₦airaland Forum

A French politician was jailed for three years today and her son for five years after they admitted smuggling illegal immigrants into Britain aboard a ferry.

Christiane Chocat, 51, a local councillor in her home town of Lumigny-Nesles-Ormeaux, near Paris, concealed 16 Vietnamese migrants behind boxes of noodles in the back of a hired transit van.

She was arrested along with son Benjamin, 20, when they arrived at Portsmouth Ferry Port, Hampshire, aboard the Normandie Express from Cherbourg on October 1 last year.
Benjamin and Christiane Chocat

Jailed: Christiane Chocat (right), a local councillor in France, and her son Benjamin admitted smuggling 16 Vietnamese immigrants in a transit van

Border officials became suspicious when they spotted condensation on the van's windows.

They then found 13 men and three women crouched inside a tiny 4ft high and 5ft 10in wide wooden box, hidden behind cases of shrimp noodles and dried soup.

Martyn Booth, prosecuting, told Portsmouth Crown Court how the Chocats had drilled air-holes above the van's wheel arches to allow the immigrants to breathe and left sugar and root ginger for them to eat.

Benjamin was to be paid more than £20,000 by a criminal gang to make the journey and recruited his mother as he was unable to drive.

Michael McGoldrick, defending, said Benjamin had lost his job and was struggling to cope.

He told the court: 'A so-called friend persuaded him to embark on the enterprise with the promise of 24,000 euros.

'He needed a driver and, as a devoted mother, Christiane agreed. It has left him feeling heartache on a daily basis that his decision has led to his mother's arrest and imprisonment.'

The Chocats had both pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration at earlier hearings.

Judge Roger Hetherington said he accepted that Mrs Chocat had only taken part out of 'a totally misguided loyalty to your son', but added: 'The sentence must reflect the seriousness of the offence and must deter others from taking same calculated risks.'

Chocat has been described as a 'pillar of the local community' in her home town and her solicitor Daniel Riley called her 'a devoted, generous and kind woman.'

Husband Georges, 51, revealed shortly after her arrest that his wife claimed her time in British custody was 'like Club Med' and detailed how she had been given a manicure.

The immigrants, the youngest of whom was just 15, were immediately sent back to France following a 'horrendous' seven hour journey.

The last member of a 65,000-year-old tribe has died, taking one of the world's earliest languages to the grave.

Boa Sr, who died last week aged about 85, was the last native of the Andaman Islands who was fluent in Bo.

Named after the tribe, Bo is one of the 10 Great Andamanese languages, which are thought to date back to the pre-Neolithic period when the earliest humans walked out of Africa.
Scroll down to hear Boa Sr speak the lost language of the Bo
Boa Sr, who died last week aged about 85, was the last native of the Andaman Islands who was fluent in Bo

Boa Sr, who died last week aged about 85, was the last native of the Andaman Islands who was fluent in Bo

Boa was the oldest member of the Great Andamanese, a group of tribes that are the the first descendants of early humans who migrated from Africa about 70,000 years ago and who arrived on the islands around 65,000. Other groups went on to colonise Indonesia and Australia.

She lived through the horrors and hardships of the 2004 Asian tsunami, the Japanese occupation and diseases brought by colonisers in the 19th century.

Boa described the moment the tsunami struck: 'We were all there when the earthquake came.

'The eldest told us "the Earth would part, don't run away or move". The elders told us, that's how we know.'

Professor Anvita Abbi, a linguist who knew Boa, said the tribeswoman had been losing her sight in recent years and was unable to speak with anyone in her own language.

Boa had no children and her husband died several years ago.

'Since she was the only speaker of Bo, she was very lonely as she had no one to converse with,' Professor Abbi told the Times.

'Boa Sr had a very good sense of humour, and her smile and full throated laughter were infectious.'

Satellite Image Of Asia


Professor Abbi managed to speak with Boa using a local version of Hindi and Great Andamanese, which is a mixture of all ten tribal languages.

'We had an odd relationship, but also a very intense one,' the professor said.

'I spent a long time with her in the jungle and shared many moments with her. She was very proud to be the last member of the Bo.'

Boa was born in the jungle of the northern Andamans and grew up in traditional society, learning to gather wild potatoes and hunt for wild pigs, turtles and fish.

In 1970, the Indian Government moved the Great Andamanese tribes to the tiny Strait Island near Port Blair.

Boa lived in a concrete and tin hut provided by the government and survived on state food rations and a pension of about 500 rupees (£6.80) a month.
Sentinelese tribesmen

Sentinelese tribesmen, who ban any contact with outsiders, prepare to fire arrows at an Indian Coast Guard helicopter

'She always said she wanted to go back to the place where she was born,' Professor Abbi said.

