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Friday 31 May 2013

See Queen of England paying respect to Drummer Lee Rigby

Woolwich attack: the Queen pays her respects to Drummer Lee Rigby on tour of barracks

The Queen paid her respects to Drummer Lee Rigby as she toured Woolwich Barracks, the former base of the murdered soldier.


On a long-organised visit, the monarch met soldiers and officers who knew the 25-year-old serviceman, who was hacked to death in the street by suspected Islamist terrorists in front of shocked passers-by last week.
However, Buckingham Palace did not change the Queen's schedule so she could view the mountain of flowers left outside Woolwich Barracks in South-East London in honour of Drummer Rigby.
The Queen privately met members of the recruiting team from the 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers who worked with the murdered soldier at the Tower of London, where he formed part of an Army outreach team recruiting in schools.
She also talked to officers from his chain of command and some of those who coordinated the barracks' response to the horrifying tragedy.
It is not known how long the Queen chatted to the service personnel in the Sergeants' Mess, and those who met her were not made available to talk to journalists afterwards.
Ministry of Defence officials said they were worried about soldiers saying anything to the media about the killing that could be used for political purposes.
Buckingham Palace officials declined to say why the Queen would not be viewing the floral tributes or making any public gesture in tribute to Drummer Rigby.
A Royal spokesman said: "This is a long-standing engagement that has been in the diary for some time.
"Obviously, we were keen that it should go ahead as planned but given last week's events, we wanted to do something to mark them privately."
Some local people who turned out to see the Royal procession as it arrived at the barracks were disappointed that the Queen did not stop to look at the floral tributes for the murdered soldier.
Paula Hinde, 46, from Woolwich, said: "It would have been nice if she had laid some flowers."
However, she said she was pleased that the Queen did not cancel her visit following the atrocity, adding: "You can't change your plans whoever you are, I'm glad that she has come, it will mean a lot to the people here."
The Queen's visit to Woolwich was organised for her to tour the new home of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, a mounted, ceremonial unit that fires gun salutes on royal anniversaries and state occasions.
Baroness Thatcher's coffin was carried on a gun carriage from the King's Troop during her funeral last month, and on Monday the unit will fire a 41-gun royal salute from London's Green Park to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation.
On her arrival at the barracks, the Queen, wearing a pale mint coat and matching dress by Stewart Parvin, a Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat, and a King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery brooch, first met the families of the 169 servicemen and women in the troop, the Army's smallest regiment.
Not everybody was pleased to see her, however. Sgt Peter Pagan-Skelley and Emma Pagan-Skelley's 18-month-old son Ethan would not stop crying. "He's a troublesome one," the Queen joked.
The monarch presented Afghanistan operational medals to two members of the troop who returned from operational tours of Helmand Province in April, WO2 Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant Jeremy Faulkner, 36, from Minehead, Somerset, and Lance Bombardier Danielle Parker, 25, from Swadlincote, South Derbyshire.
WO2 Faulkner said: "It's something special to get it from the Queen."
The Queen then viewed chargers – as officers' horses are known – before going to the riding school, the harness room and the forge.
Inside one of the stables, the Queen was reunited with an old friend, Harlequin, a seven-year-old Cleveland Bay she donated to the regiment in 2010 because he was too small for pulling her carriages but an ideal size for pulling the troop's gun carriages.
The Queen renewed their acquaintance by giving Harlequin a polo mint.
Lance Bombardier Ryan Hodge, 21, who looks after the horse, said: "He likes mints. To be honest he'll eat anything. I've seen him eat a pair of tights."
Among the military veterans who attended an official reception for the Queen was Don Kay, 82, from Hayes, West London, who served with the Royal Artillery Regiment for 25 years and was based at Woolwich Barracks before becoming a Metropolitan Police officer.
He said: "You could see the appreciation for her visit amongst the people there, civilians and services alike."
Speaking of the murder of Drummer Rigby, he added: "It should never have been allowed to happen in this country. You think your soldiers are safe at home."

