₦airaland Forum

CAF meet over Ebola-clouded Cup of Nations
on november 01, 2014 at 12:11 pm in sports

When and where the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations will be staged should be resolved within days amid pleas from hosts Morocco to postpone the tournament over the Ebola epidemic.
The virus has claimed almost 5,000 lives this year, almost all in west African countries Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Morocco fear a potential influx of several hundred thousand supporters from the other 15 finalists could spread the epidemic.
African football body CAF will hold a meeting of their executive in Algeria on Sunday and 24 hours later president Issa Hayatou will lead a delegation to Morocco for further talks.
CAF are then expected to issue a statement clarifying the situation after weeks of wild media speculation.
A senior African football official, who requested anonymity, told AFP there were three likely scenarios:
— Morocco back down and agree to original January 17-February 8 hosting dates.
— CAF agree to postpone tournament to mid-2015 or early 2016.
— Talks collapse, Morocco withdraw, and CAF seek new hosts.
Unconfirmed reports of midweek meetings involving Hayatou and Moroccan officials led Moroccan daily As-Sabah to claim a deal had been struck to delay the Africa Cup.
This report was swiftly denied by a CAF spokesman as “completely untrue”.
Of the countries approached as possible emergency hosts, Nigeria and Ghana are reportedly undecided while Algeria, Egypt, South Africa and Sudan declined.
The Cup of Nations is crucial to CAF as each tournament generates $11.7 million (9.3 million euros) from TV and marketing rights.
It is the biggest cash injection into the Cairo-based confederation with the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup club competitions earning a combined $10.2 million (8.1 million euros) yearly.
Only hosts Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia competed in the first tournament 57 years ago, but under Hayatou the Africa Cup has grown from eight to 16 teams and stamped its mark on the international calendar.
World-class, high-definition TV coverage is broadcast worldwide, showcasing the skills of Manchester City and Ivory Coast midfield dynamo Yaya Toure plus many other Europe-based stars.
But Moroccan sports minister Mohammed Ouzzine insists health must come before finances or football.
“Our demand for a postponement is motivated by the latest WHO report, which contains alarming numbers regarding the extent and spread of the virus,” he stressed.
“Morocco are facing a historical responsibility as there has never been such a deadly Ebola epidemic.”
Quizzed regarding Morocco being happy to stage the FIFA Club World Cup this December but not the Cup of Nations, the minister said the difference was the numbers of visiting supporters.
Ouzzine said far more were expected for the Cup of Nations, “possibly 300,000 or even more.
“We are not equipped for that and I cannot see other countries being able to ensure checks and controls for such a large number.”
Concern has also been expressed by European managers with African footballers in their squads, including Roberto di Matteo of German outfit Schalke.
“It is worrying. I know it is dangerous,” said the Bundesliga boss of crack Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
CAF seem worried about setting a precedent, saying that “since the first edition of the Africa Cup in 1957, the tournament has never been delayed or cancelled”.
The continental body would also have welcomed support from FIFA this week with the global football federation praising how CAF have handled the Ebola crisis.
Measures taken include ordering Guinea and Sierra Leone to stage group qualifiers abroad. Liberia were eliminated at the preliminary stage.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/caf-meet-ebola-clouded-cup-nations/

Tinubu Allegedly Down with Parkinson's Disease



A Today.ng report has said that the National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ahmed Bola Tinubu was flown early on Friday to London for medical treatment.

The online newspaper alleges that sources close to the former governor of Lagos was flown out of the country in his private jet for treatment of an ailment which affects his posture, balance, and his movement, including his speech and writing.

“He has been manifesting symptoms of Parkinson disease which include tremor, shaky limbs, hands and fingers, slow movement, impaired posture and balance and loss of automatic movements,” said the aide.

The aide said Tinubu went with his wife, Senator Remi Tinubu and the former APC national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande.

According to this undisclosed aide, Tinubu also has another unannounced ailment which is being treated at a Houston USA specialist hospital, noting that the reason Tinubu decided not to vie for the position of Buhari’s deputy in 2015 was as a result of his deteriorating health conditions.

It would be remembered that a few weeks earlier, some newspapers reported that Tinubu had had a stroke and had to be flown to Europe for treatment. Tinubu, however, countered the reports by saying: “The story about my health is the mother of all lies. Do not believe it. I was on my usual holidays. I thank all well wishers. I’ll return soon.”

http://www.nigerianbulletin.com/threads/tinubu-allegedly-down-with-parkinsons-disease.98138/

dokilolo:
going wit a mechanic is nt something dat I will recommend. either d mech guy tels u d car is a gud ride 2 buy after he winks to d dealer nd coms bak 2 collecr his 15k cut.or he sees an obviously bad ride nd tels u 2 buy so he cn build a house from your regular visits. he can also tel u dat a perfectly good ride is nt in top shape 2 buy cos he knows d ride will keep u away 4rm him.lets b real, aw many trusted mechanic do we av in naija?
best tin is to follow wat was highlighted above nd mayb include 1 or 2 tinz nd ofcourse PRAYER jst lik gazzuz added.if d ride is bad u cn easily sniff it out once u follow dos steps.

I have had a kind of experience before. The mechanic approved the purchase of the car since he knew he will benefit from the repairs that had to be made. When I reviewed the matter with my mechanic recently (a very trustworthy one) he explained that sometimes some mechanics are afraid to prevent the buyer from making an obviously bad purchase because they are afraid that the seller may attack them spiritually.

Jonathan Overrules NFF, Orders Reinstatement Of Keshi

The President was believed to have given the orders during his meeting with the bosses (Chris Giwa and Amaju Pinnick) of the two warring factions of the Nigeria Football Federation at the Aso Rock Villa yesterday where he asked them to resolve all issues between them by next week and should be sent a report.

President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered the reinstatement of Former Super Eagles manager Stephen Keshi to oversee the two remaining 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches.

The President was believed to have given the orders during his meeting with the bosses (Chris Giwa and Amaju Pinnick) of the two warring factions of the Nigeria Football Federation at the Aso Rock Villa yesterday where he asked them to resolve all issues between them by next week and should be sent a report.

Jonathan at the said meeting also asked Chris Giwa to vacate the court case in Jos, Plateau State, and ordered the immediate return of Keshi who has endeared the President since his nations cup win last year.

It remains to be seen whether the former Togolese manager would accept the invitation to go back to a job he said had given him serious headaches in the last few months. The gaffer threw a sharp parting shot by calling Nigeria “an unserious football country” after his departure earlier this month.

The Super Eagles will face Congo and South Africa next month in the remaining matches that would determine whether the reigning African champions would qualify for next year’s tournament.
http://saharareporters.com/2014/10/30/jonathan-overrules-nff-orders-reinstatement-keshi

WHAT TO DO BEFORE BUYING A TOKUNBO CAR

Somebody, who, ordinarily, should know what he was talking about (a senior Vehicle Inspection Officer-VIO), once told me that eighty percent of the vehicles on our roads are imported, commonly called “Tokunbo”.

And recent frustrating encounters by friends and acquaintances who have ended up with lemons (that’s the slang that’s used in the US to describe bad car purchases), have compelled this particular topic in the spirit of public service that birthed and guides this column.

The following are the very important things that must be rigorously (nay, religiously) observed when you, presumably an average person without any form of technical automotive knowledge, when buying a tokunbo car in the absence of an auto technician who’s to help you ascertain if the vehicle is good or not.

One, don’t let the aesthetic (that’s the shimmering or sexy look) of the vehicle fool you.

Two, before I go any further to list and expatiate this second point, it’s important at this juncture to emphasise that you, from this point on, have to be very very observant: Immediately you turn the key on (just simply by turning the key one stroke, no cranking sound yet and the engine isn’t working yet), make sure that all the images on the dashboard are lighted up. Why? Some Smart Alec car sellers sometimes remove or tape over the bulbs, inside the dashboard, of the warning signs.

Three, as soon as the engine is cranked, within a few seconds (it must not be up to a minute), the entire dashboard sings’ lights must go off.

Four, this is a tricky one: if you notice the CHECK ENGINE light going off simultaneously with the ALTERNATOR light (depicted with the image of a battery on the dashboard) and/or the OIL PRESSURE light (which is depicted with an Arabian jug-like image with a narrow mouth for pouring), then something is wrong.

Five, once the engine has been cranked and is running at idle, the person/s seated in the vehicle must not feel any discernible vibration. If you feel any form of vibration, it’s either bad engine mount/s, or bad transmission mount or the engine is misfiring.

Six, if the vehicle has an automatic transmission system, simply engage the gear with your foot firmly on the brake pedal, you must not feel any sudden shudder or jerking. It should be a smooth engagement with the vehicle simply trying to move in the direction (“D” forward and “R” backward) of the gear engaged.