'Alcohol was a big problem. It was killing them one by one.'

The Bo are believed to have lived on the islands for as long as 65,000 years, making them one of the oldest surviving human cultures.

The king of the Bo tribe died in 2005, leaving only a handful of elderly members who also died over the next five years.

The Great Andamanese once numbered more than 5,000 and were made up of 10 distinct groups each with their own language.

But today, after more than 150 years of contact with colonisers and the diseases they brought with them, the Great Andamanese number just 52.

The only indigenous tribe that is relatively intact is the Sentinelese, who ban any contact with outsiders.

They were famously photographed firing arrows at an Indian helicopter after the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004.

Professor Abbi said that Boa often told her how she envied the fact that the Jarawa and the Sentinelese had managed to avoid contact with outsiders.

She recalled: 'She used to say they were better off in the jungle.'

Stephen Corry, director of Survival International, a group that campaigns for the rights of indigenous people, urged the Indian Government not to resettle any the Jawara or other indigenous tribes.

'With the death of Boa Sr and the extinction of the Bo language, a unique part of human society is now just a memory,' he said.

'Boa’s loss is a bleak reminder that we must not allow this to happen to the other tribes of the Andaman Islands.

opokonwa:
another long post

Epitome of a lazy reader

ritchboy:
Chelsea 0-11 Arsenal

Keep the faith and stop dreaming.

A 16-year-old Turkish girl was buried alive under a chicken coop by relatives because she talked to boys.

The body of Medine Memi was found in a sitting position with her hands tied in a 6ft hole dug in the courtyard of her family's home in Kahta, south-eastern Turkey, 40 days after she had been reported missing. The hole had been cemented over.

The teenager had a large amount of soil in her lungs and stomach - showing she suffered a slow and agonising death.

'The autopsy result is blood-curdling. According to our findings, the girl – who had no bruises on her body and no sign of narcotics or poison in her blood – was alive and fully conscious when she was buried,' said a forensics expert.
Enlarge   medine memi

A man, believed to be Medine's father, is led out of a police station by officers in Adiyaman, south-eastern Turkey
Medine Memi

This is the hole, under a chicken coop, in which Medine was buried alive by relatives. It is positioned in the courtyard next to the family home

Suspicion that her death had been especially brutal led to the commissioning of a report by university scientists after the original post-mortem examination.

Medine Meme's father and grandfather have now been arrested and jailed awaiting trial. The girl's mother was arrested, but later released.

It has emerged that the girl had made a complaint to police about her grandfather two months before she went missing, saying that he beat her because she talked to boys.

In addition her father Ayhan is said to have told relatives that he was unhappy that his daughter - one of nine children - had male friends.

Police made the grisly discovery in December following a tip-off from an informant.

After Medine's body was found in December, her mother Immihan said: 'She tried to take refuge at the police station three times, and she was sent home three times.'
Enlarge   turkey


The case has caused outrage in Turkey and reopened the debate over so-called honour killings which are particularly prevalent in the predominantly Kurdish south-east of the country.

Such killings are usually decided by a council of relatives which consist of the elders of the family.

Official figures state there are more than 200 such killings a year, around half of all murders in Turkey.

One commentator wrote on the website of a religious TV station: 'The punishment for whosoever should kill with intent is the hell where he will languish forever. Allah has cursed him and prepared great pain for him

'You named your daughter after the holy city of Medina but your mind is left over from the earlier Age of Ignorance.

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A Premier League football manager could be questioned by vice squad officers after he was pictured leaving a 'massage parlour', it emerged last night.
Portsmouth boss Avram Grant has come to the attention of police after they launched an investigation into a brothel where prostitutes charge £130 for intercourse.
The married father of two was pictured by The Sun entering and leaving the building on a shabby industrial estate near his club's training ground, before clambering into a chauffeur-driven car.

