Anaconda and Other Amazing Animals.

A brave diver gets up close to a huge anaconda snake resting on a riverbank after gobbling up its latest prey. Wearing just a wetsuit, snake enthusiast Franco Banfi, 53, ventured near enough to touch the scary 26 foot (8 meters) beast as it lay in the sun in the Mato Grosso do Sol in Brazil.




 
Rob Neil poses with the 12-foot alligator he caught Wednesday morning, Sept. 12, 2012 in the Intracoastal Waterway in Bourg, La. Neil sold the gator to Big Al's restaurant in Houma.




 
A rare white lion, two royal white tigers and two snow tigers are a new attraction at Jungle Island in Miami. The white lion, seen here, is not albino, but has an unusual genetic mutation. There may be only 300 like it in the world.....wow




 
Reticulated python Medusa, owned by Full Moon Productions, a haunted house attraction in Kansas City, Missouri, has been named the longest snake ever to live in captivity. The 25-foot long Medusa is in the "Guinness World Records 2013 Edition.

Veterans Day: What Makes a Hero?

Abc news (Jamie Jarboe was shot by a sniper while serving on military duty in Afghanistan).

What is a hero? Or, better, what makes a hero? We all know about the Hollywood heroes ... they rush into trouble to save those they love. They risk their lives for others and sometimes lose their own.
Is self-sacrifice in the face of mortal danger our guide? If so, there are hundreds of thousands of heroes in our military. In fact, just being a soldier, Marine, sailor or in the Air Force would make one a hero. I should add the Coast Guard as well. Maybe that's the way it should be.
Or, is a hero born out of a single act of bravery -- a sudden character-testing incident in the heat of battle? Those I know in the military would argue that that's what training is all about -- doing what you need to protect others and stay alive.
Perhaps there should be a moral test. I know some people who believe Islamic fundamentalist suicide bombers are heroes. What is our moral guide to heroism?

 In Iraq, during the height of the war, al Qaeda would pay $50 to anyone who would dig a hole in the road. The next taker would plant the explosives, another fill in the hole and others would continue until an "improvised explosive device" was created. Often those who helped were fathers desperate for money to feed and care for their families.

FL Woman Dies 3 Months After Husband Allegedly Doused Her With Gasoline.

Culled from ABC News.

Megan Kimbrough was a fighter, by all accounts, enduring countless surgeries as she recovered from a brutal attack allegedly perpetrated by her husband that left her with burns on 80 percent of her body. On Saturday, the Florida mother of two passed away after battling an infection, a little more than three months after she was doused with gasoline and lit on fire.

“Meg is having a rough morning and my heart is breaking and for as long as there is light in her beautiful eyes I will hold onto hope,” Megan’s mother posted on Facebook Friday morning, sharing her daughter’s final hours. “When I was with her last night I desperately wanted to hold her but I can not so I will wrap my love around her.” Megan’s husband, Joshua Kimbrough, could see his attempted first degree murder charge upgraded since his wife passed away, authorities in Polk County said.

On Aug. 3, prosecutors say, Kimbrough allegedly doused his wife with gasoline and lit her on fire at their Lakeland home. Megan Kimbrough ran outside, where neighbors helped put out the flames with blankets. When doctors initially treated her in the emergency room, they did not expect her to survive, But with her family by her side, Kimbrough seemed to be making progress until she took a turn for the worse.

Following the incident, Joshua Kimbrough allegedly went on a crime spree, burglarizing a house, carjacking a driver at gunpoint and using a stolen credit card. When prosecutors informed Kimbrough that his wife would likely not survive, he reportedly replied: ”I am done with his [expletive] show.”Kimbrough is due back in court for a pre-trial hearing on Dec. 12.

A funeral service will be held on Dec. 1 in Scottsburg, Ind., where Kimbrough grew up.

Victoria secrets Fashion Show 2012, a day after Obama Wins.

A day after the presidential election, Victoria's Secret models took to the runway to celebrate America -- and lingerie.......HOT HOT HOT.

Forensic Artist Seeks Justice For Others After Surviving Rape.

Left, a sketch by Lois Gibson done from a mother whose hours-old baby had been kidnapped. Right, the kidnapper's identity.