See where and read how Oscar Pistorius shot dead his model girl friend

Oscar Pistorius: leaked photos show crime scene for first time Oscar Pistorius: leaked photos show crime scene for first time

Graphic photographs of the bathroom where Oscar Pistorius shot dead his model girlfriend have been leaked, showing a bloody trail through the house, and an envelope addressed to 'Ozzy', her nickname Graphic photographs of the bathroom where Oscar Pistorius shot dead his model girlfriend have been leaked, showing a bloody trail through the house Photo: SKY NEWS EXCLUSIVEfor the Olympic star.

Blood is pooled inside the bathroom where Reeva Steenkamp was shot, and drops are scattered on walls, stairs and a sofa, leaving a macabre trail tracing Pistorius' journey as he carried her lifeless body downstairs.
Police tape is seen marking two bullet holes below the doorknob at Mr Pistorius' upscale Pretoria home, and a missing door panel.
It is not clear if the images, which were originally leaked to Sky News, are official police photographs. They also appear to show police bootprints among the blood.
Oscar Pistorius (main) appears in court, where he was charged with the killing of Reeva Steenkamp (top right) at his Pretoria home (bottom right) in February.
Miss Steenkamp was shot four times on Valentine’s Day at Mr Pistorius’ Pretoria home. The sprinter, who had been hailed as a hero in his native South Africa after he became the first double amputee to race in the Olympics in 2012, has been charged with her murder.
Mr Pistorius has said he mistook his girlfriend of three months for an intruder and shot her through a locked bathroom door. He said he was not wearing his prosthetic legs when he shot her, and so was only standing on his stumps.
He claimed he battered through the door with a cricket bat.
The prosecution argues her death was premeditated.
He will appear next week in a Pretoria court for a hearing that is likely to end in a postponement. South African officials have said the police investigation will not be completed until August.
A spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority told The Daily Telegraph that the photographs would not affect the state’s case against the runner.
“No,” she said. “NPA will deal with such issues in court.”
A police spokesman was quoted in The Times as saying that the photogarphs were a “deliberate tactic” that investigators did not want to be distracted by.
Anneliese Burgess, a spokesman for a PR agency that works with the Pistorius family, said the photos came as a shock and that the family had not yet discussed how they might respond.
Defence lawyer Kenny Oldwage told The Daily Telegraph that the legal team was discussing the matter, and that he had yet to see the photos.
“Obviously we need to consider our position before we comment,” he said.
Brian Webber, one of Mr Pistorius’s lawyers, told South Africa’s Eyewitness News that the images were “very distressing”, adding that the defence had requested the images five times but that this was the first time they had seen them.
Mr Pistorius has said he and Steenkamp had a serious relationship and were deeply in love. One of the photos, which stands out for its absence of blood, appears to show an envelope and a bag of pink, heart-shaped candies.
The envelope is addressed to “Ozzy” - Steenkamp’s nickname for Pistorius - in what appears to be her handwriting

See the Hezebollah's Armoury found in Nigeria !

Soldiers stand around a cache of weapons at a house in Bompai area of Kano after its discovery in a bunker. PHOTO: AFPSoldiers stand around a cache of weapons at a house in Bompai area of Kano after its discovery in a bunker. PHOTO: AFPSoldiers stand around a cache of weapons at a house in Bompai area of Kano after its discovery in a bunker. PHOTO: AFPHEZBOLLAH’S ARMOURY UNCOVERED IN KANO •Suspects claim weapons were meant to fight Israeli, Western interests in Nigeria

