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Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors' Forum, Mr Ayodele Fayose has warned the Department of State Services (DSS) over the planned detention and trial of Apostle Johnson Suleiman of The Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide and the General Overseer of Living Faith Church Worldwide International (Winners’ Chapel International), Bishop David Oyedepo, describing it as indirect invitation to religious crisis in the country.Apostle Johnson Suleiman and Bishop David Oyedepo
Governor Fayose alleged that; “There is plan to charge Apostle Suleiman and Bishop Oyedepo for incitement and attempt to cause public disorder on Friday, and make sure that they are not granted so to get them remanded in Kuje Prison perpetually.”
He said this plan was to humiliate these men of God as well as silence them and create fear in other people that may want to speak against the heinous crime against humanity being committed daily while perpetrators are being shielded by the federal government.
In a statement issued on Sunday by is Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said the DSS should tell Nigerians how many of the Fulani herdsmen that killed thousands of Nigerians across the country have been arrested before going after Nigerians who merely expressed their frustration over the to failure of the federal government to protect them.
The governor said; “Even though the DSS has allowed commonsense to prevail by properly inviting Apostle Suleiman as against the gestapo manner with which the service attempted to abduct him last week Wednesday, it is still questionable that the DSS is more interested in a man who threatened to defend himself against any attack by Fulani herdsmen rather than those herdsmen that murdered thousands of Nigerians.
The governor said; “it is sad and worrisome that after muzzling opposition politicians, judiciary and the press, the APC led federal government has taking its desperation to suppress dissenting voices in the country to the House of God.”
Governor Fayose maintained that; "If the DSS had acted swiftly like it is doing on Apostle Suleiman so-called inciting comments when people were being killed by herdsmen across the country, so many lives would have been saved."
He advised the government and the DSS not to go ahead with these plans as it will heat up the polity and threaten the peaceful coexistence of Nigerians, calling on well meaning Nigerians to prevail on the federal government to desist from acts capable of throwing the country into further crisis.
Governor Fayose, who reiterated his call for the release of the head of Nigeria’s Islamic Movement (IMN), Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who has been in detention since late 2015 despite that the court ruled that he should be released, affirmed that “he will continue to stand for Nigeria and its people, not for any religion and it is my position that rights of all Nigerians must be respected and protected."
The governor urged the APC led federal government to pay attention to the economy it destroyed, with the aim to revamping it and saving Nigerians from the hunger ravaging the land.
“Nigeria is already being ravaged by war of hunger, economic recession, job loss and lack of leadership direction. It will be disastrous for the country to be plunged into religious crisis.
“Apart from during the civil war, Nigerians have not been badly divided as a nation as we are under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Killings under this government in 18 months are more than what was witnessed in the last 20 years,” the governor said.
Gambian new President, Adama Barrow has removed the word “Islamic” from Gambia’s official name.
Formerly called The Islamic Republic of The Gambia, the new President, while fielding questions during a first Presidential press conference said country no longer bears the the name The Islamic Republic of The Gambia but has become The Republic of The Gambia.
US | politics | migration | Muslim | justice | Trump | Twitter Washington, United States | AFP | Sunday 1/29/2017 – 15:40 UTC+1 | 186 words
President Donald Trump tweeted his defense Sunday of his order temporarily banning immigration to the United States for refugees and some Muslim travelers — a controversial policy which has sparked international furor and two days of US protests.
“Our country needs strong borders and extreme vetting, NOW. Look what is happening all over Europe and, indeed, the world – a horrible mess!” Trump wrote.
US airports and other sites across the United States, including the White House, were expected to see a second wave of protests Sunday against Trump’s temporary immigration ban, which a federal judge partially blocked by ordering authorities not to deport detained refugees and other travelers.
The ruling also coincided with a wave of anger and concern abroad, including among US allies.
A second Trump tweet took aim at a favorite whipping boy, the New York Times, which has ramped up its political coverage and toughened its tone as his presidency got underway just over a week ago.
“Somebody with aptitude and conviction should buy the FAKE NEWS and failing @nytimes and either run it correctly or let it fold with dignity!”
Brothers Jordan and Andre Ayew scored for Ghana as they reached the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals Sunday with a 2-1 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo in Oyem.
Jordan opened the scoring after 63 minutes of a tight, bruising quarter-final in northern Gabon and Andre put Ghana ahead again from a 78th-minute penalty.
They are sons of Ghana football legend Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew, ranked among the greatest African footballers of all time.
Between the Ayew goals, Paul-Jose Mpoku levelled for DR Congo with a swerving shot on 68 minutes.
Ghana, seeking a first Cup of Nations title since 1982, will play Cameroon next Thursday in Franceville for a final place.
Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez rescued a late draw for FC Barcelona at Real Betis on Sunday, with the champions not being allowed a goal which crossed the line.
Betis dominated and hit the woodwork through Dani Ceballos and Ruben Castro before Alex Alegria put them ahead.
But Barca were furious not to be level when Aissa Mandi hooked the ball away from about a foot behind the line, with La Liga not having goalline technology.
However, Suarez converted Lionel Messi's pass to level in the last minute.
FC Barcelona remain one point behind Real Madrid, who have two games in hand including Sunday's home game with Real Sociedad.
La Liga is the only one of Europe's top five leagues not to have goalline technology.
The Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1 have all brought it in in the past few years.
Suarez
The Spanish league has continually said it will not bring in the system because it is too expensive.
But the calls for it will increase after FC Barcelona were denied a legitimate goal that could have a big impact in the title race.
Soon after Real Betis took the lead, Aleix Vidal's cross was sent towards goal by a Betis defender and Mandi slid the ball off the crossbar and away.
But replays clearly showed it was well over the line.
In spite of the fact FC Barcelona had a legitimate goal ruled out, the champions were fortunate — on the balance of play — to have even drawn.
Betis had 17 shots to FC Barcelona's 10 and Ceballos hit the crossbar from outside the box before Castro smashed the post from close range — both at 0-0.
They had a glorious chance to seal the game at 1-0 when top scorer Castro was played in one-on-one as Barca took risks.
But he fired the ball straight at goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Real Betis have now risen one place to 13th on the La Liga table.
Families split, a father unable to reach his son’s wedding and officials warning of a “gift to extremists” — President Donald Trump’s visa ban on seven Muslim countries has triggered shock and confusion.
“There is mass hysteria among the Iranian-American community — that’s no exaggeration,” said Saam Borhani, an attorney in Los Angeles.US President Donald Trump
He said clients were bombarding him with questions since Trump passed an executive order on Friday, suspending refugee arrivals and imposing tough controls on travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
With more than one million Iranians living in the United States, the restrictions have already caused chaos for students, businessmen and families.
Borhani, himself an Iranian-American, said he had heard from married couples stuck in separate countries and a father blocked from attending his son’s wedding in California.
US State Department figures show Iran accounted for around a quarter of the 31,804 visas granted to citizens from the seven countries last year.
Among thousands facing difficulties, an Iraqi family was barred in Cairo from taking their connecting flight to New York on Saturday.
“I had sold my house, my car, my furniture. I resigned from work and so did my wife. I took my children out of school,” Fuad Sharef, 51, told AFP.
“Donald Trump destroyed my life. My family’s life. I used to think America was a state of institutions but it’s as though it’s a dictatorship,” he said.
An Iranian woman blocked from boarding at Tehran airport on Sunday said she had waited 14 years for her green card.
“Even during the hostage crisis at the US embassy (in 1980), the US government didn’t issue such an order. They say the US is the cradle of liberty. I don’t see freedom in that country,” she said, asking not to be named.
– ‘Gift to extremists’ –
The Iraqi parliament’s foreign affairs committee called for a reciprocal travel ban on Americans, though not the thousands of American military personnel in the country as part of the US-led coalition against the Islamic State group (IS).
A Facebook message from the US embassy in Iraq generated plenty of vitriol.
“Daeshi decision,” Baghdad resident Nibal Athed wrote, using the Arabic acronym for IS.
He demanded to know why the list excluded Afghanistan, Pakistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which he described as the “biggest sponsors of terrorism”.
Tehran responded with a ban on Americans entering the country.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that Trump’s move “will be recorded in history as a great gift to extremists and their supporters.”
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Huthi rebels, who control the capital Sanaa, released a statement, saying: “All attempts to classify Yemen and its citizens as a probable source for terrorism and extremism is illegal and illegitimate.”
Yemenis made up the largest contingent — 12,998 — of immigrants to the US last year from the seven countries, many fleeing the US-backed bombing campaign by Saudi Arabia.
– ‘Trump’s wall reaches Iran’ –
The situation has been complicated by US judges who have questioned the legality of the executive order.
“Uncertainty is the key word. Things are changing quickly and we’re trying to keep people updated,” said Borhani, the lawyer in LA.
