French Govt Pardons Former Petroleum Minister Etete

           

The French government has cleared former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Chief Dan Etete, of the conviction of money laundering charges preferred against him in a French court.

The French government said in bulletin number 3, dated March 7, 2014, issued by the Ministry of Justice, Criminal, Cases and Pardon Division that Etete had been pardoned and cleared of the conviction by the French court.

The bulletin, which was signed by the magistrate in charge of the national criminal record, Xavier Pavageau, said the former minister was freed.

The French court in 2007 sentenced Etete, who was Petroleum Minister under the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, to three years imprisonment after finding him guilty of money laundering charges.

This National Conference Is Waste Of Time – Prof.Nwabueze

We are in the process of another constitution making.  If you agree, what’s your take on the arrangement?

Let me correct the impression that we are in the process of another constitution making. The National Conference, as constituted by the President, lacks the capacity to draft a constitution to be submitted to the people for approval through a referendum. It doesn’t have the capacity, so it does not entail a constitution making at all. That is something we have to realise, arising from the nature and type of the conference as constituted or established by the President.

The reason for this is that the conference is not established by virtue of any law enacted by the National Assembly. The convocation, its composition, its functions, its modus operandi are not catered for by  law. It is established entirely by virtue of the inherent powers of the President under Section 5 of the constitution.

New York Police Shuts Down Davido’s Concert

Singer, Davido is seething at the moment as his much anticipated NewYork Spring Mega concert eventually never happened as the New York Police Department NYPD stormed the venue and stopped the show for being over-packed.

The show was already sold out with regulars paying $40 (N6,600) and VIP $650 (N107,250) at Pulse 48. Already there are arrangements now in gear to re-make the show but this time using a larger venue to accomodate his teeming fans.

Where More Than Two Fulani Herdsmen Are Gathered, They’re Terrorists 

A former Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi on Saturday in Abuja revealed that the recent spate of killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Benue, Nasarawa and other states in the northern parts of the country, are acts of “terrorism in disguise”.

He, therefore, recommended that “they should be treated as terrorists and dealt with decisively on the spot”.

The former governor, who is now Chairman, Board of National Coalition for Jonathan and Sambo Presidency, made this known at the inauguration of the 36 states chairmen of the coalition.

He said, “Reports from our intelligence and security unit confirms that those so called herdsmen are actually terrorists in disguise”.

Florida Finally Made To The Last Four

The season-long focus had been so intense, so all-consuming, that when the horn sounded and the reality hit, Patric Young almost couldn’t comprehend it.

The sculpted Florida center put his hands on his head, smiling in something approaching shock. After three straight agonizing losses in the Elite Eight, Young and his Gators teammates were finally going to the Final Four.

“I was just in disbelief,” Young said. “It still hasn’t hit me that we’re going to be one of the Final Four teams in the country still playing for an opportunity at the championship. … It was kind of weird because I’m so used to walking into my locker room after that final buzzer.”

Not this year. The Gators would take their sweet, victorious time getting to the locker room Saturday after dispatching valiant Dayton, 62-52. There were nets to cut and South region champion hats and shirts to wear.

Cameroon ‘Intercepts Boko Haram’s Arms Shipment To Nigeria

Cameroonian authorities have arrested three persons suspected to be arms dealers linked to the deadly Boko Haram sect.

Street Journal also gathered that other suspected terrorists were arrested by Nigerian military men while attempting to escape into Cameroon through Taraba and Adamawa states.

The men were caught in the far north of the country on Wednesday, near the border with Nigeria where the group has been waging a brutal armed insurgency.

A Cameroonian police official who spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity said “members of the BIR (an elite rapid-response unit of Cameroon’s army) and the police found a significant stock of arms including a Kalashnikov and rocket launchers near Goulfey”.

Hamilton leads Mercedes 1-2 at Malaysian GP

Lewis Hamilton broke his drought at Formula One's Malaysian Grand Prix and led a one-two finish for the Mercedes team on Sunday.

