Jonathan holds media chat today

President Goodluck Jonathan will tomorrow speak on current national issues during a Presidential Media Chat to be broadcast live at 7pm, local time.
In a release by Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, said, President Jonathan will in the course of the programme, answer questions from a panel of journalists on current national issues and events, as well as policies and actions of his administration.

File photo: President Goodluck Jonathan addressing the Nation at The State House in Abuja


He further asked members  of the public who have questions for President to respond to on the programme to send via Twitter to @mediachatng1.
According to Abati, the  programme will be broadcast live on the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Voice of Nigeria (VON).
What are your expectations on the President’s chat? What are your questions?
Do write your expectations and questions on the comments section below.

2 feared killed in Abuja blast

The explosion from a domestic gas cylinder in one Miss Rose property, came at exactly 7.37pm, killing Faith Oche, 31, and Mary Oche, 25, said to be co-tenants to Rose. The explosion, according to eye witnesses, sounded like bomb as it rocked the village to its foundation with people scampering tfor safety.
The explosion left a gory impact on the two victims. The head of one was reportedly blown off while the second had her head shattered. An eyewitness, Mr. Joseph Mark, a tenant in the house, said Miss Rose, who was cooking in her apartment, found that a fire had entered the nozzle of the cylinder and threw it outside the compound.
According to him, when people saw the cylinder with burning fire, they ran and prepared water and detergent solution and sands which they were throwing at a distance to put out the fire.
Mark said the two sisters, Mary and Faith, put up bravery attempts and approached the cylinder with the aim of throwing in more sand but the cylinder exploded suddenly into their faces.
Police officers, who visited the scene, said investigation had commenced into the matter while the bodies of the victims had been deposited at the National Hospital, Abuja mortuary.

Church workers beat, detain govt officials over N2m tax

 Pandemonium broke out in Ota, in Ado-Odo-Ota Local Government Area of Ogun state  when some Church workers allegedly beat and detained  five  officials of the state Internal Revenue Service  over N2 million tax duty.
Saturday  Vanguard gathered that trouble began when some officials of IRS stormed the premises of Living Faith Church Worldwide (Winners Chapel) to collect the accumulated tax duty owed by  Nursery and Primary schools owned by the church.
Addressing pressmen after a 40 seconds video of the pandemonium was played,  Chairman of IRS, Babajide Odunbanjo described the incident  which  occurred on Thursday as ugly.
Odunbanjo who was flanked by the Ogun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Yusuph Olaniyonu and the State Attorney-General,  Abimbola  Ameredolu,  disclosed that the schools owed the government a sum of N2 million for  six years between 2003 – 2010.
He said that the authorities of the school, Kingdom Heritage Nursery School, Ota, had been served the notice of the tax duty but they had allegedly, been  ignoring  it .
According to him, officials of the state  Internal Revenue Service whose mission it was to enlighten the school on the compliance programme of the Revenue Service  were violently assaulted and later  unlawfully detained in the premises for a number  of hours.
“As a result of this incident, an officer of Ogun State Internal Revenue is currently hospitalised in Ilaro while others with minor injuries have been treated and discharged.
“Additionally, a number of assets belonging to Ogun state Internal Revenue Service were damaged beyond repair,” Odunbanjo said.
However,  efforts to get reactions from the Church authorities was unsuccessful as none of their officers could be reached asnat the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the state government has threatened to drag the authority of the school before court over assault  and unlawful detain.

Jealous lover stabs girlfriend to death in Bomadi

THERE was pandemonium in the riverside Bomadi community, Bomad Local Government Area, Delta State, during the week, when a green-eyed young man evidently stabbed his girlfriend to death with a broken bottle.

The killer-boyfriend, identified as Lucky, who escaped lynching by an irate mob had a misunderstanding with the girl over her fidelity.

The deceased, who did not take kindly to his sharp rebuke, walked out on Lucky. But the furious boyfriend landed her several slaps for her impudence.

A source said, “It was when the girl was trying to fight back that the boy rushed for a bottle of beer, hit it on his head before stabbing the girl. When he saw that the girl was bleeding profusely, he attempted to run, but was apprehended by onlookers.”

“There was confusion everywhere as some persons wanted to lynch the boy, but majority resisted application of jungle justice on the boy.

