Nigerian Times

Madam Patricia Etteh, the first female Speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives, resigned Tuesday, following her indictment over the misappropriation of public funds in multiple contracts of N628m (US$5 million)for the renovation of her official residence and the purchase of 12 official cars. The Representatives had exchanged blows as they fought over the case and Dr. Aminu Safana, the House Committee Chairman on Health, slumped during the pandemonium. He was rushed to National Hospital in Abuja where he died shortly after and the Speaker was accused of causing his sudden death. She ignored and dismissed calls for her resignation until Tuesday. "Following advice from family, friends and colleagues and in the interest of democracy, I tender my resignation," She said in a press statement in Abuja. Her deputy, Hon. Babangida Nguroje also resigned, because of his complicity in the case. The Lower House has appointed Hon. Perngu Tsengba as the Speaker Pro Tempore. Re...

Dear Orikinla Osinachi, Ask Yourself… Will you help us survive? If you think information can transform the way you see the world, if youhave faith in helping people to help each other, if you believe in askingquestions (and seeking answers), in all humility, we ask you now to help us save dropping knowledge. We appeal to every one of you who has admired anything we’ve achieved(from our question ads to our films to our web-magazines to our Table ofFree Voices) to open your hearts, your minds and your wallet, purse orpocketbook, to donate online now via Paypal, debit or credit card . We ask this of you, dear dropping knowledge user, even though weunderstand your money would be better spent helping to provide food,shelter and medicines to those in need, to checking the spread ofpreventable disease, to educating the world’s children and to plantingtrees. Even so, we appeal to you (yes, you), here and now, to help us too. Help us to continue sharing questions, dialogue and meaning. Help us ...

Dear Orikinla, On Friday afternoon, just hours after the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that his sentence amounted to cruel and unusual punishment, Genarlow Wilson was released from prison. In 2005, Genarlow Wilson, a 17-year-old star athlete and top student, was convicted of aggravated child molestation for having consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old classmate. The NAACP has been involved in the Wilson case since 2003, when the youth was initially charged with sex-attack, working with both the Georgia legislature and the judicial system to free Genarlow. He had been incarcerated for almost three years of a ten-year sentence, even though only months after his conviction, a "Romeo and Juliet" law was passed that would have had a maximum allowable sentence of 12 months. Genarlow remained incarcerated until Friday in spite of June decision by a Monroe County Superior Court judge to void the original sentence on constitutional grounds and reduce it to one year. Cases like Genarl...

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time 29 Oct 2007 Atlas Petroleum & Partner eye sale of Niger Delta block Prince Arthur Eze and Atlas Petroleum International Offer 2.2 Billion Barrels of Resource Potential in the Offshore Niger Delta(Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) Houston and Lagos (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Atlas Petroleum International Ltd and partner Summit Oil and Gas Worldwide are evaluating the sale of up to 40 per cent of the working interest in Block OML 109, located just 12 miles offshore in the shallow waters of the Niger Delta. "Following on the heels of our recent success with Noble Energy on Block I in Equatorial Guinea, we believe now is the time to explore opportunities with prospective new partners in this as yet under-explored block, OML 109," said Prince Arthur Eze, owner and chairman of Atlas Petroleum International Ltd. Recently, a complete review of OML 109 was conducted and the results revealed an exploration potential of...

The Supreme Court of Nigeria was right in the judgment to nullify the Election of Mr. Celestine Omehia as the governor of Rivers State in Southern Nigeria, but was wrong to install the former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as the new governor of the state. There is no need to write a thesis on this matter, because even a layman with common sense should be able to know that the Supreme Court of Nigeria has no constitutional or legal right to install someone who never contested the gubernatorial election as the governor of Rivers state. The installation of Hon. Rotimi Amaechi contradicts the jurisprudence of the Rule of Law and democracy. If the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) erred in law by the selection of Mr. Celestine Omehia to contest for the post of governor and he actually contested, then the proper judgment would be to nullify his election and not the installation of Hon. Rotimi Amaechi who never contested the gubernatorial elec...

US has fined oil giant BP, $373 Million for fatal Texas Refinery explosion and price-fixing charges. Click here to Watch the video news report

"We shall form a government of the rich, the poor, the handsome, the ugly, the young and the old." ~ Honourable Rotimi Amaechi, the new governor of Rivers State.

