Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z Visit Cuba on Fifth Wedding Anniversary!

Jay-Z and Beyonce celebrated five years of wedded bliss in Cuba on Thursday.

R&B’s power couple were mobbed by dozens of well-wishers at the renowned restaurant La Guarida on Wednesday night, and police had to step in to keep the crowds at bay.
According to the Associated Press, they spent their anniversary walking around the colonial Old Havana district with their bodyguards. Beyonce sported a bright yellow frock with her braided hair done up, while Jay-Z wore a polo shirt and a fedora.
La Guardia’s employee, told Associated Press that Beyonce and Jay-Z had a typical Cuban dish, such as fish, chicken, black beans and rice. The couple’s mothers also joined them. According to waitress Silvia Fernandez, Beyonce took a tour in the restaurant and saw pictures of previous celebrities who dined in La Guardia, including Jack Nicholson, Jodie Foster, Danny Glover, Will Smith and James Belushi.
“She was beautiful, without a drop of makeup, very natural,” Fernandez said. “What happened with the people was incredible.”

Jay Z and Beyonce’s visit to Cuba

Their bodyguards’ presence outside set the gritty, bustling neighborhood of Center Havana abuzz, and a crowd gathered downstairs shouting Beyonce’s name until she went to a balcony and waved, the Associated Press reports. Police arrived and made sure she was able to exit without incident.

Beyonce posed for pictures with local schoolchildren, while Jay-Z puffed on a Cuban cigar.

Washinton's 51-year embargo makes it illegal for U.S. citizens to visit Cuba for mere tourism, although tens of thousands of Americans travel there each year on academic, religious, journalistic or cultural exchange licenses. In the past, artists who were challenged by the government have said they visited for cultural purposes.

Husband Snatching: Foluke Daramola, Bukola At War!

The controversy surrounding the marriage of Nollywood actress, Foluke Daramola to Kayode Salako is far from over as Bukola, her friend, has lashed out at her for snatching another woman’s husband.

Bukola, who stormed P.M.NEWS office Thursday, said she didn’t introduce Foluke to Kayode so that both of them would get married, but to enable cash-strapped Foluke to get financial assistance from Kayode.

Kayode was happily married before he met Foluke. His marriage then crashed and he’s now married to Foluke.

Bukola Fasuyi

One subject of discussion that actress Foluke Daramola will not welcome at a dinner table is Bukola Fasuyi. It was not always that way. Bukola and the actress used to be close friends until recently, when she got married–for the second time.

While Foluke has remain tight-lipped on what caused the break-up between her and Bukola, the latter has been having a field day in the media, lynching her friend.

In an interview with a reliable source on Tuesday, Bukola queried her ex-friend’s choice of Kayode Salako as husband on the ground that he is married with kids. On the surface, Bukola’s disapproval of Foluke’s marriage to an already married man appears well founded.

But beneath her sanctimonius posturing is her admission that she was the one that introduced Foluke to Salako. The plan, she claimed, was to have them date, not marry.

Bukola explained that on 13 February, 2012, she was with Salako at Mamas Restaurant, Omole, Lagos, when Foluke called her and she invited her to join them at the fun haven. She allegedly smoothened Salako’s path to Foluke’s heart with an assurance that the man would take care of her financially. Foluke, she alleged, was broke and needed financial assistance like flowers need rain.

It did not go according to her plan, as Foluke and Salako wrote their own script by getting married, a development that angered Salako’s first wife enough to move out of her matrimonial home.

“Kayode was my very good friend, likewise Foluke. Why I joined them together was basically because Foluke was in trauma, and she needed help. I thought of introducing her to Kayode so that he could assist. I told her that it is fine if the relationship leads to marriage, but I never envisaged that it would break Kayode’s first marriage. God sees my heart that in as much as I want Foluke’s happiness, I didn’t want her to break another woman’s home. Ever since this happened, my heart has been troubling me, and I have asked for forgiveness,” said Bukola.

Her decision to seek forgiveness for what–stripped of its gloss–was pimping, Bukola claimed, was informed by the Holy Spirit, which told her tell the world how her friend met and  Salako. Bukola, a Public Relations practitioner, explained that she started feeling guilty the moment Kayode’s first wife moved out of her matrimonial home.

The face-off, which has been trending on social media for some days now, has sparked controversies, as the parties involved have been receiving knocks and support in equal measure.