Seven, if all the above observations have been satisfactorily met, while the vehicle’s still running smoothly in idle, put on the AC (air conditioner). The needle on (or counter of) the RPM gauge must still remain at the same position, allowing for maximum of fifty over or below (not up to a movement between two stroke marks of the RPM gauge). This is a good load test on the engine.

http://automedicsafrica.com/what-to-do-before-buying-a-tokunbo-car/

The 16GB model will cost $399, 32GB will cost $479, and an LTE-enabled 32GB model will cost $599.

Shocking! Army Col, Others Set APC Ablaze, Pave Way for Boko Haram
BY BANKOLE ORIJA WITH AGENCY REPORTS | 11 OCTOBER, 2014 06:23

There were shocking revelations at the weekend that an Army Colonel, some junior officers and soldiers who were taking part in the military offensive to reclaim communities taken over by the Boko Haram terrorists in Adamawa State, have been arrested for sabotage.

Vanguard reported that the soldiers tasked with fighting Boko Haram militants arrive to face trials for mutiny in Abuja on October 2, 2014. Nearly 100 soldiers tasked with fighting Boko Haram militants in Nigeria's far northeast appeared at a military court martial on Thursday, facing a range of charges including mutiny.

The hearing comes just weeks after a tribunal sentenced 12 soldiers to death following their conviction for shooting at their commanding officer in the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, in May.

According to Vanguard top military sources said that the colonel (a Muslim) who was Commanding a team of three Armoured Personnel Carriers, APC’s, with the capability to fire up to a range of 1.5kilometres or even more, had instead of pursuing the terrorists, deliberately set the APCs on fire between Gulak and Madagali, before running away with his team of soldiers into the bush.

The newspaper also gathered that the Army authorities were outraged over the development and ordered the arrest of both the commander, the junior officers as well as the soldiers under his command.

Narrating how the ‘’embarrassing incident occurred,’’ a source who was privy to the development noted that until the latest development, the Special Forces of the Nigerian Army who commenced the putsch to rout Boko Haram terrorists from Bazza, Michika, Gulak and Madagali from Vimtim, had successfully dealt with, and inflicted heavy casualties on the terrorists up till Gulak.

It was said that between Gulak and Madagali, the Colonel who had all along been prided with air surveillance reports, was again informed that Boko Haram terrorists were approaching his team in six Toyota Hilux Pick Up vans from the Madagali axis.

“However, rather than blasting and taking out the terrorists in their pick-up vans; he ordered his soldiers to jump out of the APC’s and set the armoured tanks on fire, without realising that he was being monitored. This was shocking because the terrorists were armed with weaponry which were grossly inferior to the firepower of the Nigerian Army Amoured tanks. After accomplishing the sabotage act, the Colonel and the junior officers and soldiers ran away into the bush, claiming that they were overpowered by a better armed group of Boko Haram terrorists,’’ Saturday Vanguard was told.

Military sources said that the action of the Colonel and soldiers under his command had given vent to the disclosure by the top hierarchy of the military that there were so many fifth columnists in the military working against the country’s determination to flush out Boko Haram terrorists in the land.

Consequently, Saturday Vanguard was told that a Board of Inquiry, BoI, had been set up by the Army authorities to investigate the Colonel and his soldiers after which a Military Court Martial would be set up to try them for conspiracy, treason and willful sabotage among others.

Also speaking on the development, a senior officer confided in Saturday Vanguard thus, “You can now see why the Military Court Martial which is currently sitting is inevitable. The uninformed would feel that soldiers who are fighting the nation’s battle are being unjustly punished. But the truth is that many of them are sabotaging Nigeria and making the insurgents look formidable for reasons that cannot be explained. Some of them appear sympathetic to the insurgents.

“How can it be explained that several APCs that cost up to $1million each in some cases or more will be willfully destroyed by Commissioned Officers, COs, who swore to defend the territorial integrity of their nation, just to help terrorists? That is treason of the highest order.”

The source added that the new vigour and determination with which Nigerian troops had been prosecuting the war, resulting in the killing of several commanders of the sect as well as hundreds of the insurgents, was the fallout of the new position of the military high command to deal with those pursuing a different agenda from that of the Federal Government.

Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, said last week that the death penalty imposed on the 12 soldiers who were tried for treason was lawful and in accordance with military dictates. He spoke at a three-day conference organised by the National Security Adviser in collaboration with Trim Communication Nigeria Ltd on Media/Security relationship in crisis management.

According to him, “The day you join the military you have signed off, whether life or death, and it is obey before complaint. How can a soldier just jump out of the APC because you want to donate APC to Boko Haram; and somebody is there talking about constructive mutiny.

“The laws are there, if you run away from the enemy, you will die and that is what the military law says. Apart from the old Nigerian law, we abide by the military law. Nobody forces or conscripts anybody into the military. It is a voluntary service, and so if we have this type of challenge, you should be able to confront it and not to run away.”

- See more at: http://nigeriacommunicationsweek.com.ng/other-business/shocking-army-col-others-set-apc-ablaze-pave-way-for-boko-haram#sthash.APhCqi1G.mgk5UGbw.dpuf

Francis5:
First time a Christian is ruling Adamawa?

Boni Haruna is the first.

Nigeria Talks Tough, Warns South Africa Over Seized $5.7 Million Arms Money

In a terse reaction to what appears a potential diplomatic spat between the two countries, the Nigerian government denied the second transaction was illegal and reminded South Africa of how Nigeria has provided a beneficial environment for South African companies like MTN, DSTV and a host of others to do business unhindered. “It is our hope that South Africa would reciprocate this noble gesture,” the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, said Monday, with a vow to eradicate Boko Haram regardless of the antics of “fifth columnists”.

Nigeria responded with fury Monday after South African authorities confiscated a second tranche of funds meant for arms purchase to fight the extremist Boko Haram sect, denying the deal was unlawful and warning South Africa of its investment in Nigeria.

The warning came after the South African government seized US$5.7 million wired by the Nigerian government through a bank to an arms dealer in that country.


South Africa’s Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority said the money, about N952 million, was the proceed of illegal transactions, according to local paper, City Press.

The seizure was the second in nearly three weeks, coming after authorities there froze $9.3 million transported in cash by two Nigerians and an Israeli for arms purchase. At the time, South Africa said the transaction violated its laws on movement of cash.

In a terse reaction to what appears a potential diplomatic spat between the two countries, the Nigerian government denied the second transaction was illegal and reminded South Africa of how Nigeria has provided a beneficial environment for South African companies like MTN, DSTV and a host of others to do business unhindered.

“It is our hope that South Africa would reciprocate this noble gesture,” the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, said Monday, with a vow to eradicate Boko Haram regardless of the antics of “fifth columnists”.

Mr. Dasuki, named by the South African newspaper as the official who signed off the first controversial deal, confirmed late Monday the second transaction occurred as reported but firmly denied it was conducted illegally.

“We want to state clearly that a business transaction actually took place between a legitimate company in Nigeria and another legitimate one in South Africa through the bank,” said Mr. Dasuki through a spokesperson, Karounwi Adekunle.

“In the course of events, the South African company could not perform and decided to refund the money. What is illegitimate in this transaction done through the bank?” he queried.

Details of the latest transaction came more than two weeks after two Nigerians and an Israeli were arrested as they attempted to smuggle US$9.3 million through Lanseria International Airport, Johannesburg, on September 5 in a private jet from Abuja.

The money, stashed in three suitcases, raised suspicion when the passengers’ luggage were unloaded and put through the scanners.

The National Prosecuting Authority, NPA, in South Africa said there was an invoice for helicopters and armaments intended to be used in Nigeria.

Two black plastic suitcases, filled with 90 blocks each containing US$100,000 in notes, with combination locks, were seized, as well as two pieces of hand luggage also containing US currency, according to City Press.

The Israeli national, Eyal Mesika, had the combination to open the locks.

Under South African laws, a person entering or leaving the country is expected to carry cash not exceeding US$2,300, or the equivalent in foreign currency notes.

The news of the first transaction angered Nigerians, particularly as it became clear the private jet involved belonged to the head of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ayo Ortisejafor.

Mr. Oritsejafor, a close ally of President Goodluck Jonathan, said the plane had been leased to a third party and he could not be blamed for its schedules.

The Nigerian government later admitted it was behind the arms deal, claiming it acted out of desperation for arms to defeat extremist sect, Boko Haram.

South African paper, City Press, said it was the NSA, Mr. Dasuki, who personally authorised the first arms contract by issuing an end-user certificate, alongside a “shopping list” for helicopters, unmanned aircraft, rockets and ammunition.

But Nigerian security officials said the report by the newspaper indeed provided proof that the first transaction was not illegitimate as well, since the end-user certificate and a shopping list were provided.

A security source was quoted as saying “in issuing end-user certificate, the ONSA (Office of the National Security Adviser) ensures that it carries all relevant agencies and stakeholders along. Therefore, such a responsibility is not a unilateral development,” according to PRNigeria, an agency frequently used by the Nigerian military to disseminate official statements.

