Israel claims ‘proof’ of chemical weapons use by Assad regime!

A senior Israeli official says intelligence services have concrete proof the Syrian military has used chemical weapons against rebels.

According to the official, who remained anonymous, there is unequivocal evidence showing forces loyal to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad have engaged in chemical warfare.

“These are not intelligence estimates . . . rather proof, and even more than proof. There is substantial material about the use of chemical weapons by Assad’s army. It is known to all intelligence agencies. All intelligence elements have been updated. No one has any doubts on the matter.”

The comments were significantly more clear-cut than statements last week by Brig Gen Itai Brun, the head of the military intelligence research and analysis division, who indicated Syrian troops had used sarin nerve gas several times in the past few weeks.

US president Barack Obama has said use of chemical weapons would constitute a “game-changer”, but American officials said last week that although the Israeli assertions were probably true, concrete proof was needed.

The latest comments by the Israeli official came after the security cabinet convened for discussions on how Isreal  should respond to the crisis.

New dangers 
While Israel would welcome the fall of the Assad regime as a serious blow to the Iran-Syria-Hizbullah axis, prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned yesterday that Syria was “cracking”, and that new forces were rising that posed two possible dangers – “an attack from the Golan Heights and lethal weapons falling into the hands of Hizbullah and other terror groups.”

31 year old man bags 45 years in jail for stealing Governor's handset!

AN Osun State High Court Monday sentenced a 31- year-old man, Kelvin Igha Igbodalo, to 45 years imprisonment without an option of fine for stealing a Sony Ericsson phone belonging to Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola.

Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola

The 'thief' stole the governor’s mobile phone on November 27, 2010 during his inauguration ceremony at the Technical College, Osogbo.

Igbodalo, who was convicted on a six- count charge preferred against him, would, however, spend 10 years in jail, as the jail term would run concurrently.

The Guardian learnt that the convict recently concluded a six-year jail term in Ikoyi Prison in connection with a murder case.

Igbodalo had pleaded guilty to the six- count charge of conspiracy, obtaining properties by false pretence, stealing, impersonation and Advance Fee Fraud when arraigned in court.

According to the charge sheet, Kelvin and others now at large on May 24, 2011, impersonated the governor by using his phone with intent to defraud and obtain a sum of N500, 000 from his royal majesty, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran,the Owa-Obokun of Ijesaland.

He was also accused of impersonating Aregbesola by accosting one Shenge Rahman and subsequently defrauding him of a sum of N200, 000, but nemesis caught with him while furthering the mischievous act.

The prosecution counsel Mr. Biodun Badiora had argued that the convict had committed offence contrary to section 8(c) and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act, 2006.

Counsel to the convict, Mr. Ameachi Ngwu prayed the court to commit the convict to community service adding that the convict should not be incarcerated but rather put where people can see him as a convict.

In his ruling, Justice Jide Falola remarked that Kelvin Igbodalo does not deserve to be let loose and continue in his dastardly act and therefore should remain where he would learn his lesson in order to serve as a deterrent to others.

He therefore ruled that Igbodalo should spend the next 45 years behind bars without an option of fine but the term would run concurrently for 10 years.

The suspect being escorted by a mobile policeman

Dutch gather in Amsterdam as royals prepare for handover!

Willem-Alexander becomes the first King of the Netherlands in more than 120 years on Tuesday when Queen Beatrix passes the crown to her eldest son.

Thousands of well-wishers gathered in Amsterdam's Dam Square early on Tuesday, waiting to see the new King and Queen when they step out on the balcony of the Royal Palace.

"He's ready, in every way," Queen Beatrix said of her 46-year-old son, a water management specialist who is expected to bring a less formal touch to the monarchy, as she bid farewell to the nation in a subdued televised address on Monday night.

April 30, or Queen's day, is always a day for partying in the Netherlands. Many people took Monday off work and started celebrating in earnest from Monday evening with street bands and music.

But this year the city of Amsterdam is putting on a special show to celebrate the investiture of Willem-Alexander and the abdication of Beatrix, 75, who wants to retire after 33 years in the job.

Amsterdam was awash with orange, the royal colour. Houses were covered in bunting and flags, shop windows were stuffed with orange cakes, sweets, clothes and flowers and many partygoers were decked out in the royal colours.

