Nigeria elections: Mixing religion and politics

 

President Jonathan and his challenger Muhammadu Buhari are appealing to the religious vote in Jos

As tensions rise ahead of elections in Nigeria, some fear the country's unity will face a new test and divisions will be exacerbated by a vote which sees a Christian presidential candidate from the south, Goodluck Jonathan, facing stiff competition from Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim candidate from the north.

It is not their first face off but is likely to be by far the most closely contested.
But to what extent will voters pay attention to the religion of the candidates?

Michelle Is More Than A Mascot

It must be very strange to be Michelle Obama. You are intelligent, capable, you have opinions and charisma, and yet you are fundamentally mute—your public utterances are scripted and tightly controlled. You are allowed to talk about broccoli and children’s exercise, and safe, non-inflammatory topics.
The only time the public sees the Michelle Obama fire, thrillingly, is when she is on the campaign stump for her husband. Even when scripted by the Democrat wordsmiths, she is a stirring, natural orator.

Photos: President Jonathan's Campaign Rally In Akure, Ondo State

President Jonathan is presently in Akure, the Ondo State capital campaigning for the 2015 Presidential elections. Massive crowd are presently at the Akure township stadium. More pics after cut....

Photos: President Jonathan's Visit and Worship At The Winners Chapel

President Jonathan was at Living Faith Church a.k.a Winners Chapel in Canaanland, Ota on Sunday January 25th 2015 for their thanksgiving service after their 21 days fasting period.
More pics after cut.........

Photos: War Crime... Boko Haram Child Militias

These pictures are alleged to be from one of the training camps of Boko Haram where abducted kids are trained on the use of AK 47. Quite disturbing. More pics after cut.....

Photos: Corporate Forum With President Jonathan In Lagos.

President Jonathan on Sunday, 25th January 2015 met with some Nigerian business men and women, including Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola, Tony Elumelu, former governor Peter Obi in Lagos. More pics after cut....

Mubarak's sons move from jail to mansion

Alaa Mubarak (C), son of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak

At least 25 people were killed in anti-government demonstrations. Witnesses said security forces and police fired at protesters. Some called for a new uprising.
An Egyptian court last week ordered the release of Alaa and Gamal Mubarak pending their retrial in a corruption case.

Photos: Yasmin Eleby, 40-year-old woman marries HERSELF

 Yasmin Eleby and Mum

Yasmin Eleby promised herself that if she hadn't found a partner by the time she was 40, she would marry herself.

According to Black Art in America, Eleby gave herself the wedding of her dreams, with family and friends sharing in her happiness.
Her bridesmaids were her sisters, and her mother danced her down the isle. More pics and Eleby's vow after cut.....

Photos: Tshwane Mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa And Georgia Shekeshe Wedding in Cape town

  Kgosientso Ramokgopa and Georgia Shekeshe

Kgosientso Ramokgopa and his wife Georgia Shekeshe had their ‘white’ wedding in Cape town over the weekend.The ceremony took place on a wine farm in the Western Cape on Sunday. More pics after cut.... We at FOB are saying Happy Married Life.

Boko Haram - United States Halts Israeli Aid to Nigeria

 

TWENTY-Four hours after US Secretary of State, John Kerry met President Goodluck Jonathan and former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, pledging his country's determination to work with Nigeria and other countries to end activities of the Boko Haram terrorists, the Israeli media, yesterday, revealed that the US stopped Nigeria's purchase of Chinook military helicopters from Israel to fight Boko Haram.

Nigeria's Boko Haram unrest: African leaders urged to act

 

Maiduguri would be a major prize for Boko Haram

African states should act quickly and collectively to curb the growing threat posed by Nigeria's militant Islamists, the African Union chief has said.

Cross-border raids into Cameroon showed the dangers the Boko Haram group posed, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said.

Darfur offers Islamists 'fertile ground' as violence persists: UN

Children look at the fin of a mortar projectile that was found at the Al-Abassi camp for internally displaced persons, after an attack by rebels, in Mellit town, North Darfur. File photo.
Image by: MOHAMED NURELDIN ABDALLAH / REUTERS

Darfur has been embroiled in conflict since mainly non-Arab tribes took up arms in 2003 against the Arab-led government in Khartoum, accusing it of discrimination. The United Nations says as many as 300,000 have died and millions more displaced by the conflict.
The latest annual report by the UN Panel of Experts on Sudan, distributed on Friday, said the overall number of aerial bombardments by Sudanese government forces had declined.
But it described a "pattern of deliberate targeting of and/or indiscriminate attacks on civilians with actual or perceived allegiance to the armed opposition groups" - as well as sporadic attacks by rebel forces on those believed to support the government.

Photos: Zimbabwe Carnival 2014: A display Of Africanism

 

 

 More pics after cut..........

New challenges come with new leadership in Saudi Arabia

Saudi King Salman (C) prays during the funeral of the late Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh January 23, 2015. (Handout/Reuters)

SAUDI KING Abdullah had a not-undeserved reputation as a relative moderate and modernizer of his hidebound and autocratic monarchy. He waged war against Islamic extremists, both at home and abroad; invested heavily in education, including for women; worked to preserve good relations with the United States and to check Iranian expansionism; and proposed a landmark plan for Arab peace with Israel.

Kinshasa authorities restore Internet, block mobile phones

Demonstrators burn tyres to set up barricades during a protest in the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa January 20, 2015. Protests erupted for a second day in Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday over proposed changes to an election law that could delay a vote due in 2016 and allow President Joseph Kabila to stay in power. Picture taken January 20, 2015.
Image by: STRINGER / REUTERS

The Internet connection of AFP's office in Kinshasa started working after a lockdown of almost 48 hours, while police clashed with demonstrators over an electoral law before parliament that would enable Kabila to stay in office beyond 2016.
However, 3G mobile telecommunications and text messaging, which account for almost all private connections across the vast central African nation, remained unavailable in Kinshasa.