Demba Ba completes Chelsea move

Culled from the Punch Newspaper of 03/01/013

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Senagalese international Demba Ba has completed his move to Chelsea from Newcastle.

The Blues agreed a fee with Newcastle for Ba after making an official bid on Wednesday.

Ba has a release clause, understood to be £7.5m, which was triggered by the European champions.

A statement on Newcastle’s website on Wednesday read: “Newcastle United can confirm that Chelsea Football Club has made an official offer for Demba Ba which has triggered the release clause in the player’s contract. The club has given the player permission to speak to Chelsea and therefore he will not be included in the squad for tonight’s (Wednesday’s) game against Everton.”

As at 9pm on Wednesday, the London club had finalised the discussion on personal terms with the player.

Preliminary discussions between representatives of the player and Chelsea had earlier broken up with the deal on the table nowhere near the Senegal international’s expectations. Ba’s representatives indicated that the striker did not expect to end up in west London come the end of the January transfer window following the failed talks.

Manager Rafael Benitez said on Wednesday, “You can always improve things, especially when you have injuries, and we lose two players to the Africa Cup of Nations. Obviously we need bodies but I am really pleased with the squad.”

While the initial fee of £7.5m for a player with Ba’s track record, including 13 league goals this season, appears a bargain, the true cost of the deal could be much more. The Independent revealed that the total could be closer to £30m once agent fees of £5m and a four-year deal worth £80,000 a week are factored in.

Fire could have killed me –Obasanjo

Culled from the Punch Newspaper of 03/01/012

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo
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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday said providence saved him from the fire which recently burnt a part of his Hilltop Mansion in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

If the fire which consumed his secretary’s office had occurred during the night, the former President said he would have been suffocated by fumes from the inferno.

He spoke when the executive members of the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party visited him in Abeokuta.

According to him, the smoke from the fire, which enveloped his bedroom, was enough to kill any living being.

He said, “The fire, which occurred in the office of my private secretary, resulted in thick smoke which pervaded my bedroom. If it had happened at night, I would have been a dead person.”

Obasanjo, who thanked God for sparing his life to witness the New Year, said since the incident, he had continued to receive calls from within and outside the country.

He said, “I want to thank you all who called me on the telephone, both within and outside the country. Let us appreciate the mercy and kindness of God. There were many of us who started last year, but are no more today. We are not mocking them but extolling God.

“In fact, that I am able to stand erect is God’s blessings. Many in my age group cannot stand well anymore. I am not mocking them, but I am thanking God. My hope and prayer are that this year  will be a glorious year.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the Lagos State PDP, Tunji Shelle, told Obasanjo that the visit was to sympathise with him over the incident, and to celebrate the New Year with him.

He said  it was also to receive his blessings ahead of  the 2015 general elections.

Shelle added, “Our Baba, our leader and our former President, we are here for three reasons: to symphatise with you over the incident; to celebrate new year with you and to get your blessings for the 2015 elections.

“Thank God, the fire was curtailed. Whether small or big, we don’t pray for such incident to happen again. In everything, we have to give thanks to God.”

Osaze linked to Newcastle move

Culled from the Punch Newspaper of 03/01/013

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Newcastle United are reportedly interested in bringing West Bromwich striker Osaze Odemwingie to St James’ Park.

The Sun reported on Wednesday that Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is keen on the frontman as a replacement for Demba Ba who is likely to join Chelsea.

The tabloid reported: “Talks were on-going last night and Toon boss Pardew is hoping to land Odemwingie for £3m.

“The Nigerian, 31, has 18 months left on his deal and wants to quit Albion.

“He almost moved to the cash-rich Qatari League last summer but the Baggies were unable to strike a deal.

“Albion chiefs are keen to do business now rather than see his value plummet as he nears the end of his contract.”

But a Birmingham Mail source close to Newcastle poured cold water on the news.

He tweeted : “No truth in this morning’s reports that #wba and Newcastle are in talks over potential Odemwingie move”

2015 poster sponsors playing games –Jonathan

Culled from the Punch

President Goodluck Jonathan
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President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday described those behind his re-election posters which flooded the Federal Capital City on January 1, 2013 as “playing games.”

Jonathan said he had not launched any re-election campaign and asked the sponsors of his campaign posters to allow him concentrate on the job at hand.

The President who spoke through his spokesman, Reuben Abati, said he needed not to engage “in any form of scaremongering.”

Abati told State House correspondents,  “The President has not launched any campaign; he believes that those doing that are playing games.

“There is no reason for the President to engage in any form of scaremongering. He has said that by 2014 his position on the 2015 presidential race wold be made public. Nigerians should wait till then.”

The campaign posters of the President surfaced in several parts of the FCT on New Year Day thus generating public curiosity about Jonathan’s ambition for the 2015 race.

The appearance of the posters in highbrow Asokoro and Wuse areas of Abuja on Tuesday came barely six weeks after the President had said during his occasional media chat that it was too early to talk about the next general election.

 The big posters had the President’s portrait in his Ijaw traditional attire with the inscriptions “2015: No Vacancy in Aso Rock. Let’s Do More. One Good Turn Deserves Another. Support Dr. Goodluck Azikwe Jonathan for 2015 Presidency.”

 But Abati denied on Wednesday that the Preisdent had a hand in the printing and pasting of the campaign posters.

He said the President’s preoccupation at the moment was how to deliver on his mandate for Nigerians and would not be distracted by the politics of 2015.

He said, “Those pasting the posters are trying to express their own views. The president had stated that he would talk about the presidency from 2014. Those doing these do not have the consent of the president.

“What is most important now is for the president to deliver on his electioneering promise to Nigerians and not to embark on the pasting of posters.

“The posters have not come from the President. Nigerians should take the President for his word and ignore any other information to the contrary.”

Abati however said it would be difficult for the President to take any action against the sponsors or dissuade them since they were unknown.

“We do not know those behind the posters, so the president cannot do anything. Our appeal is that those behind this should allow the President concentrate on the job at hand. The President’s main pre-occupation now is to continue to provide service and quality leadership,” he said.

The Campaign for Democracy on Wednesday described the pasting of Jonathan’s 2015 posters as diversionary.

President of the CD, Joe Okei-Odumakin, however dismissed the “I-have-no-hand-in-it” denial by the Jonathan.

 “That is the way of politicians. They keep denying. The pasting of posters smack of high level insensitivity. After two years, he is still saying he does not want to make mistakes,” she said.

Okei-Odumakin however, advised the President to face the business of leadership and shun diversionary tactics.