Chevron Commits $500,000 to California Wildfire Relief Efforts SAN RAMON, Calif., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) , today committed $500,000 to support relief efforts in the communities affected by the Southern California wildfires. The commitment includes a $400,000 contribution to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund that will support wildfire relief efforts across Southern California and a $100,000 contribution that will be directed towards local charities and relief efforts in the communities where Chevron operates. In addition to the $500,000 contribution, Chevron is also providing immediate in kind support to those communities that have been evacuated with the provision of 20,000 bottles of water and 11,500 meals. "Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by these devastating fires," said Peter Robertson, Chevron vice chairman. "We are very grateful to the American Red Cross for their efforts in providing critical a...

Congressional Hearing to Examine Why Many of the World's Poorest Countries Are the Richest in Natural Resources WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being issued by Publish What You Pay United States: WHAT: Public Hearing -- House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services Hearing entitled "Transparency of Extractive Industries: High Stakes for Resource-Rich Countries, Citizens and International Business" WHERE: 2128 Rayburn House Office Building WHEN: Thursday, October 25th, 10 a.m. BACKGROUND: Natural resource-dependent countries almost always develop more slowly than non-resource-dependent countries, are more susceptible to the outbreak of civil war (i.e., blood diamonds) and experience a high incidence of corruption. This is often known as the "resource curse." The natural resource sector, including diamonds, oil, gas and other minerals, is one of the most secretive sectors, with citizens of many countries (typically ...

24 Oct 2007 09:00 Africa/Lagos PR Newswire Broadcast Minute Special Edition: California Wildfires for October 24, 2007 To hear a Podcast of the PR Newswire Broadcast Minute and other MultiVu radio content, cut and paste this URL into your podcast application (e.g. iTunes, iPodder): http://feeds.feedburner.com/prnewswire_bcm Southern California Wildfires Bring Out Massive Movement of Red Cross ResourcesWith the wildfires still escalating, Red Cross supplies and volunteers are en route to Southern California by the thousands. More than 500 American Red Cross workers have been hard at work since Sunday morning and the Red Cross is expanding its services rapidly as the needs change and escalate. Here's what the Red Cross has on the way: -- 25-thousand cots -- 50-thousand blankets -- 50-thousand pre-packaged meals -- 25-thousand comfort kits filled with toiletry items -- 75 mobile feeding trucks and 2 Southern Baptist Kitchens -- one-thousand shelter workers -- one-t...

Outrage in South Africa Last week a 3 year old girl in South Africa was beaten and raped. She is still alive. The man responsible was released on bail yesterday. He is walking the streets. If you are too busy to read this, then just sign your name and forward this on. The Government is planning to close the child protection unit and this is a petition against it. This is a very important petition. It is an essential part of the justice system for children. You may have already heard that there's a myth in South Africa that having sex with a virgin will cure AIDS. The younger the virgin, the more potent the cure. This has led to an epidemic of rapes by infected males, with the correspondent infection of innocent kids. Many have died in these cruel rapes. Recently in Cape Town , a 9-month-old baby was raped by 6 men. Please think about that for a moment. The child abuse situation is now reaching catastrophic proportions and if we don't do something, then who will? Please pass thi...

The October 29 issue of Newsweek (on newsstands Monday, October 22), "The Most Dangerous Nation in the World Isn't Iraq. It's Pakistan" looks at how Pakistan has become a safe haven for Taliban and Al Qaeda jihadists and what this means for the war on terror. Plus: a comparison between the 1972 film, "Deliverance," the Bush administration and the war in Iraq. And, a look at how antibacterial products have led to the outbreak of strong staph infections. (PRNewsFoto/NEWSWEEK) NEW YORK, NY UNITED STATES 10/20/2007. PRNews Release I agree with the summation of the analyst. Every Islamic nation is a breeding ground for terrorists. You may say I am making a sweeping remark, but the fact cannot be denied. Terrorism is an Islamic ideology as enshrined in their Jihad manifesto. They preach it in their mosques and they unleash their terrorist hounds on their targets and they careless if the innocent are murdered by the lunatic fringe elements of their sectarian terro...

- Retiring South Africa prop Os Du Randt is carried by teammates Butch James,left,and Bobby Skinstad after the Rugby World Cup final match between England and South Africa at Stade de France in Saint Denis,France, on Saturday. South Africans are jubilating over the victory of their Springboks who defeated the defending champions, England, in a tight 15-6 win in the rugby World Cup final at the Stade de France outside Paris last Saturday. Watch the video .