“For security reasons, the chains leading to the issuance of end-user certificate cannot be put in the public domain.

“The recent interest in arms purchase was informed by the challenges of insurgency which our nation had been grappling with in the last few years. This is why the understanding of all Nigerians is necessary.

“Nigeria is desperate to counter activities of terrorists no matter what it takes even when some of our friends are not being fair to us,” the agency said Monday.

The latest transaction was between Cerberus Risk Solutions, an arms broker in Cape Town, and Societe D’Equipments Internationaux, said to be a Nigerian company based in Abuja.

The paper said the deal fell apart after Cerberus, which had earlier received from Nigeria R60 million (N1.02 billion) through its account at Standard Bank, tried to repay the money as it could not resolve its registration formalities with the South African authorities.

“Cerberus was previously registered as a broker with the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), but the registration expired in May this year,” City Press said.

“The marketing and contracting permits also expired at the same time. The company has since applied for re-registration, but the application lay in the NCACC’s mailbox for more than two months.

“Sources told Rapport that Cerberus apparently tried to pay the money back to the Nigerian company, after which the bank became suspicious,” the paper reported.

The paper added that while the NPA’s Asset Forfeiture Unit subsequently obtained a court order in the South Gauteng High Court to seize the money, the NPA spokesperson Nathi Mncube, said there were no indications the two transactions were related.

“However, both are now the subject of a criminal investigation and all possible information and connections are being investigated,” Mr. Mncube was quoted as saying.

The statement from Mr. Dasuki’s office confirmed the inability of the South African company to deliver and the attempt to refund.

http://saharareporters.com/2014/10/07/nigeria-talks-tough-warns-south-africa-over-seized-57-million-arms-money

South Africa Busts Another Secret Nigeria Arms Deal, Seizes $5.7 million

South African authorities have confiscated yet another US$5.7 million arms money from Nigeria, nearly three weeks after seizing $9.3 million in cash transported by two Nigerians and an Israeli for arms purchase, South Africa-based City Express reported Monday.
BY PREMIUM TIMESOCT 06, 2014


South African authorities have confiscated yet another US$5.7 million arms money from Nigeria, nearly three weeks after seizing $9.3 million in cash transported by two Nigerians and an Israeli for arms purchase, South Africa-based City Express reported Monday.

Nigeria's National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd)
As with the first deal, South Africa’s Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority seized the $5.7 million (about N952 million) for allegedly being the proceeds of illegal transactions, the paper said.

The news came more than two weeks after two Nigerians and an Israeli national were arrested in South Africa after they attempted to smuggle US$9.3 million apparently meant for buying arms for the Nigerian intelligence service.

The men landed at Lanseria International Airport, Johannesburg, on September 5 in a private jet from Abuja with the money stashed in three suitcases.

At the time, the South Africa Revenue Service, SARS, said customs officers became suspicious when the passengers’ luggage were unloaded and put through the scanners.

The National Prosecuting Authority, NPA, in South Africa said there was an invoice for helicopters and armaments intended to be used in Nigeria.

Two black plastic suitcases, filled with 90 blocks each containing US$100,000 in notes, with combination locks, were seized, as well as two pieces of hand luggage also containing US currency, according to City Press.

The Israeli national, Eyal Mesika, had the combination to open the locks.

Under South African laws, a person entering or leaving the country is expected to carry cash not exceeding US$2,300, or the equivalent in foreign currency notes.

The news of the first transaction sparked anger in Nigeria after it emerged the private jet involved belonged to the head of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ayo Ortisejafor.

Mr. Oritsejafor, a close ally of President Goodluck Jonathan, said the plane had been leased to a third party and he could not be blamed for its schedules.

The Nigerian government later admitted it was behind the arms deal, claiming it acted out of desperation for arms to defeat extremist sect, Boko Haram.

An investigation planned by the Senate into the transaction has yet to begin while the House of Representatives threw out a motion seeking a probe.

The South African newspaper, City Press, said documents in its possession show that the first consignment was personally signed off by the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, who issued the end-user certificate for the transaction.

An entire “shopping list” was supplied with the certificate, which included everything from helicopters to unmanned aircraft, rockets and ammunition, it said.

The latest transaction, according to the paper, was between Cerberus Risk Solutions, an arms broker in Cape Town, and Societe D’Equipments Internationaux, said to be a Nigerian company based in Abuja.

The paper said the deal fell apart after Cerberus which had earlier received from Nigeria R60 million (N1.02 billion) in its account at Standard Bank, tried to repay the money as it it could not resolve its registration formalities with the South African authorities.

“Cerberus was previously registered as a broker with the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), but the registration expired in May this year,” City Press said.

“The marketing and contracting permits also expired at the same time. The company has since applied for re-registration, but the application lay in the NCACC’s mailbox for more than two months.

“Sources told Rapport that Cerberus apparently tried to pay the money back to the Nigerian company, after which the bank became suspicious,” the paper reported.

The paper added that while the NPA’s Asset Forfeiture Unit subsequently obtained a court order in the South Gauteng High Court to seize the money, the NPA spokesperson Nathi Mncube, said there were no indications the two transactions were related.

“However, both are now the subject of a criminal investigation and all possible information and connections are being investigated,” Mr. Mncube was quoted as saying.

http://saharareporters.com/2014/10/06/south-africa-busts-another-secret-nigeria-arms-deal-seizes-57-million

GowonAbacha: A good idea but honestly, with all due respect to the dead, this woman is just too overrated. Comm'on many other doctors died and risked their lives in this fight.

The idea is to celebrate patriotism with a face behind it. She showed leadership, selflessness and patriotism which we need to remind ourselves and teach those who are coming behind to emulate. Adadevoh like many of our heroes and heroines have done their own part. What ever we do about their legacy is a service or disservice to ourselves.

Jack Ma: If you’re still poor at 35, you deserve it!
BY ZACH HO ON APRIL 15, 2014 OPINIONS

You are poor because you have no ambition.

Jack Ma: Before I founded Alibaba, I invited 24 friends to my house to discuss the business opportunity. After discussing for a full two hours, they were still confused — I have to say that I may not have put myself across in a clear manner manner then. The verdict: 23 out of the 24 people in the room told me to drop the idea, for a multitude of reasons, such as: ‘you do not know anything about the internet, and more prominently, you do not have the start-up capital for this’ etc etc.

There was only one friend (who was working in a bank then) who told me, “If you want to do it, just try it. If things don’t work out the way you expected it to, you can always revert back to what you were doing before.” I pondered upon this for one night, and by the next morning, I decided I would do it anyway, even if all of the 24 people opposed the idea.

When I first started Alibaba, I was immediately met with strong opposition from family and friends. Looking back, I realised that the biggest driving force for me then was not my confidence in the Internet and the potential it held, but more of this: “No matter what one does, regardless of failure or success, the experience is a form of success in itself.” You have got to keep trying, and if it doesn’t work, you always can revert back to what you were doing before.

As with this quote by T.E. Lawrence – “All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream in the dark recesses of the night awake in the day to find all was vanity. But the dreamers of day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, and make it possible.”

Jack Ma: People lose out in life because of these 4 reasons:

1. Being myopic to opportunity
2. Looking down on opportunities
3. Lacking understanding
4. Failing to act quickly enough
You are poor, because you have no ambition.

Ambition is living a life of great ideals; a magnificent goal in life that must be realised.

In this world, there are things that are deemed unfathomable, but there is nothing in this world that cannot be done. The depth of one’s ambition determines the potential of one’ future.

The Story of Juliet Wu Shihong – one of China’s first-generation professional managers, who gained success by working her way up the ranks from a cleaner, a nurse, a marketing executive, through self-education and learning on the job.

She had been the general manager for the world’s most famous multinational IT groups’ Chinese branches (Microsoft 1985-1998; IBM 1998-1999). She is also China’s first successful international corporate executive to join the executive team of a domestic private firm. Wu was seen as a symbol of the new generation of business executives that China has produced in its economic reform and opening-up.

When Wu started off in a big company working from the lowest ranks, her daily job was to pour tea and sweep floors. Once, because she forgot her staff pass, the company’s guard stopped her at the door and denied her entry. She explained to the guard that she was indeed one of the company’s employees, and that she had merely left the building for a short while to purchase office supplies.

Despite her pleas, the guard still did not allow to enter. As she stood at the gate, she watched as those of similar age to her, but smartly dressed in business attire walking through without having to show their passes.

She asked the guard, “Why are these people allowed through without producing a pass?” The guard dismissed her coldly nonetheless.

That was the turning point for Wu – she felt great shame, her self-esteem trampled on.

She looked at herself, dressed in shabby clothes and pushing a dirty push cart. Looking back at those dressed in smart attire, her heart felt a deep ache from the sudden realization of the sorrow and grief from being discriminated. From that moment, she vowed never to allow herself to be shamed like this again, and to become world-famous.