Spokesman for the Congress for Progressive Change, Rotimi Fashakin, said it was no longer news that the posters of Jonathan’s intention to have a second term “irrespective of his waning popularity” are already surfacing in and around the FCT. Fashakin said, “Though there is no official reaction from the motley of media aides in the Presidency, it is not unlikely that, in the usual shenanigans in the nation’s power corridors, the opposition may likely get some bashing for attempting to distract the President from his much trumpeted ‘transformation agenda.

“If Dr. Jonathan is interested in contesting the Presidency in 2015, we say, why not? However, what is of grave concern is the portent of the posters: ‘No vacancy in Aso-rock in 2015.”

Will Kim Kardashian Divorce Kris Humphries Before KimYe Baby Arrives?

Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian celebrate her 31st birthday in NYC on October 21, 2011 (Splash News)As news of the KimYe baby exploded on social media over the New Year’s weekend, one potential complication still hung in the air – what could it mean if Kim Kardashian was still married to Kris Humphries when she gives birth to her and Kanye West’s first child?

Kardashian was famous for her 2011 highly publicized wedding to Humphries, which his lawyer claims was “a fraud.” During their last court date in late November, Kardashian’s attorney, Laura Wasser claimed that, “Miss Kardashian is now handcuffed to Mr. Humphries." The couple is due back in court on February 15.
omg! spoke with California family law legal expert Marlo Van Oorschot, who points out there are very few reasons in this case to expedite a trial, but plenty of reasons to delay it. “A trial requires both parties to be present and if one or both of them are unable to attend due to unavoidable work commitments (such as Kris’) or health (such as being in the ninth month of pregnancy), trial will likely be delayed,” she explains. “There is no basis in the law to move this matter to an early trial schedule. There are no urgencies in this case, which are any different or more important than those of the public at large seeking their own divorces in the public courthouse. There are very few exceptions to allow for an early trial date and this case does not present those exceptions.”
Radar Online notes that the main point of disagreement is over Kardashian’s refusal to agree to an annulment, which she believes would confirm that her marriage indeed took place just for the cameras. Whether that’s true or not, "Kim is refusing to cave to any of Kris' demands,” a source tells Radar. “She has moved on with her life, and she won't agree to an annulment on grounds that the marriage was fraudulent because it would cause catastrophic damage to her brand."
Radar also claims that it in fact does indeed appear that Kardashian and Humphries will likely still be married when she’s scheduled to give birth in June, due to both the court’s calendar and his basketball schedule. "Kris isn't trying to drag this out, but he wants to be vindicated in court,” a source tells Radar. “Kris will see this through to the end."
Van Oorschot spoke with a credible and respected colleague of hers who said, “that it is highly likely the reason (Humphries) is seeking the annulment is because of pure personal/ego – not for any legal reason.”
However, a fact first pointed out by TMZ is that the husband of a pregnant woman is “presumed” to be the father of the unborn child, which could complicate matters. In other words, going through the hassle of having to prove that West is her baby’s daddy, could influence Kardashian’s decision to agree to an annulment.
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian on December 31, 2012 (Denise Truscello/WireImage)But Van Oorschot says that the “legal presumption” can easily be rebutted with genetic testing. “There is no significant legal issue with regards to who the legal father is in this case. While Kim can certainly and presumably will name Kanye as the father on the child’s birth certificate, she is unable to be married to the father of her child at the time of birth.”
There is another legal recourse the couple could take to expedite a resolution – hiring a retired judicial officer. Since the cost itself shouldn’t be an issue for the two high-earning stars, Van Oorschot suggests that they may be dragging  things out because “one or both of them enjoy the publicity this case is bringing or are desirous of the delays inherently provided by the public court system, or both.”
An admission of annulment by Kardashian would indeed mean a confession of fraud, and Van Oorschot believes there could be financial ramifications for the reality star as a result. “I would think there could be potential ramifications with regards to the money she earned from televising her wedding and anything and everything related to the publicity of the wedding wherein she was paid,” Van Oorschot pontificates. “Because if she received money based upon that fraudulent marriage this might create the legal basis for other fraud claims against Kim and her businesses empire. As for the divorce itself, I see no legal ramifications except as to her engagement/wedding ring that Kris seeks to be returned. If there was never a marriage [legally], then Kris may be entitled to the return of the ring which is obviously extremely valuable.”
Now, we ain’t saying she a gold digger…

The Biggest Celeb Real Estate Listings of 2012

A waterfall pours into Mark Wahlberg's lagoon-like pool. (Zillow.com)

