Christianity is now for the rich

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EDUCATION: Michelle Obama on Girl Proper Education

Ralphina Feelee lives in Liberia, where the average family gets by on less than two dollars a day, and many families simply can't afford to educate their daughters. Teen pregnancy rates are high, and pregnant girls are often discouraged from attending school.

Sometimes it's not even safe for girls to attend school in the first place, since their commutes to and from school can be dangerous, and they sometimes even face sexual harassment and assault at school.

   Michelle Obama

Ralphina wakes up early each morning, cooks for her family, cares for her younger siblings, and goes to work at a local market -- all before she even gets to school. But she still attends class each day, working especially hard in science and math so she can fulfill her dream of becoming a nurse.

Rihab Boutadghart lives in a remote part of Morocco near the Sahara Desert. While Morocco has made huge strides in education, and nearly all girls there attend elementary school, girls in rural areas often live far from the nearest middle and high schools, so many of them drop out of school by the time they turn twelve. Right now, only 14 percent of girls in rural Morocco attend high school.

But Rihab, who proudly describes herself as a "feminist," is determined to finish her education. She dreams of becoming an entrepreneur and being the CEO of a major company, and she recently appeared on Moroccan TV urging girls to work hard and follow their passions.

I had the privilege of meeting Ralphina and Rihab earlier this week when I traveled to Liberia and Morocco to highlight our global girls' education crisis -- the fact that right now, more than 62 million girls worldwide are not in school. This is such a heartbreaking loss, because these girls are so bright and so hungry to learn -- and like Ralphina and Rihab, they have such big dreams for themselves. These girls are no less smart or deserving of an education than my own daughters -- or any of our sons and daughters. The only thing that separates them from our children is geography and luck.

Sometimes the issue is resources: their families simply can't afford the school fees; or the nearest school is hours away; or the school nearby doesn't have adequate bathroom facilities for girls, so they're forced to stay home during their menstrual cycles, and they wind up falling behind and dropping out.

But often the root of the problem is really about attitudes and beliefs: families and communities simply don't think girls are worthy of an education, and they choose to marry them off as teenagers instead, often forcing them to start having children when they're basically still children themselves.

Michelle Obama hugs a student following a lesson plan about girls' leadership and self-esteem in support of the Let Girls Learn initiative, in Kakata, Liberia, June 27.

The girls I met in Morocco and Liberia want to be doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, engineers. One of them wants to run for office so she can fight for women's rights and combat climate change. Another hopes to open her own auto shop to teach women about cars so they can be more independent.

But we know that when we give these girls the chance to learn, they will seize it. They'll walk for miles each day to school. They'll study for hours every night by candlelight, determined to learn as much as they possibly can.

We know that when we give these girls the chance to learn, they will seize it.

Michelle Obama

We also know that educating girls doesn't just transform their life prospects -- it transforms the prospects of their families, communities, and nations as well. Studies show that girls who are educated earn higher salaries -- 10 to 20 percent more for each additional year of secondary school -- and sending more girls to school and into the workforce can boost an entire country's GDP. Educated girls also marry later, have lower rates of infant and maternal mortality, and are more likely to immunize their children and less likely to contract malaria and HIV.

Michelle Obama's advice for men 

That's why, last year, President Obama and I launched Let Girls Learn, an initiative to help adolescent girls worldwide attend school. And this week, we were proud to announce major new efforts by the U.S. government to promote girls' education in Africa.

In Liberia we'll be running girls' empowerment programs, working to end gender violence in schools, and supporting new, second-chance schools for girls who were forced to drop out because of pregnancy or rape.

In Morocco we'll be working closely with the Moroccan government to help transform high schools across the country, and we'll be supporting new school dormitories to allow girls from rural areas to attend school far from home.

Large scale efforts like these are critically important, and will affect the lives of countless girls, but they're simply not enough. Governments alone cannot solve this problem -- not when we're talking about a number like 62 million.