Avram Grant, pictured with wife Tzofit in 2004, may be questioned by police after he was photographed leaving a 'massage parlour'
Although 54-year-old Grant is said to have freely admitted that he knew it was a brothel, the newspaper was unable to reveal his identity last year, citing 'creeping privacy laws'.
At the time football fans' websites were flooded with speculation about his identity, with many accurately naming Grant and his club within hours of the story breaking.
In recent weeks his name has been widely circulated on the internet, with more than 10,000 references to the brothel visit on various websites.
His identity has now been revealed by the Daily Telegraph after police sources confirmed that they were pursuing an active investigation into the brothel.
Police told the newspaper that they will be speaking to clients of the brothel, any of whom could be called as witnesses if the inquiry results in a prosecution of anyone alleged to be living off immoral earnings.
Grant instructs Portsmouth players during a match last December
A source close to the investigation said: 'We want to speak to people who have been there, to clients who might be potential witnesses.'
In recent months there have been a number of cases in which wealthy and famous individuals have successfully used the Human Rights Act to gag the media.
MPs and lawyers have protested against the march of privacy laws, saying they have become an intolerable burden on freedom of speech and are winning Britain an international reputation for censorship and suppression of information.
However, last week's landmark ruling by Mr Justice Tugendhat to revoke a 'super-injunction' granted to England captain John Terry has swung the pendulum back in favour of freedom of speech, say legal experts.
Of the brothel investigation, a spokesman for Hampshire Police said: 'We are aware of certain allegations that have been made in connection with that location.
'There is nothing to evidence the allegations at the moment.'
Israeli-born Grant, who used to manage Chelsea, allegedly declined to answer questions about the brothel visit which were put to him via his solicitor this week.
The brothel is a short drive from Portsmouth's training ground in Eastleigh, Hampshire, and is housed in an industrial unit in the village of Horton Heath.
Grant's trip to the brothel was said to be his second following an hour-long visit in October.

Prostitution is not against the law in the UK, nor is using the services of a prostitute in a private place, but keeping a brothel is illegal under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and carries a maximum prison sentence of seven years.

[quote author=nice-guy10 link=topic=392287.msg5441002#msg5441002 date=1265215022]Just go away from here 419.[/quote]Not only a 419,he is a rogue.

A couple have been arrested for keeping their 12-year-old daughter locked in a wardrobe for over a year.

Alfredo Ines and his wife Leticia only allowed the girl out to attend school.

The young victim was not allowed to use the family bathroom and was given a bucket to keep in the cupboard.
Alfredo Ines
Leticia Ines

Alfredo and Leticia Ines: Accused of keeping their daughter locked in a wardrobe

Each morning she was forced to empty and clean out the bucket before being allowed to go to school.

On her return Mr Ines, 43, and his 40-year-old wife locked her away in the cramped space at their home in West Brownsville, Texas.

Police said the girl, who has not been named and has now been placed in foster care, had to do her homework by light that seeped under the locked door.

The girl's brothers aged 11, 15 and 17 were aware of the mistreatment but said they were too afraid to report it to authorities.

Her abuse only came to light when one of the boys reported it to school officials.

When investigators arrived at the home, they found the girl so malnourished she looked like an eight-year-old.

Investigator’s photographs show how she slept on fleece quilts on the cement floor.

By the blankets, there were pictures of the Virgin of Guadalupe, a notebook and the white bucket.
Cupboard girl

Disgrace: The cupboard where the youngster was imprisoned for a year

A few sundresses still hang on a rack in the small room.

Children’s scribbles and a few little stars, bright blue and lime green, appear to have been drawn across the walls in magic markers, sporadic flares of color on grimy ivory.

But inside, investigators said the place was usually dark.

Her parents told police they were forced to keep her locked up to stop her taking food from the fridge.

'Everyone in the house knew what was going on, but you have children, who based on fear, hold this secret,' said Sgt Jimmy Manrrique, spokesman for the Brownsville Police Department.

The Ines have been charged with unlawful restraint and child abuse and held in Brownsville County jail.

The girl has been placed in foster care while her brothers are being looked after by family members.

Alfredo is only the biological father of the youngest son, investigators said.

Police have yet to discover why the girl was singled out for abuse.

The British Government has said it will repatriate 43 million pounds siphoned by corrupt Nigerian government officials to offshore accounts.
In a release signed by the Independent and Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, the declaration was made by the liaison officer for West Africa of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), Mr  Michael Dockree when he visited the ICPC headquarters, Abuja.

According to the ICPC statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Mike Sowe, Dockree said he came to ICPC to discuss potential areas of cooperation between the two agencies, particularly in the areas of education, public enlightenment, intelligence gathering and asset tracking.
He also emphasised his government`s commitment and assistance to security agencies and anti-corruption Commissions
ICPC Chairman, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, who was represented by Dr. Uriah Angulu assured Dockree of the Commission`s readiness to partner with stakeholders in the United Kingdom in all aspects of the anti-corruption campaign.

Ayoola said the activities of the Commission will be enhanced as soon as the National Assembly amends the Act establishing the Commission which will make it more proactive in dealing with cases of Corruption.
Also speaking at the courtesy call, three officials of the ICPC, Sir Simeon Oguntimehin, Dame Julie-Nwariaku and Alhaji Abdullahi Bako thanked Dockree for his visit and commended the British Government for its Commitment in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

A nine-year-old Chinese schoolgirl has become one of the world's youngest mothers after giving birth to a healthy boy.