Since then, she used every opportunity to enrich herself. Every day, she was the first to arrive at work, and the last one to leave. She made every second count, spending her time learning the ropes. Her efforts soon paid off; she was made a sales representative, and quickly progressed to being the regional general manager of this multinational company in China. Wu did not possess strong academic qualifications, and was revered as the ‘Queen of Part-timers’. Subsequently, she assumed the position of GM of IBM China. This is the Wu Shihong, the heroine in China’s business circle.

If not for the incident, Wu Shihong would not have had the ambition to become rich, and her life would have taken a very different path then.

You are poor because you do not have the desire to become successful.
You are poor because you lack foresight.
You are poor because you cannot overcome your cowardice.
You are poor because you lack the courage and determination.
With ambition you can overcome all inferiority and maximise your potential!
With ambition you can persevere, continuously learn new things and strive for perfection.
With ambition you can defy all odds, and create miracles when others daren’t.
No matter how poor your family is, do not doubt your own abilities and lose sight of your ambition.

When your family deems you worthless, no one will pity you.
When your parents do not have money to pay the medical bills, no one will pity you.
When you are beaten by your competitors, no one will pity you.
When your loved ones abandon you, no one will pity you.
When you have not accomplished anything by the time you are 35, no one will pity you.

Go big, or go home. Otherwise, you’re wasting your youth.

http://vulcanpost.com/7702/jack-ma-youre-still-poor-35-deserve/

What Jack Ma plans to do with his Alibaba billions

Looking for clean skies in ChinaReuters/Shannon Stapleton
With great fortune comes great responsibility—that’s the message Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma delivered in New York today about his plans for spending the windfall earnings from his company’s record-breaking IPO. On stage at the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual meeting, he told Chelsea Clinton:
When you have one million dollars, you’re a lucky person. When you have 10 million dollars, you’ve got trouble, a lot of headaches. When you have more than one billion dollars, or a hundred million dollars, that’s a responsibility you have—it’s the trust of people on you, because people believe you can spend money better than the others.
Ma said his happiest days were when he was making just $20 a month. Now that he has considerably more, he says, “We only eat three meals a day, we only sleep on one bed, how can you spend money? Where’s the opportunity?”

Ma’s strategy is to spend according to the belief that “what’s happening today is going to cause a 10-years [sic] result.” And when Ma thinks about the present and future of China, he’s thinking about environmental pollution. “The polluted water, the airs, unsafe food… 10 years later, millions and millions of people in China will have health problems. So we should invest money on that.”
Ma has set up a charitable trust, funded by Alibaba share options, at the beginning of 2014: it is now worth $3 billion. His statements since then, including those today, indicate he plans to focus on the environment in China.

“In 15 years China will have a change. We will have blue air, blue skies, clean water.”

“If we don’t give up, in 15 years China will have a change. We will have blue air, blue skies, clean water,” Ma said. “People say, ‘Forget about it, China is hopeless, there’s no chance we can [clean up the water and the air],'” he added. But, “people said that about e-commerce in China 15 years ago.”
On a conference call with reporters this weekend, Clinton said “this is an incredibly important moment in China” regarding civic engagement. “Jack Ma has a chance to totally change the landscape now, and not only with the money that he will be able to invest in non-governmental activities, but also in creating space” for others who wish to do NGO work there. Clinton has met with Ma a few times; they spoke when Clinton last visited China, and Ma has repeatedly brought his management team to the Clinton office in Harlem to learn about the Clinton Foundation’s work. Ma has also discussed philanthropy with Bill Gates.

“He’s been thinking about this for years,” said Clinton. “He’s got the credibility to deal with a lot of these issues, and I know how serious he is about it and he’s gone out of his way to try to figure out what other people are doing and how he can have the greatest impact.”

Clinton hopes Ma will invigorate charitable giving over the internet in China. Global donations to disaster relief efforts have been facilitated online and via text messages, and more and more everyday giving to charities occurs online. “What do they have, like 300 million people a week doing business on Alibaba?” Clinton asked on the phone, re-emphasizing that he thinks Ma will “have a big empowering impact on other people who don’t have nearly as much money but can have make a big difference if they all get together. I think the chances of his being able to change China for the better are quite high.”

http://qz.com/269899

How three students created Nigeria's online jobs giant
By Jason Boswell
Africa Business Reporter

The students behind Nigeria's online jobs giant
Three students had time on their hands in the summer of 2009 when their university lecturers in Nigeria went on strike.

Instead of slacking off, Ayodeji Adewunmi, Olalekan Olude and Opeyemi Awoyemi started an online job search company.

Five years later their start-up, Jobberman, has got a multi-million dollar valuation, employs 125 people, and is still growing.

While Nigeria is Africa's largest economy it still has massive unemployment problems, in particular among young people who are also more likely to be connected to the internet.

Jobberman has become the single largest job placement website in sub-Saharan Africa, helping over 35,000 people find jobs within the last two years.

The number of companies using the site to find employees has grown from about 40 in 2009 to some 35,000 today. The company employs 125 people in Nigeria and beyond
Carrying between 500 and 1,000 jobs on the site every day, the founders estimate that there are about 1,000 active users searching for a job at any given time.

"The growth has been tremendous, it's at rocket speed. One of the biggest challenges has been to keep up with the volume of work," says Olalekan.

Overcoming fraud fears
However, there have been other challenges along the way.

"In the beginning a lot of people did not trust an internet-based business because at that time a lot of people were using the internet to perpetuate fraud here in Nigeria," he says.

But as other online businesses thrived and became trusted, so Jobberman thrived. Companies would dip their toe in the water with one or two postings and then when they trusted the site they would come back.

Olalekan Olude says he is proud because each job someone finds on his site helps support a household
In 2012 some of Jobberman's clients wanted to use the site to find workers in Ghana and so the company took its first work outside Nigeria.

Two years later it says it is now the biggest online job site in Ghana as well as Nigeria.

The company is now expanding its reach to Kenya with a partner called Brighter Monday. The partnership also gives it a footprint in Uganda and Tanzania.

Amarachi Apakama found a job through the site without filling out an application
Some people find a job through the site without actually applying for one.

Amarachi Apakama uploaded her details and was approached by a company to take the position of executive assistant at a mobile phone content company.

"That really changed my life," she says. "It was a morale booster. It helped my confidence - the fact that my interests and my experience put together such a good fit that I didn't have to apply for the job.

Multiplier effect
"It is incredibly fulfilling helping people to become economically empowered by getting job placements via Jobberman," founder Ayodeji Adewunmi says.

Africa's new entrepreneur branding
The BBC's business teams across Africa meet the continent's entrepreneurs who are starting up new enterprises and seeking to create big opportunities.

"One company recruited more than 80% of their employees through the site. Another time, a director was able to hire a former colleague in the United States to come and work for his company here in Lagos. All amazing stories."

Olalekan Olude adds: "If you put food on the table by virtue of getting a job for someone, that person also fends for a mother, or a brother and you create a multiplier effect within that household.

"And anytime we get to hear of such stories, we are very, very happy. It motivates us, it makes us look forward into the future and try and get more people to get more jobs."

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29013286?ocid=africa_AfricaEntrepreneurs_ppc_outbrain

Globacom in trouble. Group COO, CTO abscond. Adenuga enraged
Posted by charles on September 20, 2014 21


This is undoubtedly not the best of times for Mike Adenuga’s Globacom as key staff of the company have absconded from duty largely because of lack of corporate governance.


ionigeria.com can authoritatively disclose that the Group Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the company, Mohammed Jameel and the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Sanjib Roy both Indians have absconded from the company because of what sources termed as Mike Adenuga’s ugly and very high-handed managerial style.


Our investigations further revealed that in order to leave unhindered, the two most senior staff of Globacom left the country without tendering their resignation letters.


While the CTO left about five months ago, the COO left the country about five weeks ago


Also, the Chief Information Officer (CIO), Mr. Cesar Camara, an African expatriate, has tendered his resignation letter.



Unlike the Indians, who left without notice, Camara gave the statutory notice. It is however feared that in line with Otunba Adenuga’s well-known practice, he might not be given his severance pay.


“In Adenuga’s companies, you either get sacked or you abscond. There is no room for niceties like resignation because if you do, you will definitely not get your severance pay. The usual practice is that as you get your salary, you take off without informing anybody”, a source said.

It was also gathered that Otunba Adenuga is so enraged with the disappearance of his two key Indian staff that he has sacked over twenty Nigerian staff for not informing him that the Indians were planning to leave before they fled.
The Nigerians were initially placed on indefinite suspension. He called them back, only to fire them few days after with a promise to send more packing



According to a staff of the company, who spoke to ionigeria.com on the basis of anonymity, “Globacom is a perfect example of a company without corporate governance. Decisions on the minutest issues are taken by Adenuga without consulting anybody. Even when he calls a meeting, it is to brief you on the decision he has taken. You cannot book an appointment to see him, no matter the title you bear. Adenuga, only sees you when he wants to”.