“The people were angry because they felt the girl tried to help the boy in his business and did not deserve to be treated that way by the boy”, the source added

Saturday Vanguard was informed that the corpse of the girl had been deposited at Bomadi General Hospital while police had commenced investigations to ascertain the cause of the death.

Police arrest man for allegedly raping woman to death

The  Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested a 36-year-old man for allegedly raping an 18-year-old woman to death in Otuoke Community in Bayelsa.
The suspect is a personal assistant to the former chairman of Otuoke Community Development Committee (CDC) in the Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.
The suspect was reportedly apprehended while trying to dispose of the corpse of the dead woman in the early hours on Sept. 5.
The Public Relations Officer of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Mr Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the incident, saying that investigation had commenced.
Akhighe said that the suspect had been arrested and transferred to the state police headquarters for further investigation.
The corpse of the victim had been deposited at the Kolo General Hospital in Yenagoa.
An eye-witness who pleaded anonymity alleged that the suspected rapist was apprehended by an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
“We saw the civil defence officer dragging the suspect and shouting that he has raped a girl to death. That was before he was handed over to the police.” the witness said (NAN)

Students threaten to shut private varsities over ASUU strike

 UNIVERSITY students under the umbrella of National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, yesterday, took to the streets in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, calling on the Federal Government to accede to the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
They equally threatened to shut down activities in the private universities in the country should the crisis linger on.
The students who displayed several placards with various inscriptions, lambasted the Federal Government for its failure to honour  the agreement it  entered into with ASUU since 2009.
File: Protesting students

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues,  Asafon Sunday,  Director of Action and Mobilisation NANS, South–West, claimed between 2000 and 2011 the Nigerian government earned about N48.48 trillion from the sale of oil alone, against N3.10 trillion earned between 1979 and 1999
He said the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, in 2012 financial year alone generated N5.12 trillion from tax paid by the masses.
According to him: “With this tremendous upswing in the revenue at the disposal of the Nigerian government, one would have expected such to translate to commensurate improvement in the quality of Nigeria’s public education as well as other social services.”
He condemned the refusal of Federal Government to budget a reasonable amount of money to education sector as recommended by UNESCO which is 26 per cent of the country’s total budget.
Sunday noted that some countries with smaller Gross Domestic Product, GDP, like Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Morocco and Botswana had budgetary allocations to education sector as follow, 31 per cent,20 per cent,23 per cent ,17.7 per cent and 19 per cent respectively to 8.5 per cent that Nigeria government had budgeted for education in 2013.
Also speaking, Steven Adara ,a student leader from Ekiti State University,  EKSU , lamented that government officials and prominent Nigerians were not bothered about the crisis in the public universities because their children were in private schools overseas.
According to him: “We will mobilise  and disrupt academic activities in the private universities because it is the sons and daughters of the rich that are in these schools.”

Downpour: Pregnant woman, 6 others drown in Calabar flood

CALABAR — NO less than seven people lost their lives in a rampaging flood as a result of heavy rainfall in Calabar, Cross River State, Wednesday night.
The rain, which lasted several hours, caused severe flooding, uprooted trees, submerged buildings and swept away cars in some parts of the city.
At Abedem, Edim Otop, in Calabar Municipality, flood water uprooted trees, which crashed on a house in a nearby valley, burying six members of a family in the rubble.

*flooded: Calabar under water. INSET: The valley of deaths.

Mr. Amos Akaniyene, owner of the house, who was standing outside, escaped.
However, his pregnant wife, Ekaete, 30; his two children, David and Deborah; mother in-law, Iquo Effiong and two other relatives, Samuel and Anthony, were crushed by the rubble of the collapsed building.
Akpan Ubong, a neighbour, whose house is adjacent to that of Amos, said flood water descending the hill at high speed towards the valley, where their houses are located, uprooted trees on its path, sending them crashing down.
He said the home of Amos, which is directly on the path of the rampaging flood water, was crushed along with its occupants.
It was an emotional scene as the mangled and lifeless bodies were removed from the rubble by men of the Cross River State Fire Service, who rushed to the scene to help rescue the victims.
Swept under
Close to the scene of the collapsed building, a girl, aged about five, was swept away by flood water on Atimbo-Akpabuyo Road into a gully and buried underneath concrete slabs from a destroyed culvert.
Efforts to contact Mr. David Akate, Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, were unsuccessful as his mobile line was switched off.
A source said the six bodies were removed from the rubble of the collapsed building and deposited at the mortuary of the General Hospital, Calabar.
… kills one, sacks 101 houses in Kebbi
AUTHORITIES of Arewa Local Government Area of Kebbi State said, yesterday, that one person died while 101 households were sacked by flood in the area.
“We lost one life to the flood and 42 persons sustained injuries,” Chairman of the council, Alhaji Ahmed Tanko said in Kangiwa, Kebbi.
He said farmlands were also submerged by the flood.
Tanko said property worth N23 million were destroyed in nine villages, comprising Bachaka, Yeldu, Dukki, Chibiki, Falde, Kuka Bakwai, Kangiwa, Gumindai and Alwata.
He said that the council would spend N10 million on the resettlement of the victims, adding that the council had also distributed 450 bags of assorted grains to the affected persons and 50 bags to widows.

