11/29/17

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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI), a non-governmental organisation, has won the 2017 Nelson Mandela-Graça Michel Innovation Awards in mental health, according to a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Mr Grant Clark, Senior Media Advisor to 2017 International Civil Society Week, said in the statement issued on Wednesday that MANI was selected from among 300 nominations across the globe as the winner in the Civil Society Organisation category.
“The awards seek to recognize outstanding bravery and achievement towards social change.
“From humble beginnings, MANI, which promotes mental health awareness in Nigeria, has grown to be the largest and most active mental health NGO.”
He said that former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon praised MANI’s achievement.
“We commend the work of Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative for opening the space to improve the lives of young Nigerians living with mental illness, who are too often stigmatized and the cause of great suffering for many people,” Ban was quoted as saying.
Clark identified other winners as an Egyptian activist and journalist, Khaled Elbalshy; a young Guyanese change-maker, Jubilanté Cutting, and a German philanthropists organisation, Guerrilla Foundation.
The awards, named after human rights icon Nelson Mandela and former First Lady of South Africa and Mozambique, Graça Machel, honour remarkable bravery and innovation in creating social change and empowering future generations.
Machel said at the award presentation that “Awards like this are so significant because the winners truly are ‘sparks of hope’ with the potential to inspire many others.
“It is important that those of us with the freedom to speak out, use our voices to lift up these courageous individuals and organisations.”
Victor Ugo, founder of MANI and himself a medical professional, said: “This is an auspicious moment for us and we want to dedicate it to every Nigerian youth coping with mental illness.
“We are motivated to keep up the discussion and hope our voice will continue to resonate both within and beyond our borders.”
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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

The Federal Government has declared Friday as public holiday in commemoration of the Muslim Eid-El-Maulud celebration.
The Minister of Interior, retired Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, according to a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja.
The statement was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Mr Abubakar Magaji.
It said Dambazau urged all Muslim faithful and Nigerians in general to use the occasion to pray for peace, progress and unity of the nation.
He further urged all Nigerians to support the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in its efforts at building a virile nation, and wished Nigerians a happy Eid-El-Maulud celebration.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Eid-El-Maulud is celebrated every year by Muslims on the 12th day of the Islamic month of Rabi-ul-Awwal as the birthday of Prophet Muhammad.
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The House of Representatives on Wednesday commenced public hearing on a Bill to empower Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to control Close Circuit Televisions (CCTV) in the country.
The Bill seeks to amend the NSCDC Act 2003 to provide guidance for the enforcement of security measures through the requirement for installation and management of CCTVs.
It is to ensure the security of lives and property in the country.
Making his submission before members of the House Committee on Interior, in Abuja, Deputy Comptroller-General, NSCDC, Andekin Musa, commended the initiative to amend the existing Act.
According to him, the extant law is devoid of any provision catering for installation and management of CCTV in the country.
“The public overriding interest of actively securing public and private places identified as high risk has become expedient in the face of criminal activities carried out on innocent citizens.
“The amendment is broad enough to cater for related matters on the installation, use and management of the CCTV,’’ Musa said.
He added that the amendment would also provide for the expansion of the functions of NSCDC and its affiliation with local and international organisations in combating crime.
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Adams Jagaba, said that the amendment of the bill was apt in view of the security challenges confronting the country.
Jagaba said that the amendment would also strengthen synergy between NSCDC and other security agencies, particularly in sharing critical information needed in the fight against insecurity.
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Nigerian troops have captured Boko Haram commander, “Ameer” of Chawa, Amman Judee and rescued another 212 persons held hostage by the terrorists.
The capture and rescue took place in an operation to clear remnants of insurgents from some villages in the northern fringes of the Sambisa forest.
Four terrorists were also neutralised, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, the Director of Army Public Relations, has said.
Usman said the captured terrorists leader was undergoing interrogation, while the rescued persons were being documented and under-aged children among them administered oral polio vaccines.
Earlier in the week, troops rescued 30 persons held hostage by the terrorists during clearance operations in eight villages at Bama Local Government Area of Borno.
The Army on Tuesday had killed 14 Boko Haram insurgents in clearance operations in Bama Local Government Area of Borno.
Brig.- Gen. Sani Kukasheka, Director Army Public Relations, said that the troops also rescued 30 persons, captured one insurgent and recovered various caliber of ammunition from the insurgents.
He said that the troops had also cleared insurgents in their hideouts at Abusuriwa, Newchina, Bonzon, Usmanari, Goyayeri, Shitimari, Gashimari and Awaram villages in Bama local government area.
Kukasheka explained that 8 insurgents were killed while many of them escaped in the affected villages, adding that three males; 12 females and 15 children were rescued from the insurgents.
The army spokesman also disclosed that the troops also ambushed and killed six insurgents at Kumshe and Darel-Jamel villages.
According to him, the arrested insurgent was handed over to the appropriate authorities for intonation.
“The troops whose continuous resolve in routing out the remnants of the suspected terrorists hibernating within the Brigade’s Area of Responsibility ensured that their superior fire power made the terrorists to flee in disarray, leading to the capture of one suspected terrorist while eight Boko Haram terrorists were neutralised.
“The gallant troops recovered four AK-47 rifles, three magazines, seven Dane guns, machetes, amongst other items.
“In addition, the troops also rescued three men, 12 women and 15 Children, among whom were an aged man and a woman held captives by the Boko Haram terrorists.’’
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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.
Nakisha Newell