“The secret name for Otunba Adenuga, amongst his staff is Boko Haram because of the way he terrorises them. Things are so bad that when you are informed that he wants to see you, you quickly clear your table because you may not come back”, another source revealed.



His bad attitude towards his employees cuts across all cadre. He is said to have no respect for anybody. A good example if Mr. Ike Oraekwuotu, former Managing Director of Equitorial Trust Bank (ETB) who is now with Globacom.


Since, his secondment to Glocacom, Mr. Oraekwuotu is said to have been suspended more than four times over very flimsy issues. The poor gentle man is said to be stomaching the insults because his children are still in school and their school fees have to be paid.


Another key staff that Otunba Adenuga has dealt with badly is the 74 years old Executive Director, Human Resources, Mr. Adewale Sangowawa.


Mr Sangowawa is an accomplished and highly successful banker, economist and management consultant. Born in Isonyin Ijebu, he attended Emmanuel School, Isonyin and Government College, Ibadan for his primary and secondary education respectively. From there he won a USAID scholarship to study at the University of Makerere, Uganda where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science & Economics and a Master of Arts degree in Development Economics. After starting his career with the Ugandan Civil Service, Mr. Sangowawa returned to Nigeria in 1967 and worked briefly at the Central Bank. However he was soon attracted away by the African Development Bank (ADB) in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire and spent 28 years (1969-97) on a long and glorious career with the ADB, culminating in his appointment to the post of Vice President – a post he held for 7 years


After his retirement from the ADB, Mr Sangowawa started up a Management Consultancy in Abidjan, offering help and advice to private sector companies, the ADB and regional national governments. In 2002, he was invited to join Globacom in its roll-out as the Second National Operator of telecommunications in Nigeria, and he remains an Executive Director at Globacom, where he spearheads the management of Human Capital.


He was also recently called back from suspension by Adenuga after appeal on his behalf by some Ijebu chiefs

http://ionigeria.com/globacom-trouble-group-coo-cto-abscond-adenuga-enraged/

US, South Africa in cold war with Nigeria •Nigeria buys attack helicopters from •S/Africa sends investigators to Synagogue, intensifies probe of $9.3m arms deal China


THE Nigerian government is querying the continued presence of American security forces in the country more than two months after they promised to assist in rescuing the Chibok girls and stem the tide of terrorism without results.

Indeed, top officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration will be in the United States this weekend to straighten things out on Nigeria’s displeasure with what has been described as the “lack of cooperation” with Nigeria by the American agents who are in the country.

A top security official told Saturday Tribune on Friday that Nigeria was beginning to query the real mission of the American forces in the country.

“These people have been around for more than two months. They made so much noise before coming that they would assist in rescuing the Chibok girls and fight Boko Haram with technology but can you believe it that these people do not share intelligence with Nigeria? They do not relate at all with Nigerian officials. In fact, they have their office in the US Embassy where they process their intelligence.

“The procurement of military equipment is another area where they are frustrating Nigeria. By now, we are supposed to have taken delivery of some of the equipment but unfortunately, they are delaying this with unnecessary bottlenecks in the name of ‘compliance issues.’ Now, Nigeria is being forced to look for succour in the direction of countries in Eastern Europe. We just took delivery of some equipment, including attack helicopters from China which will soon be deployed for operations.

“The $9.3m arms deal that was bungled in South Africa was one of the desperate moves taken by the government to get out of the frustration,” the official told Saturday Tribune.

Nigeria, S’Africa head for diplomatic row
Meanwhile, the twin-issue of an alleged $9.3 million arms deal scandal and the handling of investigation into the tragedy trailing the collapse of building at the Synagogue Church for All Nations church, are reportedly generating tension between Nigeria and South Africa.

A diplomatic source revealed that the brewing disagreement could snowball into a major diplomatic row.

Nigeria and South-Africa have been in and out of frosty relations since the incumbent President, Jacob Zuma assumed office.

His administration’s antagonistic disposition is allegedly due to President Goodluck Jonathan’s emergence, which denied his very close friend in Nigeria, the presidency.

The Nigerian friend is still eyeing the top job and the latest moves by the South-African government are being reportedly perceived in security circle as deliberate acts to embarrass the Nigerian government and possibly weaken the presidency ahead of 2015 presidential election.

A diplomatic source disclosed that the Nigerian government was shocked by the decision of Pretoria to rush to the media over the arms business, without exploring the usual diplomatic channels with the Nigerian government.

The source further explained that in a normal circumstance, the South African government should have contacted its Nigerian counterpart once those caught with the controversial cash had disclosed that they were executing a contract for the Nigerian security agencies with the active backing of the Jonathan administration.

Saturday Tribune was equally informed that the move by South Africa to criminalise the issue and make the cash movement to appear like money-laundering, confirmed the alleged politics behind the rejection by the South Africa, of diplomatic moves by the Nigerian government, to amicably resolve the issue.

With the issue in public and South Africa allegedly drawing political capital out of it, Saturday Tribune was told that the Nigerian government would have no choice than to react appropriately.

Government officials in Nigeria, especially those in security circle, were also said to have been embarrassed by the undisguised move by Pretoria to allegedly blow the tragedy in Synagogue out of proportion by mentioning casualty figure that did not reflect the realities on ground.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had created doubts around the figure of South African persons killed in the building that collapsed at the church, as announced by Zuma.

Zuma had said the 65 persons he mentioned as killed in the tragedy, was a result of his projection based on the hundreds of South Africans that visited the church at the time the building collapsed.

At the time he was making his claim, the official casualty figure from NEMA which conducted the search and rescue, was 60 for all the nationalitiesW involved.

South Africa also deployed its search and rescue team as well as DNA experts to identify its nationals involved in the tragedy.

The move is being interpreted by Nigerian officials on ground as a vote of no confidence in the Nigerians handling the Synagogue crisis and an alleged further denigration of Jonathan’s administration’s capacity to handle emergencies.

A foreign affairs source noted that the Zuma administration had become particularly hostile since it emerged that Nigeria’s economy might be doing better than South Africa’s, which had reportedly put his administration under pressure from local activists who have continually harassed him for alleged corrupt practices.

The latest move is being read in diplomatic circle as Zuma fighting his own battles against Nigeria, alongside with his friend’s.

Saturday Tribune learnt that Nigeria might in days ahead resort to the same tactic it employed during the yellow fever clearance card which saw the two countries in retaliatory passenger-deporting saga, until South Africa bowed and apologised to Nigeria, though it was first to deport Nigerians over the controversial card.

The then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, called it “eye-for-eye” policy.

The latest brewing crisis could be of greater damage, as revealed by diplomatic sources, if Jonathan’s administration would be going the whole hog as major bilateral trade could be affected.

South African companies are major players in Nigeria’s telecommunications and cable TV sectors, while Nigerian firms have consistently complained of harsh operational climate in South Africa.

South Africa has given an indication that the $9.3m cash is likely to be forfeited to it.

Already North Gauteng High Court in South Africa, has ordered the freezing of the said cash.

Mum was the word at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as none of the officials contacted, consented to saying anything official on the matter.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali, was said to be out of the country.

An official who refused to be quoted said South Africa is likely to have an upper hand in the raging crisis even if its objectives are not altruistic, because it has the laws of the land to bank on, in confiscating the disputed cash, which was obviously from the coffers of the Nigerian government.

The official, however, did not rule out a harsher response from Nigeria if necessary.

The Bombardier Challenger 6000 jet that flew the cash into South Africa is originally owned by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, a known ally of President Jonathan.

Meanwhile, President Jonathan, in the bid to expand consultation on the ways to end the current insurgency, has met with about 13 traditional rulers from the northern region.

The delegation was led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, while the meeting was also attended by Vice President Namadi Sambo and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim.

The meeting held behind closed doors but the president was said to have assured the monarchs that he was determined to end the insurgency in the north.

He also told them about plans to reverse the attendant economic backwardness in the zone.

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting and confirmed that the president assured the delegation that measures were already in place to end the insurgency in the zone.

He said the visit was a follow-up to the emergency meeting of the traditional rulers which also held this week in Kaduna and where they discussed the security situation in their domains.

Maku described the meeting with Jonathan as fruitful and one that underlined the country’s unity and imminent defeat of insurgency and terrorism in the country.

“The meeting went very well; it was a good consultation. The traditional rulers gave their own perspective of what is going on particularly in the north east,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of Sultan, the Estu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, pledged the council’s support to the Federal Government with regard to the war against insurgency.

He said, “We saw how the military actually performed especially in the operation in Konduga. We saw how they were able to repel the insurgents’ advances there. We feel that, yes, such encouragement should be given to the military to allow them to perform well in order to save the situation.