Getting a visa was already tough for Iranians, who had to travel to Turkey or the United Arab Emirates for the nearest US embassy.
BBC Persian reported that 9,000 Iranian asylum seekers were now blocked in Turkey.
After rising hopes under former president Barack Obama that relations between Iran and the US were improving, Trump has thrown everything back up in the air, Borhani said.
“I don’t know what the future is going to hold, whether people here will be cut off permanently from their families in Iran. It’s very stressful.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s leading daily Hamshahri was headlined: “The United States has cut its relations with the Iranian people.”
Top reformist paper Shahrvand led with: “Trump’s wall has reached Iran”.
Surveying his sprawling car dealership on the fringes of Benin’s commercial hub Cotonou, Kassem Hijazi alternates between chainsmoking Marlboro cigarettes and puffing on a hookah.
He and his colleagues don’t have much else to do. There hasn’t been a single customer since December, when neighbouring Nigeria banned car imports by land as part of a wave of protectionist policies that are strangling Benin’s economy.
“We spend our days smoking, it’s our life now,” Hijazi sighs, sitting in a gazebo beside his stock of thousands of cars steadily accumulating the dry winter dust.
This afternoon, Hijazi — who, like the vast majority of car dealers in Benin, is Lebanese — called in his Beninese accountant to help close up shop.
Debts are accumulating and the stress is becoming too much. “I lost in one year what I have earned in 16,” Ali Assi, another car dealer, told AFP.
Of the 2,500 Lebanese dealers in Cotonou, 1,600 have packed up and left in the last six months, shutting down businesses that employed dozens of drivers, cleaners and security staff.
“Unemployed people used to come here to find work,” said Vincent Gouton, who represents a group of car dealership managers in Cotonou.
The Benin car market began its free fall last year when neighbouring Nigeria entered its first recession since 1994.
Nigeria, an economic behemoth of 190 million people, gobbles up “99 percent of car exports” in Benin, according to Gouton.
Benin, a tiny country with scarce natural resources, relies on its port business to survive.
From the port city of Cotonou, imported cars, fabrics, and food from all over the world get distributed across west Africa.
But since the Nigerian economy crashed following the collapse in global oil prices, Benin has been suffering knock-on effects.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s protectionist policies — his government has banned a slew of items including cars imported by land — has only aggravated the situation.
– ‘Encourage smuggling’ –
“This decision will encourage smuggling, it’s back to square one,” Gouton said.
Several agreements were signed in the past between Benin and Nigeria to facilitate legal trade.
But Nigeria accuses Beninese customs of failing to monitor the exported goods and collect taxes.
Buhari hopes that closing land borders will revitalise Nigerian industries and attract business to the port at Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital and largest city.
Today over 20 products — the list has never been officially published — are banned from being imported overland.
“For the past 18 months, we have seen a lot of policies that are not market friendly”, said Nigerian economist Nonso Obikili.
“The self-sufficiency policy has led the government to create all sorts of hostile environments around import”, Obikili said.
“The government wants to ban palm oil (imports) but our plantations are not ready to meet local demand, and it takes two years to get oil from trees. It’s a mess,” Obikili told AFP.
“And this will encourage illegal trade.”
– ‘Killing business’ –
It isn’t just Benin which is hurting.
Nigerian car dealer Olabanji Akinola said he had to fire half of his employees last week as a result of the ban.
Business used to be brisk at Akinola’s car dealership, located on the outskirts of Lagos.
Yet now he can’t pay any wages. “In Cotonou, they tax 35 percent of the value of an imported car. In Lagos, it’s 70 percent”, Akinola said. “It’s killing the business.”
“The price of cars will go up, and the smuggling will increase. There are 200 roads through the bush to come to Nigeria, the borders are porous,” Akinola said.
“This morning, customers begged me on my knees to lower my prices, but I cannot,” Akinola said.
Ultimately, it may only be the Nigerian government who benefits from the import ban.
In 2016, customs seized 307 contraband vehicles, worth nearly 5 billion naira (about 15 million euros). The figure is expected to rise in 2017.
Nigeria and Republic of Chad have called on the African Union (AU) and international donors to assist in raising 50 billion dollars for recharging of drying Lake Chad.
Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama said the two countries made the call at the Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) alongside of the ongoing 28th AU Summit.
He said there was also an agreement by the two countries to have a formal international donor conference on recharging the lake, as well as having a direct engagement with possible sponsors.
The minister explained that the APRM consisting 33 countries was a self-monitoring policy through peer review mechanism to ensure social, economic and political development among member states.
Onyeama said the peer review mechanism was a process where the member states submit themselves to review each other, where Nigeria had peer reviewed Republic of Chad.
He said that the two issues that came up on the Chad review were the impact of Boko Haram and shrinking of the Lake which affected about 30 million people around the lake basin.
"We recognised the role that Chad has been playing in the framework of the International Joint Task Force and we pointed out the impact of the Boko Haram on the task force.
"On the question of Chad, we pointed out that the Lake had shrunk to about 10 per cent and has had catastrophic effect on the people living in that area.
"And the challenge is how to address such situation, I pointed out that what Nigeria is looking at in that context is the possibility of recharging the lake from a river from Central Africa, the Rangin River," he said.
He said that Nigeria had already paid about five million dollars towards a study on recharging the lake.
Onyeama added that it was going to cost about 15 million dollars or more to do a comprehensive feasibility study on recharging of Lake Chad.
"The cost of recharging is in the neighbourhood of 15 billion to 20 billion dollars. I pointed out that we are looking at the possibility of organising international donor conference to look for fund to addressing this issue.
"The environmental impact and the negative aspect. The President of Chad, Idriss Deby, followed up with us also elaborated on the issue, calling on the world to assist us in addressing the Lake Chad issue.
"Because there is ecological issue, there is environmental issue, social and of course we have seen that we can also have illegal migration of the youth and also war within the area.''
He said that after the discussion, it was agreed that to have a formal international donor conference "and that is why we were really engage directly with possible sponsors".
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), said its Investor Protection Initiative had received a boost as one investor had recovered N1.5million shares that were illegally sold.
This is conveyed in a statement by Mr Naif Abdulsalam, the Head of Corporate Communication of SEC, in Abuja on Sunday.
Abdulsalam said the investor, Rev. Fr. Samuel Ikechukwu, received a cheque leaf of the said sum last weekend.
"Ikechukwu, who is resident in Italy, bought the Guaranty Trust Bank shares eight years ago through Cashville Investment and Securities.
"Ikechukwu was surprised to learn that the shares had been sold by the company without his knowledge.
"He became suspicious when he was not receiving any dividend warrant nor bonuses and upon further investigation, realised that the shares had been sold without his knowledge'', Abdulsalam stated.
According to him, Ikechukwu lodged a complaint with SEC in January 2015.
He said after thorough investigation by the commission, the money was recovered and Ikechukwu was called by the SEC Police Unit on Jan. 4 to pick up his cheque.
Abdulsalam said although the complainant was happy with SEC's effort, he wants the company to be further penalised to serve as deterrent to others.
Donald Trump hurtled through his first week in power, punching out at critics, dishing up “alternative facts,” polarizing public opinion and making good on an electoral promise to shake up Washington.
One week into the Trump era and there is a serious case of political whiplash in America’s capital.
Just a week ago, an outsider who never before held elected office rode into town. Seven days later, norms and doctrine that have guided the United States for decades are being re-examined.
Trump’s down-to-the-studs gut job began with a feisty inaugural address: a call to arms that tested old distinctions between left and right.
“Today, we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another or from one party to another,” he said.
“We are transferring power from Washington, DC, and giving it back to you, the people.”
The establishment “elites” in big cities, in politics and the media were no longer the technocrats in charge of the world’s only superpower, they were the enemy.
The new president also put the rest of the world on notice.
For the last 75 years, America had been what Barack Obama described as the “indispensable nation” — the glue that bound the global order.
The era of Trump would be the era of “America first,” he said, of naked self-interest and zero-sum diplomacy. Old alliances would be reassessed, new alliances would be explored.
Before his inauguration, many asked if the presidency would change Donald Trump, or whether Donald Trump would change the presidency.
Barely 20 minutes into his four-year term, anyone who was listening had their answer.
U.S President Trump and Vice President Pence
– Rolling thunder –
Before arriving to the Oval Office, Trump’s strategists had decided to use the first few weeks to unleash a daily wave of executive orders.
The aim was to unbalance opponents, define Trump as a man of action and slake his supporters’ thirst for change.
For much of middle America, globalization, automation and the Great Recession had been apocalyptic.
Politics had passed them over and worse, they felt steamrollered by “coastal elites” in America’s “culture wars” over abortion, gay rights, immigration, global warming and religion.