#5 Mark Wahlberg's Beverly Hills Mansion
Size: 11,500 square feet, including seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms
Asking Price: $12.995 million
List date: July 18, 2012
Current Status: Still for sale
The Scoop: Wahlberg bought the home in 2001 for "only" $4.95 million and made some multi-million upgrades to the place, which now features a kitchen with commercial grade Viking-appliances and marble countertops, a media room with a fireplace, a two-bedroom, 2,500-square-foot guest house, and a resort-style pool area with cabanas and a waterfall. The estate includes a two-story gym complete with a regulation boxing ring and an outdoor basketball court that can also be used for tennis or racquetball. Though potential buyers should note that the deed to the house does not come with a guarantee you'll end up with Wahlberg's abs.
[Related: Katherine Heigl Selling Family Home for $2.6 Million]
Sheryl Crow has listed her 11-acre estate for nearly $16 million. (Zillow)
#4 Sheryl Crow’s Hollywood Hills Estate
Size: 11-acre estate with a 4-bedroom, 3.5 bath main house, a 3-bedroom, 3-bedroom guest house, and a 2-bedroom, 2-bath bungalow
Asking Price: $15.95 million
List Date: October 1, 2012
Current Status: Still for sale
The Scoop: The Spanish Revival home was built in 1924 and has been remodeled to include lots of modern-day amenities like a kitchen chock full of high-end appliances, a library with built-in bookshelves, a wine cellar, and plenty of outdoor luxuries, too, including some close-to-nature spots where Crow must have penned a few tunes. There's the infinity pool with attached hot tub and deck, a footbridge over the property, a cactus garden, and a tropical-style palapa complete with hammock for gazing out into the L.A. skyline, and an outdoor fireplace. As for the guest houses, which share the 11-acre lot, the 1909 Craftsman contains three bedrooms and three bathrooms, while the 1885 "cottage" has two bedrooms and features white oak floors and the always-cool-sounding claw foot tub. According to Zillow.com, the "Perfect Lie" singer and her kids have already completed their move to Tennessee.
The kitchen of Madonna's Upper West Side luxury apartment (Zillow.com)
#3 Madonna’s Manhattan Apartment
Size: 6,000 square feet, 6-bedroom, 8-bathroom duplex
Asking Price: $23.5 million
List Date: November 20, 2012
Current Status: Still for sale
The Scoop: Though Madge purchased a single unit back in the mid 1980s, over the years she's bought two more neighboring apartments in the building, combining them into what is now a 6-bedroom, 8-bathroom duplex, which takes up the 5th and 6^th floors of West 64^th Street's prestigious Harperley Hall. A peek at the listing shows the apartment offers luxuries most Manhattanites have to forgo, like great rooms on both floors with French doors leading to outdoor "Juliet" balconies, five wood-burning fireplaces, central air conditioning (not always a given in NYC apartments), bedrooms with their own wings, and yes, those priceless park views. The apartment was featured in a 1991 issue of Architectural Digest, and according to the article, it included a sound-proofed private gym so that neighbors couldn't hear the stereo system. Unfortunately, the plan didn’t quite work. According to the New York Post, the 54-year-old was sued in 2009 by an upstairs neighbor, who claimed that Madonna played her tunes so loudly that the walls shook for up to three hours a day. The building's board reportedly threatened to evict the "Vogue" songstress and she settled the lawsuit in 2011. After that she moved out of the building and into an even bigger apartment across town on the Upper East Side, this one a 12,000-square-foot 13-bedroom, 14-bathroom triple-wide townhouse with nine fireplaces (because five just isn't enough), for which she paid a reported $40 million.
Adrienne Maloof and Paul Nasiff's Los Angeles home. (Zillow)
#2 Adrienne Maloof and Paul Nassif’s French Chateau in the Gated Los Angeles Enclave of Beverly Glen
Size: 20,000 square feet including eight bedrooms and 11 baths
Asking Price: $26 million
List Date: September 20, 2012
Current Status: Sold on October 19 for $19.5 million
The Scoop: After entering into a messy divorce, “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Maloof and her plastic surgeon husband Nassif looked to liquefy one of their biggest assets when they put this mega-mansion on the market. And what a mansion it is. The listing agency's website states that the French Chateau-style house, designed by architect Richard Landry, is set on two acres and includes luxurious features like a tennis court, media room, wine cellar, swimming pool, and both a pool house and a guest house. According to Zillow.com, the couple purchased the home (which was built in 2000 and has been featured prominently in the reality show) for just under $13 million in 2004, which means they made a tidy little profit on the sale … more to pay the lawyers with!
[Related: Which Celeb Split of 2012 Surprised You the Most? Vote Now!]
Ryan Seacrest bought this house from Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi. (MLS)
#1 Ryan Seacrest’s Beverly Hills Mansion, Purchased From Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi
Size: 2.87 acres, 15,000 square feet, 9 bedroom, 11 baths
List Price: $45 million
List Date: October 3, 2011
Purchase Price: $37 million
Purchase Date: May 16, 2012
The Scoop: Was the home with a celebrity pedigree worth every penny? Well, the property includes a main house, two guest cottages, and an additional 3-bedroom house. DeGeneres and de Rossi purchased the furnished property from “Will & Grace” co-creator Max Mutcnick and later bought two neighboring properties and expanded the home with the help of interior designer Melinda Ritz. The house includes a media room (where the couple was married), a giant pool, meditation room, and pond. Best of all, it was also was once home to Joan Collins.
Reese Witherspoon's ranch in Ojai. (Don Lewis/theagencyre.com)
Honorable Mention: Reese Witherspoon’s Ojai Ranch
Size: 7 acres, 4 bedroom, 3-bath main house, three guest cottages, and carriage house
Asking Price: $10 million
List date: October 15, 2012
Current Status: Price dropped to $8.9 million on November 15. Still for sale
The Scoop: Though there were bigger and more expensive celeb homes that hit the market in 2012, Witherspoon’s Ojai property, makes the list since it’s made plenty of headlines over the last year or so. It was the site of Witherspoon's star-studded wedding and was featured in Elle Decor's August 2012 issue. Over the summer it also became a temporary retreat for her friend and "Like Water for Elephants" co-star Robert Pattinson during the media frenzy that ensued after his girlfriend Kristen Stewart admitted to cheating on him. Acclaimed architect Neff designed the ranch's main house, which has four bedrooms and three and a half baths, in 1923 for glassware magnate Edward Drummond Libbey. In addition to the main house, the estate, which sits on nearly seven acres, also includes a swimming pool, barn, and horse paddock as well as multiple guest cottages, which contain an additional five bedrooms. Witherspoon and her family also share the ranch with donkeys, pigs, goats, chickens, and four dogs. No word on whether they come with the house or not.

Paparazzo Killed While Photographing Justin Bieber’s Ferrari

Bieber driving his Ferrari in December 2012. (Aik Arshamian/INFDaily.com)

A photographer trying to snap pictures of Justin Bieber’s white Ferrari being pulled over by California Highway Patrol was struck and killed by another motorist in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The 18-year-old singer wasn’t behind the wheel – or even in the car – when the accident took place (one of his friends – reportedly a rapper named Lil Twist – had borrowed the vehicle), but issued a statement saying his “thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim” and he hopes “this tragedy will finally inspire meaningful legislation … to protect the lives and safety of celebrities, police officers, innocent public bystanders, and the photographers themselves."