Unsurprisingly, Bukola is the one getting  more of the knocks. Chioma, one of those that commented to Bukola’s claim on a social website, wrote: “The truth is that both women are foolish, but Bukola is the devil. If I was Mr. Salako, I wouldn’t listen to this Bukola of a woman because she is the destroyer of a home…”

Many commenters reckon that for Bukola to start experiencing a bout of contrition after wrecking a home was hypocritical because she knew the man was married when she facilitated a dalliance with Foluke. Bukola’s defence, as she explained to P.M. NEWS Entertainment Cafe, was: “I was just trying to help a friend. Foluke was seriously broke then, so I decided to introduce her to a man that could lift her up.” The man evidently has–to Bukola’s chagrin.

An attempt at getting Foluke’s view was subtly rebuffed, as she explained that her husband has warned her not to engage Bukola in a war of words.

But in telephone interview, Salako branded Bukola a hypocrite. “I have known Bukola Fasuyi for many years and I know her very well. She cannot be claiming to be Holy Spirit-filled now. She cannot be claiming to be feeling guilty because she also lives off married men. All she does is arrange ladies for married men. Besides, all the men she has been dating are all married men. How can a woman who drinks heavily and smokes marijuana claim to be Holy Spirit filled overnight? I’m married to Foluke Daramola and she is a woman I love very much.”

Salako debunked Bukola’s claim that he had been asking her out for about one and half years. According to him, he only asked her out once, but was discouraged by the condition she gave. “She told me that she is a crazy lover and that if we date, she’d want to marry me. And I said if that should be the case, we should forget about it. That was when she first talked about introducing Foluke Daramola to me,” Salako added.

Salako, who is popularly known as Fasholamania, added that his relationship with Foluke is unconnected to the reason his first wife left. “My first wife has not told anybody that she left the house because of Foluke. She is the mother of my kids, and I still have a good relationship with her. We still speak on the phone.”

Another version of this saga has it that:

Foluke daramola and Kayode Salako

A female journalist who claims she introduced actress Foluke Daramola to her new husband, Kayode Salako, granted an interview recently to E247 magazine saying all sorts about the couple and the role she played in hooking them up. Below is how E247mag.com is reporting it...

The home of recently married actress, Foluke Daramola and activist, Kayode Salako  is under fierce attack. A lady journalist and founder of Lady of Africa Empowerment and Advocacy Foundation, Bukola Fasuyi, who claimed she introduced Foluke to the husband, Kayode, has come out to reveal the marriage was built on deceit and lies. But in a swift reaction, Kayode Salako in an interview with E24-7 magazine's Biodun Kupoluyi said, ‘‘Bukola is a devil’s agent and please don’t mind her. Yes, she introduced Foluke to me but she should step aside now that we are married. She claimed Foluke is using juju on me, but you know what? If that is true, I, Kayode Salako will know. I’m a real man. But if truly she’s using Juju, I need more of her juju, you know why, she has added value, brought me a lot of blessings.

He recalled how she met Bukola who introduced her to Foluke. “Yes, when I came back from abroad, I met Bukola, then I was lonely, my life was boring and we met. I liked her because she was so passionate about my Fasholamania’s project, she showed a lot of enthusiasm and we got so close, it was at a time my wife was very boring, so I asked her out, but she declined. She told me that she liked me but she would not date me for two reasons:  one that her intentions will be misconstrued, two, it will be a burden on her that she will love me  to the extent that she would love to marry me  but that she had a friend,  an actress, that she’s different from the pack. She gave her name as Foluke Daramola. Really, I never believed her that she could introduce Foluke to me. She’s one of the very few actresses I admired.

Eventually, we met at Mama’s Place. Shortly after she called Foluke to join us and she did. We had fun, wined and dined together. That was all that night.  The rest as they say is history. I don’t know why she’s into this  campaign of calumny now. Why call Foluke names? What has she done to her?  If Foluke is into juju, she should be a millionaire like  some of her colleagues whose lifestyles are well known to us. I met Foluke  a poor  girl with  her sanity and pride  intact. I don’t know what she wants from all these. Foluke’s life is an open book and I like it. I have taken my decision and the action  to live the rest of my life with Foluke and I’m ready to face the consequences of my action.
Foluke not bemused responded. “ I have chosen not to talk but I respect you and your medium and I want to assure you that at the appropriate time, I will grant you an interview. Yes, Bukola came to me, she told me about her project and that she needed money. She believed I have so much that I should be given her now.  But there is one thing about me; my life is an open book. I will not respond more than that. Let her go ahead with her tales. I know I have done no wrong. I appreciate the fact that she introduced me to Kayode but that does not mean she has to continue to call the shot. It’s just important she steps aside now that we are married. That should not hurt.”