Trump had won the election by promising to be their champion, and he was going to — as Ronald Reagan said — “dance with the one that brung ya.”
For the most part, the CEO-in-chief put forward actions that could have come from any Republican in the country: defunding abortion, preening the military and approving oil pipelines.
But it was coated with a thick veneer of nationalist and populist rhetoric, and accompanying policies championed by top aide Steve Bannon.
Trump ripped up a trans-Pacific trade deal designed to counterbalance China’s regional economic power, imposed a ban on refugees from Syria and migrants from seven other Muslim countries.
He ordered planning to begin to build a wall on America’s southern border and picked a very public fight with Mexico’s president Enrique Pena Nieto, who canceled a trip to Washington.
The United States, a nation founded by migrants, was now willing to shut its doors.
Not since Obama’s election or perhaps the Iraq War has America’s image around the world changed so dramatically and so quickly.
But Trump supporters saw an outsider sticking up for them and sticking it to the elites.
“Get used to it,” said Trump aide Kellyanne Conway, boasting that Trump had delivered a “shock to the system.”
“And he’s just getting started,” she said.
– Rocky start –
But it was not all positive for Trump. The White House is far from purring. Key positions have yet to be filled and the decision making process is haphazard.
Trump aides were forced to publicly row back suggestions of a 20 percent border tax on Mexican goods and defend a chaotic rollout of the refugee and migrant ban.
Throughout the week, Trump engaged in intemperate outbursts about the size of his inaugural crowd, alleged election fraud and perceived media persecution.
Privately, in call after call, he complained to top aides about press coverage. The impression was of a man focused on his image more than running the country.
Trump also seemed like a a man for whom becoming US president was not adulation enough.
Spokesman Sean Spicer — between tirades and missteps — offered a window onto the soul of the White House.
“There’s this constant theme to undercut the enormous support he has,” Spicer said.
“It’s unbelievably frustrating when you’re continually told it’s not big enough; it’s not good enough. You can’t win.”
According to a Quinnipiac poll, Trump’s approval rating at the end of his first week stood at 36 percent.
But critics saw a more sinister motive for the outbursts, particularly Trump's unsubstantiated claim that three million people voted illegally in the election.
Brian Klaas, an expert on global democracy at the London School of Economics, sees Trump “casting aspersions (without evidence) on electoral integrity is a key way to restrict voting rights and erode confidence in elections.”
“Attacking the media and blurring the lines of truth with state narratives not grounded in fact is important to sowing public doubt,” he said.
Mindy Finn, who ran as a independent vice presidential candidate, summed up Trump’s strategy as “sow chaos, deepen division and consolidate power.”
For his harshest critics, the question is now whether Donald Trump breaks the presidency, or whether the presidency breaks Donald Trump
Nigeria on Sunday signed the African Union Convention on Cross Border Corporation as part of the side line events at the ongoing 28th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.
The Niamey Convention, which was adopted in 2014, is to promote Cross Border Corporation at local, sub-regional and regional levels with the aim of ensuring peaceful resolution of border disputes.
It is also to ensure effective and effective border management.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Godfery Oyeama, who signed on behalf of the Federal Government, said the action was a demonstration of the country's commitment to ensure peace on the continent.
"We do so by signing this agreement to join the list of countries that have appended their signatures to the convention.
"Hopefully we believe that as we appended our signature, the convention would soon come into force within shortest period as possible and all these in the interest of member states.
Geoffrey-Onyeama
"On the part of the Nigeria Government, I will like to assure that we will do everything possible on our side to abide by the rule of this convention," he said.
He noted with satisfaction that the convention would help member states to settle boundary disputes.
He expressed belief that this would be done with manner of fraternity and without any recourse to force, adding that this will recall enforcing the spirit of brotherhood that will promote on this continent.
"This occasion also marks another mile stone in our efforts to reinforce, strengthen and support the African Union to move towards peace.
"As we say once we stand united Africa can achieve anything and when we are divided this is every chance that we will fall and will fail so we will continue as a country to work for the progress of peace and stability on the African continent," he said.
Nigeria is the 11th country to sign the convention, which has been ratified by two countries so far.
In another development, the Minister of State, Hajia Khadija Bukar Ibrahim, has expressed optimism that Nigeria's election as the Chairperson of AU Peace and Security Commission would be successful.
The event is scheduled to hold on Jan. 30.
She said the country had done its homework effectively in that regard.
The minister expressed satisfaction with the deliberations so far going on at the summit.
Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara has charged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state to embark on prompt collection of taxes to boost its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
The governor gave the directives on Sunday at a breakfast meeting with heads of the MDAs in Ilorin.
He said the move became necessary in view of the fact that fund from the Federation Allocation was dwindling and could no longer sustain payment of salaries and other infrastructural development.
"We must begin to see the areas of tax collection and tax deployment to carry out development as very key to what we have to do as a people. I am happy to see that the MDAs are already standing up to their responsibilities.
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State
"In the past when revenues seemed to be adequate from the Federation Allocation, very little attention was given to tax collection.
"But today, it is obvious that if we want good things to happen and want government to stand to its responsibilities, then we must play our role in ensuring that taxation, fees, commissions and fines are adequately collected by MDAs," he added.
Earlier, the guest lecturer, Professor Abiola Sanni of the University of Lagos (Unilag) had charged MDAs to brace up to their responsibility of tax collection, adding that taxation remained the only sustainable means of running government in the country today.
In his remarks, Dr Murtala Awodun,the Executive Chairman, Kwara Internal Revenue Service, KWIRS, commended the State Government for making "significant progress" in its revenue drive particularly from the informal sector.
He also commended the state government for the introduction of Treasury Single Account (TSA).
Awodun, therefore, called for more support from all stakeholders to enable the service succeed.
This is coming hours after Tehran vowed to respond in kind to the U.S. ban on visitors from Iran and six other Muslim dominated countries.
He however said that Iran would take reciprocal measures to protect its citizens while also taking into account that it is the U.S. policies that are hostile not Americans.
While respecting Americans & differentiating between them &hostile U.S. policies, Iran will take reciprocal measures to protect citizens.5/7
He added that the ban showed that U.S. claim of friendship with Iran was baseless.
"International community needs dialogue & cooperation to address the roots of violence & extremism in a comprehensive & inclusive manner.
"Collective discrimination aids terrorist recruitment by deepening fault-lines exploited by extremist demagogues to swell their ranks.
"This ban will be recorded in history as a great gift to extremists and their supporters," he said in a series of tweets'
Recall that U.S. President, Donald Trump on Saturday, barred refugees and visitors from Syria and six other nations from entering the United States for the next four months.
While signing the executive order, Trump said the move would help protect America from terrorist attacks while it adopts more stringent ways of screening refugees, immigrants and visitors.
The countries under this ban are: Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Sudan: travellers from these countries were thrown into confusion on Friday after Trump gave the order.
"I'm establishing new vetting measures to keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States of America. Don't want them here," Trump said earlier on Friday at the Pentagon.
"We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country and love deeply our people," he said.
He also said instead of banning, dialogue should have been the option to weed out extremists.
International community needs dialogue & cooperation to address the roots of violence & extremism in a comprehensive & inclusive manner. 3/7
THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State said it is satisfied with the emergence of governor Ekiti State governor, Peter Ayodele Fayose, as the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum but counseled him to rule with experience.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Taofik Gani, the party said the onerous task to rescue the party is one that any genuine members of the party, who are truly interested in the return of PDP to Presidency should support with all that is possible.
The party called on Governor Fayose to take advantage of his new role to facilitate genuine long lasting mobilisation, reconciliation and structural dynamism in the party "to meet up with the modern challenges of nation building and to particularly override the assumed superiority of the APC in the nations politics."
Fayose
It called on Fayose to "infuse the party state chairmen into an extended forum where party issues can be shared first-hand, especially with states where the PDP is not in government. The state chapter prayed for the success of the governor and entire forum."
The statement reads: “We are pleased with the emergence of Dr. Ayodele Fayose as the new chairman of PDP governors’ forum. We are convinced that this emergence will radically reposition the party. We particularly rely on his doggedness, long term experience as Oldest serving governor in the nation and his love for popular say and way.
He should immediately begin the reconciliation of members- elders and youths alike. He should not be demoralised nor distracted by hate speeches against him, many of which will be sponsored by his detractors within and outside the PDP.
"We expect that he will use his new leadership and role to get closer to our leaders and elders who have at different times and levels served the party and nation meritoriously. He should shun any side talk or blackmail to ignore these elders and leaders. Indeed he needs their experience to add up for his best success."
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli leader, has come under fire over his tweet in support of President Donald Trump's plan for a wall along the Mexican border.