[Related: Stars Who Love Pricey Cars]
The “Boyfriend” singer is relatively new to the road – he was only issued a driver’s license in 2010 – but he has been a paparazzi magnet since the day he passed his driving test. However, the interest in him behind the wheel only seems to have intensified as of late. Not only is there constant curiosity in his personal life (and whether on-again, off-again girlfriend Selena Gomez is in the passenger seat), but he also drives a number of very flashy and very expensive sports cars – including multiple Ferraris, which reportedly retail for over $200,000, and a $100,000 chrome Fisker Karma – making him not exactly go unnoticed on the roads.
While Bieber wasn’t involved in this particular incident, he has had a string of other car troubles since he passed his road test – some paparazzi-related and some not. The most notable one took place in July when he was pulled over on a Los Angeles freeway after getting into a high-speed chase with photographers. Bieber, who was behind the wheel in his Fisker Karma, was cited for driving in a "reckless manner at speeds in excess of 65 mph," a police spokesperson said. However, he was reportedly going much faster than that! Witnesses told TMZ Bieber exceeded 100 mph as he tried to flee the ’razzi, many of whom snapped his photo when he was stopped by police.
Bieber driving his Fisker Karma in April 2012. (Brooks/Campos/INFDaily.com)
[Related: Justin Bieber's New Tattoo: See His Giant Rose Leg Ink]
In November, Bieber also had a police run-in when he was pulled over in his white Ferrari – the same one his friends were driving Tuesday – and cited for making an unsafe left turn as well as having an expired registration. The singer didn’t seem very concerned though. During the traffic stop, he snapped a photo of the police car’s flashing lights in the driver’s side mirror and posted it to Twitter, though he later had second thoughts and deleted the pic.
Bieber has also been stopped two additional times in his other ride – a custom Cadillac CTS-V modified to look like the Batmobile. During one occurrence – in December 2011 – the police pulled him over for making an "unsafe left turn" at an intersection. He must have turned on the charm though because he skated away with just a warning. He also talked his way out of another ticket just two months earlier. While driving around in a motorcade of sorts with two other cars (his friend rapper Sean Kingston was in one), Bieber cut off a police officer. All three vehicles were pulled over, but Bieber made nice with the officers, who sent them all on their way with a warning.
As details unfold about Tuesday’s incident – the freelance photographer, who was identified by TMZ as Chris Guerra, was hit on the 405 highway and later died at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center – other celebs have started to weigh in on the tragedy. Miley Cyrus spoke out, taking a firm position. "Hope this paparazzi/JB accident brings on some changes in '13 Paparazzi are dangerous! Wasn't Princess Di enough of a wake up call?!” she tweeted. “It is unfair for anyone to put this on to Justin’s conscious as well! This was bound to happen! Your mom teaches u when your a child not to play in the street! The chaos that comes with the paparazzi acting like fools makes it impossible for anyone to make safe choices.”
TMZ reports that Guerra thought he was on to a huge story on a very slow news day, and that may have been why he was trailing the car so closely. A source with the same photo agency that Guerra worked for told the news outlet that Guerra called him on Tuesday and said, “Man, you won't believe my luck. It's pretty dead in L.A. Everybody thinks Justin and Selena are in Mexico, but they're not.” The source also adds that the deceased photog thought he had seen Bieber smoking marijuana before he got in his vehicle.

Hugh Hefner Marries Crystal Harris

Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Hefner at the altar. (Instagram)

Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris are on their way to happily ever after!

The Playboy founder, 86, and his model girlfriend, 26, tied the knot in an intimate ceremony on New Year's Eve at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, a mansion source tells Us Weekly.

Originally announcing her engagement to Hefner in December 2010, Harris called off her first wedding in June 2011 just days before the ceremony.
PHOTOS: Broken celebrity engagements

The bride's gorgeous gown. (Instagram)One year later, Harris confirmed via Twitter that she had reconciled with her ex. The couple cemented their plans to walk down the aisle once more in early December when they obtained a marriage license in Beverly Hills and Harris proudly debuted her new engagement ring. (She auctioned off her first ring -- worth an estimated $90,000! -- at NYC auction house Christie's in October 2011.)

PHOTOS: Stunning star weddings
Taking special care to keep her second ceremony private, Harris -- who recently opened her own lingerie store, Femme Fatale, in Studio City, Calif. -- says her renewed bond with Hefner is solid.
PHOTOS: 2012's sexiest celebrity kisses
"When the wedding didn't work out the first time, it was because of me. I needed to explore out there and take the time away [from Hef and the Mansion]. The time away really helped make me realize that where I'm meant to be is here with Hef," Harris tells Us Weekly. "Our relationship is better than it ever has been before. I'm very happy and Hef's very happy and we're excited."
PHOTOS: Hugh Hefner's former girlfriends
Former Girls Next Door star Harris is the Playboy mogul's third wife. He married Mildred Williams in 1949 and the couple had two children together -- Christie and David -- before calling it quits in 1959. Hefner married Kimberley Conrad, the mother of his sons Marston and Cooper, in 1989 and filed for divorce in 2009 after an 11 year separation. Previous girlfriends of Hefner's include Holly Madison, Kendra Wilkinson, Bridget Marquardt and Brande Roderick.

Fashion Faceoff: Cameron Diaz vs. Michelle Pfeiffer

Hollywood A-listers Cameron Diaz, 40, and Michelle Pfeiffer, 54, are both used to playing leading lady. But only one of them will walk away as the winner of this week’s Fashion Faceoff. Time for us to decide ... who wore it best?!

Cameron Diaz (Splash News)Michelle Pfeiffer (WireImage)
What they wore: A satin, strapless knee-length dress from Lanvin – in black for Diaz and bordeaux for Pfeiffer.
[Related: Photos of Cameron Diaz's Leggiest Looks]
When they wore it: Diaz donned the frock while hosting a soiree for watchmaker TAG Heuer last month. Pfeiffer wore hers to the London premiere of "Dark Shadows" in May.
How they styled it: The leggy Diaz pulled her hair back, slipped on some Gianvito Rossi pumps, and accessorized with a Lanvin necklace, Slane bangles, De Beers earrings, and a TAG Heuer watch. Pfeiffer opted for a low-key look, leaving her tousled locks down, and adding only Sergio Rossi slingback pumps and a sparkly bracelet.
[Related: Cameron Diaz Wears Minimal Makeup]
Judge's scorecard: Props to Pfeiffer for choosing a color that will get her noticed and not being afraid to wear something that shows off her hot bod. She looks good, and she knows it! However, the fit of her frock isn't great. Diaz, on the other hand, picked great jewelry for the LBD, but is that enough to overtake the competition? You decide!

Kim Kardashian: I'm "So Blessed and Lucky" to Be Pregnant With Kanye West's Baby

Going into 2013, Kim Kardashian is counting her blessings.

Just hours after her boyfriend of nine months Kanye West confirmed the couple will give birth to their first child in the new year, the pregnant Kourtney & Kim Take Miami star took to her blog to gush about their happy news.
PHOTOS: Why Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are the perfect match
"It's true!! Kanye and I are expecting a baby. We feel so blessed and lucky and wish that in addition to both of our families, his mom and my dad could be here to celebrate this special time with us," Kardashian, 32, wrote on her Celebuzz blog early Dec. 31, referring to her late father Robert Kardashian, Sr. -- who died of esophageal cancer in 2003 -- and West's mother, Donda, who passed away four years later.
PHOTOS: The Kardashian family through the years
"Looking forward to great new beginnings in 2013 and to starting a family. Happy New Year!!! Xo" Kardashian blogged.
West confirmed the couple's pregnancy during a Sunday night concert in Atlantic City. The "Heard Em' Say" rapper, 35, told the crowd to "stop the music and make noise for my baby mama," referring to his girlfriend, who was in the audience.
VIDEO: Kanye West makes Kim Kardashian throw out all her clothes
Shortly after West's big announcement, his girlfriend's family took to Twitter to express their joy.

