icrown
All about latest gossip, gist, info, sports, music and so much more.. ..
Search
Sunday, 8 January 2017
lash out
I beg help judge them
Do you think she deserves her answer?
Sunday, 13 December 2015
Russia fires warning shot at Turkish ship
A Russian defence ministry statement said the Turkish vessel approached to 600m (1,800ft) before turning away in response to Russian small arms fire.
The Turkish military attache in Moscow has been summoned to the foreign ministry over the incident.
Relations remain tense over Turkey's shooting down of a Russian bomber.
The Russian SU-24 bomber was shot down by two Turkish F-16s in the Turkish border-Syria area on 24 November. Turkey maintained the plane crossed into its airspace, although Russia disputes this.
And last week, Turkey complained over what it said was a sailor on a Russian naval ship brandishing a missile launcher as the vessel passed through Istanbul. Russia rejected the criticism saying the crew had a "legal right" to protect the ship.
Timeline: Russia-Turkey tensions
24 November - A Turkish F-16 fighter jet shoots down a Russian Su-24 attack aircraft, allegedly because it violated Turkish airspace. Russia denies the claim and insists the aircraft had been in Syrian airspace. A Russian pilot is killed parachuting from the jet, and a Russian marine is killed in a subsequent rescue mission.
28 November - With Turkey refusing to apologise over the incident, Russia announces a package of economic sanctions against Turkey, including restrictions on imports and travel
6 December - Turkey condemns Russian "provocation" after Turkish media publish showing a Russian serviceman holding a rocket launcher aboard a warship passing through the Bosphorus.
13 December - Russia fires "warning shots" at a Turkish fishing vessel that it says was approaching its warship in the Aegean Sea.
Presidential war of words
Impact on Russian-Turkish relations
Turkey downs Russian fighter jet - what we know
In the latest incident, Russia's defence ministry said its frigate Smetlivy was anchored just off the Greek island of Lemnos on Sunday morning when it spotted the Turkish fishing boat heading towards it some 1,000m (3,000ft) away.
"Despite numerous attempts by the crew of the Smetlivy, the crew of the Turkish fishing boat did not make radio contact and did not respond to visual signals by semaphore or warning flares," the ministry said in a statement.
To prevent a collision, "small arms were fired in the direction of the Turkish vessel from a range that is not lethal".
The ministry said that "immediately after that the Turkish vessel drastically changed course" and passed within half a kilometre of the Smetlivy, still making no contact with the Russian crew.
Turkey has not yet given its response to the incident.
Russian military vessels are involved in Russia's intervention against rebels in Syria.
President Vladimir Putin described as a "stab in the back" Turkey's downing of the Russian bomber and has imposed economic sanctions.
Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned on Friday that Ankara's patience with Russia was "not unlimited", and accused Moscow of using "every opportunity" to punish Turkey for the downing of the plane.
Source: BBC
Saturday, 12 December 2015
Biafra Makes Move To Form A Government
Biafra Times reports that the process of forming the cabinet of Biafra is ongoing and will soon be announced.
According to the press release published by the online news portal that supports separatist movement the cabinet will be composed from a cream of politicians who are well-known Biafrans currently serving in the present Nigerian government and those who are not in the government.
The group also announced that there would be a secret and close meeting with a UN committee on the arranging of Newly Emerging Africa states.
The chosen Biafran ministers will reportedly be traveling for this secret meeting that will usher in the new Sovereign state of Biafra.
The news site further stated that the advantage of this development is that the already serving politicians won’t have to lose their political posts as a result of separating with the incumbent Nigeria government.
The statement reads in part: “ So this is to inform Buhari that holding Nnamdi Kanu has not stopped Radio Biafra from broadcasting, neither has it affected the process of Biafra restoration agenda.
“In fact if anything, it has fast tracked the process. Arresting Nnamdi Kanu is the worst mistake made by Buhari. The blue print of Biafra Restoration program was written and delivered to Biafrans by our Leader Nnamdi Kanu and the Directorate of State of IPOB is following it step by step.
“Its noteworthy to mention here that some of the aspects of the programs that would have been otherwise difficult for IPOB to achieve have been solved by Buhari himself that today, even the House of Commons in the United Kingdom have moved a motion for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu and the recognition of the state of Biafra.”
It was also said that Biafra Television is set to hit the air waves and just as the Director of Radio Biafra.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who took office 0n May 29, received extensive criticism for waiting until September to name his ministerial appointees, who then underwent a month-long Senate screening process. Later the ministers received portfolios after they have been sworn in.
Following the confirmation of Buhari’s ministers by the Senate a group of young people have declared the formation of a shadow cabinet to monitor the activities of the APC-led government.
Source: Naij
Faith Theatre to hold record of largest church auditorium
Faith theatre is expected to be so large that it can contain over 100,000 worshipers, this was made known by the founder Bishop David O. Oyedepo in the just concluded annual winners gathering Shiloh .
At the time of this report the project is still unknown when it will begin but expected to kick off in 2016 which was tagged by the church "from glory to glory".
Friday, 11 December 2015
Machines to replace most Workers in japan in next 20years
We know that our economy is going to become more automated in the coming years but in Japan automation could account for half of the work done within 20 years. According to a new study from the Nomura Research Institute (NRI) “up to 49 percent of jobs” in Japan “could be replaced by computer systems” by 2035. Yumi Wakao, the researcher behind the study, said that this is “only a hypothetical technical calculation” and “doesn’t take into account social factors.”
So which jobs are the most vulnerable? NRI says that a lot of clerical, delivery and manufacturing jobs are the most likely to be automated while jobs that create person-to-person interaction or a degree of creativity or judgement will be less vulnerable. So if you’re a sociologist, a dog trainer, a musician or a copywriter, your job is probably safe.
Interestingly, earlier this year a hotel in Japan became the first to try replacing all its staff with robots . In fact, the hotel was designed to have robots handle every part of your stay, including handling your luggage and checking in and out of the hotel. Whether this model proves successful or not is open to debate, but given Japan’s aging demographics, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a lot of robot workers in the coming years.
Thursday, 3 December 2015
UK air attack on ISIS
The UK has started bombing targets of the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Syria, following a strong vote in favour by Parliament.
France has already been bombing the jihadists' stronghold of Raqqa following deadly attacks in Paris claimed by the group.
The UK strikes focused on six targets in an oil field under IS control in eastern Syria, the BBC understands.
A number of Syrians have been giving their reaction to the British decision.
"Raqqa is being Slaughtered Silently" - citizen journalist group in the IS stronghold
The group said on Twitter that it opposed UK bombing raids.
"We are against the UK strikes on Raqqa. All the world is bombing Raqqa and the UK will not make any change in the situation. If the UK wants to help people then it should accept Syrian refugees and not close the border.
"Just bombing IS in Raqqa from the sky will not defeat IS, but it will make people suffer more. IS will use the UK strikes to recruit new people in the West and new fighters and maybe they will carry out terrorist attacks.
"In the end nobody will liberate Raqqa except the people of Raqqa."
Hassan, Raqqa resident now living in Turkey
"Humans can't survive there. Nothing works. That's why many people are trying to leave Raqqa," he told BBC Turkey correspondent Mark Lowen .
"Air strikes were not effective in reducing IS. It just destroyed some buildings and places with very few fighters. The places where strikes could have had most effect were not hit. Air strikes are not enough to defeat IS and push it out of the area. It needs local troops who know the area well, like the Free Syrian Army. IS fighters regroup in other parts.
"More air strikes could reduce fighter numbers. To defeat IS? No. You need ground troops."
From Damascus - BBC Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet
This morning's newspapers in Damascus reiterate criticism Syrian officials have made for years about the West's engagement here.
"Britain didn't ask permission from Syria's government," declares the state news agency SANA. "Cameron told lies," it says.