Police arrest 2 men for allegedly defiling infants

THE Po-lice have nabbed a 26-year-old man in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State for allegedly having canal knowledge of a five-year-old daughter of his father’s tenant.
Briefing newsmen in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr  Victor Babayemi, said the accused was arrested on August 28, 2013, after an attempt to lure the girl with a loaf of bread.
According to Babayemi, the accused in his confessional statement said he had been using bread to entice the girl and her sisters since he works in a bakery.
The suspect was said to have brought a loaf of bread and invited the girl to his room where  he allegedly abused her sexually.
In a related development, a 57-year-old man, one David (surname withheld), who allegedly defiled his five-year-old step-daughter in Igede-Ekiti, has been paraded  by the police in Igede-Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.

Generator fumes kills newly-wed couple, one other in Calabar

 A newly married couple, who packed to their house soon after wedding  have been reportedly killed by generator fumes in Ikot Omin on the outskirts of Calabar,  the Cross River State capital.
The couple, Bassey Effiong (27), his wife, Glory (21) and her younger sister, Emem (16), were said to have packed to the house yet to be completed by Bassey.
“When he got married, he decided to work on one of the rooms and moved in, while hoping to gradually complete the house,” Mike, a neighbour to the couple told Vanguard.

However, tragedy struck, Sunday night, when the couple  turned on their generating set and placed it on the corridor close to the  room,  where they slept but fume from the  generating set  was said to have  subsequently gained entry into the room in large quantity and suffocatded the couple along with Emem,  the wife’s younger sister.
They were discovered dead several hours later by a naval officer,  David Ekanem, Bassey’s uncle, who said he went there after he called Bassey’s mobile number several times without response and on getting there at  5 pm, Monday, he met the tragic sight.
“I knocked several times on the door but there was no answer, so I had to force the door open. It was then I saw my nephew and his wife along with the young girl lying dead,” the Naval officer said.
Spokesman of the Cross River State Police Command,  Mr Hogan Bassey,  said the matter was reported by the naval officer and the bodies evacuated to the  Infectious Disease Hospital  mortuary, Edgerly Road,  Calabar.

Court remands man, 34, for alleged rape of 12-year-old

An Enugu Magistrate Court, yesterday, remanded one Monday Okoye, 34, of Obuofia, in Awgu Local Government Area of the state in prison custody over alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl.
The police in Enugu had arraigned Okoye before the court over alleged offence.
The prosecutor, Mr  Peter Eze, told the court that the matter was reported to the state Criminal Investigation Department on August 11.
Eze said the rape victim was absent in the court because she was hospitalised following the injury she sustained from the rape.
The prosecutor called seven witnesses to testify in the matter.
The magistrate, Mr Frank Chukwu, asked the accused if he had a counsel and he said he had none.
Chukwu said that the case would be transferred to the high court because it bordered on rape, adding that such was outside the jurisdiction of a magistrate court.
He, however, added that the prosecuting witnesses would testify in the high court on the matter.
He warned that each witness would pay N50,000 if they failed to appear in the high court for the case.
The magistrate ordered the accused to be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case indefinitely.