Nakisha Newell, a female corrections officer in Ohio, U.S., will face criminal charges for allegedly having sex with a male inmate as well as bringing illegal imports into the county jail, authorities said.
Newell who had been on the job just 18 months has been charged with two counts of felony sexual battery and two counts of conveyance, a misdemeanour.
More charges are likely, Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones told the Dayton Daily News.
Newell, 28, was fired immediately after officials got a tip she brought in a cellphone and electronic cigarettes into the jail, according to the New York Post.
Maj. Mike Craft of the Butler County Sheriff’s Office told the Dayton Daily News that a sharp-eyed corrections sergeant had “educated hunch” about Newell’s activities, and an investigation into possible criminal activity began.
“He had seen some things that he didn’t think were right. He did a great job bring the information to us,” Craft said.
During questioning about the contraband, Newell confessed to having sex with a male inmate, Craft said.
Craft said Newell will not be housed through the Butler County Jail, but was taken to another county.
Officials said the investigation is ongoing, and it is uncertain if the inmate will be charged.
“Being a corrections officer is a noble but tough job,” Jones said in the prepared statement. “These men and women work hard and always have to be on their guard.
“My employees take pride in their work and strive to ensure this facility maintains a great reputation. She has tarnished that and I do not want people like that working for me.”
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Kim Jong-Un

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Wednesday his country had achieved full nuclear statehood after successfully testing a new missile capable of hitting anywhere in the United States.
The intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch snapped a two-month pause in testing by the North and poses a new challenge to US President Donald Trump who has vowed such a capability “won’t happen”.
North Korean state television brought out Ri Chun-Hee, a senior broadcaster who only appears for significant developments, to announce the landmark.
“Kim Jong Un declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power,” she said.
“The great success in the test-fire of ICBM Hwasong-15 is a priceless victory won by the great and heroic people of the DPRK,” she said, using the official abbreviated name for North Korea.
Wednesday’s missile was more sophisticated than any previously tested, state media said.
“The ICBM Hwasong-15 type weaponry system is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with super-large heavy warhead which is capable of striking the whole mainland of the US,” the official news agency KCNA said.
Pyongyang said the missile reached an altitude of 4,475 kilometres (2,800 miles) and had splashed down 950 kilometres from its launch site.
At least one Western expert said the missile’s lofted trajectory suggested an actual range of 13,000 kilometres — longer than that of any previous test and one that would extend to every major US city.
Trump, who recently announced fresh sanctions on Pyongyang and returned it to a US list of state sponsors of terror, was opaque in his immediate response, as the UN Security Council agreed to meet in emergency session.
“I will only tell you that we will take care of it,” Trump said at the White House. “It is a situation that we will handle,” he added, without elaborating.
US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, stressed that diplomatic options to resolving the crisis remained “viable and open.”
But North Korea’s immediate neighbours were less restrained, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe calling the test an intolerable, “violent” act and South Korean President Moon Jae-In condemning Pyongyang’s “reckless” behaviour.
It was the first missile test of any kind since September 15, and quashed speculation that the North may have held back in order to open the door to a negotiated solution to the nuclear standoff.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said it marked a significant step toward North Korea building missiles that can “threaten everywhere in the world, basically.”
AFP
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Jay - Z

