UN warns of new Sudan clashes!

The United Nations has warned about an upsurge in violence in Sudan's Darfur region, saying some 50,000 people had been displaced since the end of February.

Peacekeepers and aid agencies had been blocked from entering affected areas, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said.

Much of the violence is between rival Arab groups, although rebel and government forces are also involved, a BBC correspondent reports.

Darfur has been hit by conflict since 2003, when rebels took up arms.

Two million people have already been displaced by the conflict.

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, accusing him of committing war crimes and genocide against black African communities in Darfur.

He denies the charge.

On Monday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said was deeply concerned about the escalating violence in Darfur, and he urged all parties to immediately stop hostilities.

Ms Pillay said some 45 villages were reportedly targeted in the Um Gunya area, about 250km (155 miles) south of Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.

"I urge the authorities to protect civilians and hold to account those who have committed grave breaches of human rights and humanitarian laws," Ms Pillay said.

The joint UN and African Union (AU) peace force in Darfur, known as Unamid, and humanitarian agencies had been prevented from reaching areas affected by the attacks, she added.

"The Sudanese government must allow Unamid to fulfil its mandate to protect civilians, and grant access to populations in need," Ms Pillay said.

In the past week, Unamid had also reported looting and destruction in Saraf Omra, near the border with Chad, says BBC Africa Security correspondent Moses Rono.

Thousands of people uprooted by the inter-communal fighting have sought refuge near a Unamid compound, he adds.

The leader of Arab militiamen accused of fuelling conflict in Darfur, Musa Hilal, recently quit the government and threatened war, adding a new dimension to the conflict, our correspondent says.

The black African rebels took up arms in 2003, accusing the Arab dominated government in Khartoum of ignoring them.

culled

Roving Informant says



 "until we Africans get to the point where we realize that it is high time we put our weapons aside and adopt a more peaceful way of making our voices heard,... 

for us, for our children, for generations unborn...

the future might just remain blank and we may continue to be labelled as children of "the dark continent".

Attention Womens wear designers, Application now on for the 2014 London Fashion Week!

Organizers of the London Fashion Week (LFW) is calling all eligible womenswear designers to apply for the LFW SS15 which  will take place between the 12th - 16th September 2014.

Some important information on how to apply below:

CATWALK
The catwalk schedule is suitable for designers wishing to show their ready-to-wear collection on the ‘runway’ to an audience of 350+ with one specified time slot and no repeat shows/sittings.

PRESENTATION More and more designers are choosing to show in an intimate style presentation or through a static installation. Designers wishing to show in this way are more relevant to the presentation schedule. Presentations must run over a minimum of 2 hours or up to a full day so as not to clash directly with a catwalk show.  The presentation slots are interspersed with the catwalk slots on the official schedule. DIGITAL SCHEDULE Designers who wish to show on the digital presentation schedule must showcase their collection alongside their film within a 2-4 hour film screening.  The closing date for applications is Friday 25th April 2014

VENUES

Designers can choose to show in the official BFC Courtyard Show Space in Somerset House or in an outside venue which should be located within close proximity of Somerset House, WC2.
APPLICATION CRITERIA Your collection should consist of women’s ready-to-wear. You should have been in business for at least 3 years and have a minimum of 6 stockists - 1 of which must be a UK retailer.  If you have been in business for less than 3 years, you should look at applying for NEWGEN support.  Information on NEWGEN can be found at www.britishfashioncouncil.com/newgen Applications will be reviewed by an advisory panel comprised of leading opinion formers, press and retail representatives. Goodluck....

Bomb scare at NNPC Abuja!

NNPC Towers Abuja

Report reaching us reveals there was a bomb scare at the NNPC Towers in the Central Business District, Abuja on Tuesday.

Security Personnel at NNPC Towers on Tuesday

As a result, security personnel were placed on alert within and around the vicinity . Though Tuesday is the usual visiting day in the NNPC, visitors were reportedly disallowed from entering the premises for security reasons.

Even marketers who could not show their identities were also denied entry.

MASSOB behind attack on Enugu Government House” – Police commissioner!

The Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abubakar Mohammed Adamu, on Monday said at a media briefing in Enugu that the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, was behind last Saturday attack on Enugu Government House.

