Churchill Choken

Update::                  In what could amount to a game-changer, key leaders of the Democratic Party of the United States are contemplating drafting Michelle Obama to contest the 2020 presidential election.  Michelle Obama, the former first lady, is extremely popular with the base of the Democratic Party and a broad cross section of the country.  A top Democrat in Washington DC revealed that a lot of work is going on in that direction. “It’s a delicate proposition but we are looking at all the angles,” he said. The motivation for this is that the leaders of the Democratic Party are desperately searching for a candidate that will excite the electorate and set the polity on fire.  And according to Gallup polls, Michelle Obama and her husband, former President Barack Obama, are the two most admired persons in the United States at the moment in both the female and male categories respectively.      ...

Update:: Donald Trump has mocked Jeff Bezos for his affair with Lauren Sanchez and he praised The National Enquirer for exposing the world's richest man while also slamming the newspaper owned by Bezos. Jeff Bezos Trump tweeted: 'So sorry to hear the news about Jeff Bozo being taken down by a competitor whose reporting, I understand, is far more accurate than the reporting in his lobbyist newspaper, the Amazon Washington Post. Hopefully the paper will soon be placed in better & more responsible hands!' Recall that Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and his wife MacKenzie announced that they are divorcing because Jeff had an extra marital affair. The Bezoses have been married for 25 years, before Jeff Bezos started Amazon, making most of the family wealth communal. Jeff Bezos is worth an estimated $137 billion. A divorce settlement could cut his net worth in half. 

Update:: Walter Onnoghen, the Chief Justice of Nigeria due to be arraigned for alleged false assets declaration charges, was absent in court when his trial commenced on Monday morning. Danladi Umar, the Code of Conduct Tribunal chairman, called Mr Onnoghen’s case at about 10:08 on Monday, and the chief justice was absent. Wole Olanipekun, a senior Nigerian lawyer who is leading a team of 46 other senior lawyers to enter defence for the chief justice, began by challenging the jurisdiction of the case. “You have to first determine whether you have the jurisdiction to try this matter,” Mr Olanipekun said to the tribunal chairman Mr Olanipekun said Mr Onnoghen has not been indicted by the National Judicial Council as legally required of serving judges before his matter was picked up by the tribunal following a petition filed by a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress. Mr Olanipekun also said Mr Onnoghen was not given enough time to prepare for his arraignment befor...

Update:: A senior US Republican has urged President Donald Trump to temporarily reopen parts of the government shut down for more than three weeks. Senator Lindsey Graham, who is close to Mr Trump, said a limited re-opening of a few weeks would allow talks to resume between Republicans and Democrats. The partial government shutdown has now become the longest in US history. It has left hundreds of thousands of public workers unpaid and government offices closed. President Trump is refusing to approve a budget unless it includes $5.7bn (£4.5bn) for a wall along the Mexican border - a key campaign pledge. Democrats have rejected his request and say they will not negotiate further until the government is reopened.

Update:: Former South Africa captain Lucas Radebe says the country has lost a "legend" following his compatriot Phil Masinga's death aged 49. Masinga played with Radebe at Leeds United between 1994 and 1996 and also had spells at St Gallen in Switzerland and Italian clubs Salernitana and Bari. "He lost his fight against cancer this morning which is very, very sad for us as a football fraternity," said Radebe. "For us as Africans it was a great experience," added Radebe.

Update:: Nigeria's chief justice will face trial Monday for allegedly breaching asset-declaration rules, the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) said Saturday, a month before a presidential election in Africa's most populous country. Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen is the head of Nigeria's judiciary, which plays a key role in election matters and has helped resolve disputes in past votes. The conduct tribunal, which tries asset-declaration misdemeanors, said in a statement Saturday that Onnoghen would face six separate counts, without giving further details.

Update:: Zimbabwe's president has more than doubled the price of gasoline, hoping the increase will end severe shortages that are fueling public anger even as he departs on a foreign trip to Russia and other countries in search of investment. In a press conference Saturday night, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the increase in the state-controlled price of fuel should ease the shortages that have gripped the country in recent weeks. The president left Zimbabwe on Sunday on a trip that will end with his attendance at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, angering critics who say he should stay at home to deal with the crisis.