Shell is implicated in the crimes of misappropriation of public funds and large scale money laundering committed by Chief James Ibori, the ex-governor of Delta state in southern Nigeria. The following report by Sahara Reporters is an important evidence againt Chief James Ibori, Shell and others implicated, as his accomplices. October 21, 2007 How James Ibori bought a Bombardier jet from Canada Filed under: Uncategorized — Administrator @ 12:56 am Deed of Assignment to procure Bombardier from CanadaDeed of Assignment to procure Bombardier from CanadaFmrGovIborisBombadierJet[1].pdfSaharareporters, New York Documents available to Saharareporters paint a picture of how former Governor James Ibori of Delta State used international collaborators, offshore shell companies and local assistants to buy a Bombardier Challenger jet from Bombardier Aerospace Incorporated, Canada’s leading private jet manufacturing company. A series of documents compiled by investigators on Ibori’s large scale ...

It would be more beneficial if we analyze the crisis in perspective. Ignorant observers should not mistake the volatile crude oil politics in the Niger Delta for what you read in the newspapers, because it is more than meets the ordinary eye. 1. The Nigerian government is controlled by a plutocracy of kleptomaniacs both in the military, public, and private sectors. 2. Illegal oil blocks have been acquired by both top ranking Nigerian military officers, both the retired officers and those still in active service and their civilian accomplices.. IBB, OBJ, Danjuma, and others have acquired illegal oil blocks. They have saved the fiscal proceeds in various foreign banks, bought properties in foreign lands, and only invested some millions of dollars in Nigerian banks, telecom companies, and other ventures. 3. Illegal oil bunkering started in the 1980s when IBB was in power and corruption and crime were in ascendancy. The proceeds have also been spent on similar ventures mentioned above. 4....

Call For Nominations For The 2008 Br!ck Awards « on: Today at 01:57:05 AM » “The Oscars of youth service awards…”-CNN. Since 1996, The BR!CK Awards have honored the nation’s finest young world-changers. Winners represent the best in their field or issue and are rewarded with a huge community grant and a special televised award ceremony. Know how athletes have the Olympics and singers have the Grammy’s? It’s about time world-changers have their special night too. The goal of the BR!CK Awards is to shine the spotlight on these amazing leaders and give them the recognition and applause normally given to athletes, actors, and certain “personalities” or socialites who will remain unnamed…You could say that The BR!CK Awards ARE THE ANTI-AWARD SHOW. Instead of asking “who are you wearing?” the show asks “what are you doing?” Celebrities are included as presenters, not honorees. Former winners include a homeless teenager-turned lawyer who sued New York City for failing to provide adequate supp...

Lucky Dube singing at a live concert Luky Dube Murdered As South Africans Bask in the Euphoria of Springboks' Rugby World Cup Final As South Africans don green colours of their Rugby national team, the Springboks, basking in the euphoria of the Rugby World Cup Final with England in Paris, France, the black pall of sudden death has fallen over their greatest reggae star, Lucky Dube. Lucky Dube was murdered in cold blood by would be car-hijackers Thursday evening in Rosettenville, Johannesburg. The bad news of this tragedy has thrown millions of the never-say-die Rugby fans into sadness as they mourn the charismatic reggae musician who has been described as the Bob Marley of Africa. But the death of Lucky Dube cannot dampen their already elated spirits as they continue to support the Springboks all over South Africa and thousands have traveled to Paris to watch the Rugby World Cup Final this weekend. It is unfortunate that Lucky Dube w...

Dear Orikinla, Your support for the Control Arms campaign, helped 153 governments to vote for starting work on a international Arms Trade Treaty at the First Committee meeting of the United Nations, last year. Read the Control Arms campaign blog for the latest events and news from the United Nations meeting in New York. This year, the Control Arms campaigners are taking your demand for a world with better arms controls to the First Committee once again, to ensure governments keep moving forward and don’t let the Arms Trade Treaty process get derailed. Also at this meeting, Control Arms will be delivering the stories and experiences of people who have been impacted by armed violence to United Nations delegates, as part of the Global People’s Consultation on the Arms Trade Treaty. The consultation, which was conducted this year with over 100 events happening around the world, details the unreported everyday tragedies of how an unregulated arms trade affects ordinary people and strengthen...