Tweeted Khloe Kardashian-Odom, "Keeping secrets is hard with so many family members! Especially when you are so freaking excited! Love is everything!"

Added Kardashian's mother, Kris Jenner: "I am a happy girl! Wowza! Oh BABY BABY BABY!!"
This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Kim Kardashian: I'm "So Blessed and Lucky" to Be Pregnant With Kanye West's Baby

Kim Kardashian Pregnant: Her Family Reacts to the Big News

 
 Get ready for yet another Kardashian to keep up with! On Sunday night, Kanye West “announced” that he and Kim Kardashian are expecting a child together when he told the crowd at his Atlantic City concert to “Stop the music and make some noise for my baby mama,” according to a fan on Twitter who was at the show, and then reportedly pointed to his girlfriend in the audience. Although Kim – who is still married to her husband of 72 days, Kris Humphries – has yet to say anything to her nearly 17 million fans on Twitter, her rep did confirm that the reality star is pregnant. This will be the first child for both Kim, 32, and West, 35, who began dating in the spring of 2012.
Of course, the moment West, 35, made the big announcement, Kardashian’s attention-loving family took to Twitter to share their well wishes and blessings to KimYe’s unborn “kash kow.”
Youngest sister Khloe Kardashian, who has struggled to get pregnant with husband Lamar Odom, wrote, “Keeping secrets is hard with so many family members! Especially when you are so freaking excited!!!!! LOVE is everything!!!!”
Oldest sister Kourtney Kardashian, who just gave birth to her second child in July, also gushed, “Been wanting to shout from the rooftops with joy and now I can! Another angel to welcome to our family. Overwhelmed with excitement!”
Kris Jenner, the matriarch and manager of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, added, “Oh BABY BABY BABY!!,” while her 17-year-old model-reality star daughter with Bruce Jenner, Kendall, tweeted, “whos excited about the KIMYE babbyyy?! :D weeee.”
As of press time, Kim’s brother Rob Kardashian and stepbrothers Brody and Brandon Jenner had yet to share their thoughts on their new niece or nephew.
Who else thinks Kim and Kanye are going to give their baby a “K” name?

India ready to charge men accused of gang rape

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  Associated Press/ Dar Yasin - Indian women offer prayers for a gang rape victim at Mahatma Gandhi memorial in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. India's top court says it will decide whether to suspend …more 

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NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian police say they are ready to file murder, rape and kidnapping charges against six people accused in the gang-rape and killing of a 23-year-old university student.

New Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat says the charges against the suspects were expected to be presented to a court in south Delhi on Thursday.

The Dec. 16 rape triggered outrage across India and sparked demands for stronger laws, tougher police action against sexual assault suspects and a sustained campaign to change society's views on women.

Media reports say 30 witnesses have been gathered, and the charges have been detailed in a document running more than 1,000 pages.

Obama Signs 'Fiscal Cliff' Bill With Autopen

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  Enlarge PhotoABC OTUS News - Obama Signs 'Fiscal Cliff' Bill With Autopen (ABC News)

HONOLULU, Hawaii - President Obama has signed the "fiscal cliff" legislation into law via autopen from Hawaii, where he is vacationing with his family.

The bill to avert the "fiscal cliff" arrived at the White House late this afternoon and it was immediately processed, according to a senior White House official. A copy was delivered to the president in Hawaii for review. He then directed the bill to be signed by autopen back in Washington, D.C.

The Bush administration deemed in 2005 that the use of the autopen is constitutional, although President George W. Bush never used the mechanical device to replicate his signature on a bill.

The office of legal counsel found at the time that Article 1, Section 7 of the Constitution allows the president to use the autopen to sign legislation, stating "the President need not personally perform the physical act of affixing his signature to a bill to sign it."
Obama has used the autopen twice in the past to sign legislation, both times while he was overseas.
Use of the autopen has been controversial. Conservative groups alleged last summer that Obama used an autopen to sign condolence letters to the families of Navy SEALs killed in a Chinook crash in Afghanistan - a charge the White House disputed flatly as false.
In 2004, then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was criticized for using an autopen to sign condolence letters to the families of fallen troops.
And in 1992 then-Vice President Dan Quayle even got into some hot water over his use of the autopen on official correspondence during an appearance on "This Week with David Brinkley."

Obama, who arrived back in Hawaii early Wednesday morning to continue his family vacation, spent the afternoon golfing with friends at the Marine Corps base at Kaneohe Bay.

Obama is slated to remain in Hawaii through Saturday.

ABC News' Jonathan Karl contributed to this report

Buffett the $3 Billion Gorilla of 2012's Top Givers

 (Yahoo News):
Last year's 15 biggest gifts to charitable causes by American billionaires added up to more than last year's, but of that total more than half came from one man.

Warren BuffettWealthy Americans gave $5.1 billion dollars in the 15 biggest charitable donations of 2012, according to the "Chronicle of Philanthropy." But subtract the $3 billion pledged by Warren Buffett, and the total would be far less than last year's $2.6 billio

The top givers were:

1. Warren Buffett: $3.09 billion in stock to be divided equally among three foundations run by his children
   
2. Mark Zuckerberg: $498.8 million to Silicon Valley Community Foundation to support education and health
   
3. Paul Allen: $300 million pledge to the Allen Institute for Brain Science
   
4. Mortimer Zuckerman: $200 million pledge to the Columbia University's Mind Brain Behavior Initiative
   
5. Fred Fields: $150 million bequest to Oregon Community Foundation to support art and education
   
6. Carl Icahn: $150 million pledge to Mount Sinai School of Medicine for medical research
   

Three of those top gifts were announced in December - either a good sign for 2013, or an effort to avoid the effects of the fiscal cliff.
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Dana resumes flights today

The Citizen

Embattled domestic operator, Dana Air, will commence its scheduled domestic operations today with a Lagos-Abuja service.
The spokesman of Dana Group, Tony Usidamen, thanked the NCAA for its support, adding that the airline would begin with a Lagos-Abuja-Lagos flight today, after which it would gradually introduce other routes it hitherto flew to.
It could be recalled that the airline went off the skies on June 3, 2012, when the aviation ministry via the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) suspended its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) following the crash of one of its MD 83 jets in Iju Ishaga area of Lagos that killed 163 people and destroyed property worth billions of naira.
Since then, the airline had battled for its return into operation and on December 5, 2012, the NCAA issued new AOC to the airline after it satisfactorily scaled the safety audit.
But the regulatory agency, NCAA, told the airline management in clear terms that it would not be allowed to fly until it begins to pay the outstanding 70 per cent of the $100,000 to families of victims of the crash as stipulated by law.
Having also showed sufficient evidence of this, the NCAA gave the airline the all clear nod to commence scheduled operations.