No Nigerian artiste made the Grammy nomination list Tuesday. Not Wizkid who made it last year via a collabo with Drake. And not Davido, whose 30 billion song has made big impression worldwide.
Rather Jay-Z led the Grammy race  with eight nominations, followed closely by fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar with seven, in a striking embrace of hip-hop for the music industry’s top prizes.
Jay-Z, who has won an impressive 21 Grammys over his career but has never before been nominated in a major category as a solo artist, is up for Album of the Year for his “4:44” as well as for Record and Song of the Year.
“4:44” marked a return to music by the 47-year-old multi-millionaire after years focused on business ventures.
The album put on display an unusually vulnerable Jay-Z, who acknowledged his infidelity to wife Beyonce, revealed his mother’s closet struggles as a lesbian and tackled the state of US race relations.
Lamar’s seven nominations came for “DAMN.,” an album which switched back to a more traditional hip-hop style after the 30-year-old Los Angeles native’s experiments with jazz, electronica and spoken word.
Bruno Mars, the fun-loving funk revivalist, also fared well with six nods including Album of the Year for his “24K Magic.”
“Despacito,” the viral hit that tied for the most weeks ever on top of the US singles chart despite being in Spanish, was nominated both for Record of the Year, which recognizes the overall performance, and Song of the Year, which honors the songwriter.
If it triumphs, “Despacito” would again make history as the first song in a language other than English to win in either category since Italian songwriter Domenico Modugno’s “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu” — popularly known as “Volare” after its chorus — at the very first Grammys in 1959.
The Recording Academy, which consists of more than 13,000 music professionals, will vote to decide the winners who will be unveiled at the annual Grammys gala on January 28.
The ceremony will take place in New York, Jay-Z’s hometown, to mark the awards’ 60th edition after 14 years in Los Angeles.
– First time hip-hop dominates –
The awards mark the first time that the majority of nominations for Album of the Year, the most prestigious prize, hail from the world of hip-hop.
The breakthrough comes after years of criticism about how little the entertainment industry recognizes African American artists.
In the past, only two rap-dominated albums have won Album of the Year.
In 2016, Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly” — a widely acclaimed album that featured an unofficial anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement — controversially lost to Taylor Swift’s “1989.”
And at the last Grammys in February, Adele expressed embarrassment over winning Album of the Year for “25” over Beyonce’s experimental and narrative-rich “Lemonade.”
This time, Swift was only nominated in two side categories, although her chart-topping new “Reputation” came out too late for consideration for Album of the Year.
Ed Sheeran, who has enjoyed nominations annually since 2013, was also shut out in the major categories despite the strong commercial performance of his latest album “Divide.”
And Katy Perry, the world’s most followed person on Twitter, was completely absent as her latest album “Witness” struggled to match the impact of her earlier hits.
Among other rappers, Childish Gambino — the stage-name of comedian Donald Glover who infuses funk and psychedelic R&B into his hip-hop — is up for Album of the Year and Record of the Year.
– Lorde sole woman for album –
Lorde is the only woman in contention for Album of the Year with “Melodrama,” the 21-year-old New Zealander’s sophomore work, a dance-pop exploration of the challenges of adulthood.
The contenders for Best New Artist include the quickly emerging young singers Alessia Cara and Khalid, who are also nominated for Song of the Year for the anti-suicide track “1-800-273-8255” — the title refers to a US telephone helpline.
Also up for Best New Artist are the fast-charging rapper Lil Uzi Vert, prolific songwriter turned breakout pop star Julia Michaels and the innovative R&B singer SZA.
In classical music, Dmitri Hvorostovsky — the Russian baritone and sex symbol of the operatic world — received a nomination a week after his death at age 55 from a brain tumor.
The spoken word category features audiobooks by several figures beloved of the entertainment industry including rock legend Bruce Springsteen, left-wing presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and late “Star Wars” actress Carrie Fisher.
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(dpa/LR News) Six Italian police officers who issued residency permits to migrants in return for bribes of several thousand Euros have been arrested, authorities said on Tuesday.
Four officers were jailed, two were placed under house arrest, and two “intermediaries” were also arrested,’’ the ANSA news agency said, quoting police investigators in Milan.
The policemen worked in the migration office of the Milanese police but, prior to their arrest, had already been moved to other departments as suspicions arose about their conduct.
They are alleged to have accepted bribes ranging from 500 to 5,000 Euros (595 to 5,950 dollars) for long-term residency permits, which could eventually lead to Italian citizenship.
Investigations documented over a hundred cases of corruption from 2013 to 2016, and stemmed from the arrest last year of another allegedly corrupt member of the police’s migration office.
The police officer who was apprehended in November 2016 was said to have started selling residence permits to migrants in order to feed a cocaine addiction.
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The militants who kidnapped the six Senior Secondary School pupils of Lagos Model College, Igbonla, Epe, Lagos State, a few months ago, were among some youths that surrendered their arms to embrace the amnesty programme of the Ondo State Government on Tuesday.