The Israeli prime minister can barely have expected it would be retweeted 40,000 times and cause a backlash at home and abroad.
Already under arguably the greatest pressure he has faced in his 11 years as prime minister, with police questioning him in two criminal probes into abuse of office, aligning himself with Trump may further undermine his standing.
The tweet was sent from his personal account shortly before the Jewish sabbath officially ended on Saturday.
"President Trump is right. I built a wall along Israel's southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great Success. Great idea," Netanyahu wrote.
He appended pictures of the Israeli and U.S. flags alongside each other.
Netanyahu was referring to a steel fence Israel has built along its border with Egypt, mainly to keep out migrants fleeing conflicts in Africa, including Somalis, Sudanese and Eritreans.
Israel has also built a steel-and-concrete barrier along its border with the occupied West Bank, which it says is to prevent militants crossing into Israel.
Palestinians see the barrier, which has drawn international condemnation, as a land grab.
On the one hand, Trump's election as president was seen as a godsend for Netanyahu, the first time in four terms as prime minister that he would have a Republican in the White House.
As well as the Republicans being more ideologically aligned with Netanyahu's right-wing coalition, Trump has already shown a willingness to turn a blind eye to Israel's settlement building in the West Bank, which Barack Obama's administration frequently criticized, casting a pall over U.S.-Israeli ties.
On the other hand, Trump is an unpredictable actor who in just nine days in office has sewn division across the United States and shocked capitals around the world with a series of executive actions that are overturning decades of U.S. policy.
The adverse reaction to Netanyahu's tweet, which was retweeted by Trump and drew far more attention than Netanyahu's tweets usually do as a result, appeared to be an early sign of the danger Netanyahu faces with aligning himself with Trump.
The Mexican government was outraged that he would involve himself in what it regards as a bilateral issue.
France international Dimitri Payet’s long drawn out transfer saga ended on Sunday as Premier League side West Ham agreed to sell him to Ligue 1 outfit Marseille for a reported £25million (29.3m euros, $31.3m).
The 29-year-old — who starred for the Hammers last season scoring 12 goals — had effectively gone on strike at the beginning of the month.
Dmitri Payet
He said he would not play for the club again and his and his wife’s priority was a return to France and his former club.
However, having turned down two earlier bids — rumoured to be £19m and £20m — West Ham changed their tune with the higher offer and also having signed Scotland international Robert Snodgrass from Hull.
A man who hails from Kano state, Usman Bukar, 41, has slapped a taxi driver to coma in Delta state for spreading "Buhari is dead rumour".
The man was slapped into deep unconsciousness at the Temple Clinic Junction Asaba.
Eye witness account said that Bukar pounced on the driver who was seen visibly happy and spreading the rumour at a newspaper stand, popularly known as "free readers association" after he had read from a blog that Buhari is dead.
He was reported to have said: "The body of the President should be thrown into River-Niger for fish and other wild animals to do justice on him. He is very wicked."
At this statement, Bukar who also was part of the free readers' association got annoyed and gave him a dirty slap that sent him to pulp.
The driver was rushed to a nearby private hospital where he was being revived.
However, the account said that the relatives of the taxi driver were then called. When they came, they wanted to fight the Kano man, a situation that might have resulted to bloodshed but for the timely intervention of the police.
The spokesman of Delta state police command Andrew Aniamaka confirmed that the victim is receiving treatment adding that the alleged attacker had been arrested and detained for interrogation. Meanwhile, the date of President
The Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Keffi, Nasarawa State, has called for an independent professional investigation to unravel the truth behind allegation of stolen kidney at the hospital.
The Medical Director of the centre, Dr Giyan Joshua-Ndom, made the appeal in an interview with on Sunday in Keffi.
Joshua-Ndom said the proposed inquiry would ascertain the truth behind an allegation by a patient that his kidney was removed at the centre by a consultant.
"It is better for an independent professional qualified arbiter to look in to the matter of alleged kidney removal so that the patient can properly be educated since, as it is now, he has lost confidence in the centre,'' he said.
There is ongoing report on the social media and some radio stations that one Mohammed Barau alleging that one of his kidneys was removed during an operation in FMC, Keffi.
"One of the ridiculous allegations by a former patient is that one of his kidneys was removed by a doctor in my centre during his abdomen operation.
"I therefore do not speak in defence of any one, but as the accounting officer of the centre.
"Having investigated the issue thoroughly, I am in a position to give you adequate information that guided us aright that the said patient came here in 2010, critically ill and the doctors battled to save his life.
"They removed pussy tumour on the left side of his abdomen that was suspected to be cancer but tests failed to confirm that. He was nursed and discharged about a month.
"He returned six years later for treatment of another ailment, at which time his left kidney was discovered to be missing as adequate analysis and information at this stage was the needful as one of the kidney drivers of patient satisfaction which he did not get.
"Without proper education, he jumped in to the conclusion that his kidney has been stolen. Histopathology report would have helped identify what was removed but the report showed that it was rotten beyond reasonable analysis," he said.
According to him, "the patient also claimed that an unknown number called offering him N10 million to drop the matter, this beats logic and common sense.
"In contentious cases like this, it would be better for an independent professionally qualified arbiter to look in to the matter so that the patient can properly be educated since, as it is now he has lost confidence in us".
Joshua-Ndom urged journalists and members of the public to always confirm information, especially about the centre with the management, before reporting in the interest of peace and national development.
The medical director restated the commitment of the management of the centre to continue to key in to policies and programmes that have direct bearing on patients and the lives of the staff.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Sunday in Sokoto said that non payment of transport claims by the Federal Government to marketers is one of the reasons for the incessant fuel scarcity in some parts of the country.
Alhaji Sule Magaji, the Sokoto State Chapter Chairman of the Association, made this known in an interview.
He said that the high cost of diesel used by fuel tankers is an additional reason responsible for the scarcity of fuel.
"Most of the marketers, including those in Sokoto state were being owed between N10million to N100million, for a period of six months to one year.
"We are however happy with the recent approval by President Muhammadu Buhari for the payment of over N150billion of such outstanding claims,' 'Magaji said.
He also called for speedy release of the approved funds, while urging that the process should be transparent.
"The high cost of diesel is also another cog in the wheel of our business, hence, making it difficult to transport the commodity from Lagos to Sokoto, as well as other parts of the north.
"For instance,before now, the transport cost of a 33,000 litre-tanker from Lagos to Sokoto was between N420,000 to N 460,000.
" Unfortunately, it has now gone up to between N 550,000 to N 600,000 and it is taking its heavy toll on us,'' Magaji said.
He further lamented that the constant importation of petroleum products was also inhibiting the efforts to turn-around the local refineries to make them fully functional.
Magaji called on the federal government to sustain its efforts in revamping the nation's refineries, to stop the heavy dependence on importation of petroleum products.
" If this is urgently done, they will function effectively and all the depots across the country will become functional.
" This will make the petroleum products readily available across the country,as well as reduce the high demand for dollars," Magaji, added
The Sokoto state government recently threatened to withdraw the Certificate of Occupancy of any marketer who hoarded petroleum products or sell above the government approved pump prices.
The state government also constituted an inter-agency task force on the sale and distribution of petroleum products. The Government said the task force would commence the sale of one million litres of petrol directly to the motorists per week.
All these measures were taken by the state government in the wake of the persistent scarcity of petrol in the last three weeks.
A litre of the commodity was being sold for between N 180 to N 200.
The recent measures have started yielding dividends with the commodity becoming readily available at the pump price of N 145 in most of the major and independent marketers' filling stations.
The chairman of the task force, Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji on Saturday vowed to fully enforce all the laws guiding the sale and distribution of petroleum products across the state.
A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
School Children Kidnappers: From left, Bekewel Agbojule aka. Prince Yellow, Are Philip Joel Kakadu,Romeo Council aka “Raw”, and Totki Okoda alleged kidnappers of 5 Turkish School student and 3 members of Staff paraded by Police with recovered N1.2 million yesterday in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga OlamikanSchool Children Kidnappers: From left, Bekewel Agbojule aka. Prince Yellow, Are Philip Joel Kakadu,Romeo Council aka “Raw”, and Totki Okoda alleged kidnappers of 5 Turkish School Children and 3 members of Staff paraded by Police with recovered N1.2 million yesterday in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan
Burkina Faso scored twice in the closing stages to beat Tunisia 2-0 Saturday and become the first qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.
Burkina Faso’s players celebrate at the end of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final football match between Burkina Faso and Tunisia at the Stade de l’Amitie Sino-Gabonaise in Libreville on January 28, 2017. AFP PHOTO
Substitute Aristide Bance scored on 81 minutes after a controversially awarded free-kick with big-screen replays suggesting the hand-ball decision was wrong.