Syrian officials insist Britain and its allies must follow Russia's example and coordinate their campaign with Syrian government forces. If they don't, they warn, they simply won't succeed.
Meanwhile, Syrian activists and opposition groups feel bitterly let down that the West did not give them this kind of military support to help remove President Bashar al-Assad.
But Syrians in the capital from all social backgrounds welcomed any kind of action against IS.
The Free Syrian Army, a Western-backed rebel force
A spokesman for the FSA's southern front told Mark Lowen that the UK was focusing on the wrong enemy.
"The Assad regime is the cancer which ISIS (Islamic State, also known as Daesh) grow out of. So without erasing Assad from power - which means treating the cure, not just symptoms - that will not make a big difference.
"Daesh and Assad are two faces of one coin. You should start with Assad but we understand they're not going to hit Assad. With air strikes and partners on ground, that could finish IS.
"We're frustrated with the whole international community - not just the UK."
Robin Yassin-Kassab, a British-Syrian writer
"The real problem is Assad not IS, however horrific they are. IS is a symptom of a larger problem and in Syria that is the Assad regime and the scorched earth policy it uses against anyone who opposes it, creating a space that jihadists from all over the world can come and exploit.
"Now you have Iran, Russia, France and the UK all getting involved. To the people on the ground the distinction between them is not very clear. They see the whole world bombing them and not bombing Assad, who is responsible for most of the killing. So it's very easy for jihadists to say it's the Shia Muslims, the Russian Orthodox Christians and the Western Christians all ganging up and bombing us because we are Sunni Muslims.
"The most depressing thing is that (opposition leader) Jeremy Corbyn repeated in Parliament that all the Syrian opposition are Salafist fundamentalists. That's not what Syrian society is like. At least David Cameron knows there are 70,000 moderate fighters whose aims are national and not international."
Sharif Shehadeh, Syrian MP and supporter of President Assad
"Britain has the most famous doctors in the world but in this case its diagnosis has come too late and the cancer of Daesh has spread all over the world.
"If the goal is to destroy Daesh, they have left it too late. The world should support what Russia is doing in Syria and the work of the Syrian army. The British intervention is too late and meaningless."
Hassan Hassan, Syrian analyst with Chatham House think tank
"I support British involvement in Syria because that will open up the opportunity to do more, to use air strikes as a beginning of something bigger. The UK needs to do more than the US is doing and engage local forces. Bombing alone is not enough.
"It involves taking a different position towards Assad and helping rebels fight on two fronts. For the rebels, the priority is Assad. Their fear is that if they attack IS then Assad's forces will attack them from behind. There are practical reasons that cause them to concentrate on just one front.
"Many people want to fight IS, but local people fear that the West will help them now and abandon them later, and then IS will come back to haunt them. There needs to be a long-term commitment."
Rethink Rebuild Society, a Syrian community group in Manchester
"We stress that any threat that IS poses to the UK is ultimately attributable to the Assad regime.
"The Assad regime's indiscriminate use of force in Syria allowed for the emergence of terrorist groups in Syria. Without addressing the Assad regime's indiscriminate aerial bombardments, we will not be able to convince Syrian moderate opposition forces to cooperate with us in our fight against IS."
Source: BBC
Wednesday, 2 December 2015
Fifa Admits Bronze Boot Error, Chukwueze Not Nwakali Winner
The world football governing body has express regret in naming Nwakali as bronze boot winner instead of ChukwuezeThe Federation of International Football Association (Fifa) has admitted they made a mistake giving Kelechi Nwakali the 2015 U17 World Cup bronze boot instead of Samuel Chukwueze.
Chukwueze (535 minutes) and Nwakali (630 minutes) were tied on three goals and three assists but the later was awarded as third highest goal scorer prize despite having more playing time than his teammate.
“We made a mistake at the closing ceremony of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015 with the distribution of the adidas Bronze Boot,” Fifa wrote to the NFF.
“Instead of player no. 8 of Nigeria, Samuel Chukwueze, the player Kelechi Nwakali (player no. 10 of Nigeria) received the adidas Bronze Boot. However, if two or more players are still equal (after goals and assists), the player who has played fewer number of minutes will be ranked first.
“With this in mind, adidas will send you another Bronze Boot in December 2015, which we would kindly ask you to hand over to Samuel Chukwueze. Please be informed that Kelechi Nwakali may keep his trophy.”
Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen won the golden boot award with 10 goals while Germany’s Johannes Eggestein walked away with the silver boot having scored four goals.
Monday, 30 November 2015
How hot could the earth really be?
It has been getting a little warm lately. In November 2015, Brits experienced the hottest November days ever recorded in the UK . That was shortly followed by news from the World Meteorological Organization that 2015 is likely to be the hottest year since records began.
Global temperatures are now set to reach 1 °C above pre-industrial levels. That is halfway to the politically-agreed upper limit of 2 °C, which was set by world leaders in 2009.
For now at least, it seems the world’s temperature is going to go up and up. So how hot could the Earth really get? Is there any limit to the amount of warming humans could eventually cause?
Climate change is not a new experience for Earth. The planet has gone through countless temperature fluctuations over its 4.6-billion-year history, from frozen snowball to blazing tropical heat.
Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth would have an average temperature of -18 °C
But despite all these changes, Earth always swings back into roughly the same temperature range. That is because it has mechanisms in place to control its own temperature.
A key one is the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases in the air, mainly carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour, trap radiation from the Sun and act like a thermal blanket around the planet.
Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth would have an average temperature of -18 °C and be covered in ice. Life as we know it would not be able to survive. The greenhouse effect is clearly a good thing, but like all good things, it is possible to have too much.
Humans have only been here for a relatively short time, yet we have managed to become the most significant driver of climate change on the planet. By burning fossil fuels and cutting down trees, we are releasing more and more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and that has caused temperatures to rise.
By the end of this century the world will be at least 4 °C warmer than it was before the Industrial Revolution
Between 2000 and 2010, our rates of emissions more than quadrupled from the previous decade , and so far there is little sign of this upwards trend reversing. The question is, how much will all these extra greenhouse gases heat the planet over the coming decades and centuries?
To predict the state of the planet in the future, scientists build computer models that simulate what will happen to the Earth’s climate. These models are vastly complicated, but they ultimately rely on basic physics such as how air and water behave. By incorporating both man-made and natural changes, the models can estimate how the climate will change when a given amount of greenhouse gases is emitted.
These predictions are compiled into reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), most recently in 2013-2014. They suggest that, if our greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase as they have been over the last 50 years, then by the end of this century the world will be at least 4 °C warmer than it was before the Industrial Revolution .
What’s more, the warming will not stop at the end of this century.
The further forward we go in time, the harder it is to predict what will happen.
Models currently suggest that we will reach 7 °C above pre-industrial levels by 2200, but that temperatures will then stabilise, provided we have stopped emitting greenhouse gases.
Climate models can only make predictions based on what we know
However, we cannot be certain of this, because the Earth’s climate is a complex system. As the climate warms, several processes operate that can cause even more warming.
For instance, snow and ice melt away in a warmer world, exposing dark ground that absorbs the Sun’s heat rather than reflecting it. Similarly, more water vapour evaporates from the surface, and since water vapour is a greenhouse gas this traps even more heat.
The oceans actually slow climate change, because carbon dioxide dissolves into them from the air. But warmer oceans can hold less carbon dioxide, leaving ever more in the atmosphere.
These feedbacks are relatively well understood, but others are harder to unravel: for example, how changing cloud cover will affect the climate, or when methane locked up in permafrost at the poles will be released. Climate models can only make predictions based on what we know, so as temperatures rise further beyond anything humans have experienced, their predictions become less reliable.
So rather than trying to predict what the climate will do from first principles, we can take another approach: we can look at what has happened in the past.
About 55 million years ago, the Earth experienced one of the fastest temperature rises in its history.