Don Jazzy, P Square, D’Banj tops Forbes richest artistes lists

Channel O and Forbes Africa presents the top 10 most bankable/richest artistes in Africa. This list was put together using factors such as endorsement value, popularity, show rates, Sales, awards, YouTube views, appearance in newspapers, investment, social media presense, Influence and so many other factors. The list shows the African artistes making the most money in Africa.
Check out the top10 list
1. AKON – CEO of Konvict Music, opened doors with other African artiste
2. DON JAZZY – Producer. CEO Mavin Records, MTN, Samsung and Loyal Milk endorsement. D’Banj, Kanye West, Beyonce and Jay Z on production credits.
3. P SQUARE – Music Duo. Featured on Forbes Africa twice, sold out concerts, presidential guest in at least 5 African countries, they fly private jets…

*Peter Okoye, Wizkid, Paul Okoye

4. D’BANJ – Music Artiste. G.O.O.D Music deal, Sony Entertainment deal
5. WIZKID – Music Artiste. EME artiste, Starboy CEO, affiliation with Disturbing London, several international collaborations, highest paid Pepsi ambassador in Africa, ambassador of MTN
6. 2FACE IDIBIA – Music Artiste. 10million CDs and at least 7million digital sales, one campaign… associated with Guinness, Haven Homes, Airtel Worldwide and philantropist – 2face foundation
7. ANSELMO RALPH – Musically Artiste Samsung and Coca Cola ambassador, Perfume line, clothing label, multimillion dollar tour bus, Sony artiste.
8. SARKODIE –  Rapper. Youth ambassador Ghana, Sark clothing, Samsung ambassador, fan milk Ghana ambassador.
9. ICE PRINCE – Artiste. Six million downloads, 2 studio owner, one foundation member, Plug N Play ambassador, Zamani foundation.
10. BANKY W – Artiste. Co owner EME, Samsung Ambassador, Philanthropist, multiple award winner.

CBN to resist pressure to devalue naira

 The Central Bank of Nigeria, yesterday, said it will resist pressure to devalue the naira since it retains ample funds to defend the currency.
Mr. Ugochukwu Okoroafor, CBN spokesperson said the apex bank Governor is expected to stay the course until his term is up in 10 months.
The naira has fallen in recent months, trading outside the CBN’s target band of 150-160 naira to the U.S. dollar since June, initially due to foreign investors booking profits on their naira assets, and on importers buying dollars.
Okoroafor said by telephone that the institution remained committed to the band. “We have the resources to meet demand. We are still determined to keep within that band,” he CBN Deputy Governor, Kingsley Moghalu also said there were no plans to change the band in an interview with Reuters in London on Tuesday.
“We are comfortable with the band as it is currently – we do not have any intention of doing anything spectacular,” he said.
But a similar naira weakness, partly caused by excessive spending prior to 2011 national elections, forced the central bank to lower the target band from 145-155 naira to the dollar in November that year, after months of struggling to prop it up.
Pressure on the currency will worsen next year as elections loom again in 2015 – traditionally at a time when government expenditure becomes very loose, pumping excess liquidity into the banking system.
“It’s the case all over the world – governments tend to spend a lot leading up to elections,” Moghalu said.
The unit has hovered around the 162-163 level in recent months, on strong demand for dollars. It touched a 20-month low of 163.70 naira to the dollar last week.
It closed at 163.10 naira to the dollar on Monday, after it became clear the central bank would not intervene again to prop it up. By 0910 GMT on Tuesday it had rebounded to 162.90.
“We believe that the probability of (moving the trading band) is slim in the coming months,” said Gaimin Nonyane, an economist at Ecobank, adding that the bank had ample funds.
“Such a move would … increase inflationary pressures. Given the central bank’s commitment to promoting price … stability, we think the current rate … will be maintained.”
Nigeria’s consumer inflation ticked up to 8.7 percent in July, though Moghalu said he expected it to stay in single digits this year.
Central bank governor Lamido Sanusi has repeatedly warned that excessive election spending poses an inflation risk that he is ready to counter with tight monetary policy.
Analysts expect Sanusi will stick to that path until his planned departure next July when his five-year term expires. RISKS OF DEVALUING
“The central bank will continue to defend exchange rate stability … as long as governor Sanusi remains in charge,” said Standard Bank’s Samir Gadio.
Sanusi has spent billions of dollars of foreign reserves over the past months in keeping the naira, which has lost 4.6 percent since the year, within its target corridor.
But Nigerian foreign exchange reserves stood at $46.85 billion by Aug. 29, down only 0.23 percent month-on-month from July, so they are not being rapidly depleted.
“Nothing about the central bank’s recent guidance or behaviour suggests that is about to allow a devaluation of the naira,” said Alan Cameron, economist at CSL Stockbrokers.
The bank tightened liquidity significantly in July, slapping a 50 percent reserve requirement on public sector deposits, up from 12 percent previously. That sucked 1 trillion naira out of the banking system and although the effect on the naira was shortlived, it showed the lengths to which the bank will go.
Moghalu said, however, that the purpose of the reserve requirement hike was to encourage banks to lend more, rather than to boost the currency.
“We would like to see more real economy lending and an expansion of the deposit base, and higher deposit rates, so that people can save,” he said.
Another factor, said Charles Robertson, economist at Renaissance Capital, was that pressure on emerging market currencies generally could subside in the coming weeks, so the naira may start to recover all by itself.
“We are comfortable,” said Moghalu. “The naira has appreciated a bit in recent days.”