Hamilton beat teammate Nico Rosberg by 17.3 seconds at the Sepang International Circuit, with defending world champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull third.

Hamilton got away well from pole position and led throughout, making up for his retirement in the season-opening race in Australia and belatedly winning in Malaysia for the first time, at his eighth attempt.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso finished fourth, ahead of Force India's Nico Hulkenberg and McLaren's Jenson Button, while Felipe Massa held on for seventh ahead of Williams teammate Valtteri Bottas despite being told by his team to let Bottas through.

Delegates Plot To Defy Presidency

As the National Conference enters its third week, there are indications that delegate may ignore President Goodluck Jonathan’s directive not to discuss issues bothering on the unity of the country.

Some delegates, The Nation gathered, are already evaluating issues they consider to be critical to the continued existence of Nigeria as one nation.

They want such issues to be thoroughly discussed at the conference regardless of government’s position on them.

The Presidency, according to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, had declared that discussions about the oneness of Nigeria   are no-go-areas for the delegates.

Anyim, in unveiling the modalities for the conference had said:  ”The national conference shall tentatively last for three months and shall discuss any material, except the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a nation; thus the unity of Nigeria is non-negotiable.”

However, sources at the confab said some delegates want to push for the discussion of all issues.

Jonathan Reassures Investors For Enugu  

The 25th edition of the Enugu International Trade Fair has kicked off with President Goodluck Jonathan reiterating his commitments to provision of an enabling environment for both foreign and local investors in the country.

The president who declared the Trade Fair open yesterday said the role of international trade and investment remained potent tools for achieving sustainable economic growth and mainstreaming the national economy.

President Jonathan who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Abdulkadir Musa said, “it is a paradox that Nigeria is endowed with abundant human and natural resources yet the vast majority of the people are poor.”

Jonathan Blames Northeast Govs For Boko Haram Insurgency

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday turned the blamed for the raging insurgency in the Northeast on the governors in the zone.

He said they, more than anyone else, should take responsibility for the reign of terror imposed by members of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram on Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

Jonathan, who spoke at the Northeast zonal rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi, said it was a shame for the governors to shift the blame for the insecurity on the Federal Government.

“It is shameful for a governor who has stayed in power in his state for up to six years or more to come to me and talk about bad leadership when you have youth in your state, more than half of whom have not attended primary school and you are doing nothing about it,” he said.

He added: “State Governors should be ashamed when our children do not go to primary and secondary schools and they decide to carry arms.

Pastor Caught With Human Skull During Prayer

The Oyo State capital, Ibadan, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in the last one week and the gory stories continue to unravel. First it was the discovery of a horror forest where human bodies and skeletons were discovered in a community. Few days after that discovery, a man who disguised himself as a mad man was arrested with human tongues and other body part.

The latest that is coming from the ancient city is that a man who disguised as a Pastor has been nabbed after he was discovered to be in possession of a human skull. The preacher, dressed in white garment and going about preaching at the top of his voice and receiving money from people, was arrested at Agbowo Junction.

A Lawyer Buys Baby For N1.5 Million

A  Lawyer from  Cameroon, Mrs  Ngala Norgu Julia was recently arrested by men of the Cross River State  Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service for allegedly being in  possesion of a one-week old  baby girl which she claims she was delivered of by a herbalist at Okitikputa, Onda State.

Mr Samuel Igochi, the Comptroller of  Immigration, Cross River State Command said Mrs Ngala was arrested by intelligence and investigation team of the service  at the Calabar Port  while trying to smuggle the baby which apparently she did not deliver to Cameroon.

“She claims a herbalist,  the owner of Ayodele Herbal Home in Okitikpupa, Ondo State gave her some herbs which she took in November 2012 and she got pregnant and delivered the baby but there are no signs in her that she actually delivered that baby”.