During the “ Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum ” (PETM), average sea surface temperatures reached up to 10 °C at the poles ,
compared to -2 °C today . It was a time when there were palm trees as far north as the Arctic Circle, with absolutely no ice at the poles. Some species flourished in the sweltering heat, while others were wiped out.
Those gases warmed the planet by at least 5 °C and maybe as much as 8 °C
It is clear that greenhouse gases were the main driver. In particular, a massive amount of methane escaped from the seabed into the atmosphere, boosting the greenhouse effect.
It is not clear how the methane escaped. Volcanic eruptions or a comet impact have both been proposed, but the most likely explanation is that the Earth was already gradually warming for some other reason. When it reached a certain temperature, the methane stores under the seabed became unstable.
The PETM shows clear parallels to today’s world. In particular, the pulse of greenhouse gases that set it in motion seems to have been roughly equivalent to what humans could release if we burnt all recoverable fossil fuels . Those gases warmed the planet by at least 5 °C and maybe as much as 8 °C , probably over a few thousand years.
Climate impacts
How climate change will affect us
Sea level: predicted to rise by up to 1m by 2100
Extreme weather: intense hurricanes may become more frequent
Drought: more likely in mid-latitude regions, due to a combination of higher temperatures and 30% less rainfall
Flooding: rainfall is predicted to increase in the tropics and at high latitudes, causing more frequent floods
Food production: global crop yields predicted to decrease by over 30% by 2050
Extinctions: species extinctions will become more likely, with 40% of ecosystems affected this century
Human health: increased instances of respiratory problems and infectious diseases
Source: Climate Change 2014 Synthesis Report, IPCC
Is that the limit, or could the planet get even hotter than it was during the PETM?
There is a theoretical mechanism that could massively overheat the Earth: a “runaway greenhouse effect”.
We have already seen that heating the planet releases more greenhouse gases, causing yet more warming. In theory this self-feeding mechanism could become unstoppable, warming the planet by hundreds of degrees.
This has never happened on Earth: we would not be here if it had. But scientists believe that it happened to the nearest planet, Venus, 3-4 billion years ago.
Venus is closer to the Sun than Earth, so it was hotter to begin with. On the surface, temperatures increased so much that all of its liquid water evaporated into the air. This water vapour trapped even more heat, and with no water on the surface there was nowhere to store carbon dioxide.
This led to extreme greenhouse conditions. Eventually all the water vapour was lost to space, leaving Venus with an atmosphere that is 96% carbon dioxide.
The planet now has a global temperature of 462 °C. That is hot enough to melt lead, and makes Venus the hottest planet in the solar system: even beating out Mercury, which is closer to the Sun.
It is almost certain that Earth will succumb to such a catastrophe in a few billion years’ time.
As the Sun gets older, it will slowly run out of fuel and swell up into a red giant star. Eventually it will become so bright that the Earth will no longer be able to dissipate the extra heat out into space. The planet’s surface temperature will increase, boiling the oceans and triggering a runaway greenhouse effect that will end all life as we know it, leaving Earth baking under a thick shroud of carbon dioxide.
It seems that the likelihood of us being steam-cooked is pretty low
However, these changes to the Sun will happen over billions of years, so they are not a pressing problem. The question is, could we trigger a runaway greenhouse effect ourselves?
A study published in 2013 suggests that it is possible , but we would have to release a truly staggering amount of carbon dioxide. This gas currently makes up almost 400 parts per million of the air, up from 280ppm before the Industrial Revolution. To trigger a runaway greenhouse effect, we would have to get the level up to 30,000ppm .
That would take about 10 times more carbon dioxide than could be released if we burned all known fossil fuels. There are other sources of greenhouse gases, like the seabed methane that escaped during the PETM, so we cannot absolutely rule it out. But it seems that the likelihood of us being steam-cooked is pretty low.
Clearly, that does not mean heating up the planet is a safe thing to do. A temperature rise of just a few °C will have all sorts of unwelcome impacts (see "Climate impacts"). In particular, parts of the planet could still get too hot for humans to survive.
In the hottest places on Earth today, like California’s Death Valley, temperatures can reach well over 50 °C. Such heat is dangerous, but with proper care it is survivable. That is because the air is dry, so we can cool ourselves by sweating.
A 12 °C rise in temperature would render half of the Earth’s land area uninhabitable
It can be trickier if the air is both hot and humid, as in tropical jungles. The moisture in the air means our sweat evaporates more slowly, so it is harder to cool down.
The best way to assess the combination of heat and humidity is to measure the “wet-bulb temperature”. This is the temperature a thermometer reads if the bulb is wrapped in a damp cloth and a fan is blowing air over it. If you are sweating, this is the lowest temperature that you could cool your skin to.
Humans have to maintain a core body temperature of 37 °C. To ensure that we can always cool off, we keep our skin at around 35 °C. This implies that a wet-bulb temperature of 35 °C or above, if it was sustained for more than a few hours, would be fatal. Even if we could survive it, we would have to sit still.
Even in the most sweltering tropical rainforests, the maximum wet-bulb temperatures recorded have never exceeded 31 °C. This is because hot and humid air is unstable. It rises and cooler air sweeps in beneath, which is what causes tropical thunderstorms.
But that could change.
Air can only rise if the air around it is cooler and denser. So if climate change heats up the tropics, the air will have to be even hotter and more humid before it starts to rise. A study published in 2010 estimated that, with each 1 °C rise in average global temperature, the maximum wet-bulb temperature will rise by 0.75 °C .
That leads to some intimidating conclusions. A 7 °C rise in global temperatures, which we might well hit by 2200, will render some parts of the globe inhospitable to human life. A 12 °C rise in temperature would render half of the Earth’s land area uninhabitable.
Of course, we might try to adapt by installing huge amounts of air-conditioning equipment. But apart from being colossally expensive, this would imprison people inside buildings for days or weeks at a time.
Even if this never comes to pass, on current trends it is likely that Earth will be 4 °C warmer by the end of this century than it was before the Industrial Revolution, and 3 °C warmer than it is now. That would not directly kill us or render parts of the planet uninhabitable, but it will still create enormous upheaval.
20,000 years ago, the Earth was about 4 °C cooler than it is now. This period is known as the “Last Glacial Maximum”. Ice sheets covered most of Canada and northern Europe, including all of the British Isles.
Since then Earth has warmed up by 4 °C. That was enough to remove the ice sheets from Europe and North America. The meltwater from the retreating ice raised sea levels by tens of metres, drowning shallow lands beneath the waves .
When you consider that, it is easy to imagine what another 4 °C rise in temperature could do to the world around us.
7 Search Engines That Rocked Before Google Even Existed
Though the Web became publicly available in 1990, the first web search engine didn’t arrive until 1993. Up until then, all websites were manually tracked and indexed by people.
And while we now recognize Google as the king of web search , Google wasn’t even in the game until 1998. During that five-year gap, twenty other
search engines had their chance at glory, and most of them failed. You might even remember some of them.
WebCrawler (1994). Of all still-surviving search engines, WebCrawler is the oldest. Today, it aggregates results from Google and Yahoo.
Lycos (1994). Born out of Carnegie Mellon University and still alive today. Also owns several other nostalgic Internet brands, including Angelfire, Tripod, and Gamesville.
AltaVista (1995). This was one of the most popular search engines in the 1990s, but was acquired by Yahoo in 2003 and subsequently shut down in 2013.
Excite (1995). One of the most recognizable brands back in the 1990s, but has since fallen out of the spotlight.
Yahoo (1995). Definitely one of the strongest pre-Google brands to still exist today. In fact, according to Alexa, Yahoo was the 4th most globally-visited website in June 2015. Impressive!
Dogpile (1996). It has a terrible brand name , but maybe that’s what made it memorable. Today, Dogpile aggregates results from Google, Yahoo, and the Russian search engine, Yandex (which is
also older than Google!).
