11 dead in shooting at French magazine known for Mohammed cartoons

President Francois Hollande headed to the scene of the attack and the government said it was raising France's security level to the highest notch.
"This is a terrorist attack, there is no doubt about it," Hollande told reporters.
Another 10 people were injured in the incident and police union official Rocco Contento described the scene inside the offices as "carnage".

Presidential Election - My Hope Lies in God, Nigerians-- President Jonathan

 
President Goodluck Jonathan says his hope for victory in the February 14 presidential election is based on the blessing of God as well as the support and confidence of the great majority of Nigerians.
The president noted that he was going into the poll to legitimately seek Nigerians' mandate for further service, consolidation and continuity of the country's progress.

Nigeria’s elections will be a test of peace vs. power

Vendors sell their wares near an election poster of former Nigerian military ruler Muhammadu Buhari before the start of the All Progressives Congress (APC) party convention in Lagos in this December 10, 2014 file photo. (Akintunde Akinleye/Reuters)

AFRICA’S MOST populous nation may be careening toward trouble. While Nigeria has recently captured international headlines for its battle against the murderous terrorist group Boko Haram, the most immediate threats to the country’s stability are not bullets from Islamist militants, but ballots.

In February, Nigeria, home to almost 200 million people, will hold what will essentially be the first electoral contest between the country’s two major parties, the incumbent People’s Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress. The PDP has won every election since Nigeria transitioned from military to democratic rule in 1999, but the APC, formed last year from a coalition of opposition parties, threatens its dominance. This is a sea change in a political landscape already inflamed by north-south tensions, an overly militarized political culture and pressure on the economy due to falling oil prices. Add to the mix the Boko Haram threat and the nation’s ill-prepared electoral commission, and the country has a recipe for an explosive general-election season.

Cameron Diaz Wed Benji Madden In Beverly Hills

It’s oh-so-hushed-up wedding bells for perennial always-a-girlfriend-never-a-bride Cameron Diaz and everyone’s favorite southern Maryland rocker, Benji Madden.
The couple wed in an intimate but star-studded ceremony at the actress’s Beverly Hills home on Monday night, Us Weekly reports, pulling off a sneaky nuptial coup coveted among the A-listy crowd, only given away by reports of a rehearsal dinner on Sunday.

Muhammadu Buhari "Religion Must Never Be Used As A Tool Of Oppression Or Gain Unfair Advantage"

Muhammadu Buhari was at the 8th edition of the Annual Lagos Thanksgiving Service yesterday 4th January 2015 where he made the aforementioned. 

"I am honoured to participate in this year's edition of the Lagos Thanksgiving Service. I am glad to know that this year's service has brought together Nigerians of all faiths just to thank and praise the Almighty God for his mercies. This is how it should be. Religion must never be used to divide or oppress others or gain unfair advantage.

President Jonathan Loses Younger Sister Mrs Nancy, 52 Years.

 President Jonathan's younger sister, Mrs Nancy Jonathan-Olei died yesterday January 4th at a Private hospital in Yenogoa, Bayelsa state. She was 52 years old. We at FOB condole with President Jonathan and family. 

Boko Haram seizes military base in Nigeria: witnesses

AFP/File / Pius Utomi Ekpei
Soldiers patrol in Baga in Nigeria's Borno State on April 30, 2013

Suspected Boko Haram militants have seized a military base outside the Nigerian town of Baga near Lake Chad after engaging troops in a fierce battle that lasted several hours, witnesses said on Sunday.

Kano (Nigeria) (AFP)

“They (the militants) overwhelmed the troops and forced them to abandon the base which the gunmen took over,” local resident Usman Danssubdu told AFP after fleeing to neighbouring Chad following Saturday’s raid.

Cassper Nyovest, Amanda du-Pont go public with their hot romance

The duo decided to go public with their romance at the Channel O Awards over the weekend.

They appeared together, hand in hand on the red carpet and were seated together during the show. What really sealed the deal though, was when they were presenting an award together, du-Pont kissed Nyovest, real name Refiloe Phoolo full on the lips. The tender yet hot moment was captured live on television and quickly went viral on social media.

Raila Odinga, Odinga's son found dead in his bed

Raila Odinga, a former prime minister, leads the opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy and is an outspoken critic of President Uhuru Kenyatta's government. 