  Two Britons, 12 Nigerians Arrested For oil Theft - -JFT

Two Britons, Piers Eastwood and Vincent Haywood, including 12 Nigerians have been apprehended by the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, over their involvement in illegal bunkering along the Chanomi creek.

They were apprehended while hatching a plot to siphon petroleum product from the pipelines of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) at Chanomi creeks, Warri, Delta State.

The duo were rounded up alongside 12 Nigerian collaborators they hired as technicians to facilitate theft of the oil.

Their sinister motive was to connect a hose to one of the SPDC’s pipelines along the Chanomi creeks and illegally siphon Nigerian oil.

To actualise their evil intention, they offered a bribe of N11million to officials of JTF and promised to pay additional N10million if the illicit deal sailed through.

But luck ran out on them when the Commander 4 Brigade, Brigadier-General Fidelis Azinta, rejected the bribe and arrested them.

College Football Players Win Right To Unionize

A regional director of the National Labor Relations Board ruled Tuesday that Northwestern football players could unionize. Does that mean some players will be able to organize and get better health care and academic support? Or does it spell the end of college sports as we know it? The AP takes a look at all sides of the issue.

Question: Who came up with the idea of unionizing football players at Northwestern and why?

Answer: Outgoing senior quarterback Kain Colter began the process by helping form the College Athletes Players Association, which is also affiliated with the National College Players Association, an advocacy group in California. Colter, who wanted to go into medicine but couldn’t because of the time he spent playing football, said the main thing he wanted was to make sure player medical needs were met, even after graduation.

Arrest Warrant Issued For Columbus Short

An arrest warrant has been issued for “Scandal” star Columbus Short for felony aggravated battery stemming from his bar fight earlier this month,

The actor allegedly sucker-punched a man after he made a crack about Short’s wife. The victim suffered a broken nose in the attack and was rendered unconscious for several minutes.

Now a judge has issued a warrant for Short’s arrest on one count of felony aggravated battery.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of four years in state prison.

His bond has been set at $50,000.

Short, meanwhile, has been arrested multiple times for violent behavior involving women, kids, basketball opponents and random bar people.

Feds Praise Verdict Against Bin Laden Son-In-Law

Osama bin Laden's son-in-law was convicted Wednesday for his role as al-Qaida's fiery chief spokesman after 9/11 — a verdict prosecutors said vindicated the Obama administration's strategy of bringing terror suspects to justice in civilian court.

A federal jury deliberated six hours over two days before finding 48-year-old Sulaiman Abu Ghaith guilty of charges that included conspiracy to kill Americans and providing support to al-Qaida.

Abu Ghaith, a Kuwaiti-born imam who married bin Laden's eldest daughter about five years ago, is the highest-ranking al-Qaida figure brought to trial on U.S. soil since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Prosecutors said he played a leading role in the terror organization's post-9/11 propaganda videos, in which he and others gloated over the destruction and he warned of a "storm of airplanes" to follow.

Neymar Catches The Comeback Fever

Barcelona have shown that they are indeed alive and kicking in La Liga, with a comfortable victory against Celta. Neymar, who showed signs of not taking part in his team's new lease of life, got his smile back by picking up a brace, his teammate Messi netting the other goal.

It was, however, a bittersweet victory for the Catalans, bearing in mind Valdes' injury. Despite this bad news, this was a great show of football, confirming that Barça are serious contenders in the race for the top spot.

Real Madrid Surrender In Three Days

Real Madrid lost their second game in three days away to Sevilla, losing their privileged place at the top of the table, and leaving themselves dependent on what Atlético and Barça do in their last eight games of the season.

Los Blancos took the lead through Cristiano Ronaldo, only for Bacca to equalise two minutes later. The Colombian sealed the points after scoring from Rakitic's second-half counter-attack.

Tonight's was Sevilla's sixth straight win. Bacca was in fine goalscoring form and his brace sealed the home side's comeback after the Portuguese had given Real the lead.