Ask Jeeves (1996). This engine was unique due to its question-and-answer format, plus it had a memorable mascot in Jeeves the Butler. Sadly, Jeeves was eventually phased out and the site rebranded to Ask.com. ( Not to be confused with AskBoth.)
How many of these do you remember? Which one was your favorite? Do you still use any of these? Tell us in the comments below!
Sunday, 29 November 2015
New fertility test warns women if they are running out of eggs One in 10 women suffer from premature ovarian ageing which can make motherhood impossible if left too late Women hoping to become mothers can now check if they are at risk of running out eggs prematurely with a new test designed to end the heartache of infertility. One in 10 women will suffer from a condition called premature ovarian ageing, which means that they have far fewer eggs than normal at any given age. Unlike men who produce new sperm throughout their lives, women are born with all their eggs but the number depletes over time until there are none left and the menopause begins. However for women suffering premature ovarian ageing (POA) that process happens much faster so delaying starting a family could ultimately lead to childlessness because by the time they want to become mothers they are already infertile. The new test, called ‘What’s My Fertility’ has been designed by The Centre for Human Reproduction in New York and looks for hormonal changes and a genetic defect which makes women more at risk. Women can take it between the ages of 18 and 35 and those who are at high risk would be advised to try for a baby earlier or freeze their eggs to be used with IVF at a later stage. “After treating infertility in women for decades and hearing them tell us time and time again that they wished they had known of the risk of POA so that they could have planned for a family sooner, we were determined to find a better way to proactively identify POA in young women,” said Dr Norbert Gleicher, Medical Director and Chief Scientist of The Centre for Human Reproduction. “Screening will empower women with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions earlier in life and will help them avoid the emotional and hefty costs of later infertility treatments. “This is the first risk screening program for POA that detects future risk of developing POA. Rather than diagnosing women when they already suffer from this condition, What’s My Fertility identifies women who are at risk, so they can prevent this condition from affecting their family plans.” Women at high risk of premature ovarian ageing will be advised to start their families early or freeze their eggs Photo: ALAMY (POSED BY MODEL) The test is timely because women are leaving motherhood later than ever. The average age of new mother passed 30 for the first time last year and in September the number of over 35 mothers bypassed the number of those under 25 for the first time. It involves an online questionnaire about family history and lifestyle followed by three blood tests. Two look for high levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and low levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) which show that fewer eggs are present. The third test checks for a mutation to the FMR1 gene. It costs around £65 and although testing clinics are in the US, British women can request hormone results from a GP and enter them into the ‘I have my labs’ option. The experts will then work out if they already have POA or are at high risk and offer advice. ''For a woman to carry her own baby - that has to be a wonderful thing" Photo: ALAMY British experts said testing could be useful but warned infertility could be caused by a wide range of issues and that hormonal levels were sometimes inaccurate. Leading fertility expert Professor Charles Kingsland, of Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust said: “This test is topical as it has come at a time when women are thinking about freezing their eggs for social reasons and delaying families. “However although these tests can be useful you have to treat them with a certain amount of scepticism because hormone tests are not always accurate. AMH levels can give you an indication of how many eggs are there, but can’t tell you if they are healthy. “It could lead to women making choices they would not have made or even putting off motherhood until it is too late because they think they are not at risk.” Dr Geoffrey Trew, consultant in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery at Hammersmith Hospital, London, said: “Certainly a home test for the ovarian reserve would be good as a lot of women are either put off by their GPs or they can only get the test privately and have to pay for the consult and the test - which is prohibitive for a lot of people. “There's always a concern that these tests provoke unnecessary anxiety and medicalise a situation that is 'normal' for that patient. Good information, as with any testing, is essential.”
New fertility test warns women if they are running out of eggs
One in 10 women suffer from premature ovarian ageing which can make motherhood impossible if left too late
Women hoping to become mothers can now check if they are at risk of running out eggs prematurely with a new test designed to end the heartache of
infertility.
One in 10 women will suffer from a condition called premature ovarian ageing, which means that they have far fewer eggs than normal at any given age.
Unlike men who produce new sperm throughout their lives, women are born with all their eggs but the number depletes over time until there are none left and the menopause begins.
However for women suffering premature ovarian ageing (POA) that process happens much faster so delaying starting a family could ultimately lead to childlessness because by the time they want to become mothers they are already infertile.
The new test, called ‘What’s My Fertility’ has been designed by The Centre for Human Reproduction in New York and looks for hormonal changes and a genetic defect which makes women more at risk.
Women can take it between the ages of 18 and 35 and those who are at high risk would be advised to try for a baby earlier or freeze their eggs to be used with IVF at a later stage.
“After treating infertility in women for decades and hearing them tell us time and time again that they wished they had known of the risk of POA so that they could have planned for a family sooner, we were determined to find a better way to proactively identify POA in young women,” said Dr Norbert Gleicher, Medical Director and Chief Scientist of
The Centre for Human Reproduction.
“Screening will empower women with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions earlier in life and will help them avoid the emotional and hefty costs of later infertility treatments.
“This is the first risk screening program for POA that detects future risk of developing POA. Rather than diagnosing women when they already suffer from this condition, What’s My Fertility identifies women who are at risk, so they can prevent this condition from affecting their family plans.”
The test is timely because women are leaving motherhood later than ever. The average age of new mother passed 30 for the first time last year and in September the number of over 35 mothers bypassed the number of those under 25 for the first time.
It involves an online questionnaire about family history and lifestyle followed by three blood tests. Two look for high levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and low levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) which show that fewer eggs are present. The third test checks for a mutation to the FMR1 gene.
It costs around £65 and although testing clinics are in the US, British women can request hormone results from a GP and enter them into the ‘I have my labs’ option. The experts will then work out if they already have POA or are at high risk and offer advice.
British experts said testing could be useful but warned infertility could be caused by a wide range of issues and that hormonal levels were sometimes inaccurate.
Leading fertility expert Professor Charles Kingsland, of Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust said: “This test is topical as it has come at a time when women are thinking about freezing their eggs for social reasons and delaying families.
“However although these tests can be useful you have to treat them with a certain amount of scepticism because hormone tests are not always accurate. AMH levels can give you an indication of how many eggs are there, but can’t tell you if they are healthy.
“It could lead to women making choices they would not have made or even putting off motherhood until it is too late because they think they are not at risk.”
Dr Geoffrey Trew, consultant in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery at Hammersmith Hospital, London, said: “Certainly a home test for the ovarian reserve would be good as a lot of women are either put off by their GPs or they can only get the test privately and have to pay for the consult and the test - which is prohibitive for a lot of people.
“There's always a concern that these tests provoke unnecessary anxiety and medicalise a situation that is 'normal' for that patient. Good information, as with any testing, is essential.”
LOL Russia bans signing of Turkish players
Russian clubs will be banned from signing Turkish players during the upcoming winter break.
Relations between the countries have been strained since a Russian warplane was shot down by Turkish forces on the Syrian border, killing one pilot.
Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko told R-Sport news agency that clubs had "already got the message".
"If anyone wants [to sign a Turkish player] during the break, there will not be such a possibility," he said.
Mutko said the sports sanctions would not affect Turkish players currently playing for Russian soccer clubs, such as Rubin Kazan's midfielder Gokdeniz Karadeniz, who joined the Tatarstan outfit in 2008.
"Everyone who has an existing contract will carry on working," Mutko said.
"They won't be here in the future but at the moment they have contracts and these will not be looked into."
Mutko added that Turkish companies already involved in constructing stadiums for the 2018 World Cup in Russia would be allowed to continue.
The sports ministry has also recommended that Russian football clubs cancel winter training camps to Turkey.
Several sides, including Lokomotiv Moscow, Spartak Moscow, FC Krasnodar and Kuban Krasnodar, have said they would heed the advice.
In addition, Mutko has confirmed that Russian athletes will be able to participate in tournaments organised in Turkey, with maximum security ensured.
