Madam Chief Servant of Niger State, following the nomenclature carved by her husband, is the fountain of courage behind Governor Aliyu. Some of the initiatives she introduced in the state are Women Empowerment, Reforming Prisoners, minimizing and addressing the issue of segxwal abuse and ensuring that every Niger child is computer literate.

HAJIYA NANA KASHIM SHETTIMA:
Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima is the wife of Borno State governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima. Recently, Nana took a bold and exemplary step by empowering no less than 500 women in the state with soft loans to enable them start petty trading activities. Using Support for Widows, Orphans and Tsangaya (SWOT) Foundation, a pet project founded by her, she was able to bring succour to the less privileged women , most of whom were victims of the serial insurgent attacks and destructions unleashed on the state by the Boko Haram sect.

Recently, during the Ramadan, she distributed cash and food items to 400 Muslim widows and orphans in Borno.

Her husband, Governor Shettima, would have been thrown into a state of political convulsion following the eruption of violent attacks in his state if he were not a man of strong will, added to the support of a wife like Nana. It can be rightly said that since Shettima came to office, he had not had opportunity to peacefully drink water and drop the proverbial cup, having inherited a state that has, overnight, become a training camp and breeding ground for the insurgent group.

However, in good and bad times, Governor Shettima is sure of one thing – the moral support and encouragement of his wife, Nana.

AISHA BUHARI:
Hajiya Aisha Buhari is the articulate wife of General Muhammadu Buhari. She was born in Adamawa State to the family of Nigeria’s first minister of defence, Muhammadu Ribadu. She is also a granddaughter of the first Chiroma of Adamawa. Hajiya Aisha attended Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, where she bagged a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration. She also attended Carlton Institute of London and the Academy Esthetique Beauty Institute of France, Dubai, where she obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Cosmetology and Beauty Therapy.

She is also a graduate of International Affairs and Strategic Planning.

Over the years, as General Buhari continued to pursue his presidential aspiration, she has always done everything within her reach to support him and ensure that he wins election. She once assured Nigerian women during a fund raising dinner for female candidates of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) that if her husband won the presidential election, that women will be given the priority they deserved which would focus on their health, education, and being given opportunity to contribute to the growth of Nigeria. What else can a woman do to further fortify the political fortress of her husband more than what Aisha has done?

JUSTICE (MRS) FATI ABUBAKAR:
Justice (Mrs) Fati Lami Abubakar shares in the fame of her husband, General Abdussalami Abubakar (Rtd) who ended the long military rule in Nigeria by voluntarily handing over power to a democratically elected civilian president. It is one historic gesture that makes these Abubakars unique in Nigeria’s political history. With the growing popularity of the position of First Lady, one would have thought that Lady Abubakar would advise for a stay-on.

However, Justice (Mrs) Abubakar is a success story on her own. She is the first female lawyer, Solicitor-General and Attorney-General of Niger State respectively. She is currently a Judge of the High Court of Niger State.

A second child of the late Waziri of Minna, Alhaji Umaru Audu and Hajiya Nana Asma’u, Justice Abubakar was born in Minna, Niger State. From college, she gained admission to study law at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, graduating with an LLB in 1975.

JUSTICE (MRS) MARY ODILI:
The mention of Nigeria’s strong politicians can never be complete without the mention of Peter Odili, the immediate past governor of Rivers State, who is said to have nurtured the incumbent governor, Rotimi Ameachi. Justice Mary Odili is the woman that has been behind Odili as his wife. Mary is currently a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Justice Mary Odili was born on May 12, 1952 at Amudi Obizi Ezinihitte, Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. She attended University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu Campus (UNEC), where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Law (LL.B Hons) in 1976. She had held several judicial positions at one time or the other in Rivers State, Abuja, Kaduna and so on. This legal giant was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on June 23, 2013.

AMBASSADOR BIANCA OJUKWU:
Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu is the wife of Biafran warlord and vibrant politician, late Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu. Before his death, Ojukwu was a national leader of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), on which platform he had contested for presidency but did not win.

Controversies seem to trail this ethereal beauty, lawyer and business woman and the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Pageant winner in 1988, Miss Africa and the first black woman to win Miss Intercontinental, Bianca Ojukwu.

Bianca Odinaka Olivia Ojukwu is the daughter of the legal luminary and former governor of the old Anambra State, late Chief Christian Chukwuma Onoh, of Ngwo, Enugu State. She met the late Ojukwu when she was 22.