“On the encouragement aspect also, we see certain areas of the economy especially agriculture should be supported. And also we talked about victims, how the victims would also be relieved of their sufferings, and also the internally displaced persons.”

http://tribune.com.ng/news/top-stories/item/16504-us-south-africa-in-cold-war-with-nigeria-nigeria-buys-attack-helicopters-from-s-africa-sends-investigators-to-synagogue-intensifies-probe-of-9-3m-arms-deal-china

U.S. Nets Joins British Authorities in Hushing Muslim Sex Abuse Scandal

Nets obsessed with Catholic sex abuse silent on Muslim crimes.

Imagine a sex scandal centered on a small area, involving decades of abuse, with hundreds of children raped, assaulted and prostituted. Authorities suspected or knew of the crimes but did nothing, preferring to protect the abusers than aid their victims or see justice done.

If that city were in, say, Ireland, and the abusers Catholic priests, the U.S. networks would report it immediately and continuously. And rightly so. But move that city to northern England, and make the perpetrators Muslim men? Don’t look to ABC, NBC or CBS for details.

In Rotherham, England, the widespread, systematic sexual abuse of young girls has finally been brought to light. A report published Aug.21, by Professor Alexis Jay, a former Chief Inspector of Social Work in Scotland, found that between 1997 and 2013, more than 1400 young English girls were raped, threatened, and tortured by men in a sex trafficking scandal which is making waves online and in British media but hasn’t made a blip on American news shows.

The report shows that Rotherham officials and Council members knew about the abuse for years but did nothing. You see, all but one of these men were Pakistani and Muslim; the girls were white, and Britain is even more paralyzed by political correctness and fear of charges of “Islamo-phobia” than is the U.S. One Rotherham official even admitted he didn’t want to “rock the multicultural boat.” As reward for bringing to light such a heinous scandal, a researcher involved in the case was intimidated, harassed and punished for reporting her findings to the local Council.

U.S. networks face no such consequences. Yet in the two weeks since the story broke in the British media, ABC, NBC and CBS haven’t uttered a word about it on their morning or evening broadcasts.

Could silence be because the networks, like the powers that be in Rotherham, don’t want to touch a story in which the villains are Pakistani and Muslim? Would that be too politically incorrect?

After all, journalists love to cover sex scandals – the more shocking the better. You would think ABC, NBC, and CBS would jump at the opportunity to discuss the horrible details, like they did with the Catholic clergy sex scandal of the last dozen years. According the liberal-leaning Pew Research Forum the U.S. media produced more than 1,500 Church abuse stories in 2010 alone.

So what was more important than this scandal? Well NBC had time to talk about Tom Hanks being an honoree at the upcoming Kennedy Center Awards in December. NBC Nightly News also talked about a dog who ate 43 ½ socks, and reiterated testosterone drugs don’t work. Why any of these stories were considered “news” but Rotherham was not, is baffling. ABC similarly found time on World News Sep. 2 to discuss Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s wedding attire and the celebrity nude photo leak. On Good Morning America Aug.31, one of the more pressing questions posed, “Does Matthew McConaughey really mow his own lawn?” Yes, that’s really considered “news” on ABC.

Catholic Comparison

And it isn’t as though the networks don’t think sex abuse scandals from across the pond aren’t worth reporting on. When allegations broke in 2012 that the late BBC radio and TV personality Jimmy Savile had serially abused young girls during his career, both NBC and CBS found space in their newscasts. And the 2010 feeding frenzy on Church abuse centered mainly on Germany.

In fact, there was so much media attention paid to the Catholic clergy sex scandal, that the left-leaning Pew Research Center did a study on the media’s fascination with it in 2010. The analysis, from 2010 alone, showed the following:

From mid-March (when Pope Benedict XVI’s role in a decades-old abuse case in Germany came under scrutiny) through late April, clergy sexual abuse was the eighth biggest story in the mainstream media, beating out coverage of nuclear weapons policy and the Tea Party movement. The biggest week of coverage was March 22-28, when news organizations reported on the failure of Vatican officials years ago, including the possibly the future pope, to defrock an American priest who had abused nearly 200 deaf boys. The church scandal was the fourth biggest topic in the mainstream news that week.

The level of coverage this year came very close to that of 2002, when the news erupted that Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston and other bishops across the United States had shuffled accused abusers from parish to parish without informing the police or public. A Nexis keyword search of 90 media outlets found 1,559 stories mentioning the scandal in the first four months of 2010, just 77 fewer articles than in a similar four-month period in mid-2002 (May 1-Aug. 31). No other developments in the scandal during the intervening eight years even came close to generating that level of coverage.
Pew also found that from Jan. to April 2010, 1559 stories were published in the media on the Catholic clergy sex scandal, just 4.7 percent less than there were in 2002 when the major scandal broke.

Obviously research has shown, the news media will give plenty of time to sex scandals, so why are they turning a blind eye to this one in Rotherham?

It’s apparent that the liberal media has an apparent interest in protecting one class of people and doing everything in their power to demonize another. In this case, the media was only mirroring the politically correct cover-up that occurred at the hands of the Rotherham local government and law enforcement.

— Kristine Marsh is Staff Writer at the Media Research Center.

http://www.mrc.org/articles/us-nets-joins-british-authorities-hushing-muslim-sex-abuse-scandal

texazzpete: This is actually Oritsejafor's terrible legacy: helping the propagation of this religious intolerance you're so proud to display. Not all muslims kill or forcibly islamize others. The majority do not do these things. if all the 80+ million muslims in Nigeria were murderous fiends, you would not be alive today.

This is such a silly statement from someone that does not understand the ideology of Islam. If you have lived among them in the North especially during the religious crises you will not be saying that. Most of them are double faced. Most of those that are involved in direct killing and looting are the poor. Of the ones who would even bother to criticise the killings on the pages of newspapers very few will bother to repeat the same sentiment when they are among themselves. When Christians are being killed or molested they would either be onlookers or go their own way.

be uote author=Juvante]People keep talking like dafts. What has Israel and Hamas war got to do with Aso Rock security? Saudi Arabia does arm deals with Israel through proxies, only Jordan and Egypt do not hide their deals!
Did El Rufai and co complain when Ghaddafi was busy pumping money into the North,building madrassas and mosques,and training young Northerners in his Benghazi camp,since the days of IBB?
I do not like Pastor Ayo,based on his inability to call a spade a spade in Delta State,and turns a blind eye to the looting, but on national issues, he is spot on!
He is hated because he looks at Northern leaders in the eye and tell them to call their youths and Islamic adherents to order! simple as that! As for his dress code, he has always dressed that way since I was a little kid in Warri,so stop crapping about what you do not know.[/quote]Your perspective is quite on target. I wish most people will not be narrow minded. Where two or more people are there will always be politics. Most of these people forget that they they started their own politics right from nursery school. Yet Ayo must be apolitical when the interest of Christians are being abused. Let's not deceive ourselves where there are two or more religions their would be politics. When it is played without feathers being ruffled, it is called diplomacy. The Catholics are bad losers. How does pulling out help the body of Christ? So, all these years that they were at the helms of affairs, they were better leaders? They will lose out eventually.

Iamsynord: This is the Edge Islam is having..Hw many Muslim clerics have we seen divorcing ?? The two Chris ( the Chris okotie) and now Chris oyalkilome who supposedly has A PhD in Theology.
hmn ??

You are misinformed. Muslim clerics divorce at the drop of a needle without batting an eyelid. The only thing thing is that it is not sensationalised. What would you say about someone who has four wives and keeps dropping one to marry another fresh one?

Iamsynord: This is the Edge Islam is having..Hw many Muslim clerics have we seen divorcing ?? The two Chris ( the Chris okotie) and now Chris oyalkilome who supposedly has A PhD in Theology.
hmn ??

You are misinformed. Muslim clerics divorce at the drop of a needle without batting an eyelid. The only thing thing is that it is not sensationalised. What would you say about someone who has four wives and keeps dropping one to marry another fresh one.

LATEST CANCER INFORMATION
from Johns Hopkins

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY …


1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.


11. An effective way to battle cancer is to STARVE the cancer cells by not feeding it with foods it needs to multiple.

What cancer cells feed on:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Note: Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.


b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells will starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes t o nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells.

To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water--best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines will become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor.

Anger, unforgiving and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

Best World Cup ever? 50 reasons why Brazil 2014 totally rocked
With Germany about to take on Argentina in the World Cup final, RT comes up with 50 magic moments that made Brazil 2014 one of the most stunning World Cups in FIFA’s history.