Mikel, Moses, 16 Eagles storm Calabar

 .. Guinness  promises $2,000 for each goal
After a dull Monday afternoon, the Super Eagles camp at the Transcorp Metropolitan Hotel came alive on Tuesday afternoon with almost all the top actors already in town, though only 12 of them trained in the evening session at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar.
Among early trainers for the African champions are stand-in skipper, Vincent Enyeama, Chelsea superstar, John Mikel Obi, goalkeepers Ausin Ejide and Chigozie Agbim. New Turkey recruit, Godfrey Oboabona, James Okwuosa, who was the first player to arrive camp on Monday morning, Brown Ideye, Solomon Kwambe, Benjamin Francis, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Lazio midfield anchor, Ogenyi Onazi, Uche Nwofor, who scored two beautiful goals against Bafana Bafana in the Mandela Challenge.

SUPER EAGLES MIDFIELDER, MIKEL OBI (M), LEADING A TRAINING SESSION

When the team arrived its hotel, other players who came in through Abuja were already waiting. Among them, Efe Ambrose, Sunday Mba, whose deal with a French side is now in doubt, Ahmed Musa, Obinna Nsofor and Victor Moses. More players were expected as at the time of this report, but Head Coach, Stephen Keshi has said he is happy with the response of the players and he expects a good game against Malawi on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, has assured that the entire state will be out to support the team on Saturday, declaring that he was sure that the team will whip the mouthy Malawians come Saturday.
Imoke spoke through Sports Commissioner, Hon Patrick Ugbe, who had to cough out time off his busy schedule to watch the closing moments of the team’s training on Tuesday evening. “We have his excellency’s support and that of the entire people of Cross River and we are sure that the team will not only win but win well”, Ugbe told Keshi after training on Tuesday evening.
Guinness  promises $2,000 for each goal
Guinness, official sponsor of the Nigeria Super Eagles has again thrown its weight behind the Super Eagles as it announced a $2,000 reward for each goal scored by the National team against Malawi in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying game scheduled for Calabar on Saturday to spur the Super Eagles to victory.
Reassuring the team of its unwavering support, Guinness urges the African Champions to go for goals and qualify for the World Cup.
According to the firm’s Marketing and Innovation Director, Austin Ufomba, Guinness believes strongly in the ability and determination of the Super Eagles to qualify for the next round of the qualifiers.
“The Super Eagles have the potentials to defeat the Flames of Malawi and progress to the next round in this qualifier because a team hinging on the massive support of millions of Nigerians behind them is truly a team Made of More. Since the team won the AFCON, they have shown tremendous progress that leaves no one in doubt of their capabilities. We are enthusiastic that with team work, technical and tactical discipline the Super Eagles will fly” Ufomba said.

For BlackBerry, Bad News in the Microsoft-Nokia Marriage

 

Thorsten Heins, the president and chief executive of BlackBerry, showed off one of his company's smartphones in January.

MARIO TAMA / GETTY IMAGES

By IAN AUSTEN

September 3, 2013

OTTAWA — If misery loves company, BlackBerry had a friend in Nokia while both companies were struggling to adapt to a changed mobile phone world.

But Microsoft’s purchase of Nokia’s handset and services business, some analysts said on Monday, may now make it harder for BlackBerry to find its own savior and will only underscore the Canadian company’s fundamental problems.

“BlackBerry always looked small fry,” said Nick Spencer, the senior practice director for ABI Research in London. “Now they look even more small fry. They’re up against three of the biggest companies in the world.”

Once the dominant maker of smartphones, BlackBerry has spent the last couple of years vying with Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system for third place in a market overwhelmingly dominated by Apple’s iPhones and phones using Google’s Android operating system. The general indifference that greeted a new line of BlackBerrys introduced earlier this year, along with a new, more sophisticated BlackBerry operating system, led the company to say last month that it is “exploring strategic options” including a sale.