That's why I ended my trip this week in Spain delivering a speech to an audience of young Spanish women. I wanted to make a simple, but urgent point: Every single one of us in countries like Spain and the U.S. has the power -- and the obligation -- to step up as a champion for these girls.

U.S. First Lady in London to promote education 

I told these young women: If you have access to social media, then you have a platform to tell these 62 million girls' stories and raise awareness about the challenges they face. And that's just as true for everyone at home in the U.S. You can go to 62MillionGirls.com right now to find all the information you need to get started and to learn how you can take action to support girls' education efforts across the globe.

Once you know these girls' stories, I think you'll find, as I have, that you simply can't walk away from them. After traveling the world as First Lady and meeting so many girls like Ralphina and Rihab, I carry their hopes and their ambitions with me everywhere I go, and I plan to continue my work on their behalf not just for my final seven months as First Lady, but for the rest of my life. I hope you will join me in this mission.

South Sudan: Clashes Again on Independence Day

South Sudan security situation in Juba Sunday had seen a "sudden and serious deterioration," with clashes between government and opposition forces breaking out into "general fighting."

Fighting first broke out Thursday, with skirmishes between troops loyal to Kiir and soldiers who support his deputy Machar.
Fighting flared again Sunday, with gunfire exchanged outside a U.N. building, after a lull Saturday when the young country celebrated the fifth anniversary of its independence from Sudan.

BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTEST NOW GLOBAL

They may be thousands of miles apart -- but that didn't stop Black Lives Matter protesters in Europe marching in solidarity with their U.S. counterparts over the weekend.

Hundreds of people marched in London, Berlin and Amsterdam, Netherlands, holding signs emblazoned with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter and chanting, "No justice, no peace."

FG and Oil Workers Meeting Inconclusive

Federal Government and oil workers meeting on Monday in Abuja was inconclusive as both groups agreed to continue deliberations today (Tuesday).

Members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria since Thursday is still in force.

10 die as farmers, herdsmen clash in Niger

No fewer than 10 persons were reportedly killed in clashes between suspected Fulani herdsmen and farmers in two communities in Niger State.

It was learnt that the clashes happened at Bokuta village, Bosso Local Government Area, and Tungan Mallam village in the Paikoro LGA.

While six were killed in the Bokuta clash, four died in the Tungan Mallam melee.

A resident of Bokuta, who identified himself only as Isiaq, said trouble started in the community on Thursday, July 7, when some herdsmen invaded a farm with their cattle and destroyed its crop.

He said the farm owner engaged the herdsmen in a scuffle, during which one of the invaders was killed while another one was injured.

“The following day, herdsmen went on a reprisal and shot five farmers dead. The village was in turmoil and nobody could go out for two days. It was the police and military men who eventually came to restore peace,” he added.

In the Tungan Mallam clash, a source who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone, said a youth had on Friday reared cattle into a large farmland where maize, sorghum, yam and soya beans were grown and destroyed the crops.

He said the owners of the farm complained but the youth and other herdsmen struck and killed one of the farmers. The source added that the farmers regrouped and went on a reprisal, killing three herdsmen.

Seeking lasting solutions to the incident, the source said, “Government must take a bold step to solve this problem. Why must some people destroy the means of livelihood of others to earn their living? It is unfair.”

The Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala James, who confirmed the clashes, said eight persons were killed while three others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

The PPRO said two suspects had been arrested and that there were ongoing dialogues to forestall the crises.

He said, “It was the issue of herders going into farmers’ crops and damaging them. On July 7, at Bokuta village, there was an argument between the farmers and the herders and we learnt that a herder was killed and another one injured.

“The next day, herders mobilised and went on a revenge mission. They killed three farmers and injured two. The situation was brought under control by the police anti-riot team and the military. Normalcy has been restored to the community. Two suspects – Landan Adamu and Muhammed Musa, were arrested.