Because 43-year-old Columbian goalkeeper, Faryd Mondragon, came in as a sub in his team’s group stage game against Japan to become the most mature World Cup player ever;

Because German striker, Miroslav Klose, scored against Brazil in a match held in Brazil to replace Brazil’s Ronaldo as the top scorer in World Cup history, with 16 goals in the bag;

Because Robin van Persie scored the event’s most stunning goal against Spain, with the Flying Dutchman’s diving header being immortalized in a special coin back home in the Netherlands:

Because an official White House petition was started to rename the Washington airport after US goalie, Tim Howard, who put up a record-breaking performance with 16 saves in a playoff match against Belgium;

Because Bruno Martins Indi of the Netherlands not only produced a solid defensive display, but also provided world football with one of its most crazed expressions:

Because the inform German side destroyed Brazil 7-1 in the semifinals to deliver the ‘Pentacampeoes’ their first defeat in 39 years as well as their biggest ever World Cup loss;

Because Colombia’s well-choreographed goal celebration dance was backed by an equally great game and a historic spot in the quarterfinals:

Because Germany’s 7-1 thrashing of hosts Brazil in the World Cup semi-finals was so brutal that it even made a debut in the 'public humiliation' section of the adult website Pornhub;

Because two American astronauts at the International Space Station had to be

shaved bald right up in orbit after the US team lost to Germany in the group stages;

Because Dutch coach, Louis van Gaal, made a risky swap ahead of the penalty shootout in the quarterfinals against Costa Rica to see substitute keeper, Tim Krul, bring Netherlands the win by saving two shots;


Because the small Central American country of Costa Rica stunned the football world by winning the ‘Group of Death’ with Uruguay, England and Italy, making it all the way to the World Cup quarterfinals;

Because the tidy Japanese supporters cleaned up the stands after themselves, following a group stage game against the Greeks;

Because titleholders, Spain, suffered a shocking early exit from the tournament, ensuring the world would get a new football champion in 2014;

Because football (or soccer) has been making waves on American TV as Team USA’s World Cup matches brought more people to the screens than the broadcast of NHL’s Stanley Cup finals;

Legendary ex-Paraguay goalie, Jose Luis Chilavert, has written a letter to support his colleague, Iker Casillas, who was under fire after Spain’s poor World Cup run, stressing that “for me, Iker is still the best in the world and by far.”

Because French coach, Didier Deschamps, spotted a drone spying on his team’s training session in Brazil;

Because Colombia’s James Rodriguez has turned into a global super-star during the World Cup, with the 22-year-old Monaco midfielder completing the event with an impressive 6 goals and 4 assists;

Because Germany’s national squad became the first team in history to make an appearance in four semifinals in a row;

Because players, who were named after Agent 007 – James Rodriguez of Colombia – and Russia’s first president – Costa Rica’s Yeltsin Tejeda – appeared on the pitch in Brazil;

Because it took German midfielder, Toni Kroos, 69 seconds to complete the fastest brace (score twice) in World Cup history as he upset the Brazilians in the semis;

Because the World Cup got off to a record-breaking start, averaging an incredible 3.06 goals per game in the first 16 matches;

Because the Germans needed just 29 minutes to put five goals past Brazil, with no other nation managing to score as much so fast;

Because the 7-1 thrashing of Brazil allowed Germany to surpass the Brazilians (221 goals) as the World Cup’s top scoring nation on 223 goals;

Because even US president Barack Obama, who used to play basketball in his youth, found time for football World Cup broadcasts during his busy schedule:

Because even a flood was unable to stop German and US fans from packing the stadium for a group game in Recife;

Because Team USA coach, Jürgen Klinsmann, wrote a letter, asking bosses to provide American workers with time off to watch the World Cup;

Because goal-line technology and special vanishing spray for refs to mark free kick spots were used in Brazil for the first time in the 84-year history of the World Cup;


Because Barack Obama was added to the English World Cup squad by a UK merchandise company, which confused the US president with footballer Chris Smalling;

Because Brazil 2014 has become the second most attended World Cup after USA 1994 (68,991 people per game), with an average gate of 52,762 people;

Because Uruguayan troublemaker, Luis Suarez, promised that he’ll “never do anything of kind again” after being handed a record four-months ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini in a group stage match;

Because Belgium’s Queen Mathilde congratulated the wrong player on scoring the winning goal against Russia (1-0), but royal support still helped the team reach the quarterfinals;

Because one hundred and sixty-seven clients of a betting firm have made money as they had a feeling that Uruguayan striker, Luis Suarez, would surely bite somebody during the World Cup;

Because young Brazilian players from the Anita Garibaldi slum on the outskirts of Sao Paulo has challenged the team that lifts the World Cup to attract attention to the poor living conditions in their neighborhood;

Because a Brazilian court showed that it cares for players’ health, ordering FIFA to introduce mandatory water breaks in World Cup matches if temperatures reach 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit);

Because the event helped in fighting crime as drug lord, Jose Diaz-Barajas, was arrested in Rio airport after buying a ticket for the Brazil vs Mexico match in his own name;

Because long-time political rivals – the US and Iran – collaborated on the football pitch, with American referee, Mark Geiger, and assistant Alireza Faghani of Iran working as a team at Colombia’s meeting with Greece;

Because Neymar lived up to the host nation’s great expectations by scoring four goals in five matches and becoming a truly irreplaceable figure in the Brazilian attack;

Because a giant grasshopper became an internet sensation after riding on the shoulder of Colombia’s James Rodriguez in the quarter-final against Brazil:

Because Chilean attacker, Mauricio Pinilla, has got a tattoo of the disappointing moment when he struck the crossbar in the dying seconds of extra-time in the playoff encounter with hosts Brazil;

"Because Leo Messi has managed to silence the skeptics, who said that he’s only eager to give his best for Barcelona, almost single-handedly (4 goals and 1 assist) pushing Argentine into final;

Because Uruguay’s President, Jose Mujica, called football’s governing body, FIFA,“a bunch of old sons of bitches”for harsh sanctions against his country’s ‘biting’ star, Luis Suarez.

Because Serge Aurier of the Ivory Coast has proven himself the top sprinter at the event, with a turn of pace measured at 33.52 kph during a group stage encounter against Columbia;

Because Mexico’s coach, Miguel Herrera, took honors as the most passionate man at the World Cup, a seething volcano of emotions on his team’s bench:

Because Javier Mascherano displayed unbelievable dedication in helping Argentina beat the Netherlands for a spot in the final, with the player suffering a concussion in the first half and then literally “tearing his anus” in a game-saving tackle on Arjen Robben;


Because a young girl sent a letter to David Luiz, the Brazilian captain, consoling him after his team’s 7-1 thrashing by Germany, writing “you don't need to be sad because you played well and did the best you could.”

Because physio Walter Ferreira suspended his own cancer treatment to get Uruguay’s striker, Luis Suarez, fit for the World Cup after knee injury and the player rewarded him with two goals against England:

Because English football great, Wayne Rooney, finally ended his 759 minute goal drought, putting his name on the scoreboard at the World Cup for the first time ever;

Because the thick brown dreadlocks, which have taken shape over some 10 years, made US midfielder, Kyle Beckerman, the most extravagant looking player at the event.

http://rt.com/news/172292-world-cup-brazil-rocked/

The World Cup may be over for Germany and Argentina, but players on both teams are putting their cash winnings to good use by donating them to worthy causes.

According to the UK-based Express, 25-year-old German football star Mesut Ozil has donated his World Cup prize money – totaling more than $400,000 for winning the tournament – to various charity projects in Brazil. The hefty sum is reportedly going to fund surgeries for 23 Brazilian children.

Ozil made the announcement official on his Facebook page, where he wrote the following:

“Dear fans, prior to the #WorldCup I supported the surgery of eleven sick children. Since the victory of the #WorldCup is not only due to eleven players but to our whole team, I will now raise the number to 23. This is my personal thank-you for the hospitality of the people of Brazil.”

The announcement comes after reports initially stated Ozil would be donating his winnings to the children of Gaza, a claim that was ultimately denied by the soccer player’s representative Roland Eitel.

"The claim that Mesut donated money to Gaza is not true," Eitel told Express. "Maybe in the future, who knows? He donated money to causes in Brazil and he is now on holiday."

Argentina won’t be left out of the donation game, either. Metro is reporting that the Argentinian squad has decided to donate nearly $110,000 of their winnings to a hospital in Buenos Aires, specifically its pediatric cancer center. The team as a whole was awarded a total of almost $20 million for coming in second place to Germany.

The idea was apparently suggested by Argentina’s Javier Mascherano, with the final donation going through Lionel Messi’s charity foundation.

http://rt.com/news/173384-world-cup-stars-donate-winnings/

samuelfemo: well i see this as a way foward,i mean which sector is actually working in this country, is good let them stay clear,let the private organisation come in,i think with this development nigeria is moving foward, football is a lucrative business in nigeria, 253 million is not so much money that football cannot generate in nigeria, if the likes of ,merrybet,premierbet,etc are making massive income in their millions,i belive NFF can survive with or without FG.......