Prejuce Nakoulma doubled the lead three minutes later in Libreville with a breakaway goal to clinch a semi-final against Egypt or Morocco next Wednesday
This morning, I woke up alone again, as I do every morning", said Caroline, tongue in check. She was trying to make me see the importance of separate bedrooms to some fledgling marriages. She continued: "I nipped down to the kitchen to make a plate of hot buttered toast and brought it back to bed with me with a cup of tea. I switched on the TV, laid back and happily scattered crumbs all over the sheets without feeling guilty.
"Ever since my husband and I decided to sleep in separate bedrooms some years ago, our marriage has been happier and more fulfilling than ever – we hadn't had an argument, nor is our sex life a thing of the past. As I heard him make his way to the kitchen to fetch his own moin-moin and coffee, I smiled as I recalled our 'date' in his bedroom yesterday evening, which ended with a good night kiss before I tip-toed back to my own sanctuary!"
Caroline is in some very good company. Sharing a marital bed is not as popular as it once was, she said. "I love my husband dearly and the physical attraction between us remains as strong as the day we met. But between his snoring and my fidgeting, we just couldn't get along while we are sharing a duvet.
Folusho and I met some 15 years ago when he was 45. Like a lot of men in this country, he snores – very loudly, every night, without fail. Then I read of a survey that revealed that more than half of all couples find snoring the most annoying habit in bed. For me, sleepless nights became a fact of life.
Yet my husband was so lovely in other ways that I felt compelled to try to turn a deaf ear to a habit he couldn't really help. This went on for years until six years ago when we separated. He already had two children from his first marriage and now in his 50s, was adamant he didn't want more than the only child I had for him.
"A year later, he managed to woo me back with the promise I could have one or two more. I was delighted because I really loved him – but didn't feel the same about his snoring. Our first few weeks back together were heaven by day, hell-on-earth by night. Ear plugs, anti-snoring sprays and nasal strips made zero impact. At my insistence he consulted his doctor who told him that his sonorous habit was caused by damage to his septum. On the basis that it would be painful and might not even work, he declined the suggested surgery.
"Not long after, we were on holidays abroad, his snoring became so bad that I woke him up and threatened that if he didn't stop snoring, I would drench him in icy cold water. I pleaded he should take a few pillows and sleep in the bathroom. He argued that since I was the only one complaining, I was the one who should sleep in the bathroom. So, I took myself off to a cold, tiled floor, next to a dripping tap!
"Once we got home, I told him straight away I wanted to sleep in the spare room and much to my amazement he greeted the idea warmly. He said he'd been trying to think of a way to tell me that my fidgeting and getting up to the loo so many times in the night was driving him insane! And so, five years ago, I moved into the spare room. I go to bed early and read – books, magazines, whatever. I ate biscuits and all sorts of snacks and got crumbs everywhere – a habit Folusho can't stand.
"Night after glorious night, I go to sleep and stay asleep. By contrast, my husband goes to bed very late and watches television with the AC in full force!
"Friends say we're missing out on those spontaneous moments of intimacy and early-morning nookie. But in reality, people wake up with bad breath and flatulence, not in a romantic embrace! Intimacy may feel like it's 'on tap when you share the same bed, but in my experience, couples who know they can do it any time actually end up doing it very little. But when you have separate beds, you make time for each other out of desire, not out of habit. In fact, our sleeping arrangements are so stress-free all round, that I have been recommending it as a fool proof way of reinvigorating a relationship."
What Those Headache And Migraines Are Telling You
When to go to the doctor: If you are taking the maximum dose of painkillers regularly to get relief, speak to your doctor. It's also important to differentiate between headaches and migraines. "The pain pathways are completely different," explains Boots Pharmacist Angela Chalmers (Migraines are typically throbbing, "one-sided" head pains, accompanied by light sensitivity and nausea. They are often preceded by fuzzy vision and made worse by movements). "Sumatriptan is a good over-the-counter painkillers for migraines," she adds.
Self-help: "Most headaches can be resolved without any medication at all," says Chalmers. "The trick is to work out what's caused it… When did you last eat or drink? Have you been at a computer for hours without break? It's also worth considering an eye test. Often, drinking a big glass of water, or rubbing the temples and neck for five minutes to relieve any tension, is sufficient." Similarly, keeping a diary can help to identify migraine triggers and avoid attacks.
For more information, go to: The Migraine Trust (www.migrainetrust.org.)
Leg health: Faulty veins are the main cause of serious leg problems.
"But only half of cases have any visible signs," says Professor Mike Whiteley, consultant surgeon and clinical director of the Whitely Clinic. Most worrying are 'hidden' varicose veins. Another common – and potentially fatal – problem is deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in one of the deep veins of the leg. This is usually caused by inactivity and restricted movement (which is why long flights can be a problem) but family history and obesity are risk factors.
When to go to the doctor: Symptoms of DVT include pain, heat, redness and swelling in the calf, all of which should be checked out urgently. "The tell-tale signs for varicose veins are legs that ache when you stand but get better when you sit down," explains Professor Whiteley. "You may also have swelling, itchy skin or red/brow stains in the lower leg and ankles – all caused by blood pooling under the skin. Left untreated, this can result in leg ulcers."
Self-Help: A venous duplex ultrasound scan is a good idea if you suspect hidden varicose veins. Sitting or standing for long periods? Help keep DVT at bay by rocking back and forth on your feet, rotating your ankle and pointing and flexing the feet. For more information, go to: Assess your risk of varicose veins at www.veinsscreening.co.uk.
By Candida REASONS people give for committing adultery gets more and more atrocious by the day. Gbemi had been married to Yori for four years after a courtship that lasted almost six years. Only, in the last few years, their relationship had disintegrated and when their son was born two years ago, the love-making stopped. According to Gbemi: "Sometimes I felt more like the nanny for his son than a wife. I did most of the chores helped by an inexperienced house- help, on top of which I had a full-time job. But I got no appreciation or affection in return.
"I'd tried everything I could think of to try to fix things. I'd dressed in sexy lingerie to try and seduce him. I'd even tried blatantly asking to have sex. But Yori was having none of it, always brushing me off with excuses. After which he started coming to bed hours after me. It had been two years since we last made love and I was at my wits' end. Our sex life had always been important to me. In my view it really helps a couple bond. Without it, you're just two people living together. In the end, I sat him down and demanded we talk about it. I told him: 'We need to deal with this because no matter what you think, this is destroying our relationship.'
"He looked uncomfortable and embarrassed. 'I just don't feel like having sex any more. I'm sorry, but the desire has gone.' He said, a bit sad. It was a blow – but what he said next shocked me to the core. 'If you want it so badly, why don't you try someone else?" I told him I wanted to save our marriage, not leave it. 'That's not what I mean,' he said, 'you could have an affair. I wouldn't mind. People do it all the time.' This was not the way I expected the conversation to go. I wanted him to agree to try harder, not suggest I try with someone else. 'I want you,' I shouted at him. 'I want to have sex with you, not with
anyone else. I want my marriage to work! But he's come up with 'his' solution and wasn't budging.
"He repeated the offer over a few months. I guess he knew I wouldn't do it. He was just saying it to shut me up. We were at this impasse, stuck in a sexless marriage when I ran into Francis, an old flame. We had gone out while we were at the university and he told me he was recently divorced. He was still handsome, still his jovial self. Even though I hadn't seen him for over 15 years we got on well and I was still attracted to him. He jokingly said he wouldn't mind taking me to bed for old time's sake and I said 'why not'.
"He looked like the cat that had got the cream. 'Are you sure?' he asked. 'I've never been surer of anything in my life,' I flirted back at him. In my mind, I needed this affair and I was going to make sure my husband found out. This would either save my marriage or ruin it forever. He quickly drove to a discreet motel where a simple meal turned into us polishing off a bottle of wine, and soon, we were slightly drunk. And the sex wasn't something I would want to remember.
"For the first time in 12 years, 1 had just slept with a man who wasn't my husband. I was officially an adulterer. Climbing out of bed, I started getting dressed. 'Why rush off?' Francis asked. 'What's the rush? Come back to bed. You may as well, enjoy yourself now you're here'. It had seemed a good idea two hours ago, but now all I wanted to do was go home.
"As I walked through the motel, I could feel every eye on me. It felt like everyone knew what I'd done. I felt so ashamed. But it was something I had to do. It was the only way I could think of to save my marriage. On my way home, I stopped at a business centre and sent an 'anonymous' text to my husband informing him his wife had just been seen coming out of a motel and describing the dress I had on. I promptly deleted the message before I handed the phone back.