  • Written by  Kola Oyelere and Chris Agbambu, with Agency Report
  • Friday, 31 May 2013 00:25
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Soldiers stand around a cache of weapons at a house in Bompai area of Kano after its discovery in a bunker. PHOTO: AFPNIGERIA’S security services, on Thursday, said they had discovered a home in Kano, where Lebanese nationals had stored weapons intended to attack Israeli and Western targets in Nigeria.
The Kano State Director of State Security Service (SSS), Bassey Etang and a separate military statement described the compound as hosting a “terrorist cell” tied to the  Lebanese Shiite movement, Hezbollah.
No evidence was provided linking the home to the Lebanese group.
Journalists were brought to the compound in the upmarket Bompai neighbourhood of Kano and taken to a bunker dug beneath a bedroom where weapons had allegedly been stored.
“The weapons include anti-tank weapons, rocket propelled guns, anti-tank (and) antipersonnel mines, among other dangerous weapons,” the military statement said.
It said three Lebanese nationals had been arrested in connection with the illegal arms cache, while a fourth suspect was at large.
“This is the handiwork of Hezbollah. What has just been discovered is the cell of Hezbollah and what you have seen here is a Hezbollah armoury,” Etang said.
“These weapons are meant to be used to target Israeli and Western interests in Nigeria,” he added.
According to the SSS chief, “investigations are still ongoing to determine if the Lebanese nationals are really connected to Boko Haram.”
The military statement said one suspect, Mustafa Fawaz, was arrested on May 16 and his “confession unveiled other members of the foreign terrorists network.”
A second suspect, Abdullah Tahini, was arrested several days later while trying to board a flight to Beirut from the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, according to the military.
The third detained Lebanese national, Talal Roda, was arrested at the Kano home on May 26, while Fauzi Fawad was identified as the suspect at large.
Fawaz reportedly owns a leading supermarket as well as an amusement park in Abuja.
An employee, who answered a call to a number listed for the amusement park, told AFP that Fawaz had not been in the office this week.
The arrests and arms recovery followed a “robust counter terrorism investigation in the past several months,” the military said.
It will be recalled that in February, the SSS said it had discovered a militant cell receiving instructions from Iranian agents that had sought to attack Israeli and Western targets in Nigeria.
It national spokesman, Marilyn Ogar, said at the time that the group also planned to assassinate Nigeria’s former military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida.
Troops arrest 5 Nigeriens, 2 Chadians
Defence Headquarters, on Thursday, said five Nigeriens and two Chadians were among the fleeing insurgents apprehended by the Special Forces, as the troops continue their pursuit of terrorists dislodged from their bases.
The seven were among the nine arrested at Tumbu Gini, a border town with Chad.
It said the man suspected to be leading the group escaped with gunshot wounds.
Director, Defence Information, Brigadier-General Chris Olukolade, said the message, in which the leadership of the insurgents called for support from Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as other cohorts, to enable them to fight the troops, was a clear confirmation that they were overwhelmed by the military operations.
“The message, which calls for support from Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as other cohorts of the insurgents is clearly a confirmation of the level of pressure which has been brought to bear on the insurgents,” he stated.

Thursday 30 May 2013

See the face of a man who sold his first child for 30 ,000 naira only

‘I sold my children on my father-in-law’s order’