Hillary Clinton discharged from New York hospital

The Citizen January 3, 2013 0

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been discharged from hospital after treatment on a blood clot between her skull and brain.
Her medical team said she was making good progress, and were confident she would make a full recovery, said the state department.
It added in a statement that she was “eager to get back to the office”.
Mrs Clinton was earlier seen leaving New York-Presbyterian Hospital with her husband and daughter.
The state department said at the time she had not been discharged, but was merely travelling to another hospital building on the campus for further tests.
Mrs Clinton, 65, is due to stand down before President Barack Obama formally begins his second term in January.
Appointed secretary of state at the start of Mr Obama’s first term, in January 2009, her health has been under intense scrutiny because she is considered a strong candidate for the Democratic nomination for president should she decide to run in 2016.
The former first lady was taken to hospital on Sunday when the clot was discovered. She had suffered a concussion earlier in the month after falling in her home.
She had fainted after becoming dehydrated while battling a stomach ailment, aides have said.
Mrs Clinton is being treated with blood thinners to dissolve the clot.
During her stay in hospital she worked from her bed, speaking with staff and reviewing paperwork, US state department officials said.
Renowned for her grueling travel schedule, Mrs Clinton’s most recent foreign trip in December was to Dublin.
“She’s been quite active on the phone with all of us,” spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.
The secretary of state is due to give evidence before a Congressional committee later this month in connection with the attack in September on the US consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi.
The US ambassador to Libya and three American officials were killed in the incident.

FG to distribute 10m cell phones to farmers

The Citizen

The Federal Government has said it will distribute no fewer than 10 million cell phones to farmers to boost agricultural production in  the country.
The Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ibukun Odusote, said at a sensitisation programme for farmers at Igan-Ipabi in Ijebu-East Local Government Area of Ogun  said the distribution  was one of the steps being taken  by the ministry  to ensure food security in Nigeria.
Odusote said that the Ministry of Information Technology and other relevant stakeholders had been contacted to collaborate toward effective distribution of the phones.
“As part of the electronic-wallet which we are promoting, the handsets will be the toll with which we will communicate to farmers in the rural areas.

“Deep into the interiors, we will be able to communicate with them.
“ We are actually working with the Ministry of Communication Technology, so they are talking to the network providers.
“They will extend their networks into rural areas where normally they will say there is no economic viability.
“The Federal Government will be putting some support into this, they will go into the hinterlands and expand their network so that we can have access,” Odusote explained.
She said  appropriate measures had been taken to commence the  distribution exercise before the end of the first quarter.
Odusote also said that the beneficiaries would receive direct alert for the collection of fertiliser as well as information on farming seasons, prices of products and scarcity period.
She added that farmers would get 50 per cent subsidy on fertiliser as well as other necessary assistance from government.
Though Odusote did not specify the exact amount to be expended on the project, she stated that the phones would be bought directly from the manufacturing company.
She added that some of the manufacturing companies had also expressed readiness to partner with the ministry and invest in the sector.
Odusote also said farmers would be provided with solar-powered lamps for charging the phones, adding that the initiative was to achieve a complete value change in the sector.
She said graduates searching for white collar jobs should tap into the opportunity, noting that this would bring about overall development in the sector.

CBN Orders Banks to Reject Liquidated Banks’ Cheques

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The Citizen

The Central Bank of Nigeria has barred banks from processing instruments bearing names of acquired or legacy banks.
The directive came into effect on Wednesday, the first workday in 2013.
Banking and Payment System director, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dapo Fatokun, said  in a statement that bank that flout the directive would be sanctioned.
THE CITIZEN investigations showed that most of the merger institutions have long stopped the use of legacy documents in their operations.
What most of the banks that were involved in one of combination or the other are still battling is how to achieve seamless internal and external system linkages.
Banks whose instruments are referred to here are those who have been swallowed up in a combination arrangement or those whose names were changed after they were acquired by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON).
They include Afribank Plc, Bank PHB Plc, FinBank Plc, ETB Bank Limited, Oceanic Bank Plc and Spring Bank.
The statement reads: “The Central Bank of Nigeria has noted with concern, the prevalence of legacy/liquidated banks’ financial instruments being processed and cleared for settlement in various clearing houses.
“This development is unacceptable and should be discouraged forthwith. The deposit money banks are advised to stop issuance and circulation of legacy/liquidated banks’ financial instruments in our clearing system particularly as we have migrated to Nigeria Uniform Bank Account Number.”

Pro-gun rights groups want CNN’s Piers Morgan deported from US

The Citizen

LONDON (AP) — Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition calling for British CNN host Piers Morgan to be deported from the U.S. over his gun control views.
Morgan has taken an aggressive stand for tighter U.S. gun laws in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut, school shooting. Last week, he called a gun advocate appearing on his “Piers Morgan Tonight” show an “unbelievably stupid man.”
Now, gun rights activists are fighting back. A petition created Dec. 21 on the White House e-petition website by a user in Texas accuses Morgan of engaging in a “hostile attack against the U.S. Constitution” by targeting the Second Amendment. It demands he be deported immediately for “exploiting his position as a national network television host to stage attacks against the rights of American citizens.”
The petition has already hit the 25,000 signature threshold to get a White House response. By Monday, it had 31,813 signatures.
Morgan seemed unfazed — and even amused — by the movement.
In a series of Twitter messages, he alternately urged his followers to sign the petition and in response to one article about the petition said “bring it on” as he appeared to track the petition’s progress.
“If I do get deported from America for wanting fewer gun murders, are there any other countries that will have me?” he wrote.