So, what you are saying is that you will give NFF money and would not have a say about how they manage their affairs? Kindly tell us any successful private organisation that will ever agree to that include FIFA if you think they will agree to that kind of arrangement.

fredoooooo: carry ya case go heaven

oluwamessi forever

You sure are a crazy fellow well said

Why RAM Boosters And Task Killers Are Bad For Your Android


Stop killing your Android phone! There’s a lot of misinformation out there regarding the usefulness of RAM booster apps and task killer apps. At first glance they sound incredibly useful, but a closer look shows that they could actually be harming your phone instead.
Long story short: Simply avoid using RAM booster and task killer apps. They may have once been useful, but Android has progressed far enough that these sorts of apps are now outdated, unnecessary, and counterproductive. If you want to know why they’re bad, keep reading.
How Android Handles RAM and Apps

android task killers overview Why RAM Boosters And Task Killers Are Bad For Your Android
To understand how Android handles RAM, we first need to understand what RAM is and how it works.
There’s a lot of technobabble that could be said about it, but for our purposes, it’s enough to know that RAM means random access memory and it’s a type of storage that’s incredibly fast but disappears when the device shuts down. Therefore, RAM is useful for holding temporary information that changes a lot and gets frequently accessed.
On Windows, you want to keep as much RAM available as you can so that programs have enough room to operate. When RAM fills up, Windows is forced to start using hard drive space as virtual RAM and hard drives are much slower than physical RAM.
This is not true for Android.
Android’s operating system has its own native handler for assigning RAM to apps and making sure that all of it is being used in the most optimal way. In fact, Android purposely tries to keep apps loaded into RAM for better performance. RAM is fast, remember? On mobile devices, every bit of speed is critical for a good user experience, so keeping apps in RAM is actually a good thing.
If you use a lot of different apps, you may want to consider a model with more RAM the next time you buy a smartphone.
Not only does Android handle RAM assignment, but it also keeps track of background apps so they don’t use up unnecessary processor resources. There’s no noticeable performance hit for leaving apps loaded in RAM. There’s one exception to this, but we’ll cover that in the last section of this article.
The Deceit of RAM Boosters & Task Killers

android task killers drawbacks Why RAM Boosters And Task Killers Are Bad For Your Android
At this point, it might seem like RAM boosters and task killers are neutral. They might not necessarily help with Android performance, but they aren’t bad to have around, right? Maybe they provide some marginal benefits? Unfortunately, no. They are detrimental.
Typical Windows wisdom says to kill RAM-hogging processes and defragment your hard drive for faster speeds. This is good in the context of Windows, but applying it to Android results in negative gain.
For one, Android uses an SD card for file storage rather than a traditional hard drive. SD cards are a type of flash memory — similar to solid state drives – and don’t need to be defragmented. In fact, one of the downsides to flash memory is a limited number of times that data can be written to the card before it expires. By defragmenting an SD card, you can decrease its lifespan.
When you clear apps from RAM, Android is just going to load them into RAM again the next time it needs to access those apps (for notifications, updates, and other background details). This is actually slower for you since SD cards are slower than RAM.
And in the case of automatic task killers, you end up having to sacrifice some of your RAM and CPU to the task killer app itself, which is always running and monitoring for opportunities when tasks should be killed. This can be a big drain on battery life — and you aren’t getting anything useful in return!
Improving Android Performance & Battery Life

android task killers performance Why RAM Boosters And Task Killers Are Bad For Your Android
If you’re using a task killer, it’s likely the case that you just aren’t happy about your device’s performance. It’s slow, perhaps even sluggish, and using it is more of a nuisance than a joy. If a task killer isn’t going to help, what can you do to boost Android performance?
Kill misbehaving apps. You should avoid killing apps just to free up RAM, but always be on the lookout for apps that use an unusual amount of CPU. These can seriously slow down performance and kill battery life. Watchdog Task Manager is a great app for this.
Use lightweight apps. Many times, poor performance can be attributed to a particular app rather than the Android device itself. For frequently used apps (e.g., browsers, notebooks, music players, etc.) always go for the ones that are most lightweight and battery friendly.
Toggle unnecessary features. It’s convenient to keep your data on all of the time, but it’s going to have an impact on performance. The same goes for always keeping your WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS on. Toggle them off when you aren’t using them to preserve resources. Use a toggle widget to make it even easier to handle.
Install a custom ROM. This tip is a bit more advanced and should only be considered by those who are familiar with Android troubleshooting. Installing a custom ROM is like installing a different distribution of Linux: some ROMs are faster and less battery intensive, which is great for weaker devices.

No US Phone Number? No Problem – Best Free Apps For Calling To The USA

MakeUseOf

Do you want to make free calls to someone in the United States, but don’t have an American number yourself? You’re in luck. These two apps will help you do exactly that.
All you need is an Android phone or tablet with a WiFi or 3G/4G data connection, and you can start making calls to your American friends in no time. This is a great method for those living outside the US to reach loved ones inside, or for people living in the US to make domestic calls without paying an expensive monthly bill to a wireless carrier.
So many apps promise “free calls and texts” only for you to find out once you download it that this only applies to other users with the same app (think Skype to Skype calling) and all calls to real phone numbers require a small fee. Well, these apps are different. You can call real American phone numbers and have your own American number to receive calls from — all over the Internet for free.

MagicApp

The first up on this list is MagicApp, from the makers of Magic Jack. This handy little app only requires you to create an account using your email address to get started. Once you verify who you are through the email, you’re all good to go. You can immediately start making free calls to any US number.

There are no ads, and the interface is gorgeous. As you can see above, the background is a faded blue with light, modern fonts and simplistic icons. It’s incredibly easy to use and works just like a regular phone app, having tabs for recent calls, your contacts (which are automatically imported from your phone), account information, a keypad, and voicemail.
One of the more annoying aspects, however, is a constant notification that appears as soon as the app starts running. This is to let you know that MagicApp is on and you can be receiving calls at any time, but for those of us who like to keep our notifications bars empty and clean, it’s quite an annoyance that it cannot be removed.
magicapp 3 No US Phone Number? No Problem – Best Free Apps For Calling To The USA
One odd thing I did encounter while using the app, however, was that the number it showed me under my account was not the actual number I needed to give others to call me — not even close. My real MagicApp number was easy enough to find; I just had to call someone else and ask them what number showed up on Caller ID. That number is completely randomly generated, not allowing the user any selection, but it works!
magicapp 2 No US Phone Number? No Problem – Best Free Apps For Calling To The USA
Do note, though, that you cannot receive calls to your MagicApp number unless you have placed a call to that person in the past. If someone you’ve never called attempts to call you, they’ll only hear a polite robotic voice tell them that they need the MagicApp user to call them first.
To get the most out of the app, you’ll need to call all of your friends and family right off the bat so that they can later reach you at that number. If your intent is just to use this number with close friends and family, this could actually be a decent way of cutting down on spam calls.
Also, this app is only for calling. You won’t be able to send text messages. For texting, check out the next app in this list.

Talkatone

Talkatone, while less attractive of an app, is actually more functional. After the initial setup, which requires email verification just like MagicApp, you’re plopped into this dull interface that looks like a mashup between Android 2.3 Gingerbread and iOS 6.
However, looks aside, this app kills in the features department.
talkatone 4 No US Phone Number? No Problem – Best Free Apps For Calling To The USA
During setup, Talkatone allows you to kind of pick the number you want. I say kind of because you first need to search for an area code and hope that there are available numbers for that area code — there’s no master list of available numbers to pick from. But it is more number selection that MagicApp gives you, and the number you choose for Talkatone is 100% accurate — unlike my experience with MagicApp.
Talkatone also has a persistent notification, but this one is actually useful. It’s an actionable notification, meaning that tapping on the upper part will open the app, while tapping the lower part will close it. The actionable part is the ability to close the app from the notification tray, which is pretty cool. Thankfully, you can also disable the notification completely in the settings
talkatone 3 No US Phone Number? No Problem – Best Free Apps For Calling To The USA
The tabs along the top are very similar to MagicApp’s — automatically imported contacts, some favorites, a dialer. But Talkatone’s standout feature is the ability to send and receive text messages to other US number for free.
That in addition to the fact that anyone can call your Talkatone number at any time (without you needing to call them first), makes Talkatone an incredibly viable option for essentially emulating a regular American phone number.
talkatone 2 No US Phone Number? No Problem – Best Free Apps For Calling To The USA
You do get ads in Talkatone, but they’re banner ads that stay along the bottom and are rather unobtrusive.
Which Is The Best?

Talkatone easily takes the cake here, but only thanks to its extra features like text messages, the ability to receive calls from people you haven’t called yet, and the ability to remove the persistent notification. Aesthetically, MagicApp is a nicer-looking app, and I could see why some might choose it over Talkatone.
Google Voice should also be noted here because even though it requires a US number to activate it, it’s a great way to stop using up your minutes and text messages. Unfortunately, while iOS has add the ability to make calls from Google Voice for a while now, Android users still have to rely on third party alternatives like Mo+.

Thank God SE didn't get to this stage of the tournament. I can't imagine SE conceding 5 goals.

Goal!! Germany