“On Sunday at Tungan Mallam village, some herdsmen also invaded a farm there and killed a farmer. Farmers in that locality also went on a reprisal and killed three herdsmen. Altogether, eight persons were killed.

“To resolve these clashes, consultations are ongoing. We have invited both parties to a meeting. The state governor and the Commissioner of Police were at the meeting and a committee has been set up to discuss the matter and proffer a more lasting solution to the problem.”

Reacting, the state Governor, Sani Bello, said that the masterminds of the violent clashes would be brought to book.

Bello, who visited the two communities on Monday, said the government would no longer condone any act of lawlessness in the state.

“Nobody has the power or right to take the life of others. These senseless and unwarranted killings cannot and will not be condoned.

“You cannot just take machete and kill somebody because of disagreement. There are laws and nobody can claim to be above the law.

“I have instructed the chairmen of the affected councils, the Commissioner of Police and my Special Adviser on Security to fish out the masterminds of the two clashes as well as their accomplices.

“I have also directed for comprehensive investigations into the incidents with a view to prosecuting and bringing the culprits to book

Man Killed A Pregnant Woman In Kogi State

Kogi State Police have arrested Hussain Zubairu, for stabbing his pregnant neighbour, Bose Muhammed, who dead later yesterday.

Zubairu and the pregnant woman lived in the Idogido community of Okene Local Government Area of the state.

The murderer stabbed the woman in the stomach with scissors in his hand .

The pregnant  woman was taken to the hospital immediately but dead on arrival. 

Pan-Yoruba and Afenifere Disparagement VP Osinbajo

On Monday Afenifere,  Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, carpeted Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), for his criticisms of the calls for the restructuring of Nigeria, saying Osinbajo missed the point.

According to the group,  Vice President “may have been under pressure” from the Presidency to side the status quo.”

Osinbajo earlier said on Sunday that the call for the restructuring of Nigeria was not sensible as it would not make any difference in the country.

ISIS 'caliphate' shrinks

The last few days have seen both the vulnerability and the resilience of ISIS as it struggles to hold on to territory in Syria and Iraq. But a new analysis of the battlefield shows that territory held by ISIS has shrunk 12% this year, with losses in both western Iraq and northern Syria.

Over the weekend, Iraqi forces regained control of Al-Qayyarah air-base, 75 kilometers (about 50 miles) south of the city of Mosul. ISIS seized the base two years ago when its fighters swept south to the edge of Baghdad.

If Iraq's military can consolidate control of the base, it would provide a valuable launching pad for the offensive to expel ISIS from Mosul. Al-Qayyarah is one of the largest airbases in Iraq.

But ISIS continues to demonstrate resilience and versatility. Its fighters are clinging on to positions inside the Syrian town of Manbij, a critical waypoint between Raqqa -- the group's administrative headquarters -- and the Turkish border.

N450 Billion Naira NDDC owes contractors

The Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, has said that the commission was owing contractors about N450 billion.

Semenitari, who spoke with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Monday, promised that the NDDC would clear the debt as soon as funds were made available to the commission by the Federal Government.

She maintained that the NDDC would not deliberately refuse to pay contractors who had completed contracted awarded to them, adding that the paucity of fund was responsible for the delay in payment.

“Law and Order what i will maintain,”

“Law and Order what i will maintain,” the Republican party’s presumptive presidential nominee said in a speech in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Donald Trump proclaimed himself the “law and order candidate” Monday, emphasizing increased threats to police and declaring only he can keep Americans safe in a nation reeling from gun violence.

The declaration, reminiscent of remarks made by former president Richard Nixon, came as Trump highlighted recent killings including the horrific shooting deaths of five Dallas officers in a gunman’s sniper-like assault.

Forgery: Saraki, Ekweremadu’s trial, Court vacation stalls

The trial of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, alongside two others on charges of forgery of Senate Standing Orders, was stalled before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Jabi, Abuja, due to the court’s vacation that commenced today (Monday).