The unnamed girl was brought to a hospital in Changchun, which lies in the north-east of the country, when she was eight and a half months pregnant.

Two days later, she gave birth to the 6lb boy by Caesarean section, a Chinese newspaper has reported.
Songyuan, China

The girl, nine, who apparently gave birth to a healthy baby boy is said to come from the town of Songyuan (pictured) in north-east China. Her family refuse to discuss the pregnancy, but say they have reported it to the police
Enlarge   satellite image of china with surrounding countries darkened

GIRLS REACHING PUBERTY AT EVER YOUNGER AGES

Menstruation usually starts at the age of 12 but it is not uncommon for it start earlier. In the western world children are reaching puberty at younger and younger ages - some girls at the age of seven. Many blame rising obesity rates because, generally, girls who achieve menstruation earlier in life tend to have greater body mass index and a higher ratio of fat compared to those who begin menstruation later. University of Bristol research has suggested one girl in six reaches puberty before the age of eight - 18 months earlier than their mothers. Periods are a sign that a girl is now releasing fertile eggs which makes her able to conceive

The child comes from the nearby town of Songyuan. Her family refused to discuss the pregnancy, but confirmed they had reported it to the police.

Last night police were reportedly trying to establish who the father is.

In the province, sex with a child under the age of 14 brings an automatic rape conviction and a lengthy jail sentence.

A legal expert told the paper that women under the age of 14 do not have sexual rights  - 'so any argument of being consensual as a defence is completely untenable,' he said.

He added: 'Anyone who had sexual relations with a girl under 14 means they have committed rape and is to be punished severely.'

A  hospital in China's largest city, Shanghai, recently said that about 30 per cent of abortions were on school-aged girls.

The youngest reported mother in the world - and the most bizarre of all young pregnancy cases - is five-year-old Lina Medina of Peru, who gave birth to a 6lb son named Gerardo in a Caesarean operation in 1939.
lina medina

Lina Medina, accompanied by her 11-month-old-son Gerardo, and Dr Lozada who helped with the birth. The picture was taken in 1939 in a hospital in Lima, Peru's capital

Her father was arrested on suspicion of sexual abuse but was later released because of lack of evidence.

In 1957 another Peruvian girl, aged nine, gave birth to a girl weighing just over 6lb and, curiously, it was in 2006 that yet another Peruvian girl, aged eight, gave birth to a 4lb 4oz girl.

Several other girls aged nine, from Thailand, Singapore, Rwanda and Brazil, have also given birth.

Mothers aged as young as 10 and 11 have also become an increasing occurrence.

The youngest mother in Britain is believed to have been 11 when she got pregnant and 12 years old when she gave birth.

South African president Jacob Zuma was today likened to shamed golfer Tiger Woods after it emerged the leader had fathered his 20th child out of wedlock.

The notorious polygamist, 67, was slammed for indulging in a sex life that countered government efforts to curb the spread of HIV by promoting safe practice.

Mr Zuma, who has three wives, faced widespread criticism after reportedly fathering a baby girl born to the 39-year-old daughter of a local football World Cup organiser.
South African president Jacob Zuma

South African president Jacob Zuma posing for photographs with his three wives Sizakele Khumalo (R) Nompumelo Ntuli (L) Thobeka Mabhija (2-L). It has emerged the leader has fathered his 20th child out of wedlock

Kenneth Meshoe, a Christian Democrat, likened him to disgraced star Tiger Woods, who was exposed last year as having cheated on his wife with multiple partners.

Rev Meshoe told South Africa's Times newspaper: 'We recommend Zuma goes for sex addiction therapy as Tiger Woods did.'

In South Africa, where around 5.8 million people are infected with deadly HIV, public health drives have been repeatedly launched to combat the spread of the disease.

After former president Thabo Mbeki failed to tackle the problem successfully, Mr Zuma's administration has made bold statements encouraging the use of condoms and single sexual partners.

But the fact that Mr Zuma has had unprotected sex with a woman he was not married to has raised fresh doubt over his ability to be a positive role model.
South African President Jacob Zuma
Tobeka Madiba

Controversial: The South African president, Jacob Zuma, and his fifth wife, Tobeka Madiba

Rev Meshoe added that the birth of little Thandekile Matina Zuma in October was 'clear indication he is not using condoms and is undermining the safe sex message of his own government'.

'We find it unacceptable for a head of state not to take morality seriously and set such a bad example, particularly for young men in the country. 

'South Africa must demand leaders who are morally accountable.'

It emerged yesterday in a report by South Africa's Sunday Times newspaper that banking executive Sonono Khoza was the mother of Mr Zuma's latest child.