The former First Lady of the United States of America, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton sent me a letter of appreciation to thank me for supporting her campaign to become the next President of America. You read it on my Support Hillary Clinton for President Blog .

17 Oct 2007 01:08 Africa/Lagos Pelosi: 'Without a Federal Press Shield Law, Freedom of the Press is Threatened' WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke on the House floor this afternoon urging Members to support H.R. 2101, the Free Flow of Information Act, which passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 398 to 21. Below are Pelosi's remarks: "Thomas Jefferson once wrote: 'Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.' Freedom of the press, protected by the First Amendment has been a cornerstone of our democracy-one that we cherish and promote around the world. "A free press keeps our nation informed and holds those of us in government accountable. It is critical to freedom of speech and expression in our country. Freedom of the press is fundamental to our democracy and is fundamental to our security. "Speaking truth to power is as vital to our democracy today as it has...

My historical fiction of the agonies in Zimbabwe under the draconian rule of President Robert Mugabe, "Bye Bye Mugabe" is live on Amazon . Domboramwari, a young Zimbabwean blogger and proofreader for the Zimbabwean Times was sympathetic to President Robert Mugabe. But Domboramwari had to go on exile to escape from political persecution when he refused to join the notorious Green Bombers after collecting the financial payment to do so. He fled with his South African girlfriend Nkosi to Johannesburg after telling his old uncle. And he had to help in digging a grave to bury the dead grandson of his mother's neighbor. This is the story of the millions of the traumatized Zimbabweans suffering under the draconian rule of one of the worst dictators in Africa. "When you give someone a book, you don't give him just paper, ink, and glue. You give him the possibility of a whole new life." – Christopher Morley, 1890-1957, Novelist, Journalist and Poet

15 Oct 2007 05:08 Africa/Lagos Broadcom Leaps Ahead of the Competition with the World's First '3G Phone on a Chip' Solution Over a Year Ahead of Competitors, Broadcom Introduces Single-Chip HSUPA Processor BCM21551 Features Full CMOS RF, Rich Multimedia, Bluetooth(R), FM Radio, FM Transmitter and More, Packed on a Single 65nm Die to Slash Price, Size and Power IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM) , a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced a new single-chip HSPA (high-speed packet access) processor that integrates all of the key 3G (third generation) cellular and mobile technologies on an extremely low power, single 65 nanometer CMOS die. Broadcom's new "3G Phone on a Chip" solution enables manufacturers to build next generation 3G HSUPA phones with breakthrough features, sleek form factors and very long battery life, all at a fraction of the cost of today...

UCLA Professor and Holocaust historian Saul Friedlander has won the 2007 German Book Trade Peace Prize, the most prestigious literary prize at the Frankfurt Book Fair. To mark the official opening of the 2007 Buchhändlertage in Berlin, Dr. Gottfried Honnefelder, Director of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association, announced on Sunday, that the Board of Trustees of the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade has chosen the Israeli historian, Saul Friedländer, to be the recipient of this year’s Peace Prize. Friedlander is one of the last historiographers to have witnessed and experienced the Holocaust - a genocide that was announced early on, planned openly and carried out with machinelike precision... More details SPIEGEL INTERVIEW WITH ISRAELI HISTORIAN SAUL FRIEDLÄNDER PHOTO CREDIT: SPIEGEL. Related news .

As Al Gore is basking in the euphoria of winning the Nobel Prize for Peace, Steven J. Milloy is sneering at him and the Nobel Prize Committee. A BBC Report and a British Court have joined the critics of Al Gore in disputing the justification for giving him the Nobel Prize for Peace, because, they have found Al Gore’s "An Inconvenient Truth" to be inconsistent with the truth. Steven J. Milloy has issued a press release to question the crediblity of Al Gore's prize winning documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth" and a BBC Report raised more issues to contradict Al Gore's hypothesis. The following is the full text of Steven J. Milloy's press release. 11 Oct 2007 19:34 Africa/Lagos Al Gore Should Win the Nobel Prize for Propaganda, Says JunkScience.com, New BBC Report Says Gore Knew 'An Inconvenient Truth' Presented False Facts WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new BBC report indicates that Al Gore knew that his alarmist global ...