Apparently full of biles, Bukola disclosed that Foluke has really offended her. She alleged that she went too far in the romance that led to the marriage. “Foluke is an ungrateful element to me. I actually introduced her to Kayode, who, for a very longtime was my toaster but I told him I could not date him because I was not really interested and there was really no feeling for him. I told him I was not really interested because I was in a relationship. About the same time, Foluke  had asked me to introduce her to someone who could help, so I introduced Kayode to her. I know he spends a lot on women, at least, he was dating a lady Princess Bimbo Olagunju, and he was spending so much to keep the girl. The same Princess knew how much Kayode liked me but I was not interested. So precisely February 13, 2012, I introduced Foluke to Kayode at Mama’s Place in Omole, Ikeja.  I remember that I met Kayode during the  hey days of Fasholamania, his campaign project for Governor Babatunde Fashola. I believed in the project and I knew he was committed to it not because he was getting any money. Anyway, Kayode and Foluke met, they were supposed to date each other but I never advised her to go and destroy Kayode’s home built over 15 years. I know Kayode dated Princess Abimbola currently in Dublin, but she never ventured to destroy his home. They dated for about five years, yes, the wife knew, the heat was so much. They had issues about that but it never got to marrying him and sending his wife away. Princess knew Kayode wanted me, she knew I could displace her but I remained his friend. But because he was always telling us about his home, the areas his wife failed, Foluke worked on it and the result is the marriage which I advised her not to go into.

I have conscience, fine as a friend, I wanted the best for my friend (Foluke), but I know she threatened the home of Kayode, she was calling him at home at odd times, telling him how much she loved him. The next day after they met, he sent N100, 000, that week, he sent more money, about N500,000. The money came at a time Foluke had accommodation problem in Marwa’s Garden, so he secured an apartment for her.

“At a point, I called Foluke that why had Kayode’s wife barely left her home  that you started to sleep in his Omole house? I tried to advise her that she should not marry the guy, that all she should do was get his assistance; I told her she should put herself in the wife’s shoes. Since she realised I was advising her, she withdrew from me, she started to avoid me. Yes, he was having issues with his wife but that was not enough to move in. On few occasions, he insisted he was still in love with his wife. I strongly advised her against such moves but she went ahead with the marriage plans. I remember that even while dating Foluke, he had issues with her, he complained about her lifestyles, that she was a fraudster bla, bla, but as a true friend I have to step in. Kayode had wanted to go away.

Bukola Fasuyi

‘‘… Yes, I know all she did that the marriage eventually came up, I was actually with her to those places, yes, we went together and I’m waiting for her response and if she responds or denies my claim, then I will go all out to fight her. I’m ready to release all the pictures of the places we went together.  I’m fighting her because she does not have conscience at all, I’m fighting her because she’s a desperado, I’m fighting  her because she’s an ungrateful element. I never collected any money for introducing her to Kayode, ask her if I did but I told her ‘don’t marry this guy, think about his home.’

‘‘Now I’m worried, my conscience is troubling me, I’m worried about the fact that I was indirectly or directly involved in the circumstance that led to the break of Kayode’s marriage. I don’t think Foluke should have gone this far, there are many factors involved, it was not ordinary and I want to  tell the world that she does not deserve that man, I want to tell the world that I’m sorry that I did this to him and his family. I never advised Foluke to marry him; I just wanted him to help her out of her stormy life. I owe Kayode’s wife an apology and I know that I will go to her and say sorry soon. But before then, I owe it a duty to tell the world Foluke does not deserve Kayode and as the friend that introduced her to him, I’m sorry.’’

Asked why she’s spilling the bean, now. She said “I just want the world to know the role I played that I merely introduced her to Kayode to assist her, not to marry him.
“Yes, the wife made some mistakes too; I’m putting all these in a book I’m writing soon. It’s not enough for you to decline the advice or suggestions of your husband on how he wants you as his wife to dress. Why should the wife turn the hubby’s invitation to go out together down? Her claim that she’s a pastor and not cut out to live a life in the social circuit leaves room for the other women to step in". 

For Kayode, he got carried away, he loves the fact that Foluke brings him to spotlight, that makes him a newsmaker of sorts.

But don’t you think you are guilty too? “Yes, I know I’m guilty, that’s why I’m saying I’m sorry".

45 years since Martin Luther King Jr. assassination

The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis 45 years ago on April 4, 1968, triggered spasms of both grief and violence.