Police said Fidel Odinga, 41, seen by political observers as a potential successor to his father, returned home on Saturday night after an evening out drinking with friends and was found dead in his bed yesterday.

Bonang fuels D'Banj dating rumours with cosy selfies

That is the question being asked on social media about television and radio personality Bonang Matheba since choreographer Somizi Mhlongo posted a picture of Matheba cosying up to Nigerian musician D'Banj on the back seat of a luxurious black Bentley on New Year's Eve.

In the picture, the 27-year-old Top Billing presenter, wearing Christian Louboutin and pearls, locks eyes with the Oliver Twist singer - real name Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo - who is signed to US rapper Kanye West's recording label. Another pics after cut........

Palestine Statehood - Nigeria's 'No Vote' Is Support for Injustice - MPAC

Photo: Amir Farshad Ebrahimi/Flickr

A Palestinian man looks out towards destroyed buildings following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City (file photo).

The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) yesterday said the refusal of Nigeria to vote for Palestinian Statehood by abstaining is historic with serious implications for peace in the Mid-East region.

Executive Chairman of the organisation Disu Kamor said in a statement that Nigeria's stance is regrettable given that the conflict in Palestine is largely based on the historic wrong of the dispossession of Palestinians, and that a majority of world's population sees the resolution of the issue of Palestine statehood as a crucial component of any peace negotiation.

"Not only is the Nigeria's abstaining from this historic opportunity to promote peace and justice at the UN fail to represent the sentiments of Nigerians, it is reprehensible that our government has forced us to be silent with it in the face of injustice.

The Year Beyoncé Became Human

INGLEWOOD, CA - AUGUST 24: Singer Beyonce performs onstage during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 24, 2014 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/MTV1415/Getty Images for MTV)

Beyoncé has, for close to a decade now, been a deity in entertainment: untouchable, successful, divine. In 2014 she became something even more impressive. She became human.

That is perhaps the most important thing an entertainer can be these days. That doesn’t mean we don’t crave perfection. In fact, we demand it. Beyoncé certainly delivers it in spades, too—and effortlessly. But whereas we used to be satisfied gazing on that perfection as it stood up on a pedestal, now we want it down among us. Our mandate is nearly impossible now: we want a performer’s perfection to be relatable.

Buckingham Palace denies sex claim against Prince Andrew

Royal officials on Friday denied that Britain's Prince Andrew engaged in any "impropriety with underage minors" after he was named in U.S. court documents related to a lengthy lawsuit against American financier Jeffrey Epstein.

In papers filed to a Florida court, an unidentified woman alleged that Epstein forced her to have sex with Prince Andrew in London, New York and on a private Caribbean island owned by Epstein when she was under the age of 18. The filing said the alleged encounters took place around 1999 to 2002.

President Jonathan " I Am Coming Up With Anti-Corruption Plan"

Speaking during a special New Year service at the Dunamis International Gospel Centre, in Abuja yon Thursday January 1st 2015, President Jonathan said his administration is coming up with plans and programmes to fight corruption in Nigeria. Read President Jonathan's Text Below....

"There are two main problems confronting us as a nation: The issue of insecurity in the North where we have the Boko Haram terrorists and in the South where we have commercial kidnapping. The next thing that people worry about after security is the issue of corruption.We are coming out with programmes and plans to clean up. These are things that you don’t just use a magical wand to wave off, otherwise even before I became the President, there wouldn’t have been corruption in Nigeria.

Acting President Mnangagwa finally succeeds President Mugabe

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe congratulates Emmerson Mnangagwa (R) after he was sworn in as Zimbabwe's vice president at the State House in Harare, December 12, 2014.
Image by: PHILIMON BULAWAYO / REUTERS

Although an offended splinter group from within Zanu PF called the "Gang of Four" or G4 said to be comprising of ministers Oppah Muchinguri, Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere and Mugabe's nephew Patrick Zhuwao, is reportedly burning the midnight oil to decampaign and stop Mnangagwa from taking over, their political assault has come late, as the vice president has garnered not only the closet support of Mugabe himself, but one of the country's most powerful men, Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander, General Constantine Chiwenga, who is operating from behind the scenes in this big power equation, according to MyZimbabwe.