MORENIKE FLORENCE SARAKI:
Morenike Florence Saraki is the wife of late Dr. Olusola Saraki, former governor of Kwara State and a politician that wielded enormous power and control in Kwara State. She is the mother of Senator Gbemisola Saraki and stepmother of the former governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki.

Florence has been around her husband during his political struggles. The exit of Saraki who has been a stabilizing and rallying factor in the house might pave the way for Florence, the only wife, to be the new force in the family politics.

MRS. MARGARET PETER OBI:
The was born Margaret Brownson Usen. She got married to governor Obi in 1992. Margaret is the brain behind her husband’s National Gender Affirmative Action which encouraged at least fifty per cent slots to women under Obi’s administration. Margaret is known for her humility despite her intelligence which she kept hidden while working intensively and inconspicuously to garner support for her husband’s administration. She is also known for her fierce devotion to women empowerment and child protection activities.

She facilitated the distribution of equipment grants to women cooperatives that are engaged in dry season faming. Thus, promoting their access to factors of production and enhancing their capacity to support their families. She also facilitated the establishment of Family Courts in the state’s Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (MWAPD) to deal with issues of child abuse and violation of women’s rights especially widows’ right to inheritance.

SENATOR OLUREMI TINUBU:
She is the wife of former Lagos State governor, Bola Asiwaju Tinubu and the National Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). In 2011, she contested and won the Lagos Central Senatorial Candidate of the ACN.

Claims of her husband, the ACN National Leader imposing Oluremi on Lagosians as a 2015 gubernatorial candidate for the economic capital without observance of the party’s primary election surfaced in recent months. In June, 2013, in a public address on Channels Television,

Oluremi Tinubu dismissed the claim that she has set her sights on governing seat of Lagos, saying, “My husband did it for eight years … I don’t think I have the strength to say I want to govern the present state of Lagos.”
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/meet-women-behind-nigerias-current.html

This is the heart-stopping moment a gigantic whale sprung to the surface just feet away from two stunned kayakers.
Casually minding their own business, the pair were paddling along trying to spot whales in the distance at Monterey Bay in California, USA.
But suddenly the 40ft, 80,000lb beast rose out of the water almost within touching distance of the shocked pair who couldn't believe their eyes.
Scroll down for video

Amazing: The two kayakers were stunned when the whale emerged just feet from them
Laws state that nobody can approach a whale within 100 yards of them but the mammal decided to take them by surprise instead.


The moment was captured by Giancarlo Thomae, a marine biologist from Moss Landing in California, while on a day trip whale watching last weekend.
He said: 'We were kayak whale watching and the whales just came right up to us. For being some of the largest animals on the planet they were very graceful.

Feet away: The incredible moment was captured by Giancarlo Thomae, a marine biologist, while on a day trip whale watching

Stunning: Laws state that nobody can approach a whale within 100 yards of them but the mammal decided to take them by surprise instead
'The whole encounter that happened between Karen and I lasted about three-quarters of a second.
'The whale dove three-feet from her kayak and didn't get one drop of water in it.
'Humpback whales are very curious and playful animals and get very friendly with kayakers and boaters - although maybe sometimes a bit too friendly.'

Massive: The 40ft, 80,000lb whale rose out of the water almost within touching distance of the shocked pair
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/no-need-to-zoom-in-extraordinary-moment.html

A five-year-old boy was blasted about eight foot into the air by a jet of water as he played in a public fountain in China.
The child's clothes were torn to shreds by the high pressure water and he suffered a bloody nose and cuts after he landed face first on the concrete.
The exact moment the child was sent to the air was captured on camera by a visitor taking pictures of the popular fountain in Enshi, Hubei province.
The boy, five, was sent flying at least eight feet into the air by the powerful jets as he played in the fountain
The little boy landed face first on the concrete after being sent into the air by the jet
The little boy was cooling off with his parents at the Xinjian Cultural Centre square’s musical fountain, which is visited by scores of people every night.
The hi-tec water and lights show shoots strong blasts of water straight from jets set into the pavement.
The child's father Wan Lu is furious at the lack of signs warning people about the dangerous jets.
He said: 'There were no warnings or signs to tell anyone what to expect.
'One minute our boy was splashing happily in the water, the next he was flying through the air screaming.
Wan Lu, the father of the little boy (pictured), is furious about a lack of signs warning of the dangers
Town hall officials said there are warning signs and said his parents are to blame for letting him play there
'It was so strong his trousers were ripped to shreds and when he landed he went down face first and his nose started bleeding.'
However, local media said the fountain is cordoned off and warning signs have been installed telling people that the jets are dangerous.
Town Hall officials have blamed the parents of the youngster for his injuries. 
A city spokesman said: 'They should have kept a closer eye on him.
'It was quite obvious that this water was very powerful.'
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/moment-boy-five-blasted-eight-foot-into.html