"When he later came home, he looked really beaten. I hadn't taken off my dress so he could see how accurate the text was. He reached for the phone and showed me the text. I looked defiant. 'What's all that about?' he wanted to know. 'I did what you advised,' I brazenly replied. He collapsed into a chair. 'You had an affair?' he asked. 'You must have told me to do it over 20 times. What did you expect when you won't sleep with me?' He looked crestfallen. 'But I never thought you would actually go ahead with it. How could you?' 'What do you want me to do? Our marriage is dying and you refuse to acknowledge it. I only did what you said I should.'
"He was enraged. 'Who was he?' he wanted to know. 'It doesn't matter. It meant nothing. It was just like you said – purely physical' He stormed out of the house and came home late at night. 'And what happens now?' he wanted to know. I told him it was up to him. That I still loved him but I wouldn't live in a sexless marriage.
"With a lot of dialogue, he confessed to be battling with depression which is what caused the drop in his libido. The real problem wasn't the lack of sex, it was the lack of communication. I could have coped if only Yori had told me there was something wrong. It is sad I had to do something drastic to shock him into action. I'm not proud of it, but it worked.
"There's no way I'll ever cheat again but in a strange way, my sleeping with another man is the best thing that ever happened to our marriage. I believe we would have been divorced by now if I hadn't. Our sex life still isn't where I'd like it to be, but we're working on it and we're talking, which is more important."
An Ijaw leader and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, Chief Michael Johnny, has proffered what could be a lasting solution to the lingering land boundary dispute between Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities in Warri South West local government and Udu local government areas.
Johnny, through his media office, yesterday, said it is becoming worrisome that over the years the government of Delta State has not been able to resolve the boundary dispute which had claimed many innocent lives and properties destroyed.
He said ‘ I am calling on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, being the chief security officer of the state to use part of the state’s security vote fund to acquire the “disputed land” from both communities, because all panel of enquiries set up by Okowa and previous administration on this matter produced no result”.
“I know Okowa inherited the Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja land dispute, let it also be on record that it was Governor Okowa who permanently resolved the land dispute crisis, after which a state or federal government project could be executed on the land to serve as a boundary between the communities.
His words: “For peace to reign, the people of Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja should coorperate and allow the state government to acquire the disputed land, to stop the frequent wasting of precious lives”.
By Funmi Komolafe Brethren gradually, the month of January is coming to an end. It's the month that many people have lean resources basically because so much money has been spent during Christmas and the New Year festivities. This was a period that we had so much to eat and give away.
My focus in today's edition is about the much we had to eat and how to carry on with our spiritual life.
What steps have you decided to take to enhance your life this year?
Yes, you have resolved to go to church regularly and may have started doing that. This is commendable but you require more than this to have a breakthrough this year.
For some people, even some churches, have decided to fast. I mean take a break from our eating habits with the ultimate aim of moving closer to God.
Why is fasting necessary? Let's refer to the conversation of our Lord Jesus Christ and his disciples with regard to their inability to cast out an evil spirit from a boy who has been bound with a lunatic spirit.
Matthew 17 vs 19 " Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said , Why could we not cast him out?
Let's see the reply of our Lord Jesus in verses 20 and 21 " And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you. If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you.
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting".
Note the reply of Jesus. First, he emphasized the importance of faith. One cannot claim to be a true Christian without faith in God. So, faith is important.
The last part of his response is the focus of this article " this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting".
Jesus had told us that we don't just need only prayer but also fasting to break yokes, especially stubborn ones. He has simply told us that fasting is a key to a major breakthrough.
Good as fasting may be, it must not be viewed as a way of putting pressure on God for immediate answers to our prayers. We should see it more as a way of lifting up our spiritual life. Indeed a way of moving closer to God.
Brethren, how many days in a week do you fast? You cannot afford to live your life for the physical alone. You must take steps to grow your spiritual life . Remember, the spiritual controls the physical.
You need not wait until your pastor or the church declares fasting before you fast.
Choose your own time of fasting. Fast and pray and as you grow up spiritually, challenges will melt away.
Even our Lord Jesus who came to live among men with the authority of the most high God still had to fast.
Our reference is Matthew 4 vs 1 &2 " Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungred".
Fasting and the power of the Holy Spirit helped him to resist the devil.
John the Baptist also fasted so did several other personalities in the Holy Bible. So, why won't you?
Fasting leads to breakthrough- 2nd Chronicles 20 verses 1-3 tells us about King Jehoshaphat and the multitude that came against him. Lets' see verses 2 and 3 " Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and behold , they be Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi".
What did King Jehoshaphat do? Verse 3 " And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah".
Why do you think he proclaimed a fast? The king knew that he needed divine help to defeat these forces and he succeeded.
In the name of Jesus, every gang up against your life, against your promotion, the Lord will arise and fight for you in the name of Jesus.
Fasting; a period when we abstain from eating and drinking but intensify prayers, moves us closer to God. The body is light and the Spirit is not too heavy to hear from God. Moreover, fasting teaches us to make sacrifice and present our burden to God .
Apart from the spiritual gains of fasting, there are also physical gains of fasting.
I'll share with you a sermon on fasting by Pastor Bisi Olowoyo, then of RCCG, Victory Chapel, Magodo.
Fasting according to Pastor Olowoyo clears the body of toxics.
It brings relief and rest to your digestive system and lowers blood and bad cholesterol.
Besides these, he said, fasting, sharpens your mental capacity. It also makes you loose weight. It also brings a change in our emotional attitude.
However, people with health challenges may not engage in fasting but such people can move closer to God by intensifying prayers .
Spiritual gains – Pastor Olowoyo describes fasting as a " time for soul cleansing".
Fasting he said, is also a time for " a new desire for God".
More importantly, the man of God said, it is a FAITH MOVE.
When we fast, it is " an expectation that God will fill us with the Holy Spirit".
The period of fasting is also a time for " sensitivity to God's words".
Fasting he said, releases spiritual power.
When we engage in fasting, he said, we are empowered to resist demonic oppression . It also helps to break the spirit of delay and also releases supernatural provision to us as Christians.
So, when last did you fast? Brethren, we need to make out time to fast if we want God to walk the journey of 2017 with us. Fasting and prayer is the foundation of victory over evil forces. It wards off the arrows of the enemy against one's life especially in the spiritual realm.
Brothers and sisters, you cannot afford to live by physical bread alone. In other words, eating and drinking 365 days in a year does not add value to our spiritual life. It rather weakens us and makes us vulnerable to spiritual attacks.
Take a personal decision to fast today. It could be once or twice a week or as the Spirit directs you. Please note that fasting is incomplete and ineffective without prayer.
Testimony – I'll share the testimony of this single lady.
She wrote, " I trusted God for a partner for 15 years . One day, the Holy Spirit ministered to me to join the sanitation department. I joined and I began to pick dirt from the floor. My story changed as my husband surfaced within a week. Now I am married at age 40".
Are you in a similar condition of waiting like our sister? Whatever it is that you are waiting on the Lord for, by the grace of the Almighty God, you will receive it early this year in Jesus name.
Prepare yourself for a breakthrough. Take the necessary steps and the Lord will intervene in that situation to your benefit in Jesus name.
It is gradually becoming a ridiculous trend for female entertainers to take a walk out of their marriage due to one reason or the other. For some, it is infidelity induced, while others are due to domestic violence, unresolved differences and the likes.
Tiwa Savage, Lilian Esoro, Kate Henshaw, Toyin Abraham (Toyin Aimakhu), Toke Makinwa, Muma Gee, Doris Simeon, Iyabo Ojo, Laide Bakare, Biola Bayo, Biodun Okeowo and others have been guilty of this trend.
Chinenye Uyanna
While discussing the incessant trend of marital crisis in celebrity marriages in an exclusive chat with Showtime, delectable Nollywood actress, Chinenye Uyanna dished out a piece of advice to female entertainers intending to follow the trend anytime soon.
In her opinion, even if the husband is a cheat or wife beater, walking out of the marriage is not the best option, but staying back to sort out the crisis is preferable. She stressed that any problem has a positive solution; therefore, walking out of a rocky marriage is not a profitable option. "Everything has a positive solution, love is patient and kind, love bears all things. To me, you are not supposed to walk out of your marriage because it is for better for worse. Stay in your marriage, pray and sort out your issues", she advised.
Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane and Yaya Toure scored as Manchester City secured their place in the FA Cup fifth round with a 3-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Gabriel Jesus, City’s £27 million ($33.9 million, 31.7 million euros) signing from Palmeiras, marked his full debut by setting up Sterling for City’s opener shortly before half-time at Selhurst Park.
Sane and Toure struck late on to rubberstamp a win that got Pep Guardiola’s side back to winning ways after their 4-0 thrashing at Everton and last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
Defeat ended Palace’s hopes of emulating last season’s run to the final and leaves them with only their fight to avoid Premier League relegation to focus on.