  • Written by  Olalekan Olabulo- Lagos
  • Wednesday, 29 May 2013 00:00
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Twenty six  years old Chibueze Mba, who was a few days ago arrested by detectives from the Special Anti Robbery Squad of the Lagos State police command for his involvement in a series of children theft and sale  has blamed his former father in law for his crime
Chibueze had on Thursday afternoon confessed  to newsmen that he did not only sell kids of other parents but also that he  sold his first child for a paltry N30, 000 and that he had sold his unborn child for N200, 000.
The Imo State born suspect also stated that he had made over a million naira from the crime but he did not enjoy spending the money as a result of the fact that policemen were constantly on his trail.
Chibueze , while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune stated that he got in contact with Mrs Benedicta Ogbonna , who later became his partner in crime , when he was looking for how to get rid of his girlfriend’s pregnancy
The suspect ,  while narrating the genesis of the whole story, said that his former father in law’s decision to send his daughter out of his house , after discovering that she was pregnant pushed him into the crime
“When my girlfriend in the village was pregnant for me The father sent her out The father is very tough. He also threatened to kill me so my girlfriend and I ran to Cross Rivers State “ the suspect said and added that life in Cross River was very tough for him and his pregnant girlfriend.
“I was working at a palm oil producing company in Rivers State , where I was pai N500 everyday. That was not enough and Dozie , who is my friend , though older than me , introduced me to the woman (Bernadicta),” he continued.
The suspect also told Crime & Security that “Dozie told me that the woman would buy the child for N100, 000 but he only gave me N30, 000 and promised to balance me but he did not give me any money When it was time to deliver , the woman asked my girlfriend to come and be staying with her in Onitsha.”
He claimed that , after giving his baby to the woman he went his way but was invited by Bernadicta to come to Delta and that on getting to Delta , the woman suggested to him that he could make serious money by bringing other children to her.
“When I met with the woman, she told me to be bringing children to her and that she would pay me good money for those children I did not want to agree with her but when I thought of the money that she promised me , I agreed to the business,” Chibueze said.
On what he had done with the millions of naira made from the illicit deal, the suspect siad that” I did not enjoy the money, the police did not allow me to enjoy the money I used it to rent house, when policemen were running after me.”
Though the suspect regretted his actions , he blamed his former girlfriend’s father , when he said that “ It was my girlfriend father that caused it. If he had not sent his daughter and me out of the village , I would not have met the woman, who bought my baby.”

Read the account of the mum of the baby flushed down toilet " his father abandoned me"

The mum of the miracle baby who survived after being flushed down a loo claimed she was abandoned by his dad after she became pregnant following a one-night stand.
The mum said she gave birth unexpectedly and she raised the alarm after trying and failing to stop him falling down the sewage pipe.
The newborn boy, identified only as Baby 59 after his hospital incubator, was found in the four inch wide pipe at a rundown block of flats in Jinhua, eastern China.
Rescuers were alerted after his cries were heard from the plumbing system and it took them two hours before they could free him by cutting an L-shaped section of piping.
The unnamed woman, aged 22, said she told her landlord about “kitten like” sounds but initially did not admit to being the mother because of her shame.
Covered in excrement and with his placenta still attached, the 6lb 2oz tot was taken to hospital where he was initially feared to be suffering from a fractured skull.
However, despite his ordeal, he only had minor abrasions and was otherwise unharmed.

The baby’s mother claimed that she was unmarried, could not afford an abortion and had to keep her pregnancy secret from family and friends.
A police officer involved in the case said: “The girl told the landlord she had heard a kitten like sound in the fourth floor squat toilet.
"The landlord later called the police and fire fighters for help.”
He added: “The woman said she felt too embarrassed to call the police herself as a single mother and feeling under pressure.
"Girls like her are easy targets for public criticism.”
She claimed she had had sex with a man but did not realise she was pregnant until early January.
She also claimed she hid her pregnancy by wearing loose clothes.
Police said she then claimed to have given birth to her son on the toilet but he slipped into the sewer after she tried to catch him.
The officer added: “The mother is sick with a high fever. Her parents are now with her at the hospital.
"Who will care for the baby is yet to be decided.”
China’s Xinhua state news agency said that she went to work in a restaurant after the baby was rescued and only admitted the child was hers when questioned by police.
Another unnamed police officer told the agency: “The woman was on the scene during the entire rescue process and admitted she was the mother when we asked her.
“We need further investigations to find out if she had any malicious intentions.”
Officials at the Pujiang People’s hospital described the baby’s condition as “good” and confirmed he was ready to be discharged.
Nurse Zhang Songhe said the mother was with her child and added: “I don’t know the reason she abandoned the baby.
"We’re going to take care of the baby.”
Dozens of people turned up at the hospital today with nappies, powdered milk and baby clothes.
The images of his dramatic rescue were flashed around the world and the authorities in China have been inundated with offers to adopt him.
It also captivated users on China’s Sina Weibo - their equivalent of Twitter - with one woman saying: “Seeing the little one wriggling and groaning as the pipe was torn apart bit by bit wrings my heart ... You’ve lived through the hardest moment in your life and your future will definitely be smooth,”
Examples of babies being abandoned in China are far from rare, particularly in the light of the country’s strict one child per couple rule in urban areas. Couples in rural areas can have two babies - but only if the first child is a girl.
In other cases, baby girls are abandoned by their parents because they prefer to have boys.
Single mothers are rare in China because children born out of wedlock are not given a resident’s permit which means they do not have access to education or health care.