Colombian drug baron arrested in Lagos

The Citizen

THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Thursday announced the arrest of  a Colombian drug baron  and seven Nigerians who specialise in the production of methamphetamine in some parts of the country.
Chairman of NDLEA, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade ,also expressed concern over the health and security implication of illegal methamphetamine production in Nigeria.
Giade addressed journalists on the developments in the operations of the agency,
He said  three production factories were discovered in Lagos and Anambra States. Giade described the new wave of drug racketeering as sad and worrisome.
“Our investigation has shown that the Colombian methamphetamine production expert, Gonzelo Osorio a.k.a Fabian Arcila or Baez Benitez Milan, was invited to establish three clandestine laboratories on a $38,000 (about N6 million) weekly contract. This is sad and worrisome. It is a clarion call on stakeholders to pay priority attention on this dangerous twist in our nation’s drug trade,” he said.
Narcotics investigators have arrested seven Nigerian members of the criminal gang who are helping NDLEA in further investigations. The suspects are Gonzelo Osorio, Gabriel Onyebuchi Obi, Anthony Ebi, Olisa Cyprian Onyebuchukwu, Mickey Ezeokoli, Solomon Ogbonna and Chidi Alexandra Efeagwazi.
Twelve vehicles belonging to suspected members of the cartel have been confiscated. In addition, four houses have also been traced to the criminal group by the agency.
The undercover operation which led to the crackdown on the criminal gang, according to Giade, commenced in November 2011 when Gonzelo Osorio was contracted by a Nigerian drug syndicate to establish three methamphetamine production laboratories in different parts of the country.
He described the operation as one of the best coordinated in terms of duration, expertise and professionalism by the agency.
The first clandestine laboratory Gonzelo established was situated at Majek area of Ibeju Lekki Local Council Area of Lagos State, while another one was located in Nanka village in Nnewi area of Anambra State.
The criminal gang was in the process of establishing the third laboratory when NDLEA officers apprehended them.
“Gonzelo Osorio left Nigeria in December 2011 and returned in May, 2012 with a false identity as a citizen of Paraguay with the name Baez Benitez Milan on his travel documents. He is regarded as the best methamphetamine production experts in their country and was hired on $38, 000  weekly by the drug cartel,” Giade said.
While the operation was ongoing, a suspect was apprehended in Lagos for using his residence for a personal production of methamphetamine. The reality of the threat, according to the agency, is that it is both a syndicate and a one-man affair.
“The concerted efforts of stakeholders are required. The suspects involved in the criminal act are either ignorant of the lethal health consequences of their action or have simply been blinded by their selfish interests. Methamphetamine production endangers public health. More worrisome is the security implication due to the huge profit involved,” Giade added.
It should be recalled that the first clandestine laboratory was discovered in June 2011 in Lagos. The second laboratory which was discovered in Lagos early this year, revealed the engagement of foreigners by local drug cells as three Bolivian expatriates who were running the laboratory were arrested and are currently undergoing trial.
In all, five production factories have been located by the agency.
Methamphetamine laboratories, according to experts, pose a serious health danger to the society. The risk of infection is also very high even after several years of abandonment. The chemicals and the gasses emitted during production are highly injurious. Even residents living close to a production area are at risk.

N4 Billion fraud: EFCC declares ex-Gov Audu wanted

The Citizen

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday declared former governor of Kogi State, Abubakar Audu wanted.
EFCC wants him to answer for offences bordering on conspiracy, stealing and misappropriation of public fund.

According to a press statement signed by the EFCC’s The EFCC’s action  followed the failure of the suspect to respond to invitation by the anti- graft agency said in a statement by its                                                          .spokesman  Mr, Wilson Uwajeran.
The statement said attempts by the EFCC to arrest Mr Audu at his 32, Sulaiman Barau Street, Asokoro, Abuja residence on December 11, 2012 failed as he allegedly evaded arrest.
The former governor is alleged to have fraudulently enriched himself to the tune of over N4 billion while he held sway as governor of Kogi State between 1999 and 2003.
The move to arrest the ex- governor followed a Supreme Court ruling of November 23, 2012, which dismissed the ex-governor’s appeal to continue to protract his corruption trial by EFCC.
The Commission implores anyone having useful information about the whereabouts of the suspect to notify its offices in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Kano and Enugu or report at the nearest police station.

We are after N3.3tr stolen pension fund- Maina

The Citizen

The Head of Presidential Task Force on Federal Pension Disbursement, Abdulrasheed Maina, has said that forensic audit has uncovered the sum of N3.3 trillion pension fund stolen by cabals in various government agencies.
Fielding questions from State House correspondents, Maina who refused to mention the agencies and individuals involved so as not to jeopardize ongoing investigation, said in the next couple of days the names would be made public having received the nod of the federal government to do so.
“I want to tell you that what we have uncovered will surprise Nigerians. We have found that pension fund up to N3.3 trillion was stolen by the cabal and we are going to recover all the money,” he said.
Maina who regretted that the hunter has become the hunted following what he termed “biased” probe by the Senate Joint Committee on Establishment and Public Service, wondered how a task force that recovered about N241 billion as at October this year and has deleted 73,000 ghost pensioners from the civil service list, is being bullied and blackmailed rather than being commended, assured this has only strengthen the committee’s resolve to do more.
According to him, “N74 billion of the N181 billion discovered and saved by the pension task team has so far been mopped up for utilization in the 2012 budget,” he said.
“The Task Team has established E-Pension Management System (E-Pms) Platform, pioneered the payment of pensioners in Diaspora, introduced smart cards to eliminate physical verification of pensioners, traced and cracked down on pension cartel, simplify the processing period of getting pension entitlements down to 24 hours, discovered a total of 50,000 unpaid pensioners and paid them all their entitlements, stopped monthly stealing of N.25 billion from the Head of Service of the Federation Pension Office, cutting off N1 billion Police pension monthly release of N1.59 billion to N500 million instead and caused th arrest and prosecution of pension suspects.
“The team has also converted over 128,000 hard copies of pensioner’s file into electronic format, seized properties worth billions and cut off the pensioners verification annual expenditure of over N40 billion.
He said “the Senate Joint Committee on Establishment and Public Service is unfair to us because they have taken sides with the cabal against those of us that are fighting the corruption in the system.
“That is why I wrote a protest letter to the Senate President to complain how the committee is biased. They don’t allow us to answer questions because they will insist on a yes or no answer and that is unfair.”
Maina denied knowledge of the alleged theft of N195 billion by the pension office saying “we have been doing all this work without running cost and we don’t even have money to buy some basic office items like printing paper and toner. The records are there for all to see”.
He added, ” the Pension Task Team does not control or approve the utilization of the finances of the aforementioned pension offices (Military, Police, DSS, CIPPO and the Head of Service Pension Offices from 2005-2010), and for this reason, it could not have been possible for anybody to hold the team accountable for an allegedly missing funds by other pension offices to which the team has no control over.