He said that the measures that Russia is taking against Turkey will not impact on the calendar of international sports federations.
Why do we forget peoples name?
A reader, Dan, asks "Why do we forget people's names when we first meet them? I can remember all kinds of other details about a person but completely forget their name. Even after a lengthy, in-depth conversation. It's really embarrassing.”
Fortunately the answer involves learning something fundamental about the nature of memory. It also provides a solution that can help you to avoid the embarrassing social situation of having spoken to someone for an hour, only to have forgotten their name.
To know why this happens you have to recognise that our memories aren't a simple filing system, with separate folders for each kind of information and a really brightly coloured folder labelled "Names".
Our minds are associative. They are built out of patterns of interconnected information
Rather, our minds are associative. They are built out of patterns of interconnected information. This is why we daydream : you notice that the book you're reading was printed in Paris, and that Paris is home to the Eiffel Tower, that your cousin Mary visited last summer, and Mary loves pistachio ice-cream. Say, I wonder if she ate a pistachio ice cream while up the Tower? It goes on and on like that, each item connected to every other, not by logic but by coincidence of time, place, how you learnt the information and what it means.
The same associative network means you can guess a question from the answer. Answer: "Eiffel Tower?" Question: “Paris's most famous landmark.” This makes memory useful, because you can often go as easily from the content to the label as vice versa: "what is in the top drawer?" isn't a very interesting question, but it becomes so when you want the answer "where are my keys?".
So memory is built like this on purpose, and now we can see the reason why we forget names. Our memories are amazing, but they respond to how many associations we make with new information, not with how badly we want to remember it.
The trouble is that your new friend's name simply a piece of arbitrary information that you didn’t connect to anything else about the conversation
When you meet someone for the first time you learn their name, but for your memory it is probably an arbitrary piece of information unconnected to anything else you know, and unconnected to all the other things you later learn about them. After your conversation, in which you probably learn about their job, and their hobbies, and their family or whatever, all this information becomes linked in your memory. Imagine you are talking to a guy with a blue shirt who likes fishing and works selling cars, but would rather give it up to sell fishing gear. Now if you can remember one bit of information ("sell cars") you can follow the chain to the others ("sells cars but wants to give it up", "wants to give it up to sell fishing gear", "loves fishing" and so on). The trouble is that your new friend's name doesn't get a look in because it is simply a piece of arbitrary information you didn’t connect to anything else about the conversation.
Fortunately, there are ways to strengthen those links so it does become entrenched with the other memories. Here's how to remember the name, using some basic principles of memory.
More quick fixes for a memory boost
If you find Tom Stafford's tips to remember names useful, you may enjoy these quick life hacks to supercharge your brain:
A 40-second trick to remember more of your life
Learn more facts with less effort
How to learn in your sleep
First, you should repeat any name said to you. Practice is one of the golden rules of learning: more practice makes stronger memories. In addition, when you use someone's name you are linking it to yourself, in the physical act of saying it, but also to the current topic of the conversation in your memory ("So, James, just what is it about fishing that makes you love it so much?").
Second, you should try to link the name you have just learnt to something you already know. It doesn't matter if the link is completely silly, it is just important that you find some connection to help the name stick in memory. For example, maybe the guy is called James, and your high school buddy was called James, and although this guy is wearing a blue shirt, high school James only ever wore black, so he'd never wear blue. It's a silly made up association, but it can help you remember.
Grab the first thing to come to mind to bridge between the name and something I've learnt about them.
Finally, you need to try to link their name to something else about them. If it was me I'd grab the first thing to come to mind to bridge between the name and something I've learnt about them. For example, James is a sort of biblical name, you get the King James bible after all, and James begins with J, just like Jonah in the bible who was swallowed by the whale, and this James likes fishing, but I bet he prefers catching them to being caught by them.
It doesn't matter if the links you make are outlandish or weird. You don't have to tell anyone. In fact, probably it is best if you don't tell anyone, especially your new friend! But the links will help create a web of association in your memory, and that web will stop their name falling out of your mind when it is time to introduce them to someone else.
And if you're sceptical, try this quick test. I've mentioned three names during this article. I bet you can remember James, who isn't Jonah. And probably you can remember cousin Mary (or at least what kind of ice cream she likes). But you can you remember the name of the reader who asked the question? That's the only one I introduced without elaborating some connections around the name, and that's why I'll bet it is the only one you've forgotten.
Saturday, 28 November 2015
Climate projections to light up Eiffel Tower
On Sunday, November 29, 2015, for the first time ever, artistic messages for climate solutions will be displayed across the Eiffel Tower. The series of hopeful images calling for forest protection and a 100% renewable energy future will be projected onto the facade of Paris’s most iconic landmark, with the goal of engaging citizens to help drive an ambitious global deal on climate change.
The installation “1 Heart 1 Tree” will run from Nov 29 to Dec 4, during the UNFCCC talks in Paris, as a hopeful, optimistic celebration of climate solutions and the power of individual actions.
Created by the artist Naziha Mestaoui, “1 Heart 1 Tree” will be an interactive installation using 3D mapping techniques projected onto the Eiffel Tower to coincide with COP21, offering everyone the chance to be part of the solution to climate change through supporting reforestation projects. The installation also celebrates the power of natural energy sources and potential for a global shift to 100% renewable energy. At the project’s heart is the vision of ecological, networked connectivity and abundance.
“1 Heart 1 Tree” ambassadors include Academy Award-winning actress Marion Cotillard, and renowned French environmentalist Nicolas Hulot.
Here Now is a movement lab, working to supercharge public mobilisation on climate, clean energy and sustainable solutions. Here Now co-creates innovative campaigns and initiatives with a wide range of partners around the world.
The 100% Eiffel Tower projection is an iconic representation of mass global support for transition to 100% renewable energy by mid-century. This is a central demand of civil society organisations and a key issue for the Paris summit. Hundreds of organisations and millions of citizens around the world are supporting campaigns for 100% renewable energy, including faith leaders, mayors and leading multinationals.
Mestaoui is a Belgian-Tunisian artist and architect based in Paris, whose unique work merges space, imagery and technological innovations of the digital era to create innovative immersive and sensory experiences. She is member of the Electronic Shadow duo, founded in 2000, now hailed as pioneers in the art of the digital age, and recognised as inventors of Video Mapping, a technique at the crossroads of spatial and imagistic art.
Jet downing sadings Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that his government is "really saddened" about shooting down a Russian warplane, insisting that he does not want to ramp up tensions but falling short of offering the apology Moscow has demanded.
Tuesday's incident has put Russia and Turkey, which is a member of NATO, at odds. The countries disagree sharply on whether the Russian plane was in Turkish airspace when it was shot down, as well as whether any warnings went out to the crew. The incident left one pilot dead; another was rescued.
The entire ordeal has raised questions about international leaders' ability to come together to combat ISIS, which has taken over swaths of Syria and Iraq and claimed attacks in Europe, Asia and Africa.
One day after saying Turkey fired missiles as "an automatic reaction to a border breach" -- and not knowing the nationality of the plane in question -- Erdogan said Saturday, "We wouldn't have wished this to happen. But, unfortunately, it did."
Messi, Neymar, Suarez strike to keep Barca rolling
Barcelona stretched their advantage at the top of La Liga to seven points on Saturday thanks to another clinical display from Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez to down Real Sociedad 4-0.
Messi was making his first league start in two months as he continues his comeback from knee ligament damage.
But the Argentine was initially outshone by his strike partners as they each swept home from two Dani Alves crosses to put Barca in command at the break.
Neymar then added his second shortly after the half-time before teeing up Messi for his first league goal since September in stoppage time.
Atletico Madrid can close the gap at the top to four points when they host Espanyol later on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are now nine points adrift ahead of their trip to Eibar on Sunday.