Saraki, Ekweremadu, and two co-accused – a former Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasu, and his then deputy, Benedict Efeturi – were in court briefly and left as soon as they were informed that the court was not going to sit.

Ronaldo and Portugal National Team Welcomed Home, Lisbon stands still

EURO 2016: Portugal The 15 European Football Champions

The UEFA European Championship (known informally as the Euros) is the primary association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), determining the continental champion of Europe. Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current name in 1968. Starting with the1996 tournament, specific championships are often referred to in the form "UEFA Euro [year]"; this format has since been retroactively applied to earlier tournaments. 

Prior to entering the tournament all teams other than the host nations (which qualify automatically) compete in a qualifying process. The championship winners earn the opportunity to compete in the following FIFA Confederations Cup, but are not obliged to do so. 

The 15 European Championship tournaments have been won by ten different national teams: Germany and Spain each have won three titles, France has two titles, and Soviet Union, Italy, Czechoslovakia,Netherlands, Denmark, Greece and Portugal have won one title each. To date, Spain is the only team in history to have won consecutive titles, doing so in 2008 and 2012. It is the second most watched football tournament in the world after the FIFA World Cup. The Euro 2012 final was watched by a global audience of around 300 million.

At full-time, Ronaldo, shirtless by this stage, celebrated before finding his top and leading his team onto the podium to lift the trophy.

He embraced Ferguson, watching on in the stadium as a proud father, while wearing a smile where there had been only misery hours earlier.

Camera catches touching moment when boy consoles fan

"I have been looking for this for a long time, since 2004," Ronaldo told reporters.

"I asked God for another chance at this because we deserved it. Today I was unfortunate, I was injured but I always believed that these players, together with the strategy, would be strong enough to beat France.

"This is one of the happiest moments in my career. I always said I'd like to win something with Portugal."

What awaits the three-time World Player of the Year now is unknown -- but for all his achievements, and there are many -- that night in Paris will take some beating.

Now the question is Cristiano Ronaldo a Hero or Scoundrel?

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Buhari Outline Reasons Diezani Is Not Already Being Prosecuted Because…

President Muhammadu Buhari has spoken about the inability of his government to prosecute Diezani and others accused of stealing the nation’s wealth, especially in the petroleum sector. The reasons for this which was outlined by President Buhari are:

1. Buhari said there was no way he could go ahead to prosecute them successfully without having genuine evidence to support the prosecution of their cases.

2. The President said that gathering such evidence takes time

3. He said some of those accused of tampering with state funds have carefully concealed their assets, making it difficult for detectives.

4. Buhari said government’s agencies are currently digging for such evidence and documents which they consider very vital for successful prosecution.

Amaechi, Ben Bruce and Japhet Omojuwa in Twitter War

The minister for transportation and former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, Senator representing Bayelsa East, Ben Murray-Bruce and a popular blogger, Japhet Omojuwa, today engaged each other in twitter jibes over political and personal differences. INFORMATION NIGERIA has put together the step by step of how the fight played out…

1. It all started when Omojuwa tweeted ”The reason I will NEVER take people like Ben Bruce serious is because when they saw a leader (GEJ) do wrong, they kept quiet. Don’t be Bruce”. 

2. Bruce replied by tweeting ‘You’ve left Trump to face me? Wake me up the day people start dying because you refused to take them seriously.” 

3. Senator Ben Bruce then fired another tweet, this time targeting Amaechi, who was alleged to have spent about N82 million on a dinner. The tweet was reference to a statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari that Nigerians were not welcome in the United Kingdom because of the criminal activities some Nigerians engaged in over there. He tweeted. ”Your own minister spent ₦80 million on a one day dinner, yet it is your citizens you accuse of being criminal” 

4. Amaechi blasted the senator for not being bold enough to mention the name of the minister in his tweet. ”“A coward who is not bold enough to name the minister that he alleged criminally spent N80M on dinner is unfit to sit in our senate chambers,” he tweeted. 