A heart-rending and touching video has emerged this week from Syria showing what was described as an emotional reunion between a distraught young father and his son, who he thought had been killed in a recent attack.
The 7-minute footage allegedly recorded in the southwestern town of Zamalka was posted on YouTube by Syrian activists Monday.
The video, which is sure to make anyone tear up, shows a young man running out of a house, his face expressing both joy and utter shock, to embrace his toddler son.
Overwhelming: The video from Syria shows a young man running out of a house to embrace his toddler son
Parent's worst nightmare: The father (center) presumably thought his young son had been killed in last week's attack
Raw emotions: The young parent is so distraught that his relatives are forced to take his son away from him
The father is so overcome with emotion that several men, presumably his relatives or neighbors, have to hold him back before he finally embraces his son.
The boy is then briefly take away from the father, as he appears to be close to fainting, and other men rally around him, holding him up and trying to calm him down.
A few minutes later, after the overwhelmed young parent appears to have regained his composure, his son  - a bright-eyed little boy in a pink checkered shirt - is once again in the arms of his overjoyed dad.

Even viewers who do not speak a word of Arabic can appreciate the boundless love and overwhelming sense of relief written on the father’s face.
His gestures and expressions speak volumes as he showers his little boy with kisses, holds him tight and gazes into his eyes, as if to make sure that the child he thought was dead is in fact with him once again.
As of Tuesday night, the stirring video, first discovered by Max Fisher, of The Washington Post, has drawn more than 430,000 views, and counting.
The footage showing the happy reunion is a rare bright spot in an otherwise bleak situation that has been playing out in Syria. 
Time out: The overwhelmed young father is led into the house and placed on a bench, where his relatives try to calm him down
Unbreakable bond: Even viewers who do not speak Arabic can read the emotion's on the parent's face as he showers his boy with kisses and holds him tight
Viral: The tear-jerking clip has drawn more than 430,000 views, and counting
Zamalka, the Damascus suburb where the video was apparently shot, has become one of the sites of terrible massacre possibly involving chemical weapons that took the lives of about 1,700 people.
A single family has reportedly lost 21 members in the attack that was unleashed on the town last Wednesday.
According to a relative of the Waked clan who lives in Israel, a total of 12 women and girls and nine men and boys were killed in the atrocity.
It was claimed last week that the Syrian government launched a poison gas attack on the rebel-held area, wiping out hundreds of innocent residents as they lay sleeping in their beds.
An image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube August 21 allegedly shows a mass grave containing bodies of victims that Syrian rebels claim were killed in a toxic gas attack by pro-government forces in eastern Ghouta and Zamalka
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/heartbreaking-video-shows-moment-syrian.html

 Microsoft Windows
Microsoft has announced that it would shut down support for its 11-year old Windows XP operating system widely used in personal computers and laptops over security concerns.
Ahead of the planned shut down,  Microsoft  Acting Country Manager for Nigeria, Mrs Awawu  Olumide-Sojirin told journalists in Lagos that the company will stop  sending updates and assisted support to Windows XP by April, 2014.

She said the measure was taken to protect users of the application from fraudsters and hackers who have found ways to make window-XP  vulnerable.