Her father, Irvan Khoza, 61, the chairman of the country's Premier Soccer League, was said to be upset by the the relationship.

Mr Zuma's office did not deny the claims, and a spokesman for his party, the African National Congress, confirmed he had paid compensation expected in tribal custom for the mother of any child born out of wedlock.

Mr Zuma recently defended his polygamy and said it was part of his Zulu culture and did not detract from his belief in women's equality.

Asked if he loved all his wives equally, he replied: 'Absolutely'.

As the scandal of him fathering his 20th child outside of wedlock gathered momentum in South Africa today, the Times newspaper reported a host of opposition leaders voicing disgust.

Helen Zille, leader of the Democratic Alliance, said: 'South Africa now has a president who, both through his words and actions, is doing similar damage to the struggle against HIV/Aids - a life and death struggle for millions of South Africans.

'President Zuma's behaviour directly contradicts the government's campaign against multiple sexual partners, and the inherent Aids risk in having unprotected sex.'

Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille said: 'He is the one who is always preaching responsible sexual behaviour, but it seems he is sending a message which says "Don't do as I do, do as I say".'

Mr Zuma has previously defended his choice to have more than one wife as part of his traditional Zulu culture.

Many experts in tribal culture would maintain that the case of Tiger Woods, whose cheated on wife Elin Nordegren, was not comparable as it was based in a different set of values.

Mr Woods, 35, has been widely reported to be receiving treatment in a sex addiction clinic.

When Julie Stead arrived to visit her boyfriend's family in Gambia, she was pleased to be given an elegant cream and white outfit.

She wore it on her birthday a few days later, believing she was going to a party.

But she soon discovered that the big event was her own marriage - and there was nothing romantic about it.
Julie Stead with Jobe on their wedding day

Julie Stead eagerly accepted Jobe's invitation to spend a two-week holiday with his family in Gambia - little did she know she would end up marrying him there

Her boyfriend threatened to leave her stranded in Africa if she refused to go through with it.

Only after reluctantly agreeing did 28-year-old Miss Stead discover that her 'husband' was already married to a Gambian woman and had two children.

Yesterday, as he was jailed, she told how she had been targeted by a serial conman as a means to live legitimately in the UK.

Miss Stead, a carer from Bridlington, East Yorkshire, met Ahmed Jobe, 31, at a nightclub in the seaside town in 2006.

He told her he worked for BT and she quickly fell in love, ignoring her parents' concerns.
Ahmed Jobe

Jobe was jailed for four years and three months after being found guilty of 10 fraud charges

Within months, she eagerly accepted an invitation to spend a two-week holiday with his family in his West African homeland.

A few days later she found herself at her 'surprise' wedding. Alone and vulnerable, she felt she had no option but to go ahead with the short ceremony.

She said: 'I just froze. He told me if I didn't co-operate he was going to leave me there. I didn't see any way out because he had my passport and I didn't know where I was.

'I felt completely isolated. I didn't know what to do. He knew that I didn't have anywhere to go in Gambia and that I didn't know anyone and couldn't speak the language. I was stuck.'

The couple returned to the UK and lived at Jobe's house in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, sleeping in separate bedrooms until she had the courage to walk out of the bigamous relationship.

'I just couldn't believe what had happened to me, I was so ashamed I had been conned and frightened that I didn't tell anyone about the marriage, none of my friends or my family,' she said.

'I'm just glad it's all over now and I can move on. I would urge all women to be careful about who they trust. This has been a nightmare and it has been hard to learn to trust people again.'

Yesterday Jobe was jailed for four years and three months at Leeds Crown Court.

He was earlier found guilty of ten fraud charges, perverting the course of justice and perjury.
ceremony

Ms Stead, a carer from Bridlington, East Yorkshire, was told she would be left stranded in Africa if she didn't agree to go through with the surprise ceremony

The court heard Jobe entered the country as a student and overstayed when his visa expired in 2001.

He soon became involved in a range of fraudulent activities. Prosecutor Andrew Dallas said Jobe's case was one of 'sustained dishonesty, subterfuge and manipulation, met by fantastic explanations that don't stand up to any scrutiny whatsoever'.

Using a variety of false identities he fooled banks, immigration officials and police. Under the name Carl Davies he cheated his way into obtaining a £54,950 mortgage. He also used false documents to get a £12,260 loan from the HSBC bank.

Despite separating from Miss Stead in 2007 he told a Home Office official that they were still together and was approved for indefinite residency.

But Jobe was arrested at his home in November 2008 and police found a stash of faked identity documents.

He is eligible for deportation on completion of his sentence.

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with first degree murder in the U.S. after shooting dead his parents when they nagged him to help out with household chores.