Contrary to earlier reports, Adamu said nobody was shot dead during the incident.

He disclosed that one of the alleged attackers, Ifeanyi Chukwuma, from Anambra State, who was shot during the attack, was still receiving treatment at a hospital.

He gave the names of other suspects arrested as Shedrack Onwuka, Francis Nwokocha and Sunday Okafor, all indigenes of Anambra State.

According to the commissioner, the suspects and others now at large, numbering over 20 were at the Enugu Government House to hoist Biafran flag and also place their banners.

He further disclosed that upon interrogation, the suspects confessed that “they were invited by some people to go to Enugu and hoist Biafra flags; the motive is what we are still trying to find out”.

He stated that the suspects had given the names of their sponsors to the police, stressing that “while we continue to look for their sponsors, we shall soon charge the arrested suspects to court”.

Adamu said items recovered from the suspects include MASSOB banners, Biafra flags, matchets and one bag containing charms.

A close look on the banner showed that although it had pro-Biafra messages, MASSOB was not inscribed on it.

The banner read: “The Republic of Biafra, aka, The Tribe of God; Amalgamation Dissolved; Biafra an Ally and Supporter of Israel”.

Oscar Pistorius Vomits in Court at 'Graphic' Evidence of Reeva Steenkamp Injuries, as the plug was pulled on TV feed!

The graphic nature of the evidence was confirmed when Pistorius threw up in the dock during testimony by professor Gert Saayman, of the University of Pretoria forensic department.

Pistorius was described as "inconsolate" by witnesses in court as he curled up into a ball while his siblings Karl and Aimee tried to comfort him.

Reports has it that earlier, judge Thoozile Masipa banned journalists from using Twitter to report live what professor Gert Saayman told the court.

Disturbing evidence from the pathologist who examined Reeva Steenkamp's corpse was also reportedly banned from live broadcast at the Oscar Pistorius murder trial.

Pistorius's extreme reaction hinted at the disturbing nature of Saayman's testimony about the condition of Steenkamp, after Pistorius shot her three times through the door of a bathroom in his luxury home on the outskirts of Pretoria. 

The order was made by judge Thoozile Masipa on day six of the track star's murder trial at North Gauteng High Court.

The decision to pull the plug on the TV feed came after Prof Saayman raised his personal concerns about it. The court heard that "graphic detail" in his testimony would "harm vulnerable people" who might come across it online and also harm certain rights of Steenkamp's family.

Prof Saayman told the court he thought broadcasting his evidence would go against his professional principles and also "the morals of society."

A lawyer acting for broadcast firms claimed the principles of freedom of speech and expression would be damaged if no part of Saayman's evidence could be broadcast.

Addressing the court, Saayman said: "It goes against the good morals of society, in a nature where vulnerable people out there may be exposed to information that could do harm. It's my duty to preserve the dignity of the deceased, I believe that by such public streaming of this nature, it's inevitable we will harm the rights of remaining relatives and friends of the deceased."

Prosecution and defence teams were united in demanding the public cannot watch live Saayman's testimony.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said: "The explicit and graphic nature of the injuries should not be sent in the whole world. It's not a question of press freedom or freedom of expression, but respect and dignity of the deceased, the rights of the family and friends of the deceased."

The media agreed with the principle of not broadcasting Saayman's evidence live, said advocate Nick Ferreira, who represented TV firms covering the case.

But he opposed an outright ban on any part of Saayman's evidence from being broadcast. Ferreira said a package of Saayman's evidence should be compiled for public consumption, with both prosecution and defence having a say in its contents.

He warned further that "there may be some aspects of the evidence which are no objectionable, principles established here will guide other courts in future.

Prof Saayman began giving evidence after the plug had been pulled on the court TV feed.

Ok Nigeria reveals list of sexiest Nigerians!

According to the list released by OK Nigeria, Genevieve Nnaji and  Lynxx tops the list of Nigeria's sexiest

Photos below:

Cossy orjiakor celebrates birthday!

Recently, Cossy Orjiakor added another year, and she reportedly celebrated this in her usual 'Cossy style'.

More grease to your elbow girl, and we wish you many more fruitful years.