5. Bruce came back with another tweet to mock the minister. He referred to the recent Supreme Court judgment that upheld the election of Nyesom Wike as governor. He tweeted ”When you have been Wike’d, you become wicked! But you will always be my beloved brother, no matter how much you transfer the anger on me”. 

6. Amaechi responded with a tweet of his own, accusing the minister of being active only on Twitter and not on the floor of the Senate. He tweeted ”I will not respond to innuendos. Be courageous, name the minister. We know you talk here & do ‘siddon’ look where you are elected to talk” 

Best Remedy For Swollen Legs "Green Tea"

You must know how painful and frustrating it can be if you have swollen legs, hands or feet.

Swelling known as edema, or the retention of fluids in you body, can be caused by many different reasons such as:

• A sedentary lifestyle—sitting or staying in one position for too long
• Eating too much processed foods and foods high in salt
• Poor circulation
• PMS
• Side effects of some medications
• Pregnancy

Let’s make it clear. Swelling can be quite normal for people who stand or sit for a longer periods of time, or for women during pregnancy, but chronic leg or ankle swelling is a serious issue. This peripheral edema, as its name says, must be taken into consideration as the most serious diseases such as kidney disease, heart failure or liver disease, so if you happen to have this problem, consult a physician.

For people who have occasional swelling problems, there are a lot of herbal remedies that can be helpful in order to reduce the swelling and to help your body eliminate the excess fluids. One of these is the parsley.

It Used To Be Recommended by Hippocrates

The word parsley derives from two Greek words: “petrose” – rock, and “selenium” – celery. So if we put the two words together, it literally means “rock celery”.

There are two types of parsley: curly parsley and Italian parsley (flat leaves).

So, next time when you go to a restaurant and have a garnish in your food, don’t just pick it off the dish and leave it to the side, but eat it because it has a lot of positive effects on your body.

Moreover, recent studies have shown that eating parsley can help you protect yourself from a variety of diseases including: digestive disorders, urinary tract problems, allergies, to lower your blood pressure, improve your bone health, menstrual pain, it can even help in cases of bronchitis.

According to “The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook” parsley helps the kidneys to remove excess fluids from the body, as it was used in ancient times like a tonic for kidney stones and rheumatism as well as an antidote for poison.

Parsley Is a Natural Diuretic

“Parsley acts as a diuretic by inhibiting the sodium and potassium ion pumps, influencing the process of osmosis and increasing the flow of urine.” shows in a study published in 2002 in the journal of Ethnopharmacology.

Parsley can help you not to experience the side effects of pharmaceutical drugs because it is rich in potassium contrary of the chemically produced diuretics that lower the potassium levels in your body.

Another Brazilian study published in 2009 showed similar results and suggested that parsley can decrease blood pressure as well and increase urinary flow.

Parsley Tea Recipe for Edema

According to Dr. John R. Christopher, renowned author and America’s foremost herbalist,you should drink at least two quarts (64 oz.) of strong parsley tea per day in order to achieve maximum results.

If you feel the need, you can increase the amount of parsley tea to a cup every half hour. If you make your own tea, he suggests that you should use fresh green leaves, together with the roots and seeds.

Instructions:

1. Chop the leaves and roots into small pieces (you can also pre-chop the parsley and store them in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to a week.)
2. Place approximately ¼ cup of parsley into an infusion basket.
3. Pour over a cup of boiled water or submerge into a tea pot.
4. Let the mixture steep for 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Remove the basket or strain the tea.
6. Add honey, lemon or ginger for flavor if desired.
7. Always drink parsley tea warm for the best effects.

Don’t forget to do other techniques that will help you reduce swelling such as putting your legs up on a wall or pillows to raise them above your heart when lying down.

Jonathan, Emefiele Invited For Questioning "Dasuki" Arms Missing Money

The former National Secu­rity Adviser (NSA) in the Jonathan administration, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd.), is currently being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for misappropriating the fund

Bishop of the Diocese of Enugu Anglican Communion, Archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, has called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to bring in former President Goodluck Jonathan, to explain what he knows about the alleged diversion of over $2.1 billion meant for arms purchase.