Lois Gibson, who holds the Guinness World Record for being the "most successful" forensic artist of all time, has helped Houston police solve 1,266 crimes by identifying criminals and victims.
She is one of only 26 such professionals in the United States, so few that they all know each other.
For years, police have worked with dentists and anthropologists who are able to reconstruct skeletal remains to identify victims. But now, Gibson has suggested that dermatologists can be just as important in solving crimes.
In an essay that recently appeared in the journal Clinics in Dermatology, Gibson argues that more crimes could be solved if dermatologists worked more closely with law enforcement. They are experts in scars, lesions and skin abnormalities, after all.
"Knowing how someone may have gotten a scar, for example, is a clue investigators could use," she said.
In one case, Gibson worked with a witness who described a dime-sized keloid scar on an armed robbery suspect's forehead. The sketch helped police track down the man, and he confessed and the crime was solved.
Gibson's crusade against crime came from personal experience. At the age of 21, she was a model and dancer, living in Los Angeles. But a horrific rape changed her life, setting a course that would lead her to become a forensic sketch artist.

"I got attacked by a guy who almost choked me to death for 25 minutes straight," said Gibson, who is now 62 and works for the Houston Police Department. "When he finished, I was bleeding down my throat and my eyes."
"Like nine out of 10 girls, I was too traumatized and wanted justice -- but I couldn't get it," she said.
Later, by accident, she witnessed police violently handcuffing and beating a man she recognized as her rapist. "I saw the arrest," she said. "I know what it is to see justice ... It changes your life."
Gibson, who always had a talent for drawing, was motivated to get a degree in forensic art from the University of Texas at Austin.

For the last 14 years, she has taught her craft at Northwestern University's Center for Public Safety.
Jason Stamps, director of the professional training division at the center, said Gibson's course in forensic arts has been popular among students. "She is very well-regarded," he said. "It's a very hands-on course."
Dermatologists could use her drawings of a described scar to determine if it is the result of a burn or a surgical procedure, or even a bad car accident.
"You never know what detail might solve a crime," said Gibson.
"This actually is very cool," said Dr. Josh Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in the dermatology department at Mt. Sinai in New York City. "Everyone has skin and no one has perfect skin, and there are different types of skin lesions that are identifiable."
Scars typically go through a wound-healing phase. "New scars are red and that redness tends to fade over months and years," said Zeichner.
There are also different types of collagen in scars. "We can actually identify how new or old a scar is," he said, enabling dermatologists to potentially give police a timeline for an injury.


 
 Lois Gibson

A letter to President Obama.

Dearest President Obama, am sorry i haven't been able to congratulate you prior now, i have been following your campaign trail online and also doing my part to support you in any way possible during those hectic days of Campaigning, debates with Romney and whilst voting was ongoing. I have watched you over the years with keen interest and i have come to the conclusion that America couldn't have gotten a better president than you.

I got the news of your victory from a colleague and i wasn't surprised at the results. I don't have to become a rocket scientist to know that, Americans had long fallen in-love with you as your personality traits has never been more endearing. I watched the live victory speech you gave and all i could feel was goose bumps and joy, it may interest you to know that as a Nigerian, you have inspired me to believe in myself and to follow my dreams without letting anyone tell me different. I almost cried when you said " You have never loved Michele more than you do now,and that she and the girls are everything to you". It simply shows how passionate you are about family, as that is the base of our very existence.

I watched Romney s congratulatory speech to you and i couldn't help but ponder if he really meant it. i am exceedingly happy at the long margin of votes given to you over Romney and that goes to show how loved and cherished you are. As an African American, you have for the second time, rewritten history as the first black president to run for office twice and win.

I just thought i might add that, you must Endeavor to tackle the various challenges facing the American economy, as job creation and a boost in the economy were among key issues bordering the American dream. I know you have swung into action as we speak as i believe in your policies, i might not be resident in the US, but i know my family members resident there, have a better chance at the American dream with you in the saddle.

As i come to the end of my letter, i pray you succeed and guide America to the promised land and i also hope your tenures will be remembered in history as one of the most credible, inspiring and fulfilling era the world has ever seen. Congratulations President Obama and God bless you and your Family.



                                                                                                                    Yours Faithfully
                                                                                                                    Blessing Oyanimigha.