Update:: Nobel Prize-winning American scientist James Watson has been stripped of his honorary titles after repeating comments about race and intelligence. In a TV programme, the pioneer in DNA studies made a reference to a view that genes cause a difference on average between blacks and whites on IQ tests. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory said the 90-year-old scientist's remarks were "unsubstantiated and reckless". Dr Watson had made similar claims in 2007 and subsequently apologised. He shared the Nobel in 1962 with Maurice Wilkins and Francis Crick for their 1953 discovery of the DNA's double helix structure.

Update:: Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid have reportedly called it quits for good.The couple was first linked in late 2015, months after Zayn ended his engagement to Little Mix star Perrie Edwards.A year later, they posed side by side for a Vogue cover shoot, but decided to part ways in March 2018, before rekindling the romance a short time later.Split rumours were once again sparked recently after former One Direction star Zayn, 26, unfollowed the model on Instagram, and a source has now insisted that this is the end for the duo."Gigi and Zayn have broken up," they told Britain's Grazia magazine. "Yes, they do get back together a lot, but this was a big breakup. The relationship is finally off and Gigi is keen not to feel humiliated but it all, as she knows how fractious they seem to people."The pair hasn't been spotted together since October, with 23-year-old Gigi attending pal Taylor Swift's New Year's Eve bash alone.In addition, the insider noted t...

European refiners are turning to Nigerian crude oil grades following a drop in exports from Iran after the United States’ sanctions on the second-biggest producer in the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries. A shortage of distillate-rich crudes in the Mediterranean caused by the dip in Iranian exports has redirected some supply of the likes of Urals , Azeri or CPC away from northwest Europe, according to Reuters. Qua Iboe, Nigeria’s largest crude oil grade, was said to have changed hands at a premium of $1.75 to dated Brent this week, its highest in months, while the supply of similar grades such as Forcados and Bonga was said to be virtually sold out. There were around a dozen Nigerian cargoes still believed to be available for sale but this was down from closer to 20 at the start of the week. In terms of tenders, Turkey’s Tupras awarded a tender for West African crude to Total. Traders said the grade involved was Forcados, while Indian Oil Corporation’s tender for...

Social media is currently buzzing with excitement after some rather peculiar photos of a beautiful girl selling in the market, surfaced online. It is common knowledge that Africans, especially the women are well endowed; mentally, spiritually and physically. The physical aspect however, is often talked about and praised everywhere. While there are some women who tend to use their bodies to make money rather than work, others prefer to do the hard work regardless of how pretty they may be. This is why some photos of a beautiful and well endowed lady selling fish in the market, has since gone viral on the internet. The pictures circulating the internet shows the pretty girl with a tray of fish on her head, in one of the photos and in another, she is pictured sitting by what is believed to be her stand. Whether this is a photo shoot or an actual representation of her life, the significance of the photo is not lost on many. In an era where a lot of people are more interested i...

Update:: Jennifer Lopez "constantly" tries to "evolve". The 49-year-old singer-and-actress worries about getting "stuck" so is always pushing herself to do new things and transform her career. She said: "I am constantly trying to evolve and to not get stuck. "It happens to people - you look at them and think, 'She got stuck or she let herself go.' " The 'Second Act' actress insists things don't have to decline as a person gets older because there's always an opportunity to make changes and keep "growing" and it's only people's own perceptions that hold them back. She told Britain's Grazia magazine: "There's this terrible idea that you get to a certain age and just plummet downwards. I don't believe that at all. "You can always reinvent. You can always make a change. You can always keep growing. "I believe that you can keep getting better and better and bet...

Update:: Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar have lost another staunch member. Latest on the list of defectors is Atiku’s North-East Campaign Director General, Senator Saidu Umar Kumo. Kumo was at the campaign headquarters of All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday to pledge his support. A tweet by the spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Campaign Council, Mr Festus Keyamo said: “The game is on! After recent mass defections of PDP leaders of North-East to join PMB’s train, today the latest convert, Atiku’s North-East Campaign DG, Senator Saidu Umar Kumo (standing to my left) was at our Campaign h/q to pledge his support! Then, the trending 4+4 followed!’’ Last week, the suspended Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Sen. Babayo Gamawa and a member of the party’s Board of Trustees, Kaulaha Aliyu, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The two defecting top members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were rece...