Awawu noted that Microsoft have since launched window 8, to replace window -XP and urged users to switch to the latest window to avoid  security issues.
She said:  “Microsoft primary focus is to ensure users are protected and Windows 8 is thus capable of providing better security against malware. It contains a Defender; a full-featured anti-virus solution included in every edition of the operating system.
“That is why we are encouraging companies to upgrade to Windows 8. The reasons are obvious: security till today and in future remains a high priority investment area and with it we have enabled a broad range of new capabilities that address the top security needs and threats that they are facing today”.
Also speaking about the development, Mr. Oluyomi Alarape, datacenter solutions Specialist, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa,said Microsoft is ending support for XP because “technology has dramatically changed.”
He noted that the expiration of support for Windows XP is expedient due to the fact that there has been evolution in technology, maintaining that business and personal technology has dramatically changed over the last decade.
“While XP was one of the most popular operating systems in Microsoft’s history, it was not designed to handle the challenges of today, such as the increased exposure to cyber-attacks and demands for more data privacy, unlike our newer operating systems such as Windows 7 and 8,” he said.
He explained that, apparently, the security risk is the most concerning for customers as there are more sophisticated forms of attack which can impact safety of personal information and the hidden costs associated with support and business continuity.
“An 11-year-old operating system can no longer address today’s business and technology needs nor security threats,” he said.
He  hinted that the sharp increase of “hacktivism” and pirated software in 2012 formed part of reasons consumers should upgrade from XP to the latest operating systems such as Windows 7 or 8.
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/microsoft-shuts-window-xp.html

It was an emotional scene. Adamawa State Governor Mr Murtala Nyako was all tears yesterday as he visited Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai at the Government House, Jalingo.
Nyako, who is the first caller since Suntai’s return on Sunday from the Hospital Rehabilitation Centre & Home, New York, United States, spent over an hour with his counterpart in his inner sitting room.
The duo sat on one chair. Suntai was wearing an ash-colour suit with a blue-black shirt. Nyako was clad in a white agbada and a black cap.

He prayed for Suntai to recover fully. As Nyako prayed, Suntai bowed his head, responding–in a low voice: “Amen, amen”. Prayers over, Suntai clapped his hands and smiled.

When Nyako shook Suntai’s hand, telling him he was about to leave, the tears began to drop.

It was tears of joy, Nyako told The Nation.

The Taraba governor looked smarter yesterday. He also walked without assistance – unlike when he arrived in Abuja on Sunday, aided to walk from the plane onto the tarmac.

He wore a stress-free face and was more relaxed. He did not wince, as he did on Sunday.

Speaking with the wife of the Taraba Governor, Hajiya Hauwa Suntai, in the main sitting room, Nyako described him as his brother and not only a colleague.

“What affects him affects me too. I pray he recovers speedily so that he can continue with the work, where he stopped,” he said.

Suntai’s wife expressed appreciation for Nyako’s show of love.

Acting governor of Taraba Garba Umar on MOnday said he was happy over his boss’s return. He briefed reporters in his office in Jalingo. Umar appreciated the turnout and urged Taraba people to “sustain the unity and cooperation”.

“I am very happy for the successful homecoming of my boss, the Executive Governor of Taraba State, His Excellency Danbaba Suntai. I appreciate the unity, cooperation and the way everyone turned out. I want to urge Taraba people to sustain this unity and cooperation.
Anyway, it was learnt that the House of Assembly may hold a plenary on Suntai’s homecoming as Suntai has communicated the House in writing about his return.
It would be recalled that Suntai spent about 10 months in Germany and United States, treating the injuries he sustained when a plane he piloted crashed near Yola, Adamawa State on October 25, last year.
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/what-happened-when-gov-nyako-visited.html

If you're seriously considering proposing to your loved one in public, you might just want to watch this video first.
A hapless romeo gets down on one knee to ask his girlfriend to marry him, but she clumps him around the head with a busker's ukulele.
The cringe worthy video, shot in a shopping mall in Dubai, shows the man, described as an 'Indian teen', and the girl walk up to a group of buskers.
Scroll down for video
I most certainly won't: The moment the man's public marraige proposal goes disastrously wrong when his would-be bride blumps him round the head with a ukulele
I most certainly won't: The moment the man's public marriage proposal goes disastrously wrong when his would-be bride clumps him round the head with a ukulele 

As the musicians begin a to play he takes a microphone and launches into a gooey speech saying: 'I have a very special message for a very special girl. This is where we met three months ago.