The Legal Battles Begin: GOP, Dems Spar Over Voting in Pennsylvania

CNN

As voters head to the poll today to choose between Mitt Romney and President Obama, thousands of lawyers and poll watchers from both camps are engaged in their own parallel battle over which votes will be counted.
The first shot fired in the battle came this morning in Philadelphia, Pa., where Republican officials protested to the state's Court of Common pleas that their inspectors were being blocked from polling places.
Pennsylvania GOP officials said that about 75 Republican inspectors in Philadelphia were not able to access polling places.
"This was a shameless attempt from the Obama campaign to suppress our legally appointed Republican poll watchers in Philadelphia and they got caught," Rob Gleason, chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party, said in a statement.
Democrats argued that the issue was about credentialing, and that they were trying to ensure that the inspectors had valid certificates in order to be seated at the polling places. The court quickly issued an order saying that certified inspectors should be allowed into their designated polling places.

Romney choked on Round 2, Obama wins.

On a Lighter note.

 It was a fierce battle between President Obama and Mormon Romney on the 2nd round, but President Obama had the upper hand as his experienced hands choked the votes out of Romneys corner.  The match was keenly watched by viewers around the world who at the beginning thought Romney had an edge, but have soon come to know the Obama claw.

Come tomorrow 6th Nov 2012, those who truly seek their hearts desires and pray for stability should never vote for the guy who promises to change the world in a heart beat, but for Obama who says it as it is and stands for the less priviledge when the chips are Down.

Pattinson, Stewart reunite to promote 'Breaking Dawn'

CNN

The countdown is on for the release of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2," and Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are finally getting together to promote it.

On MTV First last night, the pair - whose relationship imploded over the summer before apparently repairing itself this fall - joined Taylor Lautner to talk all things "Twilight."

There was plenty of giggling, and we can't decide if it was due to nerves, awkwardness, or a combination of both - particularly considering that this was one of Stewart and Pattinson's first televised interviews since Stewart's scandal with her "Snow White and the Huntsman" director broke. Or, maybe they were just really slap-happy.
The trio joked about "senior superlatives," since this is sort of like a graduation for them, and the initial backlash to Pattinson's casting. And of course they had to chat about the sex scene between Stewart's Bella and Pattinson's Edward, since the two characters are both vampires in the final film.
Pattinson previously called it "ridiculous," because he and Stewart had to pretend they were having "the greatest vampire sex you've ever had" while also keeping it very PG-13.
To help MTV's audience visualize what he meant, Pattinson said, "I would imagine it was quite like the scene where she was doing pottery in 'Ghost.'"
Stewart, stayed mum on that one, but she did reveal what her favorite scene in "Breaking Dawn - Part 2" is, and it just happens to involve a topless Taylor Lautner. (Apparently it never gets old for her, either.)
"I think my favorite scene in the second part of "Breaking Dawn" is probably when he takes his clothes off in front of my father," Stewart said.
Lautner's had plenty of experience showing off his torso in the "Twilight" franchise, and in this particular scene, his pants had to come off too. (The underwear, meanwhile, stayed on.)
Pattinson - who'd forgotten all about Lautner stripping down in that particular sequence - has his own memories involving Lautner's pecs.
When MTV brought up the tent scene in "Eclipse," in which Stewart, Lautner and Pattinson were all sequestered into the small space, Pattinson told Lautner, "I remember grabbing your boob all the time in that one." Lautner chimed in, "I remember he had to, like, stop me every time. And you were doing it hard."
As for Stewart, who hadn't been feeling well on filming day? "The scene didn't really work for me," she quipped.

Celebs Caught in Camera.

Bolivian journalist's family wants to know who was behind attack.

(CNN) People march in Yacuiba in southern Bolivia,  to demonstrate against the attack on Fernando Vidal.

 Just days after an arson attack left a Bolivian radio personality in critical condition, police arrested four suspects.

Now, the victim's family says, comes the real test: Will investigators uncover the mastermind behind the attack?

The daylight attack on Radio Popular, a small FM station in the southern city of Yacuiba, happened Monday, as owner and host Fernando Vidal was on air conducting an interview.

Four men forced their way into the radio station, said Vidal's son-in-law, Esteban Farfan. Two entered the studio.