…He’ll lose, he’s our worst governor ever— PDP By Marie-Therese Nanlong Jos – As the race to occupy the Plateau State Government House at Little Rayfield, Jos commences, the State Governor, Simon Lalong of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Jeremiah Useni of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Jon Temlong of the Action Democratic Congress, ADC, Haruna Dabin of the Providence People Congress, PPC, Godfrey Miri of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, among other candidates are doing their best to ensure they emerge winner in the all important race. Plateau APC elders say Buhari, Lalong’s victory “very certain” So far, some contestants have flagged-off their respective campaigns while others are yet to start. But foot soldiers of the respective candidates are working to convince the electorate to give their votes to their respective principals in the March, 2nd governorship election. For Lalong who on 5th January, 2019, flagged off his re-election campaign, he has to surmount ma...

Update:: Tom Hardy rang in 2019 as a dad of three after quietly welcoming a son last month (Dec18). The Venom star and his wife, Peaky Blinders actress Charlotte Riley, became parents again over the holidays, but the pair has kept the news close to its chest. “The couple are over the moon with the new addition to the family, ” a source tells The Sun.  “Friends are already saying that the baby boy looks exactly like Tom. “They’ve been laying low over the festive period so they can get used to having a busier household and adjusting to the needs of a newborn.” The super-private British stars are already parents to a three-year-old daughter, who they have never publicly named. Hardy and his wife have yet to release an official statement on the birth, but the actor has previously explained why he is determined to keep his family out of the spotlight. “I can see people’s  behavior , I can see when a camera’s coming, I can see when a phone is moving, I can see people’s...

Update:: A Huawei executive has been charged and detained for allegedly conducting high-level espionage on behalf of a Chinese spy agency in Poland, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. In a report citing state-owned broadcasting corporation Telewizja Polska as its source, WSJ said Polish authorities have taken action against the sales director of Huawei’s local office in the country, who is a Chinese national. Poland’s counter-intelligence agency reportedly searched the Huawei office, as well as the home of the executive and removed documents and electronic data. A Huawei representative told WSJ: “Huawei is aware of the situation and we are looking into it.” Growing fears Although unnamed at this stage, the Huawei executive reportedly attended a top intelligence school in China and was the former employee of a Chinese consulate in Poland. Poland’s Internal Security Agency also detained its former head of IT security, a Polish citizen, as part of the same investigati...

Update:: Students and faculty at the University of California (UC) have been warned not to use messaging apps and social media while visiting China, for fear their communications could be used against them by the country's law enforcement agencies. The guidance from one of the biggest school networks in the US is the latest concern to be raised over Western travel to China following the December 1 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of US authorities. Meng, who was detained in Vancouver and is currently on bail, is facing possible extradition to the US on suspicion of violating US sanctions against Iran. Since her arrest, multiple Canadians have been detained in China and two -- Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig -- are being investigated on suspicion of "activities that endangered China's national security," charges which supporters say are politically motivated. The UC guidance also appeared to reference the case of Paul Whelan, a US ci...

President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the people of Lafia over the death of their emir, Alhaji Isah Mustapha - The emir died on Thursday, January 10, at a Turkish teaching hospital in Abuja following a protracted illness - President Buhari says the late emir will be fondly remembered for his exemplary leadership and tireless efforts at improving the lives of his people President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the news of the passing of the emir of Lafia, Alhaji Isah Mustapha Agwai I. The president, in a statement on Thursday, January 10, by his senior special assistant on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, extended heartfelt commiserations to Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura on the demise of the emir, NAN reports. The president assured them of the fullest sympathy of the federal government as they mourned the chairman of the Nasarawa State Council of Emirs and Chiefs and state chairman of Jama’tul Nasril Islam (JNI). He said the late emir would be fo...

The Nigeria Labour Congress has vowed to resist move by the federal government to review salaries of workers earning above N30,000 - The congress says there is nowhere in the world that an introduction of new minimum wage will cause a reduction in earned wages by workers - According to the congress, what the federal government needs to do is to reduce salaries of political office holders The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has faulted move by the federal government to review salaries of workers who earn above N30,000, saying it will oppose any move to tamper with legitimately earned salaries of workers in guise of implementing the new minimum wage. The Nation reports that the warning was given by the president of the congress, Ayuba Wabba, who said there was no basis for such move. Wabba said: “That is not the principle behind the minimum wage and the technical committee is simply a government committee. It is their internal mechanism. I am not so sure that minimum wage is abo...