Good news for UK diabetics

One million UK diabetics set to benefit from new drug dapagliflozin

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will announce it is recommending dapagliflozin for some people with type 2 diabetes.
One million diabetics are set to benefit from a new drug which could soon be available on the NHS.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will announce today it is recommending dapagliflozin for some people with type 2 diabetes.
The condition causes a sufferer’s blood sugar to become too high when the body does not produce enough insulin or when the body’s cells do not use insulin properly.
The new drug, also known as forxiga, blocks the re-absorption of glucose in the kidneys and “promotes” excretion of excess glucose in the urine.
If given the green light, patients will be able to use it with blood-sugar lowering drug metformin or in combination with insulin.
Manufacturers Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca estimate one million UK patients could benefit from it.
Clifford Bailey, professor of clinical science at Aston University, said: “Type 2 diabetes is a complex and progressive disease with a wide range of complications. Dapagliflozin is a new way to control blood glucose.”
Libby Dowling, clinical advisor at Diabetes UK, said: “We welcome any new treatment options that help people with diabetes manage their condition.
"There are 3.8 million people with diabetes in Britain, including about 850,000 who have type 2 but do not know it.”


Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/one-million-uk-diabetics-set-1920685#ixzz2UlGVycLj
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NCPC , CPWBS GEAR UP FOR THE 2013 CHRISTAIN PILGRIMAGE



The Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) and the States Christian Pilgrim Welfare Boards have begun earnest preparation for the 2013 Christian Pilgrimage Exercise.

The Members of the NCPC Board and the State Chairmen and Secretaries of the Christian Pilgrim Welfare Boards across the Country converged for a Pre-Visit to the State of Israel, Rome and Greece for the inspection of Hotels, facilities and Biblical Sites as well as bid opening and evaluation for interested Ground Handlers who had earlier submitted their bids for 2013 pilgrimage exercise.

In his welcome address at the Marada Suites Matanya Israel, where the Chairmen and Secretaries were lodged, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, who is also the Chairman of the NCPC Board, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh thanked God for the safe trip he granted all delegates who have come from different states. 
He urged the NCPC Board Members, staff and the delegates of the CPWBs to carefully inspect the Hotels that would be visited in order to ensure that Nigerian Pilgrims are given the best.
The NCPC Chairman carefully spelt out the bench mark and the pre-requisitie for the Hotel inspection and advised the delegates not to compromise standards because according to him, “we want to be sure that the Hotels are well checked, our work is well done and we will certify that they are  fit or not”.

5 ways of getting rid of bloated belly

That's behind that bloated belly? 5 common causes... and how to treat them

You’re not pregnant and you haven’t gained weight, but your jeans are straining at the waist. So what’s going on? Here are the most common causes...
Getty