Nearly a million people were expected to join the street party with dancing to bands and DJs, helping create a carnival atmosphere.

"He (Willem-Alexander) knows what is needed. He unites people. He has made it possible for the different generations to mingle more," said 40-year old Margriet Dantuma, dressed in an orange skirt, as she joined others on the Amsterdam pavements putting out impromptu stalls of bric a brac for sale.

The royals are broadly popular, with 78 percent of Dutch in favour of the monarchy up from 74 percent a year ago, according to an Ipsos poll.

But they have been stripped of their political influence, and no longer appoint the mediator who conducts exploratory talks when forming government coalitions.

RARE TRIP BY JAPAN'S PRINCESS

     

Britain's Prince Charles and Japan's Crown Princess Masako, who is making her first foreign trip since falling ill a decade ago, will be among 2,000 visitors at the official ceremony.

"There will be tears on Tuesday," said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, paying tribute to "this formidable lady who has ruled this country for over 30 years".

Beatrix will sign her abdication at 10:00 a.m. (0800 GMT), at which point Willem-Alexander immediately becomes king and his wife Maxima, a popular former investment banker from Argentina, becomes queen.

All three will appear on the palace balcony to wave and address the crowds in Dam Square.

They will then head from the palace to the 600-year-old Nieuwe Kerk, or New Church, next door where the king will swear an oath to uphold the Dutch constitution before lawmakers.

The Dutch monarch is never crowned, since, in the absence of a state church, there is no cleric available to carry out the coronation. But there is a crown, which will sit on a table next to him throughout the ceremony, along with other regalia that constitute the crown jewels.

Willem-Alexander will wear a royal mantle that has been used for investitures since 1815, although it has been repaired and altered at least twice over the past century, for the investitures of his mother and grandmother.

Celebrations are expected to continue through the evening with a water pageant along the IJ, Amsterdam's historic waterfront.

Carlos Slim Joins Bill Gates, Other Billionaires, With $100 Million To Fight Polio!

At the Global Vaccine Summit in Abu Dhabi late last week, the world’s two richest men made a bit of philanthropic history. Carlos Slim announced his foundation will donate $100 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), a Bill Gates-backed effort to eliminate polio.  It marks what appears to be the largest collaboration among the two men. It’s also the second time this year the two have announced joint philanthropic efforts.

“We are excited to join the Gates Foundation and other partners in the effort to end this disease once and for all,” Slim said in a statement. Slim attended the vaccine summit, which was co-hosted by Bill Gates.
Five other billionaires also stepped up to donate to the polio eradication effort, according to the Gates Foundation: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, hedge fund tycoon Ray Daljo, Saudi businessman Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, investor Carl Icahn, Indonesian businessman Tahir and the foundation of the late billionaire Albert Ueltschi.


Bloomberg’s foundation is also donating $100 million; Dalio’s foundation is giving $50 million, Alwaleed’s foundation is giving $30 million, Tahir’s foundation is giving $25 million, Icahn’s Foundation for a Greater Opportunity is giving $20 million and the Albert Ueltschi Foundation is giving $10 million, according to an article in the Chronicle of Philantropy.
Polio is endemic in just three remaining countries: Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan; in 1988 it was in 128 countries. It is a vaccine-preventable disease.
Bill Gates recognized Slim in opening remarks at the summit as an important new donor in the fight against polio, according to the Gates Foundation. “We now have a comprehensive plan to end polio, but we need ti to be fully funded to succeed. Carlos’ generous commitment to support the GPEI  plan is help the world prove that setting ambitions goals leads to big victories,” Gates said in a statement.
The total cost of the plan is estimated at $5.5 billion, all but $1.5 billion of which has been pledged.
This is the second time this year that Gates and Slim have gotten together to announce a joint charitable initiative. In February, Bill Gates went to Mexico and together with Slim announced a philanthropic partnership aimed at improving agricultural research with the aim of reducing hunger. Neither man disclosed how much his foundation was spending on the effort.  In 2010, the two tycoons’ foundations partnered on a Mesoamerican health initiative aimed at improving the health of the poor in southern Mexico and Central America.
Slim has stepped up his philanthropic efforts in particular this year. In addition to the recent partnerships with Bill Gates, Slim pledged in January to support the work of the education video-focused Khan Academy by paying to translate Khan Academy instructional videos into Spanish.