Barca boss Luis Enrique made four changes from the side that destroyed Roma 6-1 in the Champions League in midweek, but with Messi, Suarez and Neymar deployed once more in attack, the Catalans didn’t miss a beat.
Suarez should have opened the scoring after just two minutes when he was brilliantly played in by Neymar, but Geronimo Rulli rushed from his line to bravely smother the Uruguayan’s effort just inside his area.
Nearly 1,000 ‘security risks’ denied entry to France since Paris attacks
Nearly 1,000 people thought to pose security risks have been denied entry into France since stepped-up border controls were imposed ahead of the COP21 climate talks on November 13, just hours before the Paris attacks, the interior minister said Saturday.
They were prevented from entering France “because of the risk these people could represent for public order and security in our country,” Bernard Cazeneuve said during a visit to the northeastern city of Strasbourg.
He said nearly 15,000 police, gendarmes and customs agents have been deployed to the borders.
The aim of the boosted controls is to enable the authorities to reinforce security as the COP21 climate talks officially get under way in Paris on Monday and also to confront the high terrorist threat level facing the country, Cazeneuve said, adding that they would make any necessary arrests.
A few hours after the tougher border controls ahead of the climate talks took effect on November 13, extremists carried a series of attacks at several sites in Paris, killing 130 people.
The French government, which has declared a state of emergency, said it would continue the increased border security as long as the terrorist threat remains high.
Court sacks David Mark
The court has also ordered for a re-run of the election within 90 Days.
It would be recalled that Mark’s victory at the Benue south senatorial district election was challenged by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate at the election, Daniel Onjeh on the grounds that the poll was marred by irregularities.
But the election petitions tribunal sitting in Makurdi had in October upheld the election of the former Senate president.
Justice Dipeolu then relying on sections 124 and 135 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, held that “the petitioner contested the results of election conducted in 700 out of 1,015 pulling units but failed to adduce both oral and documentary evidence to prove his case.”
She said: “Most of the testimonies given by the petitioner’s witnesses were contradictory, hearsay and circumstantial evidence which is not admissible in law as provided by Section 126 of the Evidence Act.”
But undeterred by the ruling, Donald Onjeh challenged the decision of the tribunal, before the Appeal Court.
According to Channels TV, Mr Onjeh’s lawyer, Adetunji Oso, argued that the tribunal erred when it held that the papers tendered by his client were mere documentary hearsay.
He urged the Appellate Court to allow his appeal and set aside the decision of the Tribunal.
Citing documents tendered, he said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared Senator Mark winner of the poll while the collation of results for the Benue south senatorial district’s election on March 28 was still ongoing in seven of the nine local government areas of the state.
In setting aside the election of the former Senate president, Justice Ige ruled that the election of David Mark was fraught with so many irregularities that it failed all tests of “freeness and fairness”.
The nullification of David Mark’s election comes three weeks after a the Taraba State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal voided the declaration of Darius Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the poll on the ground that Alhassan, popularly referred to as Mama Taraba, was the bonafide winner of the election.
Effects of Loneliness
Danger signals activated in brain by loneliness ultimately affect immune system, scientists claim
A study has shown that for the first time that loneliness is not just an emotional state of mind, it actually triggers genetic changes, which cause illness and early death.
The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Previous studies have found that social isolation is a major health problem that can increase the risk of premature death by 14 percent.
However until now, scientists have been unsure what is driving the phenomenon.
Now researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of California have discovered that loneliness actually triggers physical responses in the body, which make people sick.
It appears to trigger the ‘fight or flight’ stress signal, which affects the production of white blood cells. It also increases activity in genes, which produce inflammation in the body while lowering activity in genes, which fight off illness, promoting high levels of inflammation in the body.
Essentially, lonely people had a less effective immune response and more inflammation than non-lonely people. They feel socially threatened which has an enormous impact on health.
John Capitanio, of the California National Primate Research Centre at the University of California, Davis said: “Perceived social isolation is a risk factor for chronic illness and all-cause mortality but the molecular mechanisms remain ill understood.
“In humans, loneliness involves an implicit hyper-vigilance for social threat.”
The study examined loneliness in both humans and rhesus macaques, a highly social primate species.
They found that loneliness predicted how active the CTRA gene was, even a year later and vice versa. People who had high gene activity were still lonely after 12 months. They also showed higher levels of the fight-or-flight neurotransmitter, norepinephrine.
Previous research has found that norepinephrine can stimulate blood stem cells in bone marrow to make more of a particular kind of immune cell (monocytes) which ramps up inflammation in the body.
Both lonely humans and monkeys showed higher levels of monocytes in their blood. In an additional study, monkeys repeatedly exposed to mildly stressful social conditions such as unfamiliar cage-mates also showed increases in monocyte levels.
Cute collection of lookbook in 2015
Childrenswear designer brand, Petit Tribe , is giving us adorable pieces for their new collection lookbook – and the best part is you can shop them in a sale – get the details here.
Founded by Olatoun Jolaoso, this brand creates pieces for the child (infants – 12yrs) who is curious, bold, fun loving and an explorer. They do this with bold prints, dazzling colours and seamlessly fusing African inspiration with contemporary styling.
We love how comfortable and wearable their pieces are and their super cute models help too!
Three Die In Shooting At Colorado Clinic
A shooting at a family planning clinic in Colorado Springs has left two civilians and a police officer dead, with the suspected gunman under arrest. Nine other people were injured during the standoff at the Planned Parenthood clinic, which lasted five hours before the suspect surrendered.
A number of people were trapped inside the building as shots were exchanged. The motive remains unclear. The Planned Parenthood group has drawn anti-abortion protests in the past. Colorado Springs Police Department identified the suspect as Robert Lewis Dear, from North Carolina. No other details were given.
“I want to convey to the loved ones of the victims, this is a terrible, terrible tragedy that occurred here in Colorado Springs today,” Mayor John Suthers told a news conference. “Obviously, we lost two civilian victims. We mourn the loss of a very brave police officer.” The dead policeman was named as Garrett Swasey, 44, who was married with two
NNPC apologises on fuel scarcity
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation,
NNPC, yesterday, apologised to Nigerians for the hardship
experienced in purchasing petrol, while it also stated that it
had entered into a partnership with security agencies in the
country to assist in the monitoring of fuel supply across the
country.
He said: “We must all make sure that petroleum products get
across to Nigerians at the regulated price especially as the
yuletide season approaches. We have enough products and
we want to plead with the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTDs)
not to be involved in the diversion of petroleum products in
order to avoid causing untold hardship to motorists.”
Role of the security agencies
Providing insight on the role of the security agencies in
curbing product diversion, Managing Director of the Pipelines
and Products Marketing Company, Mrs. Esther Nnamdi-
Ogbue, said the DSS and EFCC have been mobilized to bring
to book any marketer involved in sabotaging the efforts of the
Federal Government in making petroleum products available
to motorists across the country.
She said: “We have invited the EFCC and DSS to join us in
this campaign of monitoring the movement of petroleum
products and they have our mandate to sanction any errant
marketer. Enough is enough.”
She urged Nigerians and other motorists to desist from panic
buying assuring that there are sufficient petroleum products to
satisfy local consumption.
Meanwhile, giving breakdown of fuel supplied to petrol
stations, the NNPC stated that Suleja, Kaduna, Kano, Minna,
Gusau, Mosimi and Satelite depots dispatched 7.398 million
litres, 0.937 million litres, 4.4 million litres, 0.444 million litres,
0.939 million litres, 4.351 million litres and 1.937 million litres
respectively.
In addition Ore, Ibadan, Gombe, Benin, Warri, Port Harcourt,
Aba, Makurdi and Enugu dispatched 0.338 million litres, 0.412
million litres, 3.024 million litres, 0.318 million litres, 0.318
million litres, 3.097 million litres, 0.298 million litres, 0.891
million litres and 1.737 million litres respectively to petrol
stations across the country.