Here are photos from the day of the slaying and its aftermath .As the nation's cities smoldered and police searched for the killer, civil rights activists and politicians joined the King family in mourning the loss of the 39-year-old minister.

In this April 3, 1968 file photo, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. makes his last public appearance at the Mason Temple in Memphis, Tenn. The civil rights leader was standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel when he was killed by a rifle bullet on April 4, 1968. James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to the killing and was sentenced to 99 years in prison

A news reporter stands in the room rented by the assassin who shot Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in Memphis, Tenn., April 5, 1968.

Khloé Kardashian defends Lamar Odom in charity fraud allegations

Khloé Kardashian Odom is defending her husband, pro basketball player Lamar Odom, against charges by ESPN's "Outside the Lines" that his charitable foundation never spent money on the cancer initiatives for which it solicited donations.

"It is unfortunate that my husband has been the target of an attack on athletes' charities, although he has personally contributed approximately $2.2 million to his foundation, Cathy's Kids, to fulfill its charitable purposes that include helping underprivileged inner-city youth," Kardashian, 28, wrote on her website. She said Odom's contributions constituted 90 percent of what the foundation has raised. "No charitable funds were misused, and the IRS has repeatedly given Cathy's Kids a clean bill of health, confirming that there were no improprieties."

The charity, founded in 2004, is named for Odom's mother, Cathy Mercer, who died of colon cancer when Odom was 12. "Outside the Lines" -- which looked at charities founded by New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, NFL receiver Randy Moss and other athletes -- said Cathy's Kids "never gave any grant money to cancer-related causes" but served primarily to benefit "two elite youth basketball travel teams."

"Cathy's Kids was formed with several purposes in mind," Kardashian's post explained. "A decision was ultimately made that the charity should focus on one of those purposes -- to help enrich the lives of underprivileged inner-city youth."

Saudi Arabian court sentences man to paralysis

A Saudi Arabian court ruling that may result in a man being paralyzed in a form of eye-for-an-eye justice is being met with outrage.

Ali al-Khawahir, 24, was sentenced to qisas, or retribution justice, for allegedly stabbing a childhood friend 10 years ago. The friend was paralyzed in the attack which reportedly began as a dispute between the two.

According to reports, al-Khawahir must pay one million Saudi riyals -- the equivalent of US$270,000 -- in compensation to the victim, or face paralysis.

Ann Harrison, Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director at Amnesty International, issued a statement saying the punishment would be akin to "torture."

"That such a punishment might be implemented is utterly shocking, even in a context where flogging is frequently imposed as a punishment for some offences, as happens in Saudi Arabia," Harrison said.

"It is time the authorities in Saudi Arabia start respecting their international legal obligations and remove these terrible punishments from the law."

According to Amnesty, such a sentence would contravene the United Nations Convention against Torture, to which Saudi Arabia is a signatory, as well as the Principles of Medical Ethics adopted by the UN General Assembly.

A spokesperson for Britain's Foreign Office said the agency was "deeply concerned" about the reports and called on the Saudi government to change the sentence.

"We urge the Saudi authorities to ensure that this grotesque punishment is not carried out. Such practices are prohibited under international law and have no place in any society," the spokesperson said in a statement.

Judges in Saudi Arabia are known to impose punishments such as flogging and even amputation for theft, as well as eye-gouging, tooth-extraction and death, depending on the crime, Amnesty International said.

A similar sentence of paralysis was reportedly issued in 2010. It isn't known whether the sentence was carried out, however.

Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.-Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Luxury skyscraper hotel completely engulfed by fire in Grozny, Chechnya!

Flames enveloped all floors of the highest building in the North Caucasus, southern Russia. All people have managed to leave the building. The Grozny-city complex in the Chechen Republic includes luxury apartments and a 5-star hotel. The local emergency service said the call about the fire on between the 4th and 5th floors was received at around 18:00 PM local time (14:00 GMT).
According to witnesses’ pictures that immediately started to appear on Twitter, all stories of the building are covered with flames.



At the same time there have been reports suggesting that the fire started on the top floor and the bottom floor was on fire as well.
All people have managed to leave the the 145-meter skyscraper ; one woman was seen to be supported by others, witnesses said. Local police confirmed no one was injured.
Fire units and ambulances have arrived at the scene. Nearly 300 people are involved in extinguishing the fire. The area around the Grozny-City complex has been cordoned off.
In two hours the fire has completely engulfed three sides of the skyscraper from the top to bottom as the flames spread rapidly due to the plastic trimming on the building.