Carletto's side had no answer for Sevilla's intelligent football and winning La Liga now looks to be an uphill struggle for them.

I ‘Il Have A Home In Cameroon If… – Lamido Adamawa

There was a mild drama Wednesday at the venue of the on- going National Conference, when the Lamido Adamawa, Alhaji Muhammadu Barkindo Mustapha told his fellow delegates that he was prepared to secede from the present Nigeria if the country disintegrates.

Noting that whereas many people in the country would have no where to run to in the event of disintegration, he said that himself and his people in Adamawa Kingdom would have no such problem as they would simply cross the border to join their kith and kin in the Republic of Cameroun

The Lamido Adamawa who is one of the thirteen persons representing the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria also said he was ready to lead his people on a walk-out from the conference.

The monarch spoke after he was recognised by the Conference Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi to speak on a debate on the proposal to call for memoranda from members of the public to help the conference succeed.

He stressed that conduct of delegates on Tuesday was not impressive as they were not addressing the issues as highlighted by President Goodluck Jonathan during his inaugural speech as had been expected.

I’ll Review Sanusi’s N266bn Deficit-Emefiele

Nigeria’s next governor of the Central Bank, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, yesterday,  promised to review the past expenditure profiles of the nation’s apex bank to find out why it ran a budget deficit of N266 billion in 2013.

Emefiele, who was confirmed by the Senate after being screened for about two hours also unfolded his plans on how to grow the economy. He said the CBN under his watch will adopt development banking model.

During the confirmation hearing, yesterday, Senate President, David Mark, gave a stern warning to senators who were in the habit of hobnobbing with nominees before screening and confirmation to desist from it to protect the sanctity of the Senate.

Mr Godwin Emefiele answering questions  during his screening by the Senate for  Central Bank Governorship in Abuja on Wednesday

Mr Godwin Emefiele answering questions during his screening by the Senate for Central Bank Governorship in Abuja on Wednesday

Sanusi Dragged To Court Over Alleged N50bn Fraud

Shareholders of the defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc, yesterday, dragged the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi ,before a Federal High Court in Abuja, accusing him of complicity in an alleged N50billion fraud.

In a suit they entered through their lawyer, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, the plaintiffs, including Abdullahi M. Sani, Adaeze Onwuegbusi and Chijioke Ezeikpe, alleged that Sanusi, as the CBN governor, acted contrary to the provisions of sections 12, 32, 35 and 39 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, Cap B4 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, by deliberately falsifying the actual financial state of affairs/solvency of Intercontinental Bank Plc and subsequently sold it to his cronies at a ridiculous sum of N50 billion.

1,000 Die, 250,000 Displaced By Insurgency In Three Months’

AN assessment report by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on the humanitarian situation in the State of Emergency (SOE) states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, has shown that from January to March 2014 alone, insurgency and other humanitarian challenges left 1,000 people dead and 250,000 displaced from their homes.

  Besides, 47 persons were yesterday feared killed in violent attacks in Nasarawa, Benue and Borno states.

  In Nasarawa State, unknown gunmen invaded Giza village in Keana Local Council, killing 19 persons, while suspected herdsmen murdered 20 people in Agena and Mbatsada communities in Benue State. Also, a twin suicide car bomber crashed into a Police Federal Highway patrol vehicle along the Maiduguri-Bama Road in Borno State, killing eight persons, including five policemen.

S/E Govs Resolve To Jointly Tackle Security Challenges 

Governors of the South East geopolitical zone, yesterday, rose from their meeting in Enugu with a resolve to jointly tackle various challenges being faced by people of the zone.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting, Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji said the governors discussed how they could jointly tackle security in the zone.

Governors of Enugu, Abia and Anambra State, Sullivan Chime, Theodore Orji and Willy Obiano were present at the meeting while their Ebonyi State counterpart, Martin Elechi was represented by his deputy, Dave Umahi.

However, the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha was absent and no reason was given.