Listeners heard live on the radio the gunshot of one of the men, and the ensuing scuffle between Vidal and one of the intruders, while the other poured gasoline on him and his equipment. They lit Vidal on fire and fled.

The 70-year-old radio personality, a former mayor and councilman, survived, but remains in critical condition with burns to his face and body, Farfan said.

Another employee in the room, Karen Arze, suffered burns to a lesser extent and also is hospitalized, he said.

Others escaped the radio station through the windows.

The assault sparked international condemnation. It was a "vicious and brazen" attack, the spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said.

Three men were arrested the next day as they tried to cross the border into Argentina, just miles from Yacuiba. They were charged preliminarily in connection with the attack, police commander Orlando Gongora said. A fourth suspect was arrested Wednesday and is awaiting a formal preliminary charge, he said. Police worked for 48 hours straight to identify the attackers, Gongora said, But Vidal's family insists that the incident has deeper roots.

"(The police) have done the easiest thing -- to arrest the four suspected attackers," Farfan said. "Now we need to reveal the masterminds behind this."Vidal is an outspoken and respected journalist who made enemies with his opinions, Farfan said.

A leftist, Vidal was once close to President Evo Morales, but the journalist broke off his support over what he described as the president's turn to authoritarianism. He is a relentless critic of corruption, Farfan said. He calls out politicians who allegedly grow their personal bank accounts with state funds and routinely calls for investigations into corruption.

At the time of the attack, Vidal was interviewing two guests on the topic of smuggling in the border area, leading to initial speculation that an organized crime group tied to the smuggling was behind the incident.

But that explanation seems too convenient to Farfan. He believes that political opponents had a role in the attack against his father-in-law. "The message is clear," Farfan said. "(The attackers) want to shut us up."

But the cash-strapped station borrowed equipment and was back on the air less than 24 hours after the attack.

The police commander is aware of the theories that someone ordered the attack on Vidal, but said it's too early in the investigation to know for sure.

For police, the motive and any affiliation the four suspects may have with organized crime or other interests remains unknown.

Before their arrests this week, the suspects had been in trouble with the law before, but only for minor robbery charges, the commander said.

That doesn't make sense to Farfan.

"The question is: Who would benefit from Fernando Vidal's commentaries being silenced?"

5 things to watch in the Latino vote.

 
CNN

1. Voter turnout
The Latino vote, however, in Florida will be crucial to determining the winner of that swing state. First, turnout is projected to be 34.5% higher than in 2008 and second, the state seems to be changing from a reliable Republican enclave in the southern part of the state, led by the Cuban-American community, to a more Democratic-inclined group in the center of the state along the Orlando-Tampa corridor, led by Puerto Ricans and other Hispanics.

2. Florida's Cuban vs. Cuban race
Incumbent David Rivera is facing Democratic challenger Joe Garcia in a repeat race from two years ago. But the Miami Herald reports that Rivera is behind in the polls because of an FBI investigation into allegations he funneled money to one of Garcia's opponents in the primary.

 3. Texas and California historic races

After a lengthy and bitter partisan fight to draw four new congressional districts to favor Latino candidates and reflect the increase of that group's population, only the 34th District in Texas along the Mexican border and the Gulf of Mexico has two Hispanic candidates: Democrat Filemon Vela and Republican Jessica Puente Bradshaw.

But the Hispanic representation in the U.S. House is not likely to increase since longtime El Paso representative, Silvestre Reyes, lost the Democratic primary in the 16th District to Robert O'Rourke, who gave himself the Latino sounding nickname "Beto."

Republican Barbara Carrasco is the challenger in that race but her chances of winning are, like Puente Bradshaw's, dim since both areas lean Democratic. An upset in either race would mean the first Latina congresswoman from Texas.

 4. Maryland's DREAM Act

Last year the Maryland Legislature approved a bill granting in-state tuition to students who are in the country illegally, a measure signed by Gov. Martin O'Malley. But the bill was quickly challenged and opponents gathered enough signatures to force the issue onto a referendum which will be decided Tuesday.

 5. Has Sheriff Joe met his match?

 "America's toughest sheriff" is seeking a sixth term in Maricopa County, Arizona. Joe Arpaio faces voters amid a series of accusations of corruption and federal investigations prompted by his stance against illegal immigration. Latinos in Arizona are fiercely campaigning for his defeat.