Wednesday, 25 November 2015
Russia and Turkey refuse to back down in row over jet downing
Russia sent an
advanced missile system to Syria on Wednesday to protect its
jets operating there and pledged its air force would keep
flying missions near Turkish air space, sounding a defiant
note after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet.
Underscoring the message, Russian forces launched a heavy
bombardment against insurgent-held areas in Latakia on
Wednesday, near where the jet was downed, rebels and a
monitoring group said.
The United States and Europe both urged calm and continued
dialogue in telephone conversations with Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov, a sign of international concern at the
prospect of any escalation between the former Cold War
enemies.
The downing of the jet on Tuesday was one of the most
serious publicly acknowledged clashes between a NATO
member and Russia for half a century, and further complicated
international efforts to battle Islamic State militants in Syria.
President Tayyip Erdogan made no apology, saying his nation
had simply been defending its own security and the "rights of
our brothers in Syria". He made clear Turkish policy would
not change.
Russian officials expressed fury over Turkey's action and
spoke of retaliatory measures that were likely to include
curbing travel by Russian tourists to Turkish resorts and
some restrictions on trade.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described it as a
planned act and said it would affect efforts towards a political
solution in Syria. Moscow would "seriously reconsider" its
relations with Ankara, he said.
Jets believed to be Russian also hit a depot for trucks waiting
to go through a major rebel-controlled border crossing with
Turkey, Bab al-Salam, the head of the crossing said.
Syrian jets have struck the area before, but if confirmed to
have been carried out by Russia, it would be one of Moscow's
closest air strikes to Turkish soil, targeting a humanitarian
corridor into rebel-held Syria and a lifeline for ordinary
Syrians crossing to Turkey.
DO NOT WANT WAR
But the Russian response was carefully calibrated, indicating
Moscow did not want to jeopardize its main objective in the
region: to rally international support for its view on how the
conflict in Syria should be resolved.
"We have no intention of fighting a war with Turkey," Lavrov
said. Erdogan also said Ankara had no intention of escalating
tensions with Russia.
In Paris, where deadly attacks on Nov. 13 claimed by Islamic
State prompted France to step up its aerial bombing of the
militant group in Syria, President Francois Hollande expressed
concern over the war of words between Ankara and Moscow.
"We must all work to make sure that the situation (between
Russia and Turkey) de-escalates," Hollande told a joint news
conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Hollande was due to discuss Syria and the fight against
Islamic State with Russian President Vladimir Putin in
Moscow on Thursday.
Putin said an advanced weapons system would be
despatched to Russia's Khmeimim air base in Syria's Latakia
province.
"I hope that this, along with other measures that we are
taking, will be enough to ensure (the safety) of our flights,"
Putin told reporters, in an apparent warning to Turkey not to
try to shoot down any more Russian planes.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was forced to
fly missions close to the Turkish border because that was
where the militants tended to be located. Russian operations
would continue, he said.
MUTUAL RECRIMINATION
Turkey said the downed jet had encroached on Turkish air
space and was warned repeatedly to change course, but
Russian officials have said the plane was at no time over
Turkey.
The crew ejected, and one pilot was shot dead by rebels as
he parachuted to the ground. A Russian marine sent to
recover the crew was also killed in an attack by rebels.
The surviving pilot was quoted by Russian agencies as saying
the crew "knew the region like the back of their hand", that
they did not fly over Turkish air space, and that there were no
visual or radio warnings from Turkey.
The Turkish military later released what it said was an audio
recording of a warning to a Russian fighter jet before it was
shot down near the Syrian border. A voice on the recording
can be heard saying "change your heading" in English.
The Turkish military said it had explained the rules of
engagement that led to the downing of the jet to Russian
military attaches and had tried to rescue the pilots.
At a business event in Istanbul, Erdogan said Turkey had
made a "huge effort" to prevent such incidents but that the
limits of its patience had been tested after repeatedly warning
Russia about air space incursions in recent weeks.
"Nobody should expect us to remain silent against the
constant violation of our border security, the ignoring of our
sovereign rights," Erdogan said.
Turkey has been angered by Russian air strikes in Syria,
particularly those near its border targeting Turkmens, who
are Syrians of Turkish descent.
TRADE TIES
Russia made clear it could target Turkey economically.
"The direct consequences could lead to our refusal to take
part in a whole raft of important joint projects and Turkish
companies losing their positions on the Russian market,"
Medvedev said in a statement.
Russia is a major exporter of grain and energy to Turkey, and
sends over four million tourists each year to Turkish resorts,
second only to the number of German tourists.
The Russian government has already said it will discourage
Russian tourists from traveling to Turkey, though the
immediate impact will be limited because Turkey is now in the
off-season.
But while Russia may mothball deals with Turkish firms and
curb imports of Turkish goods, it is unlikely to let the fallout
affect energy exports that are the core of their economic
relationship.
"Erdogan is a tough character, and quite emotional, and if
Russia pushes too far in terms of retaliatory action, I think
there will inevitably be a counter reaction from Turkey (like)
tit-for-tat trade sanctions, perhaps extending to things like the
Russia nuclear deal," said Nomura strategist Timothy Ash.
"But I think there is also a clear understanding that any such
action is damaging for both sides, and unwelcome. The ball is
in Russia's court now," he wrote in a note.
Global average temperatures in 2015 are likely to be the warmest on record, according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)
Data until the end of October showed this year's temperatures
running "well above" any previous 12 month period.
The researchers say the five year period from 2011 to 2015
was also the warmest on record.
The rise, they state, was due to a combination of a strong El
Nino and human-induced global warming.
The WMO said their preliminary estimate, based on data from
January to October, showed that the global average surface
temperature for 2015 was 0.73 degrees C above the
1961-1990 average.
Their scientists also found that global temperatures were
approximately 1 degree C above the 1880-1899 period,
mirroring a recent finding by the UK Met Office.
'Bad news'
The record-breaking five year period from 2011 to 2015 was
0.57C above the average for 1961-1990.
The WMO said that levels of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere reached new highs. In the northern hemisphere,
the spring of 2015 saw the three-month global average
concentration of CO2 cross the 400 parts per million barrier
for the first time.
"The state of the global climate in 2015 will make history for a
number of reasons," said WMO secretary-general Michel
Jarraud.
"2015 is likely to be the hottest year on record, with ocean
surface temperatures at the highest level since measurements
began. It is probable that the 1C threshold will be crossed.
"This is all bad news for the planet."
Other researchers agreed that the latest data from the WMO
reinforces the view that human emissions of carbon dioxide,
from burning fossil fuels, are continuing to heat the Earth
beyond natural variability.
"The fingerprint of a warming planet is becoming clearer in
nearly every corner of the world," said Dr Ed Hawkins, a
climate scientist at the University of Reading.
"Moreover, 2015 is not a one-off, as indicated by the last five
years' average also being the warmest on record.
"In the UK, our variable weather means that 2015 will not set
any records for warmth, but the longer view shows UK
temperatures have risen about 20% faster than the global
average. We can expect this faster rate to continue in future."
As well as warming the land, much of the heat has gone into
the oceans. The WMO said the waters have been absorbing
more than 90% of the energy that has accumulated in the
climate system from human emissions of greenhouse gases.
The temperature of the tropical Pacific was more than 1C
above average, consistent with a strong El Nino.
The WMO said this weather phenomenon has been a factor in
pushing this year past previous records. El Nino has gained in
strength over the past few months and has been rated as one
of the three strongest since 1950.
The researchers said that the impact of an El Nino is typically
felt more strongly in the second calendar year, meaning that
2016 is likely to be more strongly influenced by the event than
2015.
The record temperatures of 2015 were being felt in many
different parts of the world. China recorded its warmest ever
January to October period. For Africa, this year has been the
second warmest on record.
Heat waves affected many parts of the world, with India
seeing average maximum temperatures over 45C in some
areas. There were also extremely hot periods in Europe, North
Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere.