'You are my charm, you are my sweety pie, you are my cutie pie, my absolute everything, and I know you find this cheesy but I want everyone to know, you make me really happy.'
As a crowd gathers things start going badly for the man when a toy town-style mall train drives past, breaking the mood and the embarrassed girl mutters 'Oh my god everyone's watching.'
Cringeworthy: The man, backed by a group of buskers, begins his proposal speech in a Dubai shopping mall
Here goes: The man, backed by a group of buskers, begins his proposal speech in a Dubai shopping mall

Popping the question: He drops down on one knee to ask the girl to be his bride
Popping the question: He drops down on one knee to ask the girl to be his bride as she begs him to stop

Blam: The furious girl swings the busker's miniature guitar catching the unwanted suitor around the head
Blam: The furious girl swings the busker's miniature guitar catching the unwanted suitor around the head

Undaunted the man  continues: 'I have a little poem for you and I want everyone to hear this.
'When you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while. And my heart ceases to beat and there is nothing else I seek except you.'
As he gets down on one knee the girl begs him to stop but he continues: 'And I Just have one question for you. You truly make me that happiest person on earth.'
Love hurts: The man lies in a crumpled heap on the ground before the girl storms off
Love hurts: The man lies in a crumpled heap on the ground before the girl storms off

But the girl simply cannot take anymore and she snatches the miniature guitar out of the hands of one of the buskers and whacks her suitor round the head with it sending him to the floor in a crumpled heap.
She then throws the instrument onto the ground and and storms off.
The clip has since gone viral on YouTube but there is a strong suggestion it could be a publicity stunt, not in the least because the mall train bears the advertising message 'not so sweet'.
for more pictures visit.
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/does-that-answer-your-question-marriage.html

WHAT TARGETS WOULD THE COALITION HIT?
The favoured option among top brass is for limited Western action using ‘stand-off’ weapons from long distance to disrupt Assad’s ability to carry out chemical attacks and damage his military machine.

Intelligence on targets would come from pilotless drones patrolling the skies above Syria and special forces on the ground.

Four battleships have been moved to within striking range of Syria as President Obama weighs his options following a reported use of chemical weapons against citizens on Wednesday

Military analysts believe an attack could last between 24 and 48 hours and would target key regime installations.

These would include Syria’s integrated air defence system, command and control bunkers, communications hubs, government buildings, missile sites and Assad’s air force.

The dictator’s use of air power has been a huge advantage for the regime, and eliminating or weakening it would tilt the odds toward the rebels.

Other military options are airstrikes on Syrian units believed to be responsible for chemical attacks. Reports last week claimed the chemical weapons were fired by the 155th Brigade of the 4th Armoured Division of the Syrian Army.

 This division, which has a military base in a mountain range west of Damascus is under the command of the president’s brother, Maher Assad.

WHAT BASES WOULD BE USED?
US-led strikes would be launched from warships or submarines patrolling in the eastern Mediterranean or Persian Gulf, or from combat aircraft that can fire missiles from hundreds of miles away.

A US Navy battlegroup including four destroyers is already in the eastern Mediterranean and has moved closer to Syria in preparation for action.

The Syrian regime says allegations of a chemical attack are 'absolutely baseless'

The apparent chemical attack on Wednesday has led to calls for Western powers to do more to end the bloodshed in Syria

They are armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of hitting a target from up to 1,200 miles away. Around 124 of the 18ft-long, £300,000 warheads were fired by US and British forces against Colonel Gaddafi’s forces during the Libyan war.

The US Air Force could also send B-2 stealth bombers to pound Assad’s military installations. Based in Missouri, they can cover the entire world with just one refuelling.

The most expensive aircraft ever – at a cost of £600million each – they are almost invisible to radar and can carry 40,000lbs of bombs.

As well as having F-16 fighter jets and refuelling aircraft based at airfields in the Middle East, the US also has defensive Patriot missile batteries positioned in Jordan, which neighbours Syria.

WHAT FIREPOWER  CAN BRITAIN OFFER?

Despite multi-billion-pound cuts to the defence budge that have seen top brass axe fast jets, warships, spy planes and 30,000 troops, the armed forces can still contribute to an assault on Syria.
The Royal Navy could fire Tomahawk missiles from its nuclear-powered Trafalgar-class submarines – one of which is constantly on patrol in the Middle East.

The subs carry a giant payload of the super-accurate missiles.

Heavily-armed RAF Tornados could in theory fly from RAF Marham in Norfolk to attack targets in Syria – a 4,200 mile round trip – or be deployed to Cyprus to launch bombing raids from there.
Carrying precision-guided Storm Shadow missiles, the air crews could devastate enemy defences including radar stations, anti-aircraft batteries and supply lines.

The Storm Shadows have a range of more than 150 miles, allowing the aircraft to attack targets deep inside enemy territory without getting too close to anti-air defences.

The 1,300kg missile, which technicians programme with the target details before the mission, then uses hi-tech GPS systems and terrain-following equipment to fly low under radar to its detonation point.