 

What would a Mormon White House look like?

CNN (Should Mitt Romney win the presidency come Tuesday ( which will never happen), it will mark an historic first: a Mormon couple moving into the White House).....lol.

What would this mean and look like?
Would there be “dry” state dinners, since faithful Mormons don’t do alcohol? Would Secret Service tag along to sacred ceremonies only open to worthy church members? What book would a Wanna-be President Mitt Romney use to take his oath of office?
We can’t be absolutely sure about all the answers. But if the practices and homes of devout Mormons like the Romneys – not to mention his history as governor of Massachusetts – are any indication, we can begin to paint a picture of what a Romney-inhabited White House might look like.

First things first: About that oath

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe the Bible is the word of God, But they also believe this about the Book of Mormon, which is subtitled “Another Testament of Jesus Christ.”
Given the importance of the Book of Mormon, this question seemed worth asking: Any chance Romney would place his hand on a Book of Mormon at his swearing-in ceremony? Your Guess is as good as mine.

Beyond paint and fabric swatches

Having never been invited over for a meal, we can’t pretend to know anything about the Romney aesthetic when it comes to home decoration. But we wondered and asked about specific items that tend to hang in Mormon households.
Randall Balmer, an award-winning historian, author and chair of the Department of Religion at Dartmouth College, speculated that the Romneys – like plenty of Mormons – might display artwork featuring a depiction of Jesus and a photograph of LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson, considered a “prophet, seer and revelator” by members of the church.

If any of these things would hang in the White House, they would likely appear in the private quarters where first families are free to do what they please.
That doesn’t mean Romney wouldn’t be allowed to honor his faith in some way in (dreamland) Oval Office, but decorative decisions in public rooms – the spaces visited on tours – are subject to committee discussions and advisers on historic preservation, explained Melissa Naulin, assistant curator in the Curator's Office of the White House Museum.

Thank God for that because its still going to be President Obama and Michelle in the white house come 6th Nov, 2012 and you can take that to the Bank......wink.

Wreck-It Ralph scores big at North American box office.

 
John C Reilly (l), Sarah Silverman, Jane Lynch and Jack McBrayer
 (r) voice roles in Wreck-It Ralph.

Disney animated film Wreck-It Ralph has scored an impressive weekend at the US box office with $49.1m (£30.7m) in ticket sales.

The movie, about a video game villain who tries to become a hero, earned almost twice as much as the number two movie, Denzel Washington's Flight.
Ben Affleck's Argo, based on the true story of a 1979 hostage crisis in Iran, came third with $10.2m (£6.4m).
Cinema attendance was up this week in areas hit by superstorm Sandy.
Dave Hollis at Walt Disney Studios said audiences in areas affected by the storm were "very healthy" and had been boosted by school closures on Friday.
"In a nice way, Wreck-It Ralph ended up actually becoming an opportunity to relieve yourself from the reality that might be going on around you," he told the Reuters news agency.
"I don't know if it was a function of cabin fever or just escaping by getting into a movie theatre, but there was definitely a gravitating towards the theatre phenomenon."

NORTH AMERICAN TOP FIVE

1. Wreck-It Ralph - $49.1m (£30.7m)
2. Flight - $25m (£15.6m)
3. Argo - $10.2m (£6.3m)
4. The Man with the Iron Fists - $8.2m (£5.1m)
5. Taken 2 - $6m (£3.7m)
Source: Hollywood.com

Last week the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences named Wreck-It Ralph as one of 21 features eligible for next year's best animated film Oscar.

Others include Brave, which has so far earned $235.8m (£147.5m) after 20 weeks on release, and Frankenweenie, which has brought in $33.3m (£20.8m) in North American ticket sales.
The Man with the Iron Fists, starring Russell Crowe, brought in $8.2m (£5.1m) to take the number four spot in this week's Top 10.
Liam Neeson's action film Taken 2 came fifth, while Cloud Atlas, in which Tom Hanks and Halle Berry play six different roles across 500 years, was ranked sixth.
Rounding off the Top 10 was Silent Hill: Revelation, the latest in the horror film franchise, which earned $3.3m (£2.1m) in ticket sales the weekend after Halloween.
Skyfall enjoyed another successful second weekend internationally, earning $156m (£97.6m) in overseas ticket sales.
The new James Bond film, starring Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem, will be released in the US and Canada on 9 November.