John Caudle told investigators his mother Joanne Rinebarger had repeatedly told him to take out the rubbish and clean up his room.

The teenager spent two days brooding over the row, having removed two pistols from a gun safe in their home.
John Caudle

Charged: 14-year-old John Caudle told investigators his mother, Joanne Rinebarger had repeatedly told him to take out the rubbish and clean up his room

When the argument flared again after Caudle returned home from school last October, he shot dead his 38-year-old mother as she sat watching TV in their living room.

The teenager hid in the laundry room until her heard his stepfather Tracy return home.

According to court documents, Caudle stepped out and shot him in the back of the head as he walked past his hiding spot.

Officer Kirby Lewis said in the arrest warrant that a crude attempt had been made to clean up the blood with towels and floor wipes.

Police later recovered the blood-stained towels from the house.

Caudle remained in the house overnight playing computer games as his parents' dead bodies lay sprawled on the floor.

The following morning he drove his stepfather's pick up truck to school where teachers said he appeared 'happy'.
Joanne Rinebarger

Shot dead: The bodies of Joanne and Tracy, left, Rinebarger were found sprawled on the floor in their home in Fairplay, Colorado

Caudle's grandfather made the grisly discovery of his parents' bodies when he called at their home in Fairplay, Colorado.

Court documents relating to the shooting last October have revealed that Caudle cited an argument over chores for carrying out the shootings.

'Caudle said the reason he shot Joanne Rinebarger was because he did not want to do household chores,' the affidavit read.

Court documents indicate Caudle told investigators that after the murders, he played on his computer and watched movies before driving his stepfather's truck to school the next day.

He was arrested by police after they pulled him over as he drove across the state to stay with a relative.

Despite his age, prosecutors have charged him as an adult with first degree murder. 

Prosecutor Dan Edwards described the murders as the 'worst of the worst' and said only the boy's age has stopped him from seeking the death penalty.

Caudle will face life imprisonment if convicted of the double murder.

His stepfather's brother Mike Rinebarger said the family are struggling to come to terms with the killings.

'What happened is a tragedy that we will probably never understand. Tracy and Joanne were very good people, loved by all who knew them,' he said.

'We are deeply saddened. The loss of my brother and his wife has not only affected family and friends, but an entire community who are still trying to make sense of it all. Both Tracy and Joanne will be greatly missed.'

Undated file handout photo issued by Manchester police of Megan Williams

Tragic: Megan Williams was dancing to Lady Gaga songs when she put the cord around her neck

A schoolgirl accidentally hanged herself with a dressing gown cord in a tragic accident as she danced round her bedroom listening to her favourite music.

Megan Williams, 10, was dancing to Lady Gaga songs when she put the cord around her neck.

The cord, which was tied to a bunk bed, tightened as she danced around and strangled her to death.

The alarm was raised when her 15-year old brother ran downstairs to their mother Lisa saying: 'Megan's hanged herself.'

A coroner said the accident graphically illustrated the dangers of children playing around with cords.

Mrs Williams tried to revive her daughter using tips she had seen on television but the schoolgirl died later in hospital.

She fought back tears as she relieved last May's tragedy at the inquest in Manchester.

Megan - described as a 'little Princess' - and her two sisters had just returned from school and went upstairs to play in her bedroom.

Mrs Williams said the children tied the dressing gown to the bunk bed and would often swing from it.

She said: 'The kids also used to tie the cord to the bunk bed to swing from one bed to another. I did actually cut it down once but they just put it up again. One time I put the cord in the bin. Then they must of taken it out and put it up again.

'That day I know she was dancing as she often does, I could hear her on the floor boards, I could hear her favourite chart music.'

Her brother discovered her lifeless body hanging from the dressing gown cord and immediately told his mother.

Mrs Williams said: 'I remember thinking he was joking and waiting for him to change then I realised something wasn't right. He then repeated: "Megan's hung herself" then I really knew something was up.'

She found her daughter's body resting on the edge of the bottom bunk still in her school uniform with the navy blue dressing gown cord round her neck.

She said: 'Her lips were blue. I shouted something like:  "Oh My God. No!" I saw the cord around her neck, I lifted it off her and saw a red mark on her neck.'

Megan was rushed to hospital in a critical condition but her life support machine was switched off 24 hours later.

The inquest heard one of her daughters later admitted that she had tied the dressing gown cord to the top bunk, with a loop in the bottom of it so she could put her leg into the loop and pull herself up.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Nigel Meadows said: 'There is nothing to suggest that Megan had deliberately tried to harm herself. This is an illustration of the significant dangers and risks of playing around with ligatures.

'The ligature had been placed there either by her or one of her siblings, she had put her head through the loop and was just leaning forward.