Jason Collins Comes Out: NBA Player Becomes First Openly Gay Professional Male Athlete In Major Sport!

NBA center Jason Collins has become the first male athlete in a major professional sport to come out as gay.
The 34-year-old, a free agent who has played with the Washington Wizards and the Boston Celtics this past season, tells sports illustrated:

"I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, 'I'm different.' If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand."

Collins continues, "When I was younger I dated women. I even got engaged. I thought I had to live a certain way. I thought I needed to marry a woman and raise kids with her. I kept telling myself the sky was red, but I always knew it was blue."
As to why he opted to address his sexuality now, Collins says that he was partly inspired by the Boston Marathon bombings, adding that "it takes an enormous amount of energy to guard such a big secret."
"I've endured years of misery and gone to enormous lengths to live a lie. I was certain that my world would fall apart if anyone knew," he writes. "And yet when I acknowledged my sexuality I felt whole for the first time. I still had the same sense of humor, I still had the same mannerisms and my friends still had my back."
You can read Collins' full Sports Illustrated editorial here.
NBA commissioner David Stern applauded Collins in a statement cited by ESPN, noting, "Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue."
GLAAD's Aaron McQuade echoed those sentiments, calling Collins a "new hero" for young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) athletes in an email statement. "'Courage' and 'inspiration' are words that get thrown around a lot in sports, but Jason Collins has given both ideas a brand new context," McQuade said. "We hope that his future team will welcome him, and that fans of the NBA and sports in general will applaud him."
The issue of gay players in professional sports has been a matter of heated debate in recent months, after San Francisco 49ers player Chris Culliver told Artie Lange that he would not welcom gay players in the NFL or on his team. "I don't do the gay guys, man," Culliver is quoted as saying. "I don't do that. No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do."

Furthermore, rampant media speculation over Notre Dame linebacker Manti te'o's sexuality has prompted other professional athletes, including former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Avanbadejo, Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe and former Cleveland Browns linebackers Scott Fujita, to chime in.
In a March interview, Fujita said he "would argue that the overwhelming majority [of NFL players] would be fine with having a teammate who was gay," and that "it would not be an issue" to have an openly gay player in the locker room.

Others, such as former Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Mark Knudson, were considerably less enthusiastic. In a February Op-Ed for Mile High Sports, Knudson suggested that players "who are able to keep their sexual orientation private" should be applauded because it's "best for the team."
Meanwhile, Nike poached newly out women's college basketball star Brittney Griner for an endorsement deal, but the athletic wear giant may have even bigger plans in the works for the first openly gay male athlete.

"[T]he first openly gay team-sport athlete -- provided he’s a recognizable name -- would earn millions in endorsements and speaking engagements from companies seeking to capture more of a U.S. lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adult population whose annual buying power he pegs at almost $800 billion," Bloomberg wrote after an interview with communications strategist Bob Witeck. 

Couple dead in murder mystery hotel pool!

The lifeless bodies of a young couple have been found floating in the swimming pool of a luxury hotel in Hertfordshire.

Police were called to Down Hall Country House Hotel in Hatfield Heath at about 7.35pm on Saturday.

Hotel staff and ambulance crews tried to revive the couple but both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigating officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate are treating the deaths as unexplained at this stage.

The man, who was in his 30s and the woman, who was in her 20s are both believed to be from the London area.

The couple had been staying together at the hotel, which was hosting two wedding parties this weekend.

Guest Louise Saunders told the BBC an ambulance and two paramedic cars arrived at the hotel as she was leaving to go for dinner.

She said about three hours later police were "everywhere" and were taking down the names and numbers of guests.

The windows of the building housing the swimming pool had been blacked out with plastic sheets, she added.

A police spokesman said that post-mortem examinations will be carried out on Monday.

The 110-acre hotel, which dates back to 1322, is described as "one of England's most established country house hotels" on its website and regularly hosts weddings, christenings and other large functions.

Down Hall Country House Hotel was the venue for the wedding of the late Jade Goody to Jack Tweed in 2009. It regularly hosts murder mystery weekends.

Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson dedicate baby girl today!

Nollywood Actress Mercy Johnson and her husband, Prince Odi Okojie, today April 28th dedicated their four month old daughter, Purity Okojie.




The dedication held at their church(christ Embassy, kudirat Abiola Way) and reception at their home in Ajah.