Sam Allardyce has won just one of his first eight games since succeeding Alan Pardew as Palace manager, but having made six changes, he clearly had half an eye on Tuesday’s trip to Bournemouth.
Guardiola made five changes, which included a first appearance for captain Vincent Kompany since City’s 2-1 win at the same ground on November 19, when the Belgian centre-back suffered a knee injury.
The visitors began brightly, Sterling narrowly failing to pick out Sane with a cross from the right and Toure teeing up David Silva for a volley that Wayne Hennessey blocked at his near post.
Manchester City’s Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus (C) stretches for the ball during the English FA Cup fourth round football match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Selhurst Park in south London on January 28, 2017. AFP PHOTO
Palace, though, began to find joy on City’s flanks and for a period during the first half they had Guardiola’s men on the back foot.
Willy Caballero, deputising in goal for Claudio Bravo, had to field a Jordon Mutch header and produce a smart save to repel a James Tomkins snapshot after City failed to clear Lee Chung-Yong’s free-kick.
Toure was perhaps fortunate to avoid a red card when, two minutes after being booked for a foul on Joe Ledley, he tripped Mutch as he forged down the Palace right.
– Jesus comes to life –
Referee Mike Jones spared the Ivorian and from Andros Townsend’s free-kick, via Mutch’s flick-on, Christian Benteke headed over.
Jesus had been quiet, but two minutes from half-time he came to life, neatly controlling the ball with his back to goal, turning sharply and freeing Sterling to slot a low shot past Hennessey.
The Brazilian almost made it 2-0 on the stroke of the interval with a right-foot shot that was parried by Hennessey, the ball rebounding against a Palace defender and looping over the bar.
Loic Remy, a half-time substitute, came close to an equaliser when Mutch’s blocked shot bounced into his path and he sent an acrobatic effort whistling over the bar.
A Fabian Delph effort turned behind by Hennessey was followed by an almighty rain and hail shower that left the pitch sprinkled with white specks and briefly threatened to put City off their game.
After failing to control Caballero’s pass, Gael Clichy was robbed by Lee, who fed Ledley, and the Welshman drilled a shot narrowly wide.
Ledley would also go close with a diving header from Townsend’s cross, but by that stage Sane had put the game beyond Allardyce’s side.
Silva’s pass down the inside-left channel was allowed to find its way to Sane and he shot across Hennessey for his third goal in three games.
Jesus squandered a chance to add a third late on, succumbing to an untimely attack of cramp after skirting Hennessey, but Toure did find the net with a fine stoppage-time free-kick.
Abuja's super sexy runway queen, Yetunde Barnabas is presently basking in the euphoria of celebrations as she recently pocketed two mouth-watering endorsements.
The UNILAG babe who emerged as the 2016/2017 Most Beautiful Girl Abuja got a complementary land as an ambassador for Numerville Tourism Estate in Abuja.
Yetunde Barnabas
In the same vein, she also bagged a lucrative endorsement from Multichoice DSTV as an ambassador while Dolce Entertainment gave her a car gift courtesy of her crown.
Yetunde Barnabas is warming up to kickstart her pet project aimed at creating awareness on logical ways to prevent sickle cell anemia this February.
Iranians and Iraqis planning to fly to the United States were prevented from boarding on Saturday after US President Donald Trump’s order to restrict arrivals from seven Muslim countries.
Iran slammed the “insulting” ban and said it would reciprocate.
On Friday Trump signed a sweeping executive order to suspend the arrival of refugees and impose tough new controls on travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.
His move sparked widespread international criticism.
Travellers from the Middle East were stopped from boarding US-bound planes.
Some who were already in the air when Trump signed the executive order were detained on arrival, the New York Times reported.
In Tehran, two travel agencies told AFP they had been instructed by Etihad Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airlines not to sell US tickets or allow Iranians holding American visas to board US-bound flights.
An Iranian studying in California said she could not now return because her ticket had been cancelled under the new restrictions.
“I had a ticket for Turkish Airlines on February 4, but it has been cancelled,” the girl, who did not wish to be identified, told AFP in Tehran.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani did not comment directly on the ban Saturday, but criticised Trump, saying that now was “not the time to build walls between nations”.
Iran’s foreign ministry said it would “respond in kind after the insulting decision of the United States concerning Iranian nationals” until the measure is lifted.
It said the decision was “illegal, illogical and contrary to international rules”.
More than a million Iranians live in the United States.
– Legal challenge –
In Khartoum, the Sudanese foreign ministry expressed its “regret” at the US ban.
On Saturday in Egypt, a country not included in the new restrictions, an Iraqi couple and their two children were told they could not board an EgyptAir flight from Cairo to New York.
Airport officials said the four Iraqis all had American visas.
The New York Times reported that two Iraqi refugees were detained on arriving at New York’s John F. Kennedy airport hours after Trump signed the order.
On Saturday, the American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups filed a legal challenge to Trump’s order.
Lawyers representing the Iraqi pair also filed a court appeal for their release, saying they were being unlawfully detained.
The United Nations responded by urging Trump to continue his country’s “long tradition” of welcoming refugees and to ensure their equal treatment, regardless of race, nationality or religion.
French President Francois Hollande said Europe must have a “firm response” to Trump, and “when he refuses the arrival of refugees, while Europe has done its duty, we have to respond”.
Hollande was due to speak with Trump later Saturday.
In Lebanon, Syrian refugees struggling to get by in makeshift camps bemoaned their fate.
“What on earth have the Syrian people done to deserve this?” asked Abu Mahmoud al-Ghol, at one informal camp in the Marj area.
“And to think it’s a democratic country doing it,” the 44-year-old said.
– Refugees barred –
Nearly six years of conflict in Syria have driven more than half the population from their homes, with many fleeing abroad and dreaming of new lives in the West.
Trump’s executive order specifically says no visas will be issued for 90 days to migrants or visitors from the seven Muslim-majority countries.
It also bars Syrian refugees from the United States indefinitely, or until Trump himself decides that they no longer pose a threat.
His decree suspends the entire US refugee resettlement programme for at least 120 days while tough new vetting rules are established.
Qatar Airways, which flies to around 15 American cities, said it would abide by the new regulations, adding however that passengers who have “the proper documentation” will be able to fly.
An alert on its website said citizens of the seven barred countries could travel to the US if they have permanent residency there.
Government officials and their immediate family are exempt from the travel restrictions along with representatives of international organisations, the Gulf carrier said.
Trump’s move has also angered one of Iran’s most popular actresses, Taraneh Alidoosti who stars in the Oscar-nominated “The Salesman”.
She said she would boycott next month’s Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
“Trump’s visa ban for Iranians is racist,” she tweeted. “Whether this will include a cultural event or not, I won’t attend the #AcademyAwards 2017.”
One of the most popular Ghollywood actresses making waves in Nollywood is undoubtedly beautiful and refreshingly sexy Ella Mendoza Mensah. The actress first hit Nollywood in 2012 and has since made Nigeria her second home.
When Potpourri cornered her recently to seek her opinion on whether infidelity is enough for a woman to walk out of her marriage, the mother of one, let out the fire in her. " Yes, if a man loves a woman, he will never cheat on her. Because he knows cheating on her will hurt her and if you love someone, you don't hurt them. I will dump your ass fast if you cheat on me", she blurted out.
When she was reminded that people believe it is in a man's nature to cheat, the 'Educated Housemaids" star retorted: " It's a horrible nature and it's bad. Men and women have veins in their system. No one is better than the other, we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord. So therefore, men don't get to do things that only favour them, it's wrong. If he loves me, he wouldn't cheat on me in the first place."
At least three Nigerian soldiers were killed when Boko Haram jihadists raided a military post near the country home of Nigeria’s army chief in northern Borno state, military and civilian sources said Saturday.
The Islamist group however claimed to have killed five troops in the attack.
Armed jihadists from the Islamic State-supported Al-Barnawi faction of Boko Haram launched a midnight attack Thursday on Nigerian troops in the village of Kamuya, around five kilometres (three miles) from Buratai, the native home of army chief of staff General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, a military source told AFP.
“The terrorists who rode on camels attacked our checkpoint at Kamuya, killing three soldiers after a gun battle,” said the military source who asked not to be identified.
“The troops retreated to Buratai where they teamed up with another detachment and went after the terrorists in the bush,” the military officer said.
Troops sealed the area, preventing villagers from leaving and making it difficult to get a detailed account of the incident.
Nigerian military officials declined to comment on the attack.
In a tweet from the IS-affiliated Amaq news agency, Boko Haram claimed it killed five soldiers from the regional coalition fighting the jihadists.
“Killing of five African coalition soldiers and 11 injured after attack by Islamic Caliphate forces… in Kamuya town,” the tweet read in part.