Orji stated that they also used the opportunity to welcome the new Anambra State governor, Dr. Willie Obiano into their fold.

Madman’ Caught With Human Tongue, Weapons

Barely four days after the discovery of mysterious forest where over 19 human skulls were found in Ibadan, another horror was discovered in the ancient city, yesterday.

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A man, who feigned lunacy, was allegedly caught with human tongue, gun and cutlass around the popular Ring Road area of the city.

According to reports, residents of Ibadan rushed to catch a glimpse of the suspected human eater. The suspect was, however, whisked away by armed policemen to avert jungle justice.

Also, another man was mobbed by angry crowd after a price list of human parts was allegedly found on him.

Violence, Rains Stoke Food Supply Fears In Nigeria

Nigeria is facing a possible food supply crisis this farming season, traders say, as the agricultural sector grapples with a predicted shorter rainy season, sectarian violence and greater demand from Niger.

Food experts have raised the alarm after the country's meteorological agency said this year's rainy season could be shorter than usual, compounding a likely fall in production due to insecurity.

Nigeria's agricultural sector is heavily dependent on the rains, with the bulk of its produce cultivated in the north and central region.

Chinese Families Clash With Police Over Lost Plane

Dozens of angry relatives of passengers on a lost Malaysian jetliner clashed with police in Beijing on Tuesday, accusing the Southeast Asian country of "delays and deception" a day after it confirmed the plane crashed in remote seas off Australia.

About 20 to 30 protesters threw water bottles at the Malaysian embassy and tried to storm the building, demanding to meet the ambassador, witnesses said. Earlier, the relatives, many with tear-stained faces, had linked arms and chanted "Malaysian government has cheated us" and "Malaysia, return our relatives" as they marched peacefully and held banners.

The relatives' grief and anger was unleashed on Monday night after Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak announced that Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which vanished more than two weeks ago while flying to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur, had crashed in the southern Indian Ocean.

U.S. Serves Govt $550m Forfeiture Notice

United States has written the Federal Government for assistance to serve forfeiture notice on the late Gen. Sani Abacha’s son, Mohammed, an associate of the dictator, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and Dumez Nigeria Plc.

The defendants are to forfeit over $550million and £95,910, 222.84(million) in 10 accounts and six investment portfolios linked to the Abachas in France, the Britain, British Virgin Islands and the United States.

Abacha has up till today(March 25, 2014) to file an application before the U.S District Court for the District of Columbia to either set aside the forfeiture order or vary it.

Failure to file a counter-application or ask for a stay will lead to the automatic forfeiture of the cash and other assets today.

The letter contains a breakdown of some of the accounts and investment firms/ banks where the looted funds were stashed abroad.

$20 Billion, Sanusi And The Opposition Cabal

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, made an earth-shaking disclosure about the $20 billion he accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of not remitting to the federation account.

In his ongoing campaign to tarnish the Jonathan administration using the international media, Sanusi told the New York Times that the money was actually shared by a powerful cabal ahead of next year’s all-important general elections. Regardless of his somersaults on the ‘missing’ money – from the initial $49.8b, to $10.8b and finally $20b – he created the impression that the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) administration had its hands soiled in the nation’s cookie jar.

Boko Haram’s Market Bomb Kills 20 People In Bama

Suspected Boko Haram insurgents at the weekend detonated a bomb in a crowded market in Bama, Borno State, killing no fewer than 20 people, witnesses said yesterday.

Although no group has claimed responsibility for the incident, security officials said the attack on Saturday bore the hallmarks of an attack by Boko Haram.

“I travelled to Bama …to buy bags of beans. Suddenly, there was a deafening bang at the middle of the market. It was in the late afternoon and commercial activities were at their peak,” said Shuaibu Abdulahi, a trader at the market. He estimated the death toll to be as high as 29.

Abba Tahir, a bus driver who was offloading passengers at the market, said he counted 20 bodies.

