Merkel to stay refugee policy course despite vote debacle

German chancellor Angela Merkel delivers a speech at the last electoral meeting on March 12, 2016 in Haigerloch, southwestern Germany, ahead the regional state elections in Baden-Wuerttemberg.
More than 12 million voters are electing three new regional parliaments for the southwestern states of Baden-Wuerttemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, as well as eastern Saxony-Anhalt in the so-called Super Sunday polls. / AFP / Thomas Kienzle

German Chancellor Angela Merkel plans no changes to her refugee policy despite heavy losses in state elections at the weekend, her spokesman said Monday.

 “The federal government will stay its refugee policy course, fully determined, at home and abroad,” the spokesman, Steffen Seibert, told a news briefing.

London mayor Johnson blasts Obama over reported UK visit

US President Barack Obama pauses while speaking during a South by Southwest Interactive at the

 Long Center for Performing Arts in Austin, Texas on March 11, 2016. / AFP / Mandel NGAN

London mayor Boris Johnson on Monday accused Barack Obama of “hypocrisy” following a report that the US president is heading to Britain next month to make the case for the UK to stay in the European Union.

“Coming from Uncle Sam, it is a piece of outrageous and exorbitant hypocrisy,” Johnson, a leading member of the campaign for Britain to leave the EU, wrote in his regular column for the Daily Telegraph.

“Can you imagine the Americans submitting their democracy to the kind of regime that we have in the EU?” he asked, adding: “This is a nation born from its glorious refusal to accept overseas control.”

Johnson went on to point out that the United States does not accept that its own citizens could be subject to the rulings of the International Criminal Court and does not recognise other jurisdictions.

Latest polls set stage for another Super Tuesday

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton

The contested-convention movement got mixed news from the latest Quinnipiac polls of Florida and Ohio, two key winner-take-all states in today’s Super Tuesday II primaries. Donald Trump dominates in Florida, Marco Rubio’s last-stand ground and home turf, but only manages a tie against John Kasich in Ohio.
An outright win by Trump in both states will add 165 delegates to his total and put him more clearly on the path to a first-ballot nomination in Cleveland:

Separate surveys of likely Republican and Democratic primary voters in Florida and Ohio show:
Florida Republican – Trump with 46 per cent, followed by Senator Marco Rubio of Florida with 22 per cent, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas with 14 per cent and Ohio Governor John Kasich with 10 per cent.
Florida Democrat – Clinton over Sanders 60 – 34 per cent.

Chicago-bound Amtrak train derails in Kansas, 30 injured

Emergency personnel work on a train that derailed near Dodge City, Kan., Monday, March 14, 2016. An Amtrak statement says the train was traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago early Monday when it derailed just after midnight. PHOTO www.rt.com900

Several coaches from Amtrak’s Southwest Chief Train 4 traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago derailed about 20 miles (32 km) west of Dodge City, Amtrak said in a statement. There were about 128 passengers and 14 crew aboard.

Thirty people were taken to hospitals in Garden City and Dodge City, Gray County spokeswoman, Ashley Rogers, said. She and Amtrak gave no details on their conditions, but in an earlier statement, the United States (U.S.) train service had said that initial reports were that there were no life-threatening injuries.
Other passengers were transported to a recreation center in Cimarron before being provided alternate transportation to their final destination.

9 Things You Probably Did Not Know About Nigeria

Patriotic Nigerians all over the world, here are 9 things you probably did not know about your beloved country Nigeria. Although Nigeria is always the hot topic of the day, she has some interesting history and facts we should familiarize ourselves with.
Did you know that………………

1.Nigeria is home to seven percent (7%) of the total languages spoken on earth. Taraba state alone has more languages than 30 African countries.
2. The National Youth Service Corps was established by the decree No.24 of 22nd of May,1973, during the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon.

6 Interesting Things You Should Know About Ghana

Ghana is the gem of West Africa, it is a collision of rich and sorrowful history, culture and traditions. it is surrounded by beautiful neighbouring countries that are easy to access. Here is an overview of the particularities of this fascinating nation you have little or no knowledge about.

1. Origin of Name

Ghana has existed since medieval times. Its name comes from the former Ghana Empire of West Africa: “Ghana” was the title given to ruling kings.

Staying Profitable During Slow Seasons

SLOW seasons are a reality in the event planning business and for us event planners in Nigeria, that period of the year is now, the first quarter of the year and after the holiday season. There are not much events now and things appear quiet. The question then is, “what should you do to maximize the period?” and “what profitable things can be done now?”

Here are a few activities to make the “sabbatical leave” a time of charting a new course for your event planning business:

Staying Injury Free

 

Allowing The Knees To Go Forward During The Squat

THE squat is one of my favourite exercises. It can be layered to work many different muscles at the same time and should be on your exercise list.

However, when done incorrectly can very easily damage your knees and lower back.
When doing a squat the wrong way, the knees will move forward excessively towards the bottom of the motion.

This will leave the knees far in front of the toes, which should not happen, as it puts a lot of pressure directly on the knees.
When done right, the movement should be the same as going from a seated to standing position. This means that as you lower your body, the hips are pushed back, allowing the knees to stay fairly stationary behind the feet.