The militants were also alleged to be responsible for various pipeline vandalism at Arepo in Ogun State and several attacks in the riverine areas of Ondo State.


The militants were led by their leader, Ogailo Young, also known as OC, to the Collection and Documentation of Arms Centre in Ajakpa community in the Ese-Odo Local Government Area of the state.
They said they willingly dropped their arms and ammunition to embrace the amnesty programme and allow peace to reign in the state.
Young appreciated the state and the Federal Government for the fresh amnesty initiative extended to his men.


He said joblessness and poverty, as a result of neglect by government, led them to crime.

He said, “If we are asked the reasons for embarking on our struggle, the simple answer is joblessness, suffering, poverty, oppression and neglect by the government.

“We did not find life easy. We relocated to Ogun State and the schoolboys in Government College, Igbonla, Epe, were kidnapped. Their release led to the present arrangement through the courageous efforts of the deputy governors of Ondo and Delta states. We did not kidnap these boys for mere ransom, but to negotiate our freedom and re-integration into normal life.”

The leader of the repentant armed group added that the members decided to stop illegal oil bunkering and planned the kidnap in order to get the attention of the government.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the state amnesty committee and Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Agboola Ajayi, said the exercise was impressive.

“Looking at the sophisticated guns and ammunition surrendered, I am happy that they fulfilled their promise,” he said.

He told the men that the Federal Government would fulfill its promise by providing employment and education, among others, to enable the former militants to be self-reliant.

Ajayi also assured them that the government would not attack the oil producing areas of the state after the submission of arms and ammunition by the youths.

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The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Tuesday, said all that was remaining for the war on Boko Haram to end was for the political class, intelligence community, Nigeria Police and other civil authorities to play their roles.

He said the military had played its role well and won the war by successfully degrading Boko Haram and reclaiming captured Nigerian territories.

Speaking during the decoration of newly promoted 45 Major Generals, Buratai said, “The Nigerian Army has played its role satisfactorily. We have won the ground war and the Boko Haram terrorists substantially degraded. We have secured Nigeria’s territorial integrity and equally maintained its sovereignty. We have carried out our tasks proudly and professionally.

 “What is remaining now is for other stakeholders – the political class and intelligence community – to take up the salient aspects of this war to the remaining ill-fated insurgents.

 “The NPF must be fully on the ground in all the states in the North-East; civil administration must be fully re-established in all the local government areas. The civil authorities must fight the ideological, social and propaganda wars.”

 He added, “The issues of indoctrination and propaganda by the terrorists must be stopped. These are the surest way to finally defeat the insurgents.

  “The choice of this venue (Maiduguri) for the investiture is predicated on the need to boost the morale of troops in the theatre and also to celebrate your elevation with the law-abiding people of the North-East, who enjoy normalcy today as a result of the fruit of your service.”

He told the decorated officers that, “Nigeria will always remain our constituency and we all must be 100 per cent committed to maintaining its territorial integrity. The large number of you that have merited to be promoted to this enviable rank of Major General indicates the significant attainment of my vision of having a professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles.

 “It is often said that promotion is a privilege and comes from God but again, without hard work, anyone’s ambition to be promoted will be difficult to achieve, if not impossible. It is on this premise that I commend all the newly promoted senior officers for their hard work, loyalty and dedication to duty. I will, however, enjoin you not to relent in your efforts but rather to see this elevation as a call to higher responsibilities, re-dedication and loyalty to the service and to the nation.”

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