Firefighters have managed to extinguish the flames on the lower floors. However, the fire has spread very quickly, making it difficult to tackle the blaze from the ground. Helicopters have been sent from the southern city of Pyatigorsk to help out.
A criminal case has been launched in connection to the violation of fire safety rules. According to the initial version the cause of the fire was a short circuit, LifeNews tabloid reported citing a local police source.
“According to preliminary information, the cause of the fire in the skyscraper was a short circuit. A more concise report will be done after experts examine the building,” the source told the tabloid.
In the burning skyscrapers called “Olympus” is an apartment belonging to French film star and tax exile Gerard Depardieu. LifeNews tabloid reports local administration confirmed the Frenchman’s apartment is on the 27th floor, facing the so-called “heart of Grozny”- central mosque.
“The fire has completely enveloped the right-hand side of the skyscraper. Both the wall and the window of the actor’s apartment have been damaged,” the tabloid quoted a local police source as saying.

The head of Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyroy granted the actor the status of “Chechen’s honorable resident” and presented an apartment in Grozny-City shortly after the Frenchman was granted Russian citizenship.
The Grozny-City complex was partly open in 2011.  It consists of seven skyscrapers both condominiums and a hotel: one 40-storey (currently on fire), one 30-storey, three 28-storey and two 18-storey buildings. The completed complex would boast 1000 apartments.

 

ROYAL SCANDAL | Spain's Princess Cristina dragged into corruption case!

Spain's Princess Cristina has been summoned to testify as a suspect in a corruption case, a judicial source said Wednesday, dealing a damaging blow to the prestige of the royal family including her father King Juan Carlos.
It is the first time a member of the Spanish royal family has been called to appear in a court of law on suspicion of wrongdoing.

The 47-year-old princess must testify on suspicion of influence peddling on April 27 at the court in Palma on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca, the judicial source said on condition of anonymity.
"The royal household does not comment in any way on judicial decisions," a spokesman for the royal family told AFP.

The case, which was opened at the end of 2011, is centered on allegations of embezzlement and influence peddling against her husband, former Olympic handball player Inaki Urdangarin, and his former business partner, Diego Torres.
The pair is suspected of syphoning off money paid by regional governments to stage sports and tourism events to the non-profit Noos Institute, which Urdangarin chaired from 2004 to 2006.
Until now, the princess had avoided being dragged formally into the case, although accusations had been mounting up against her.
The summons by Judge Jose Castro will be seen as extremely damaging to the royal family, already slumping in the popularity polls.
The 75-year-old Spanish king is credited with steering Spain to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975 but his standing had already taken a hit over the corruption probe implicating his son-in-law and over a luxury elephant-hunting safari he took in Africa last year at a time of record unemployment in Spain.
An opinion poll published last month showed almost 57 percent of Spaniards felt the king should abdicate in favor of his 45-year-old son Prince Felipe, once Juan Carlos recovers from surgery he had in March for herniated discs in his lower spine, his seventh operation in three years.
Urdangarin, who has not been charged with any crime and maintains his innocence, sought to distance his wife and the rest of the royals from his business dealings when he was questioned in court in February by the judge leading the investigation.
But his former business partner then provided the judge with emails that were leaked to the press appearing to show that Urdangarin regularly consulted his wife -- a member of the board of the Noos Institute -- about the body's affairs.
Carlos Garcia Revenga, the longtime personal secretary to Princes Cristina and her older sister Princess Elena, was questioned by the judge after Torres submitted another batch of e-mails that suggested he was actively involved in the Noos Institute's dealings.
Princess Cristina, who works as the director of social welfare programmes at Barcelona-based financial services group La Caixa's charitable foundation, has kept a low profile since the scandal broke.
The easy smile she was known for has been replaced by a serious expression during her rare outings.
A fan of various sports, especially sailing, Princess Cristina -- the seventh in line to the Spanish throne -- met Urdangarin at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta where he was competing with Spain's handball team, which won a bronze medal.

In 2009 Princess Cristina and her husband, along with their four children, moved from Barcelona to Washington where Urdangarin took up a job as an executive director of the US subsidiary of Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica.
The couple, who were given the title of Duke and Duchess of Palma when they wed, were living in the United States when the allegations of corruption at the Noos Institute first broke in Spain.
"All we want to do is live a normal life and you won't let us," she said when approached by a Spanish television reporter at a Washington supermarket in February 2012, just before her husband was questioned in court in Palma for the first time.

In August last year the couple and their four children returned to Barcelona, where they own a mansion in the exclusive Pedralbes area that reportedly cost around six million euros ($8.0 million).