Ibadan Forest Of Horror

Thousands of curious residents flooded yesterday the “evil forest” where dying men and women, human skulls, and decomposing bodies were found.

The crowds started to throng the site as early as 8:00 am, increasing by the hour till nightfall when visibility became poor.

The entrance of the site (in Soka) from the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway was also fortified by armed policemen who stationed three patrol vans at the site.

People screamed continuously on seeing human skulls and other body parts in the expansive forest.

Some youths insisted that more victims were still trapped in an underground apartment where victims were murdered.

Angry youths carrying logs led others to several areas of the site to see the human parts. They vowed to maim any of the perpetrators who may be found in the bush but none was seen.

Ten survivors found in the forest are receiving medical attention at the State Hospital, Adeoyo, Yemetu, Ibadan.

APC's El-Rufai Gives 11 Months Notice Of Ejection From Aso Rock To PDP

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai

A former Minister of Federal Capital Territory and  Deputy  National Secretary of All Progressives Congress, Mallam Nasir  El-Rufai, in Kaduna gave the the ruling Peoples Democratic Party 11  months notice to quit Aso Villa.

El-Rufai  said this in Kaduna on Sunday  during  the state APC stakeholders’ meeting preparatory to the party’s forthcoming congress.

 According  to him, the   APC is a government in the waiting, noting that, “even those(people)in power now know that, they have 11 months notice to pack their bags, because we are taking over.”

APC Accuses Metuh Of Twisting Facts

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the federal government and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of politicising and trivialising its failures in providing security by twisting facts.

This came as a former Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Deputy National Secretary of the APC, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, at the weekend, said the ruling PDP has 11 months notice to quit the Aso Villa and vacate  public offices across the federation.

The party, in a response to a statement from the PDP spokesman, Mr. Olisa Metuh, accusing the opposition of complicity in the Boko Haram insurgence in some parts of the North, said the allegation was "a poor and vain effort to distract attention from governance deficits."

The statement signed by Muyiwa Adekeye, accused Metuh of distorting facts.

"His tool is to distort words from leading opposition politicians, and then misname his resulting concoction as evidence."

Williams Battles On

World number one Serena Williams battled her way into the fourth round of the Sony Open with a 6-4 4-6 6-4 win over Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia on Saturday but the six-time champion hardly looked at home on the Miami hardcourts calling her effort unprofessional.

The game's dominant player, Williams, who lives an hour drive away from the Crandon Park complex, has yet to put her stamp on her home tournament, advancing with a pair of labored wins over Yaroslava Shvedova and Garcia.

The hard-hitting Frenchwoman showed no fear, slugging it out with the 17-time grand slam winner for more than two and a half hours before Williams ended the fight with a blistering forehand winner.

Neymar Heads For Clasico As 'One Of World's Best'

Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino claims Brazilian star Neymar remains "one of the top five players in the world" despite his stuttering start to life with the Catalans.

Neymar is expected to return to Martino's starting line-up for Barca's huge La Liga clash away to Real Madrid on Sunday after sitting out last weekend's 7-0 thrashing of Osasuna as an unused substitute.

And Martino insisted in his press conference ahead of the Madrid match that he had merely handed the striker a well-deserved rest against Osasuna after his exertions in the 2-1 win over Manchester City four days earlier.

Blues Hammer Gunners, As Bizarre Red Card Ruins Wenger’s Big Day

The ludicrous officiating decision that saw Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs sent off for a handball actually committed by his teammate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – a case of mistaken identity – was the most bizarre subplot of a contest that saw Chelsea smash its London rival out of the English Premier League title race with a 6-0 trouncing at Stamford Bridge.

But the most important storyline was that Chelsea, riding the expensive coattails of their head coach Mourinho, remain on course for a dream season that could see them lift both the English domestic and Champions League trophies.

In Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's 1,000th game in charge of the Gunners, Mourinho couldn't resist a dig at his old rival's lack of recent success. Some saw it as tasteless, but much of what Mourinho does is divisive.