Reports, which were never confirmed, said Microsoft had at least kicked BlackBerry’s tires at some point but decided not to bid for the company. But its purchase of Nokia, which had already adopted Windows Phone for its handsets, rules out any slim hope that Microsoft’s wealth and other resources might provide a solution to BlackBerry’s problems.

While Mr. Spencer believes that BlackBerry is most likely to be broken into separate pieces of varying interest to buyers, he said the Microsoft transaction could provide BlackBerry with a new, if slim, hope for salvation. Apple, like BlackBerry, has always designed and controlled both its handsets and operating system. Google acquired Motorola just over a year ago. With the Nokia purchase, Windows Phone is also allied to a hardware brand.

That makes Samsung, which mainly uses Android in its market-leading handsets, the odd man out, Mr. Spencer said. There is, he said, the possibility that it might consider buying BlackBerry “if it also decides end-to-end software and hardware is the way to go.”

But Samsung is already a member of a consortium creating a new platform known as Tizen, and, perhaps as a warning to Google, its executives have suggested that the company has big plans for that operating system.

The exceptional financial strength Microsoft brings to Nokia may also make it more difficult for BlackBerry to go private through a private equity buyout. Several Canadian news media outlets have reported that Fairfax Financial Holdings of Toronto, which is BlackBerry’s largest institutional shareholder, is trying to form a consortium to buy the company. But that might leave BlackBerry in a similar position as Chrysler after it was taken private by a group led by Cerberus Capital. Undercapitalized, Chrysler was forced into bankruptcy and a government bailout after the auto market slumped in 2008.

“The additional resources Microsoft is putting into this business, that might be the bigger problem for BlackBerry,” said Brian Colello, a technology analyst at Morningstar. “This deal has to be considered a negative for BlackBerry.”

Since BlackBerry’s announcement last month, several financial analysts have declared the company’s handset business to be of no value to any potential buyer. But there has been speculation that its wireless security systems, unique global data network and software used by businesses to manage employees’ mobile phones could become viable businesses on their own.

“Microsoft is still fairly weak in device management, especially beyond Windows Phone devices, and the Nokia acquisition doesn’t help much there,” said Jan Dawson, an analyst with Ovum. “So BlackBerry still has an advantage there.”

He did, however, add the major caveat that BlackBerry’s current software is “is still only really good at managing its own devices.”

A major technology shift introduced in the new BlackBerry 10 operating system has also clouded the value of BlackBerry’s network and the distinctiveness of BlackBerry security.

Like Android and Apple’s iOS, the new BlackBerrys rely on ActivSync software licensed from Microsoft to coordinate e-mail and other data with servers and users’ other computers. The consumer versions of the BlackBerry 10 phones no longer use BlackBerry’s special network, making them no more, or no less, secure than competing phones. Corporate customers that license special server software from BlackBerry gain added security and access to that network. But Microsoft has its own security products as well as a large cloud computing network.

BlackBerry declined to comment.

Bale joins Real Madrid for record breaking £85.3m fee

 To earn £300,000 a week

REAL Madrid have broken the world transfer record to sign Tottenham forward Gareth Bale.

The Wales star has agreed a £300,000 per week, six-year deal after sealing an £85.3m (100m euros)

“I have had six very happy years at Tottenham but it’s the right time to say goodbye,” said 24-year-old Bale.

“We’ve had some special times together and I’ve loved every minute of it.”

He added: “I am not sure there is ever a good time to leave a club where I felt settled and was playing the best football of my career to date.

“I know many players talk of their desire to join the club of their boyhood dreams, but I can honestly say, this is my dream come true.

“Tottenham will always be in my heart and I’m sure this season will be a successful one for them.

“I am now looking forward to the next exciting chapter in my life, playing football for Real Madrid.”

Bale joined Spurs as a left-back for £10 million from Southampton in 2007 and scored 26 goals last season as he was named both the Professional Footballers’ Association’s and Football Writers’ player of the year.

His representatives told Spurs at the end of July that he wanted to speak to the Spanish giants.

Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti’s claim at the start of August that they were “in talks to find a solution” to the transfer angered Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas, but the clubs have now reached a settlement.