Stand in front of a chair or by a wall if you need something to hold onto for balance.  It may be more comfortable for you to spread your feet out.

Pitfalls Of Success Pride

Praying man at the altar. Image source erikbrewer

A feeling of self-respect and personal worth. Satisfaction with your (or another’s) achievements. The trait of being spurred on by a dislike of falling below your standards. Unreasonable and inordinate self-esteem (personified as one of the deadly sins).

YOU know the scripture, which speaks about how pride goes before a fall. We all know it well really, but how rarely we think of ourselves as being proud.

Most times, you envision pride as having to be loud and pompous, but it is that pride that has been expertly hidden that is more dangerous.
Frankly, unless the Lord uncovers this deadly sin in your heart, you will live oblivious of it and wonder at your lack of grace.

Nollywood Actor, Bryan Okwara Urge Celebrities To Avoid Sharing Their Personal Life On Social Media

Hunky Nollywood actor and model, Bryan Okwara, opened up in a recent interview about his personal life and how much celebrities should share on social media.

The actor revealed he shares just enough on social media and avoids sensitive posts that could harm his career in future.

He said, “I try not to share too much because the thing about too much information is that when it gets back at you not everybody knows why you shared it. Just to avoid mis-haps i would rather not put very sensitive things out there.”

Nigerian, S/African artistes for Lagos Culture Fest

Lagos will make headlines again as host of an international music festival – the Gidi Cultural Festival.
Slated for March 26 at the Eko Atlantic, organisers say the event will feature a line-up of top and up and coming acts from Nigeria and South Africa, including Davido, Tiwa Savage, Phyno, Yemi Alade, Timaya, as well as South Africa’s K.O and Riky Rick who will be performing in Nigeria for the first time.

The festival’s founder, Chin Okeke, describes the show as one that defines the progression of music and urban youth culture in Africa.

“The festival was naturally born in Lagos because the city is the melting pot of the continent, yet it maintains a global outlook. Our lineup represents the current crop of African music stars,” said Okeke
Produced by Eclipse Live Africa, Gidi Fest is also expected to feature the likes of Adekunle Gold, Small Doctor and disc jockeys.

Nigerians invoke Ciara’s passion for new dance

•Ciara (third right), Kaffy (third left) with other dancers

Nigerian dance queen, Kaffy, may be on her way to America as the new Hollywood dance coach, following tutorial she gave visiting American singer, Ciara, on some of Nigeria’s dance craze such as Kukere, Duro, Etigi and Shoki.

Ciara had excited fans during last week’s Darey Art-Alade’s Love Like A Movie concert in Lagos, where the singer was special guest and performer.

2015 FCT budget: Buhari seeks extension of implementation

•President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari, has written the Senate asking for permission to extend the implementation of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) 2015 budget to March 31.

Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki read the Presidential request letter on the floor of the Senate Tuesday.

President Buhari in the letter asked the lawmakers to recall that the FCT Appropriation Bill was accented to on the 21 of May 2015 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He noted that the delay in accenting to the bill affected its implementation in respect of capital projects and other expenditure.
He added, “In this connection, numerous payments for critical and essential projects are outstanding: in view of the foregoing, the senate is invited to note the delay allowed the FCTA only seven months in 2015 for implementation.

Joel Allotey: Hustling For Her Daily Bread, Olajumoke Found Serendipity As an Ingredient For Success!

 

Few weeks ago, the name Olajumoke Orisaguna would not have rang any bells in the minds of the everyday Nigerian. A young lady who hawked fresh hot ‘Agege’ bread along the streets of suburban Lagos; like hundreds, maybe thousand others like her. Uneventful, uninteresting. But, Olajumoke’s story was unique, for the sole reason that she found herself at the right place and at the right time.

When I first saw the pictures from UK popstar, Tinie Tempah’s photoshoot online, done by the renowned photographer TY Bello, I thought it was just brilliant. Shots taken in a simple Lagos neighbourhood, featuring a proud son of the soil, who was representing Nigeria well in the Western music industry. Tinie Tempah looked dashing in his tradition Nigerian attire; the surrounding was perfect, even the ‘bread-seller girl’ was the perfect ‘prop’- a ubiquitous finding on many Lagos streets. But in fact, the bread seller was not really a prop.

Apparently, Olajumoke had unintentionally photobombed the photoshoot session (after TY Bello got her verbal consent to include her in the picture), and literally and metaphorically walked into what would later become success and stardom.

The 27-year old has become, almost overnight, a Nigerian sensation; the poster child for the Nigerian Dream- one where success and good fortune unexpectedly falls in ones lap. Nigerians, in our almost trademark super-religious and superstitious nature, see her story as the ultimate miracle; the kind that make people attend all-night vigils for prayers and deliverance, and get many self-proclaimed ‘men of god’ a sizable congregation, along with its perks.

Lil Kesh covers MyStreetz Magazine’s Newest Issue

 

YBNL Nation’s Lil Kesh is the cover star for the latest issue of MyStreetz Magazine.

The publisher of the magazine, Sesan Adeniji wrote about the choice of the young rapper as the cover of the magazine.