A civilian resident in the nearby Miringa village said the Kamuya assault was carried out by fighters from the Al-Barnawi faction who are known to be hiding in the area’s Ajigin forest.
Umar Sanda told AFP that Ajigin forest was the bastion of the Al-Barnawi fighters and that “they are responsible for most of the attacks in the area including the one in Kamuya.”
He added that the residents have repeatedly told the soldiers that “Ajigin is the hideout of Boko Haram in the area and as long as they are not dislodged there will no end to their attacks.”
Boko Haram, which has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, has been in the grip of a power struggle.
One faction is led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the 22-year-old son of Boko Haram’s founder Mohammed Yusuf, who was named leader by the IS high command in August.
Villages in the area have been razed and plundered in deadly raids by Boko Haram since Tukur Buratai became Nigerian army chief in June 2015.
The attacks are believed to be reprisals over the successes by the Nigerian troops who have pushed Boko Haram from swathes of Nigerian territory they had seized in their bid to carve out an Islamic Caliphate.
The military campaign which succeeded in substantually cutting off Boko Haram’s food, fuel and weapons supplies has also seen Boko Haram losing its Sambisa forest stronghold to Nigerian forces.
Boko Haram violence is estimated to have killed 20,000 people and displaced 2.6 million since the start of its insurgency in 2009.
New York – The UN has cautioned the U.S. government on the "Refugee Order'' signed on Friday by President Donald Trump temporarily banning refugees into the country from seven countries.U.S President Trump and Vice President Pence
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in a joint statement said the contributions of refugees to their countries of refuge had been positive.
"The needs of refugees and migrants worldwide have never been greater, and the U.S. resettlement programme is one of the most important in the world.
"The longstanding U.S. policy of welcoming refugees has created a win-win situation: it has saved the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in the world who have in turn enriched and strengthened their new societies.
"The contribution of refugees and migrants to their new homes worldwide has been overwhelmingly positive,'' the UN agencies stated.
According to the statement, resettlement places provided by every country are vital.
The UN agencies pledged to engage with the U.S. government to ensure the protection of refugees and migrants in the country.
"UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and IOM, the International Organisation for Migration, hope that the U.S. will continue its strong leadership role and long tradition of protecting those who are fleeing conflict and persecution.
"UNHCR and IOM remain committed to working with the U.S. Administration towards the goal we share to ensure safe and secure resettlement and immigration programmes,'' the statement said.
The statement said the UN agencies also urged equal treatment for refugees and migrants without discrimination.
"We strongly believe that refugees should receive equal treatment for protection and assistance, and opportunities for resettlement, regardless of their religion, nationality or race.
"We will continue to engage actively and constructively with the U.S. government as we have done for decades to protect those who need it most, and to offer our support on asylum and migration matters,'' it stated.
New York – California has announced a proposal, called "Calexit" that would establish it as a separate nation from the U.S., officials have said.
The proposal for California to secede from the U.S. was submitted to the Secretary of State's Office on Thursday, according to a report.
The proposed "Calexit" initiative was a name borrowed from the UK's "Brexit" departure from the EU.
"Calexit" would ask voters to repeal part of the state constitution that declares California an inseparable part of the U.S.
A recent poll found that one in three California residents would support a possible secession from the U.S. due to their opposition to President Donald Trump, according to the proposal.
No mention has been made of the president in the proposal.
If the proposal qualifies for the ballot and is approved by voters, it could be a step to a future vote on whether the state would break away from the rest of the nation.
Secretary of State Alex Padilla said the group behind the proposal, 'Yes California Independence Campaign', was cleared to begin attempting to collect nearly 600,000 voter signatures needed to place the plan on the ballot.
"In our view, the United States of America represents so many things that conflict with Californian values.
"And our continued statehood means California will continue subsidising the other states to our own detriment, and to the detriment of our children," the Yes California Independence Campaign's website says.
Patigi (Kwara) – A fire incident has destroyed property worth over N10 million at the Kwara Government-owned property, Patigi Regatta Motel in Patigi, Patigi Local Government Area of the state.
The Managing Director of the Motel, Alhaji Abdulkadir Mustapha-Rifun, who conducted newsmen round the motel on Saturday, expressed shock over the incidence. He described it as a setback to his efforts toward giving the edifice a face-lift. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the motel was leased out to Rifun River Investment in 2013 for effective operation.
The managing director, who attributed the cause of the fire to power surge, said the fire incident affected all the section of the motel already renovated.
He explained that his decision to take over the property was borne out of the desire to complement the developmental efforts of the government.
He explained that the management of the motel would require between N15 and N20 million to give the motel a face-lift.
Mustapha-Rifun appealed to the state government to intervene with relief and incentive to assist in realising the mandate of putting the state's property into a modern status and judicious use.
Ten of the twenty-five rooms in the motel were seriously damaged
Reacting to the development, the immediate past state Head of Service, Alhaji Dabarako Muhammad sympathised with the owner, describing the incident as unfortunate.
Alhaji Muhammad, who is from the community, said he was a member of the State Government Committee that lease the property, pointed out that the fire incident is a setback to the community and the state government.
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The Department of State Services, DSS, has invited Apostle Johnson Suleiman of the Omega Fire Ministries World wide, OFM, for interrogations on Monday by 10 am.
BREAKING…
DSS invites Apostle Suleman to its Abuja office for interrogation by 10am on Monday 30th January 2017.
US rights groups filed a legal challenge Saturday to President Donald Trump’s order halting the arrival of refugees and travelers from seven Muslim countries.
The suit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups after two Iraqi men were detained Friday night at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. It seeks their release on grounds of unlawful detention.
The groups asked that the challenge be given class action status so they can represent all refugees and travelers held up because of Trump’s executive order on Friday.
The New York Times reported that airport authorities started detaining travelers as early as Friday night.
It said one of the Iraqi men held in New York had worked for the US government in Iraq for 10 years and the other was coming to America to join his wife, who had worked for a US contractor.
The Times quoted their lawyers as saying both men had valid visas to travel to the United States.
His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, has called on Christians to be more generous to God, saying this could help the nation out of its current economic recession .
Onaiyekan said this in an interview with newsmen during the Foundation Laying of the Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles Cathedral, held at Papal Ground, Kubwa, Abuja on Saturday.
He advised Christians to contribute to projects, especially those that have to do with God and the church, as this would reaffirm their faith in Christ.
He prayed that the nation would continue to grow in peace, prosperity, and harmony and move very fast toward coming out of recession.
Cardinal-Onaiyekan
According to him, when you have good ideas and good intentions to serve the Lord you do not allow any challenges to stop them.
"The time has come for this project to take off after more than 30 years in preparation and we do hope that it will be finished quickly.
"Some people may be asking that in the midst of recession, we are undertaking a project that will cost a lot of money.
"We will go to a good distance in the next few years and depending on how quickly we raise the funds the work will move very fast.''
Onaiyekan described the project as a magnificent one and encouraged the Catholic Church to keep building more dioceses not just by way of physical structures but also with faith in the gospel of Christ.
"We shall continue to build our diocese not only with physical structures, which are no doubts important and necessary but also above all with faith and gospel of Christ.
"We will give in charity to the needy of whatever kind. The cathedral will be a sign of our spiritual grandeur of our community that stands out as light in the darkness,'' he said.
He also informed the faithful that the late Dominic Cardinal Ekandem,the first bishop of the then Diocese of Abuja initiated the idea of buiding the Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles at a time that there was very little resource on ground.
"His Eminence, late Cardinal Ekandem pushed for the building of the cathedral at a time when there was very little on ground to start the project.
"He did not only do it in the archdiocese but also in the FCT as a whole. Ekandem's vision has brought us to this day. I am happy that this day has come.
"Our cathedral will push us to ever greater love and solidarity with our fellow men and women. There is no better way to show honour and glory to God,'' Onaiyekan said.
At least 45 people, including a newlywed couple, were killed Saturday as a lorry fell from a bridge into river in Anjozorobe, a town 90 kilometres northeast of Antananarivo, Madagascar's capital.
"Forty five, including nine children, 27 women and nine men, were killed on spot while 24 others injured, during the accident," the mayor of Anjozorobe, Dr. Lova Andriamanantsoa, told Xinhua by telephone.
"The victims were in wedding procession when a lorry which transported around 70 relatives of the newlyweds failed a bridge and dropped directly into a river called Mananara," Andriamanantsoa said.
"The newlyweds were also inside the lorry," Andriamanantsoa said, adding that the main reason of the accident is not yet known because the driver also died.
"Most of them were killed by suffocation in the water."
In general, in rural areas of Madagascar, there are few cars and the road condition is usually very bad, especially during the rainy season.
Only a lorry is practicable to transport many people, a reason the family rented a lorry to transport their guests during the wedding.