Despite being fired from 150 miles away, the Storm Shadow is accurate to up to 6ft, reducing collateral damage.

David Cameron and Barack Obama discussed the plan in a 40-minute phone call at the weekend and will finalise the details within 48 hours
WHAT ARE THE DANGERS?

There are enormous risks associated with any military action in Syria.

Assad has built up formidable air defences, supplied by Russia, which are capable of downing a US or UK fighter jet, putting our servicemen and women in danger.

There are also the dangers of collateral damage from airstrikes, such as accidentally killing or injuring civilians and handing the regime a propaganda victory.

And if missiles targeted Syrian chemical plants, leaving them without protection, there is a risk of deadly nerve agents and other substances falling into the hands of terrorists – allowing them to launch a potentially catastrophic attack on the West.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT?
Military leaders are concerned that a series of ‘stand-off’ strikes will be the first step on a path that leads to full involvement in the Syrian conflict.

General Martin Dempsey. chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned this week that airstrikes ‘would not be militarily decisive, but it would commit us decisively to the conflict’.

His words echoed those of General Sir David Richards, who last month stepped down after three years as Chief of the Defence Staff.

He said the UK must be prepared to ‘go to war’ if it wanted to stop the bloodshed inflicted by Assad and stop his chemical weapons falling into the hands of Al Qaeda militants.

But his remarks fuelled concerns about ‘mission creep’.

Hundreds died in the alleged chemical attacks on Wednesday, including many women and children

Activists say that somewhere between 200 and 1,300 were killed in the chemical weapons attack on Wednesday near Damascus. Syria has one of the largest stockpiles of chemical weapons of any country

‘If you wanted to have the material impact in the Syrian regime’s calculations that some people seek... you have to be able, as we did successfully in Libya, to hit ground targets,’ he said.

‘You have to establish a ground control zone. You have to take out their air defences. You also have to make sure they can’t manoeuvre, which means you have to take out their tanks and armoured personnel carriers.

‘So you would be going to war if that is what you want to do.’

HOW WILL RUSSIA AND IRAN REACT?
Despite the chemical attack violating one of Barack Obama’s ‘red lines’ he is not gung ho for military action.

He and David Cameron are keenly aware of the danger of inflaming tensions in the Middle East, where Syria has two powerful allies in Russia and Iran.

Russia has urged Assad to co-operate with a probe by UN inspectors but claims there is growing evidence Syrian rebels were behind the attack.

The Kremlin, which has defiantly blocked any action against Syria by the UN Security Council, has also hit out at ‘unacceptable’ calls for the use of force against the regime in Damascus.

The West is also at pain s to not become embroiled in a proxy Cold War over Syria.

One Whitehall source said: ‘Without a nod from Russia, whether in public or in private, it would be problematic to act against Syria.’

Iran has also spoken strongly against any intervention in Syria.
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/how-west-could-smash-assads-arsenal-uk.html

The 8th Season of the Big Brother Africa The Chase was over Sunday night.
And it was not romance-stuck Beverly Osu or her Nigerian counterpart, Melvin that triumphed.
The crown rather went to Namibia’s Dillish.

 Dillish: grand prize winner
Beverly, Melvin, Cleo, Elikem and Dillish were the five finalists on the last day.
First to be evicted was Beverly, followed by Melvin, then Elikem, leaving Cleo and Dillish as the final two standing.

At the end of the day Cleo was evicted leaving Namibia’s Dillish as the housemate in the house making her the winner of the 8th season of Big Brother Africa, going home with the $300,000 prize.
According to Big Brother Africa/DSTV website, “The gorgeous Namibian started her Chase race as the proverbial underdog and was labeled everything from lazy, to a pampered princess.
“As the Chase rolled on however, Dillish quickly emerged as a very strong contender for the Chase title and won her fellow Housemates and Africa over, with her quirky, accented alter ego, aptly titled Princess Dillish.
“The Namibian made sure to stay away from trouble and coasted through the Chase by taking her place behind the scenes. While her fellow Housemates got themselves into hot water, fighting and gossiping their way to what they hoped was the top of the mountain, Dillish remained grounded and maintained cordial relations with her fellow Housemates.
“The only time the Namibian got herself in a spot of trouble was when she and her good friend, Nigeria’s Melvin, had a disagreement after she told her fellow Housemates about a relationship he was involved in, which was less than stellar. Dillish and Cleo proved to all and sundry that women are indeed a force of nature. The two hotties pipped their male counterparts, Elikem and Melvin to the Top 2 while, as well as their close friend Beverly.”
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/namibias-dillish-sweeps-300000-grand.html#more

The State Security Service has arrested an Abuja-based car dealer, Ibrahim Takat, for allegedly conspiring with a spiritualist, identified as Nakasi Ahmadu, to defraud the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed of N3m.”