New Zealand Put England In To Bat In World Twenty20

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum won the toss and sent England in to bat in their group one Super-10 stage World Twenty20 match in Chittagong on Saturday.

Sri Lanka beat South Africa by five runs in the group one opening match earlier Saturday.

Top two teams from each of the two groups will qualify for the semi-finals. The final will be played in Dhaka on April 6.

England: Stuart Broad (capt), Alex Hales, Michael Lumb, Moeen Ali, Eoin Morgan, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Jos Buttler, Jade Dernbach, Chris Jordan, James Tredwell.

New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (capt), Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Corey Anderson, Colin Munro, Luke Ronchi, Nathan McCullum, Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan, Kyle Mills

Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK) and Paul Reiffel (AUS)

Tv umpire: Rod Tucker (AUS)

Match referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)

China Spots New Possible Plane Debris In Southern Indian Ocean

Australia (Reuters) - China said on Saturday it had a new satellite image of what could be wreckage from a missing Malaysian airliner, as more planes and ships headed to join an international search operation scouring some of the remotest seas on Earth.

The latest possible lead came as the search for Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 entered its third week, with still no confirmed trace found of the Boeing 777 or the 239 people on board.

The new potential sighting was dramatically announced by Malaysia's acting transport minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, after he was handed a note with details during a news conference in Kuala Lumpur, scooping the official announcement from China.

"Chinese ships have been dispatched to the area," Hishammuddin told reporters.

China said the object was 22 meters long (74ft) and 13 meters (43ft) wide, and spotted around 120 km (75 miles) "south by west" of potential debris reported by Australia off its west coast in the forbidding waters of the southern Indian Ocean.

Clash Of The Titans

Unless Valdés plays in the Cup final on 19th April, this Sunday will be the last duel played out between Cristiano Ronaldo and Victor Valdés.

The first time they faced up to each other was in the semifinals of the 2007-08 Champions League. It all started with a penalty awarded to Manchester United, which Ronaldo then whacked into the post of Valdes' goal. Despite that hiccup, United qualified for the final.

Valdés got his own back one season later, and in the Champions League final. The Catalan keeper did a superb job of frustrating the constant attacks of the Portuguese, who had two clear chances in the opening minutes of the Rome final. Barça came out the winners with the final result being 2-0.

Six goalless games for CR7

After singing with Real Madrid, Cristiano's bad luck with the Barça keeper went on for three more games. He didn't manage to score against his club's eternal rival until his seventh game against Barcelona, in April 2010.

The Rise Of The Mobile Restaurant

Appropriately qualifying for ingeniously imbued business men and women, they make food available on the go. In this report NNAMDI ONYEUMA takes a look on the steadily growing mobile food business.

Straight from the oven; fresh, soft and sizzling hot, Oshomah Morgan’s collection of assorted brands of bread such as Queens’ Meal, Butterfield, Top Crust, Val-U and Sweet Heart, among others, compelled the buying action. Adding up, too, is the expert manner in which he arranged them in the booth of his Mercedes E20 car and the irresistible aroma oozing out from the pack. His bread is fresh and hot, but they are not the only exciting thing that is hot. The mobile restaurant and foods business, an emerging and increasingly growing phenomenon, itself, is also hot, today. Since the Lagos State government proscribed street trading, it has taken acute ingenuity of the desperate and determined to re-invent street trading through this phenomenal business on wheel. In an interview with Saturday Mirror, an obviously happy Morgan told the newspaper that he has been meeting his personal and family needs by selling bread four times a week, in Ikeja, and some suburbs of Lagos State where he has customers.Read more National Mirror

People Think They Can Cheat Me Because Of My Size 

The Senator representing Anambra Central in the National Assembly,  who also contested the November 16, 2013 governorship election in Anambra State,  Senator Chris Ngige,  spoke with SUNDAY ABORISADE on the election and other issues

Why did you go to tribunal to challenge the result of the Anambra State governorship election?