Irritable bowel syndrome

Could be the cause if: You’ve been bloated on and off for a long time and have also experienced symptoms including pain, constipation and/or ­bouts of diarrhoea.
A common bowel condition, IBS is a functional disorder, which means there’s nothing wrong with the structure of the bowel itself, but the way the gut works is abnormal.
Peter Whorwell, professor of ­medicine and ­gastroenterology at the University of Manchester, says: “We think the gut is over-sensitive in IBS sufferers so its normal ­processes cause the symptoms.”
Bloating is one of the most ­disruptive side effects of IBS. Some women go up a couple of dress sizes and even need different clothes ­depending on whether or not they are ­bloated.
For many, it tends to worsen ­towards the evening, so it can ­disrupt your social life.
There’s no cure for IBS, but you can ­manage the symptoms.
“Cutting out cereal fibre eases symptoms by between 30% and 40% in the majority of ­sufferers,” says Professor Whorwell.
This means avoiding ­wholemeal bread, oats, muesli, digestive biscuits, cereal bars and all breakfast cereals other than Rice Krispies, but white bread, cakes, cream crackers and most biscuits are fine.
Try doing this for three months to see if it helps. Probiotics may also ease symptoms. Try Activia yoghurts, as the probiotic strain they contain has been shown to help IBS.
You could also try a ­supplement such as BioCare Acidophilus (£20.90 for 60 capsules, www.biocare.co.uk), and it’s worth seeing your GP.
Doctors can prescribe medication for you, such as anti-spasmodics, laxatives and ­anti-diarrhoeals.
“There’s no problem taking ­laxatives and anti-diarrhoeals in the long term if you have IBS,” adds Professor Whorwell.

Flatulence

Could be the cause if: You are ­passing a lot of wind, but don’t notice any other symptoms.
We all experience flatulence from time to time – it’s perfectly normal to do so up to 15 times a day – and ­sometimes you may not even notice that you are doing it.
While there’s no medical definition of excessive flatulence, if it’s ­bothering you and makes life ­awkward or feels ­uncomfortable, there are steps you can take to reduce it.
Try cutting down on foods that are high in ­non-absorbable carbs. ­Common culprits include beans and pulses, broccoli, cabbage, prunes and apples, and foods containing the sugar ­substitute sorbitol.
These tend to be digested very slowly and can release small amounts of sulphur gas while they pass through the gut. ­
Nutrition consultant Ian Marber says: “Eat food slowly and ­remember to chew. Without chewing, food is more likely to pass into the gut partially broken down and there’s a ­higher chance it will ferment and produce gas.”
Be aware that, ­occasionally, an underlying health condition – ­including those that are listed here – could also be causing flatulence.


.\Coeliac diseaseCould be the cause if: You often feel tired; you’ve lost weight for no ­apparent reason; you are suffering from ­abdominal pain.
Coeliac disease is an adverse ­reaction to gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye and all foods containing them – everything from pasta and bread to pies and some gravies and sauces.It is an autoimmune ­condition where the body mistakes substances in gluten for a threat and attacks them, leading to damage to the surface of the small bowel, which then ­affects your ability to absorb nutrients from food.It used to be mainly ­diagnosed in children, but it’s now known people can go undiagnosed into middle age.If you have these ­symptoms, see your ­doctor and ask to have a blood test for coeliac disease. ­National Institute for Health and Clinical ­Excellence guidelines state that anyone with bloating and other IBS-type symptoms should be tested for it.If you’re diagnosed, you’ll feel better once you start avoiding all foods ­containing gluten.For more information about it visit www.coeliac.org.uk.Hormonal fluctuations

Could be the cause if: You are ­premenstrual or in the early stages of pregnancy.
During pregnancy, and just before your period, levels of the hormone progesterone are raised.
This can slow down gut motility or movement, which means food passes more slowly through the body, leading to bloating and possibly constipation.
But you can beat the bloat. Exercise can help improve gut motility and walking for 30 minutes a day could be enough to make the difference.
Also, drink plenty of fluids and eat lots of fruit, vegetables and whole grains to avoid constipation.

Ovarian cancer

Could be the cause if: Bloating is persistent and you have other ­symptoms such as a perpetual ­feeling of fullness and abdominal pain.
The symptoms of ovarian cancer tend to be quite vague, which is often why it’s diagnosed late when it’s harder to treat, so it’s important to be aware of potential signs.
Target Ovarian Cancer chief ­executive Annwen Jones says: “Key symptoms are bloating that is ­persistent rather than coming and going and increased abdominal size. Look out for ­persistent and frequent abdominal pain, ­difficulty eating and urinary symptoms.
“It’s unlikely your symptoms are caused by a serious problem, but it’s important to be checked out.”
Find out more online by visiting www.targetovariancancer.org.uk.