TLC plan first album for 10 years.

Chilli (left) and T-Boz received the Mobo Awards' outstanding contribution honour.


C
 TLC, pictured in 1999, sold more than 15 million albums in the US.
 

The surviving members of US R&B group TLC have confirmed plans for a new album, a decade after the death of bandmate Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes.

Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas and Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins will also go on tour and are making a TV biopic of their lives.
Speaking at the Mobo Awards in Liverpool, T-Boz said the duo are due to start work on new material soon.
"We're going to still sound like TLC, evolving to whatever level we need to be at this time," she said.

  The group were one of the biggest-selling and most influential acts of the 90s in the US, with hits including Waterfalls, Creep and No Scrubs.

After Lopes died in a car crash in Honduras in 2002, the remaining pair completed the group's fourth album 3D but have since only released occasional new songs.
Asked how they would fit into the modern pop scene, T-Boz said: "We've always grown throughout the years and have always had our own sound. That's what works for us and we don't have to worry about anybody else.
"When that stops working, maybe we'll hang up the towel, but that still works. We have to get into the studio and start feeling how we feel. You have to find yourself first and then you find the path and then you have an album before you know it."
There has been speculation that Lopes could be incorporated into the accompanying tour in the form of a hologram.
T-Boz and Chilli are also executive producers of the VH1 biopic and are about to cast actresses to play themselves.

Insult, meets Injury. New Storm Chases Sandy.

Five days after Superstorm Sandy downed power lines, flooded homes and crippled transportation in the Northeast, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said his state is "returning to a new normal," despite a looming nor'easter this week that could bring further damage to the devastated area.
"I can do lots of things, I can't change the weather," Christie said today.
Nearly all New Jersey state roads have been cleared, Christie said, though a new storm would be more trouble for the tri-state area of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut in the middle of this week.
Homes without power and plunging temperatures remain a problem for more than two million people. Nearly a million are powerless in New Jersey at last count.
A steadfast Christie said he would continue to use gentle persuasion on the power companies to restore electricity for residents.

The storm could bring temperatures as low as the 20s and "strong gusty winds," rain and coastal flooding, according to the National Weather Service.
With overnight temperatures dropping, the 874,000 customers without power in New York state, most of them in New York City, Long Island and the northern suburbs, were urged to go to shelters for heat. The city also planned to hand out blankets to residents who refuse to leave their homes despite the lack of power and heat.  "I spoke with many people who were worried and frustrated and cold," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. "There is no power there and temperatures are dropping. Even those who have generators are having a hard time getting fuel."

Pakistan acid attack parents 'feared dishonour'.

BBC 

(Mother Says: "It was her destiny to die this way")

A couple arrested in Pakistan on suspicion of killing their 15-year-old daughter with acid say they carried out the attack because she looked at a boy.

The girl's father told the BBC that they feared she would bring dishonour on their family. Her mother said it was her "destiny" to die that way.
The couple were arrested in Pakistani-administered Kashmir last week.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported 943 women were killed in honour killings last year.
That represented an increase of more than 100 from 2010.
Police say that the incident took place in a remote village in the southern district of Kotli. They say that the case was brought to their attention by the couple's eldest daughter.
The girl, known only as Anusha, was found to have burns over 60% of her body. Her father Muhammad Zafar told the BBC what happened:
"There was a boy who came by on a motorcycle. She (Anusha) turned to look at him twice. I told her before not to do that, it's wrong. People talk about us because our older daughter was the same way," he said.
Her mother Zaheen described the aftermath: "She said 'I didn't do it on purpose. I won't look again.' By then I had already thrown the acid. It was her destiny to die this way."
Anusha's father is reported to have taken his daughter inside, beaten her and then acid was poured over her with the help of his wife. Officials say that the couple did not take their daughter to hospital until the following morning.
The couple say that an older daughter had already disgraced the family and they did not want to be dishonoured again.
Police say this is one of the first cases of its kind in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, where such killings are relatively rare.
In March the government of Pakistani-administered Kashmir made acid attacks a criminal offence punishable with life imprisonment.