'It was unknown to her that that it was going to cause significant problems for her and was going to result in her going unconscious. She wouldn't have appreciated the risk, she probably was just messing about, there was nothing she could do at that point.'

Mr Meadows told Mrs Williams she should be commended for trying her best to save her daughter's life.

He said: 'You should be commended for the responsible thing you did in giving her mouth to mouth because many parents in those circumstances go into blind panic.

'But you really did all the sensible things and in fact you gave Megan the best chance of being resuscitated.'

In a statement Mrs Williams said: 'Our whole family are devastated by such a tragic event.  Not a day will go by without us thinking about the joy Megan brought into our lives. She was a chatterbox and really mischievous.'

IT was like a scene out of a Yoruba movie, when an anguished  Abiola Titilola Sanusi told  an Ikeja high court   how she was allegedly abandoned by her husband, Oludamilola Olusanya Sanusi for the so called greener pasture abroad.     

Though, stories of this nature abound everywhere, Titilola cut a very pathetic picture in the witness box when she told the story of how her husband left her in the height of their romance.

Titilola, a business woman told Justice Elfreda William-Dawodu of the family court, Ikeja that her lovely hubby deserted her precisely 10 days after they tied the nuptial knot, denying her the enjoyment of her wedding.

So, to fill the gap left behind by her husband, the aggrieved woman approached the court for the official separation of their marriage.

Abiola had told the court that they got married at a Lagos registry on March 31, 2005 and had a church wedding, two days after, precisely on April 2, 2005.

She said  : “After the church wedding, both of us proceeded to my husband’s family house at No. 9, Abayomi Talabi Street, Ojodu, Lagos where we lived from April 2, 2005 till April 12, 2005 when my husband traveled out of the country.”

She noted, what supposed to be a thing of joy latter turned sour.

Titilola also explained to the court while being led in evidence by her counsel, Olumide Ibiwole that she last set her eyes  on her husband   on April 12, 2005.

What made  her story more sympathetic was that five years into the marriage, her  hope of meeting her husband one day, probably when he will arrive to pick her abroad and continue their love affairs    Was dashed. She   informed the court that they were communicating on phone intermittently until January 2006, when the man bluntly told her not to initiate calls to him anymore.

“We spoke  on phone sometimes, his response has always been harsh and unbecoming of the man I married. Our last contact was in January 2006 when I called him and he bluntly told me to stop calling him.”

She said that she decided   to file for divorce   when she realized that there was  no chance of them getting back together again. She maintained that there is no likelihood they could live together again as husband and wife.

Further hearing of the case was adjourned till March 9, 2010.

Togo goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale feels he is akin to "a miracle" after surviving the attack on the team bus in Angola.

The 25-year-old was travelling to the African Nations Cup with the rest of his team-mates prior to the start of the competition when they were shot at with machine-guns in the Cabinda region of the country.

Three people died in the January 8 incident - the bus driver, an assistant coach and a press officer - while Obilale, who was initially also reported as dead, had to be flown to South Africa for emergency treatment after sustaining gunshot wounds in the lower back and abdomen.

"I'm a miracle," the France based goalkeeper told L'Equipe from Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg, where he has been since the attack. "I'm alive, I'm doing well, I'm talking, eating and breathing.

"I want to go back home. When the tension increases in me, I lose it, I want to break everything. I want to see my children again and be back with those closest to me."

The Action Congress (AC) has described the murder of Otunba Dipo Dina, its gubernatorial candidate in Ogun state during the 2007 general elections, as the latest indication of a rising culture of intolerance and insecurity in the country.

In a statement issued in Lagos  Today by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said indications are that the killing was not as a result of armed robbery, especially given Otunba’s Dina’s political battles in Ogun State and the fact that the other two occupants of his car were reportedly unharmed by the killers.

It said whatever is the motive for killing Otunba Dina – whether it is social, economic or political – it signals a dangerous trend that must be curbed urgently, and the police must start by finding Dina’s killers and bringing them to book.

“We know the antecedents of the police vis-à-vis unravelling high level killings in Nigeria does not give room for much optimism, but since we remain a country governed by law, we are left with no choice than to call on the police to do whatever they can to find Dina’s killers and make this the last such killing in our country,” AC said.

The party also called for tolerance, saying no disagreement, no matter how grave, could justify the termination of a human life.

“Our country has witnessed a series of high level killings in recent times, which gives an impression that we do not attach much premium to human life and dignity. These killings, together with the rising spate of kidnappings, armed robberies as well as ethno-religious violence, do not portray us in good light in the comity of nations.

“A nation that is not at war, and yet loses a high number of its prominent and non-prominent citizens to senseless killings cannot and should not expect to be taken serious by civilised nations. This madness must stop!,” AC said.