The spiritualist, Nakasi Ahmadu “used the cloned phone number to give instruction to the Chief of Staff to the minister via text message to deposit N3m into his (Takat) account number 0011141544 with Diamond Bank Plc. The amount was withdrawn the same day by the suspect.”

Parading Takat in Abuja on Friday, the Director of Operations, SSS, in FCT, Ibrahim Halilu, explained that he used the minister’s cloned number to obtain the money on August 8, 2013 at Asokoro, Abuja.

But Takat claimed he knew nothing about the alleged cloning of the minister’s telephone number, adding that the fraud was perpetrated by the spiritualist, Nakasi Ahmadu, who who is on the run. He said Ahmadu used his (Takat) bank account to receive the money and gave him N400,000 in return.
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/spiritualist-defrauds-fct-minister-bala.html

The car dealer explained that he gave his bank account to the spiritualist because he had been his friend for over 20 years and trusted him.

Takat said, “Ahmadu is my friend and he lives in Gombe; he asked me to give him my bank account for a business transaction which I obliged because I have known him for about 20 years and he has helped me in the past. The money (N3m) was deposited in my account and he withdrew it and gave me N400,000, but I didn’t know the money was criminally obtained.

“If I was involved in the scam, I would not have come to the SSS office when I was invited. I don’t know anything about it.”
Odunlade.blogspot.com gathered that the is now on the trail of the spiritualist, Nakasi Ahmadu.

Gov. Danbaba Suntai of Nigeria’s Taraba state on Sunday arrived in Abuja after 10 months of medical treatment in Germany and the United States, following a plane crash on 25 October last year.
He piloted the small Cessna plane, which crash-landed in Yola, capital of neighboring Adamawa state. Some of his aides were also injured, but they have since recovered.
Suntai arrived at the old wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja at about 1.10p.m.
Gov. Danbaba Suntai, being aided to wave to the people Curiously, he was aided to alight from the aircraft and an aide also held him as he vacuously waved, at the door of the plane, to people at the airport.Suntai did not also talk to newsmen but one of his associates, John Dara, said that the governor was mentally alert as against speculations that he had lost his memory.

“We were excited to see him and it is understandable that after the long trip, he was weak and tired. But, we were thrilled by the fact that he recognised everyone by name which shows that he is mentally alert and lucid,’’ Dara said.

He noted that the governor’s mental alertness indicated that he was capable of taking over the affairs of the state.
“That itself is a clear indication that he is capable of running the affairs of Taraba as the governor. We had no doubt in our minds that when he gets back to Jalingo today, it will be up to his doctor to say whether he will resume today or in a couple of days to come.
“But he is clearly okay and able to function,’’ Dara said.
He said that the governor’s decision not to talk to newsmen might be because of the long journey.
“Talking to newsmen can be spontaneous and organised. So, we felt that when he has rested well, it will be easier for him to address Nigerians,’’ Dara said.
Another close associate of Suntai, Rima Shamulu, said the decision to take over the ruling of the state lies with him, in line with the provisions of the constitution.
“There are provisions in the constitution for you to take over or not to.
“And if he gets back to Jalingo today, and he transmits a letter to the state assembly through the speaker that he has arrived, that is all; he can take over as the governor.
“So, I don’t know why there are speculations around because there is constitutional provision when someone becomes too sick to function; it is not for us to speculate.
“And with the way I saw him, he is alright,’’ Shamulu said.
Suntai was transferred from hospital in Yola to the National Hospital, Abuja, on October 26, 2012, preparatory to his being flown to Germany for further medical treatment.
About one hour after the governor was admitted into the intensive care unit of the hospital, President Goodluck Jonathan visited him.
The president confirmed then that Suntai’s condition was stable and urged Nigerians to thank God for sparing the governor’s life.
From Germany, Suntai was flown to the John Hopkins Hospital in the United States.
sourceOdunlade.blogspot.com/2013/08/governor-suntai-returns-homebut-no.html