Speaking yesterday in Enugu with The AUTHORITY newspaper, the fiery cleric equally demanded the arrest and prosecution of incumbent Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, and his predeces­sor, now Emir of Kano, Al­haji Muhammadu Sanusi II, over the arms deal scandal also known as Dasukigate.

According to him: “the is­sue of Dasukigate is what Mr. President should look prop­erly into. It is a shame, abso­lutely condemnable and dis­graceful to the leaders of this nation that money meant for arms to salvage this country from Boko Haram insur­gents were diverted and that was why Boko Haram could not be tamed for a long time.

“It is a very disturbing situ­ation and I insist that the federal government should invite former president Goodluck Jonathan who, I think, has a case to answer in that regard, because the money was alleged to be used for his campaign.

“Jonathan and the current CBN Governor should be able to tell Nigerians where the money was gotten from and why the money was di­verted, if the allegations are true.

“Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sa­nusi, who was CBN Gover­nor at the time the govern­ment was in power, should also be made to speak”.

Nigerian Navy Rescued The Hijacked Cargo To Nigeria

The Nigerian Navy has foiled an attempt by suspected sea pirates to hijack and abduct 25 foreign nationals aboard a Maersk merchant ship carrying general cargo to Nigeria.

Briefing journalists on Sunday at Onne Sea Port, Rivers, Capt. Olusegun Soyemi, the Executive Officer of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, said that the vessel berth safely with the rescued crew members unharmed.

Soyemi said the crew members, including the ship’s captain, were of mixed nationalities consisting of eight Philippines, eight South Africans, five Indians, two Britons and two from Thailand.

According to him, Safmarine Kuramo, a Maersk merchant ship registered in Singapore, was transporting general cargo from Port-Noire, Congo, to Onne Sea Port in Rivers.

“On Jan. 5 at about 08:00 hours; Sufmarine Kuramo was attacked by sea pirates about 60 nautical miles off the coast of Bonny Island (in Rivers) Fairway Bouy.

“We got may-day distress call that the ship was boarded by unconfirmed number of sea pirates after entering the nation’s territorial waters.

“We immediately dispatched a warship (NNS Centenary) and attack gunboats led by Navy Capt. Chiedozie Okehie of the Eastern Naval Command to rescue the situation.

“The sea pirates apparently on sighting advancing naval troops fled the scene for fear of being arrested by our operatives.

“The operation was largely successful as all 25 foreign crew members, including the captain, are safe and unhurt, while cargo onboard the ship is intact”, he said.

Soyemi said the pirates had fired several gunshots at the ships control room apparently to scare and subdue any resistance from the captain and crew members.

Also, the Commanding Officer of NNS Centenary, Capt. Chiedozie Okehie, who led the operation, said the crew members locked and hid themselves in the ship’s citadel (engine room).

He said the rescue was successful partly due to the courage and bravery exhibited by the ship’s captain – a woman.

According to him, in spite all odds, she covertly gave navy operatives briefs while pirates on board the ship made several attempt to break into the citadel.

“Immediately we got to the ship, we carried out thorough searches of the compartments and cabins to check if any pirate had remained onboard.

“Investigations are ongoing to ascertain what happened and who carried out the attack”, he assured.

Okehie said the navy under the command of Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas remained fully committed to safety of the nation’s waterways and maritime environment.

Speaking, the Captain of Safamarine Kuramo, Ms Zetta Gous-Conradie, a South African, described the experience as horrific.

Gous-Conradie hailed the Nigerian Navy for its prompt response to her distress call.

“We are very grateful when the navy came onboard because at some point we had thought the pirates would take us hostage.

“The heat was stifling because the temperature was very hot at the citadel, and at some point my crew members and I had thought we would suffocate and die”, she said.