Otunba Dipo Dina was abducted and killed at Ota, Ogun State last night by an unknown group of armed men.

ENUGU—A group of Anambra people living in Germany has endorsed Dr. Chris Ngige, the governorship candidate of Action Congress (AC) for the 6 February 2010 polls, saying he stood a better chance to lift the state to the next level of development.

Operating under the aegis of Anambrarians in Diaspora, the group said in a statement made available to Vanguard that the decision to back Ngige in the contest for  Anambra Government House, was taken after a critical analysis of the political situation in the state as well as the capacity of the various contestants to facilitate the much-desired development of the state.

“We have decided to endorse Dr. Chris Ngige based on his track records of achievements during his first tenure in office.  Considering the short period of his tenure and the resources at his disposal at the time he served and what accrued to the state under the outgoing Governor Peter Obi, there is no doubt that  Ngige did better and we have the confidence that he would re-enact that feat if given another opportunity,” the group said.

Osama bin Laden today warned of further attacks against the U.S. after claiming responsibility for the failed attempt to blow up a plane in Detroit on Christmas Day.

In an audio recording said to have been made by the Al Qaeda leader, Bin Laden said his organisation was behind the plot to kill hundreds of people last month.

Describing his threat as a message 'from Osama to [U.S. president Barack] Obama', he urged the West to stop supporting Israel. 

Voice recognition experts were urgently checking the authenticity of the short recording, which was released two days after Britain's security threat was raised to the second highest level.
Bin Laden

Chilling: A new audio message purporting to be from Osama Bin Laden warns the U.S. of more attacks if it continues to support Israel

In the tape, a man claiming to be bin Laden paid tribute to terrorist who tried to blow up a plane as it approached Detroit on December 25.

He said: 'The message sent to you with the attempt by the hero Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is a confirmation of our previous message conveyed by the heroes of September 11.

'If it was possible to carry our messages to you by words we wouldn't have carried them to you by planes.'

otukpo:
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – The most powerful aftershock yet struck Haiti on Wednesday, shaking more rubble from damaged buildings and sending screaming people running into the streets eight days after the country's capital was devastated by an apocalyptic quake.

The magnitude-6.1 temblor was the largest of more than 40 significant aftershocks that have followed the Jan. 12 quake. The extent of additional damage or injuries was not immediately clear.

Wails of terror rose from frightened survivors as the earth shuddered at 6:03 a.m. U.S. soldiers and tent city refugees alike raced for open ground, and clouds of dust rose in the capital.

The U.S. Geological Survey said Wednesday's quake was centered about 35 miles (60 kilometers) northwest of Port-au-Prince and 6.2 miles (9.9 kilometers) below the surface — a little further from the capital than last week's epicenter was.

"It kind of felt like standing on a board on top of a ball," said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Steven Payne. The 27-year-old from Jolo, West Virginia was preparing to hand out food to refugees in a tent camp of 25,000 quake victims when the aftershock hit.

wrong section.

travelcare:
@suxes2005
@oyibomoses

I strongly believe that there has never been any reported case of scam by Travelcare Consults on Nairaland and there can never be one. At Travelcare, we dont believe in antagonism, we handle issues with absolute diplomacy. Some posters primary occupation here is to hunt for names and reputation  to destroy or paint them black instead of using their time productively on other things. When you visit a doctor, you dont expect the doctor to just give you drugs unless you explain what ailment you have and the doctor can decide which medical procedure you have to follow. The Holy bible also confirms it that".ask, and it shall be given unto you". We have over the years contributed to peoples' opinions, views and questions which have helped One thousand and one (1001) people, known and unknown.

Maybe some of these 'black hunters' never thought as deeply as they ought to or they may have been duped, that is why they come on here to paint other posters (with good will and integrity) black, they need more orientation and there is a strong need for them to think deeply before posting anything here.

We all know that most embassies or other websites on Travel matters do not post all that can answer a potential travelers' querries, hence, potential travelers may not realise it until they have been refused visa. If this is not true, Nairaland's 'Travel section' may be as dry as the surface of the rock, hence, past experiences and expert's touch cannot be ignored.

Travelcare Consults stands on a solid rock, no amount of criticism can bring us down.

Go siddon 4 corner.

kings19:
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@ poster i am interested,i just sent u an email.

mamma j:
Hi all,
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You can call 08091818077 if you have any offer.
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Yms Travel:
Call YMS TRAVELS AND TOURS LTD for visas and your international ticket 08033246961 or you can also visit our website www.ymstravelsandtours.com

@ poster,the new year just begins think positively.There is betterment in the future.Stop wasting ur precious time.