SEC shuts down phoney fund manager

The Citizen

The office of the alleged illegal fund manager, Avenues to Wealth ,   was Tuesday sealed off by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), after several months of complaints by subscriber to the fund.
It took a combined team of both plain and uniformed police officers from both the commission and the Oduduwa Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja, stormed the premises on Tuesday and sealed off.
The office is  located within the serene Olufunmilola Okikolu Street, off Toyin Street Ikeja, Lagos.
The operation was led by the Assistant Director, Enforcement and Compliance, SEC, Mr. Benard Ebe.
The SEC’s move saw four top officials of the fund managers, including the Managing Director, Mr. Adeolu Akinyemi, being taken into custody at the Area ‘F’ Police Command.
Ebe added: “Three month ago details of the operations of the company came to the Commission. Section 153 of the Investment and Security Act (ISA) showed that operators of such fund must obtain license, to ensure close monitoring by the commission and more so, they are expected to file returns to the commission.”
He said that for any entity to engage in fund management, such organisation must register its operations with the commission while anything short of this would amount to illegality.
Other schemes engaged in by the fund managers include network signup vouchers, estate rentals, real estate, retail supermarket, electronics, IT gadgets,  fund cooperative, travels and telecom.
“They lure people to bring their money to them and in the process they pay dividend or interest as the case may be. From there they pay the initial investors in the scheme, but when the investors have brought a lot other investors on board of the scheme, they will short their premises their making several investors losing million of naira.
A pamphlet from the organization showed that showed thatthe fund projected  a yield on investment  at an average of 20 per cent per annum with a 5 year capital holding.
The commission moves which saw four top officials of the fund managers, including the Managing Director, Mr. Adeolu Akinyemi being taken into custody at the Area ‘F’ Police command, said “Three month ago details operation of the company came to the commission, Section 153 of the Investment and Security Act showed that operators of such fund must obtained license, to ensure close monitoring by the commission and moreso they are expected to file returns to the commission.
However, one of the officials who claimed to be advisor to Avenue to Wealth, but who did not disclose his name, said their operation was registered with the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture as a Corporative Society.

Pension Scam: Another N20 billion secret account discovered

The Citizen

The chairman, Pension Reform Task Team, Dr. Abdulrasheed Maina, has said that his committee has found another N20 billion in stolen pension funds stashed in a secret account.
Maina while speaking during an interview with journalists in Abuja, said the funds were hidden in some dormant accounts in some banks but said no reports have been made to the authorities concerned because investigations are still ongoing.
His words: “Recently, we discovered some money hidden in other accounts, apart from the N221 billion we have recovered and sent to the government.
“I did not disclose this earlier because we are still under investigation. The money is over N20 billion.
“The amount has been hidden in some accounts that are dormant for over three years… As soon as we get through with our investigation, we will report to the Minister of Finance to instruct the Accountant-General to move the money” he said.

We’ll recover missing N195bn pension fund –Reform team

The Citizen

The Pension Reform Task Team has offered to assist the Senate to recover the alleged N195bn missing pension funds.
Also, the Chairman of the team, Dr. Abdulrasheed Maina, said the panel had apart from the N221bn recovered from pension fund thieves, discovered a new secret account with well over N20bn.
Maina, who said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Friday, explained that the team had the know-how to recover such  hidden funds.
He said, “We, as task team, are interested in working with the Senate to recover the N195bn because we have the expertise and technical knowledge to go after the fund and recover it.
“If it is in people’s account, we will recover it and if people stole it, we will find it out. We have a track record of doing that.”
He added, “Recently, we discovered that some amount of money are hidden in other accounts apart from the N221bn we sent to the government. I have not said this before because we are still under investigation.  It is over N20bn.
“This money has been hidden in some accounts that are dormant for over three years. As soon as we get through with our investigation, we will report to the Minister of Finance to instruct the Accountant-General to move the money to Central Bank where a special account is opened for such money.”
The Chairman expressed sadness that the Senate Joint Committee on Establishment and  Public Service and States and Local Governments Administration, was being misled into maligning the task team.
He said, “Our detractors thought we have an account and we are keeping money. We only go to the bank, see account balance and write what we have observed. We have all the security agencies in our midst.
“We have this coordination but people don’t know. They give false information to the Senate Committee and they sit down on false information without verifying.
“If you are given an assignment as a committee, I feel the first person you will look for is the person in charge of the team.
“We are the depository of the database of the civil service, we ought to have been invited first so that we can go round the country with the committee investigating management of pension fund but nobody invited us.”
He added that people within the system who were feeding fat through the loopholes were those fighting hard to ensure that the team was discredited and the status quo remained.
“They want to distract us. It is not about anything but corruption fighting back,” he said.

Court orders AMCON to reopen Capital Oil

The Citizen

Court on Wednesday granted the prayers of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Ltd for the vacation of an order which allowed the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) to shut down the oil firm’s facilities since November 13, 2012.
Federal High Court, Abuja Division  discharged the order it granted to freeze the properties of the embattled owner of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited, Ifeanyi Ubah.
In setting aside the order, Justice Abdul Kafarati ruled that the court has the powers to set aside its orders especially when justice demands it does so.
He added that Capital Oil was an on-going concern when it was shut down and the business of AMCON is not to stifle businesses.
Justice Kafarati ordered AMCON to reopen the facilities while it retains the title deeds of the facilities and also enter into negotiation with the company on how to pay the debt.
The Judge had on November 13, ordered AMCON to take immediate possession of properties and assets of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited, following allegation that the oil firm is indebted to AMCON to the tune of N48.014 billion.
Capital Oil re-approached the High Court on November 22, and asked it to vacate the interim order.
Meanwhile an attempt by AMCON to get the court’s order to sell off proceeds stored in the company’s facility and an order as to where the money will be retained hit a brick wall.
Counsel to AMCON, Mr Ricky Tarfa standing on Order 28 of the court rules, asked the court to order the sales of products held in the capital oil storage facilities, he further asked that proceeds of the sale be held in an account as ordered by the court pending the determination of the owners of the fund.
Rejecting the oral application, counsel to Capital Oil told the court that such an application must come formally and besides that, products in the Capital Oil facility belong to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Justice Kafarati ordered AMCON to bring a formal application as a result of the many interests on the products and adjourned the suit to the 15th of January 2013 for definite hearing.