After his side’s 1-0 loss to Arsenal, Villas-Boas said: “Bale is a wonderful player. He is going to join Real Madrid so we wish him all the best.

“He left us with some great memories from last season.”

Bale, who becomes Real Madrid’s fifth signing of the summer, paid tribute to both Southampton and Tottenham for developing his career.

He said: “I am well aware I would not be at the level I am today were it not for firstly Southampton and then Spurs standing by me during some of the tougher times and affording me the environment and support they have.

“I would like to thank everyone at the club: the chairman, board, staff, coaches and players, and, most of all, the fantastic fans who I hope will understand this amazing career opportunity.”

Odemwingie joins Cardiff City for £2.5m

 NIGERIAN striker, Osaze Odemwingie, Monday completed his move from West Brom to Cardiff City on a three-year deal worth £2.5 million.
The 32-year-old Bendel Insurance former star completed his medical Monday to become Malky Mackay’s latest signing.

Cardiff beat Swansea City and Stoke City to the Odemwingie’s signature, with Michael Laudrup instead opting to bring in Alvaro Vazquez on loan from Getafe.

Cardiff’s latest signing can play up front or out wide and boasts a superb record of one goal in every three matches for West Brom.

Odemwingie hit the headlines in January after famously driving to QPR’s Loftus Road ground on deadline day to close the deal.

That move fell apart as West Brom refused to accept the bid and Odemwingie was subsequently fined £75,000. He has pretty much been out in the cold at The Hawthorns since then.

The Nigerian becomes Mackay’s eighth summer signing following the captures of Gary Medel, Steven Caulker, Andrea Cornelius, John Brayford, Simon Moore, Kevin Theophile-Catherine and Uruguay youngster, Maximiliano Amondarain.

Meanwhile, Odemwingie’s compatriot, Victor Moses, has expressed his delight to join Liverpool, as he is eager for his debut in colours of the Anfield giants.

Moses will be at Liverpool on a season-long loan from rivals, Chelsea, after he fell down in the pecking order in ‘The Blues’ under Jose Mourinho.

“Really excited to be joining Liverpool this season and can’t wait to make my debut now,” Moses tweeted.

The Nigeria international was at Anfield to watch his new team beat Manchester United 1-0 on Sunday.

Liverpool was reported to have paid £1 million to Chelsea to secure Moses on loan and will pay his weekly wage of £55,000.

Arsenal agrees Mesut Ozil’s fee

 ARSENAL has agreed a deal with Real Madrid to sign Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil, Press Association Sport understands.

The 24-year-old is now set to discuss personal terms over the proposed transfer, believed to be a club-record bid of €50 million (£42.2 million), and then look to complete a medical ahead of the 11.00 p.m. transfer deadline.

Before Sunday’s 1-0 win over Tottenham, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had seen moves for Gonzalo Higuain, Luis Suarez and Yohan Cabaye not materialised, but it would now appear the Emirates Stadium club are close to finally landing a big-name signing.

Pastor rapes woman in church during ‘spiritual bath’

 A 46-year-old Pastor, Olamide Sobowale, of Glory Church of Christ Aladura, Oke-Itoku, Abeokuta, Ogun State,  has been ordered to be remanded in prison for allegedly raping a woman while bathing in his church backyard.
Pastor Sobowale, who  was arraigned before a Magistrate Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, yesterday, was accused of  raping one Dupe Makinde, 30, who lives in Isaje, Abeokuta, while taking a spiritual bath  allegedly  recommended by the pastor.
The prosecuting counsel, Paul Etusi, told the court that the accused grabbed the complainant while she was in  a bathroom within the church premises and raped her.
Etusi said the complainant had already put the  soap on her face as she began bathing when the pastor suddenly entered the bathroom, grabbed and  raped her with soap on her face.
According to Etusi, the accused had told Mrs. Makinde that he had a vision about the her and asked her  to come for deliverance in his church.
He said: “He asked the woman to come to the church to take a spiritual bath for her deliverance,  but, while the complainant was taking her bath, the accused barged into the  bathroom, grabbed the woman and  raped her.
“The accused  has committed an offence contrary to section 357 and punishable under section 358 of criminal code of law of Ogun State, Nigeria, 2006.”
Magistrate A. Araba after listening to the prosecuting counsel, ordered that  the accused be remanded  in prison till he gets advice from the Director of Public Prosecution and adjourned the case till September 16,2013.