The election which held on November 16, 2013 had a prelude which started when our voters’ register was marked for continuous registration and upgrading. In the course of doing this, some people in the information technology unit of the Independent National Electoral Commission used the opportunity to bastardise the voters’ register. The exercise was meant to upgrade the one used for the 2011 election. By the Electoral Act

Read more from here  punch

Pope Francis Tells Italian Mafia To Repent

Pope Francis has told Italy’s mafia they risk going to hell unless they repent and renounce their “blood-stained money and blood-stained power”.

He gave the warning on Friday, during a prayer vigil in memory of mafia victims. At the vigil, which was held at the church of San Gregorio VII in Rome, the names of 842 victims were read aloud.

The pope said: ”This life that you live now won’t give you pleasure. It won’t give you joy or happiness…blood-stained money, blood-stained power, you can’t bring it with you to your next life.

“Repent. There’s still time to not end up in hell, which is what awaits you if you continue on this path.”

The pope has previously urged mafia members to change their ways.

Military Captures Cameroonian Weapon Supplier

The Nigerian military in yet another evidence of growing foreign influence within the ranks of the terrorist Boko Haram sect have arrested a Cameroonian who is suspected to be a big arms supplier to the group.

In a related development, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen Kenneth Minima has been checking on deployment and troops’ disposition in various locations of the theatre of the counter terrorist campaign in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

According to the statement issued friday by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, the arrest of the Cameroonian has led to the discovery of a large cache of arms and ammunition hidden in the premises of a burnt church in Kalabalge Local Government Area of Borno State.

Champions League quarterfinal draw: Manchester United face Bayern Munich, as European giants collide

The ‘Elite Eight’ of European soccer are left in the UEFA Champions League, and on Friday some monster ties were drawn out for the quarterfinals.

The four ties see an all-Spanish clash between La Liga title contenders Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona, while Real Madrid will face Borussia Dortmund to try and avenge their semifinal defeat last season. Then the two Premier League teams were drawn out against tough opposition, as Chelsea face reigning French champions Paris Saint-German, while Manchester United face reigning European champions Bayern Munich.

Why You Shouldn't Fall For This Pope Francis Hoax

The Pope Francis hell hoax also claimed that the esteemed pope said, "Through humility, soul searching, and prayerful contemplation we have gained a new understanding of certain dogmas. The church no longer believes in a literal hell where people suffer."

"This doctrine is incompatible with the infinite love of God. God is not a judge but a friend and a lover of humanity. God seeks not to condemn but only to embrace. Like the fable of Adam and Eve, we see hell as a literary device. Hell is merely a metaphor for the isolated soul, which like all souls ultimately will be united in love with God," the blog claimed Pope Francis said.

The Day My Boobs Fell Out From My Bra –– Actress Sarraphina

Sexy and voluptuous actress, Sarraphina Onyekachi Amaechi, a public administration graduate of  Federal Polytechnic, Nekede,Imo State, has come a long way in the movie industry. The busty, ebony beauty is respected and appreciated for her talent. Her rise to prominence did not come as a result of her taking the elevator- she took the stairs, savouring every bit of pain and gain along the way.

She isn’t shy, she has seen too much of the world to be, and she would tell you that her selling point is her huge bubbly boobs but also will be quick to remind you that it was her talent that saw her this far in the industry rather than the captivating mammary.

Kwara Evacuates Students From Maiduguri

Kwara State Commissioner for Information Tunji Moronfoye said yesterday the government would evacuate its indigenes from the University of Maiduguri, Borno State.He said a delegation left Ilorin for Maiduguri yesterday morning.

The evacuation followed a save-our-soul message by Kwara students in the university.Moronfoye said the delegation was provided with logistics to enable it evacuate the students.The delegation and the students will arrive in Ilorin from today.The students, it was learnt, sent text messages to government officials, fearing for their safety, following massive attacks on Maiduguri last weekend.