The WMO also argued that many of the extreme weather
events in the past five years, especially those relating to higher
temperatures, have had their probabilities substantially
increased as a result of human-induced climate change.
The new findings are likely to feature prominently at COP21 in
Paris next week, when global political leaders and negotiators
will aim to secure a new global deal that would limit
emissions of carbon dioxide.
FG Finally Agrees To Pay N5,000 to unemployed youths
This would be cheering news to unemployed Nigerians as
the federal government has concluded plans to commence
payment of N5, 000 stipends.
The government explained that the initial delayed in the
commencement of the payment was because it was not
captured in the 2015 budget promising that it will be
included in the 2016 budget.
This disclosure was made by the minister of youth and
sports, Barr. Solomon Darlong when he visited the
national secretariat of the ruling All Progressives Congress
in Abuja, The Nation reports.
Darlong noted that arrangement for the payment will take
effect from 2016.
He told newsmen that the President Muhammadu Buhari
administration will fulfill every of his campaign promises
including payment of N5, 000 stipends to unemployed
Nigerians.
The minister said: “ I want the youths to understand that
every promise must be backed up by budgetary provision
and our promise to pay N5,000 is not contained in the
2015 budget. So, definitely, it is going to begin in 2016 as
we have made budgetary allocations for that.
Embarrassed Themselves In Public
“We are committed to the campaign promises of creating
jobs, providing wealth creation and combat poverty. We
have embedded in our manifesto things that we are
translating to reality.
“Some of the youth empowerment programmes that are
ongoing, we are busy reviewing them to ensure that they
are more viable and people oriented. We are also looking
at the possibility of realigning some of them to our vision
so that in the final analysis, it will add value to the
people .”
Meanwhile, Senator Ben Murray Bruce representing
Bayelsa state at the National Assembly had reportedly
explained to Buhari how he can effectively pay the N5,000
he promised to pay unemployed Nigerians .
NYSC Insists On Ban On Hijab For Security Reasons
Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi, the director-general
of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has insisted
the ban on the use of the hijab by female corps members
will not be overturned for security reasons.
The director general said this when he received a group of
Muslim youths under the aegis of Muslim Youths in
Da’wah on Tuesday, November 24 at the headquarters of
NYSC in Abuja.
The Punch reports that Luqman Hassan and Kamarudeen
Adefila, the national coordinator and his deputy told
Olawumi that they had intercepted a major protest that
would have taken place over the ban on the hijab in
orientation camps.
Hassan said: “We are here to discuss with you about the
incident that happened recently in various camps across
the country. We have a guiding principle which is based
on the Holy Q’uran. We are all Nigerians and the principle
which guides us is the constitution and the African Charter
on Human rights.
“Members of the NYSC are Nigerians who have
contributed to the development of this country; female
corps members deserve protection by the NYSC. We don’t
believe that a female corps member putting on hijab has
done any wrong against the Act establishing the NYSC. So
they deserve the respect of the NYSC. We have travelled
far and wide and visited different camps. Why are the
rights of female corps members being infringed upon. We
are here to register our displeasure.”
The director general in his reply said : “Under my
leadership, the NYSC will accord respect to every corps
member, irrespective of tribe and religion. The incident in
Benue State was caused by the use of long hijab. The
security situation in the country is tough. There is the
danger of somebody using hijab for other reasons.
“There have been cases where young girls put on hijab
and eventually turn to suicide bombers. Boko Haram
members know how to get at whoever they want as
target. That is why we frown at the wearing of long hijab.
Please call on all your Muslim youths to be patient and
adhere to it, just for a short period during the camp. We
frown at long hijab because of the security implication.
Ahmed Tijani Ibrahim, the NYSC legal adviser assured
that everyone in camp will be treated equally and fairly.
“I’m a Muslim and in our camps, I know that we have
treated everybody equally. You mentioned the fact that
you would have proceeded to protest. Very minor issues
could trigger off mass protest.
“We will see the way forward to this complaint. I can
assure you that the issue will not be swept under the
carpet. The NYSC is very sensitive to the issue of religion
and immediately we heard of it, we swung into action and
we are on it because issues of religion are very sensitive.”
Meanwhile, Olawumi appealed to private, public
institutions and individuals to stop seeking for
concessional posting of prospective corps members.
Tuesday, 24 November 2015
16years old constructs skyscraper
This 16yrs old boy constructed 11-storey building with
just bambo stick and carton. Who knows other big things
he would be able to build in future if given the right
training and support? Well done!
Source:Olufamous
Money makes ugly beauty
This is a side by side photo of one of Africa’s biggest
artists, Diamond Platnumz. What he used to look like vs
what he looks like today
Burahi to be summoned to explain fuel scarcity
Senator Emmanuel Paulker has said that Nigeria’s Petroleum
Minister should be summoned before the Senate to explain
why there is currently a scarcity of fuel in the country.
Paulker made the comment today, November 24, 2015, during
the plenary session of the upper legislative chamber.
President Muhammadu Buhari is currently the petroleum
minister as he appointed himself into the position on
November 11 while swearing in his cabinet.
Buhari had earlier explained that he would head the ministry
for a while to clean up the damage done by years of
corruption.
He is being assisted by Minister of State, Ibe Kachikwu, who
is also the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Paulker’s position was tacitly supported by Senator
Enyinnaya Abaribe who said “change has come but there is
no change” referring to the campaign slogan of Buhari’s
party, All Progressives Congress (APC).
Buhari and Kachikwu are currently in Iran to attend the third
3rd Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).
“Even Your Dogs Spend More Than N18,000 Monthly” – Ben-Bruce Slams Governors Over Minimum Wage
Ben Murray Bruce has lashed out at Governors
for saying they are unable to afford the N18,000
monthly minimum wage.He accused them on
wasting more than that on their dogs at
government house.He said this in a series of
tweets.
“ 1-Its unjust for a govt to
contemplate reducing workers pay of
₦18,000. What can that amount buy in
today’s Nigeria?
#Dontreduceminimumwage — Ben
Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce)
November 23, 2015
‘ 2-A worker with a family earns
less than a member of the NYSC who
earns ₦19,800. Reducing his pay is
unconscionable!
#Dontreduceminimumwage — Ben
Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce)
November 23, 2015
‘ 3-A man earning ₦18k struggles
to pay rent, feed family & pay school
fees. To reduce his pay is to punish
his family #Dontreduceminimumwage
— Ben Murray-Bruce
(@benmurraybruce) November 23,
2015
‘ 4-At Silverbird all our 1000 staff/
family earn above minimum wage
because I cant afford not to pay my
staff well #Dontreduceminimumwage
— Ben Murray-Bruce
(@benmurraybruce) November 23,
2015
‘ 5-Why cant I afford not to pay
my staff well? Because if I don’t pay
them well, I am giving them a license
to steal #Dontreduceminimumwage —
Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce)
November 23, 2015
‘ 6-If FG & state govts dont pay
workers well they invite workers to
steal. To end corruption we must pay
workers well
#Dontreduceminimumwage — Ben
Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce)
November 23, 2015
‘ 7-Anybody thinking of reducing
the ₦18,000 minimum wage should
himself first try and live on ₦18,000 for
a month #Dontreduceminimumwage —
Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce)
November 23, 2015
‘ 8-You cannot be spending more
than ₦18,000 per meal and claim that
the man who earns ₦18,000 per month
is over paid
#Dontreduceminimumwage — Ben
Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce)
November 23, 2015
‘ 9-In the last 4 years the cost of
food & fuel has gone up. Can we in
good faith make a case for reducing
workers pay?
#Dontreduceminimumwage — Ben
Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce)
November 23, 2015
‘ 10-I know for a fact that even
dogs at Govt House cost more than
₦18k to maintain in a month. How
much more a human
#Dontreduceminimumwage — Ben
Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce)
November 23, 2015