New Zealand Pike River mine disaster 'preventable'.

BBC  (Two years on, the bodies of those who died remain inside the mine).

A gas blast at a mine in New Zealand that killed 29 workers was preventable, an investigation has found, with multiple warnings ignored.

Health and safety systems at the Pike River mine were inadequate, and reports of excessive methane levels were "not heeded".
A drive for production "before the mine was ready" created the circumstances for the tragedy, the report found.
The mining disaster in 2010 was New Zealand's worst in almost a century.
"The Pike River tragedy was preventable but administrative and regulatory reforms are urgently needed to reduce the likelihood of further tragedies," the Royal Commission report said.
Minister for Labour Kate Wilkinson resigned shortly after the report was released. The disaster "happened on my watch", she said, calling stepping down the right thing to do.

The reports of excess methane continued up to the very morning of the tragedy. The warnings were not heeded."
Workers were exposed to "unacceptable risks" because health and safety was not adequately addressed in a drive to achieve production.
The report also highlighted failings by the Department of Labour, saying it did not have the "focus, capacity or strategies to ensure that Pike was meeting its legal responsibilities".
It called for a new regulator to be established to focus solely on health and safety issues and for mining regulations to be updated.
Prime Minister John Key apologised to relatives of those who died for regulatory failures, but hit out at the mining company, saying it "completely and utterly failed to protect its workers".
Last month the mine's CEO Peter Whittall pleaded not guilty to labour violation charges. A contractor at the mine admitted three health and safety charges in July. The Pike River Coal company is not contesting health and safety charges.

Pope butler 'helper' Claudio Sciarpelletti faces trial.

 
BBC  (Claudio Sciarpelletti is accused of helping butler Paolo Gabriele (right) steal the papers)

A computer technician is due to go on trial in the Vatican City charged with aiding and abetting the Pope's former butler in stealing papal documents.

Claudio Sciarpelletti is accused of helping Paolo Gabriele leak the confidential documents while working in the Vatican's Secretariat of State.
Gabriele was given an 18-month prison sentence by the same court last month.
He admitted passing documents to a journalist, but said he did it out of love for the church and the Pope.
The former butler is serving his sentence in a special detention room inside the Vatican's police station, amid talk that he may be pardoned by Pope Benedict XVI.
Wider conspiracy? Mr Sciarpelletti, 48, handled secret communications in Secretariat of State, the nerve centre of the Roman Catholic church, the BBC's David Willey reports from Rome.
Investigators say he helped Gabriele leak the confidential documents to the Italian media.
Mr Sciarpelletti was arrested briefly in May, but then released after the Vatican said he played only a "marginal" role in the scandal.
Interest in the case centres on who the witnesses called to give evidence may be, our correspondent says. A senior cleric and two top Vatican security officials are expected to be called.
It is thought the trial may throw a light on the extent to which other Vatican employees, including clerics, may have been involved.
The Vatican has always insisted Gabriele acted alone, but some believe he was part of a wider conspiracy to publicise sensitive information.
Much of the stolen information ended up in a best-selling book by journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi about corruption, scandals and infighting at the Vatican.
Gabriele confessed to taking the papers, but said he believed the Pope was being manipulated, and that he hoped to reveal alleged corruption at the Vatican.
The Vatican authorities are limiting press access to Mr Sciarpelletti's trial and no TV cameras are to be allowed in court, our correspondent says.

Kenya policeman killed, 11 injured in church attack.

 
 BBC  (The injured were taken to Garissa district hospital, with some then airlifted to the capital Nairobi for further treatment.)

A grenade attack on a church in a police compound in eastern Kenya has killed one police officer and injured at least 11 other people, reports say.

The man who died was serving as pastor of the targeted church, in Garissa town near the border with Somalia.
Most of the wounded are also reported to be police officers; some of whom were airlifted to hospital in Nairobi.
In July, 15 people were killed in raids on churches in Garissa, and suspicion fell on the al-Shabab militant group.
Police blamed the Somalia-based group and its sympathisers for the attack, and said they were angry over Kenya's role in a UN-backed intervention force.
Kenya's capital Nairobi and the port city of Mombasa have suffered a series of grenade attacks since Kenya sent troops into Somalia last October.
'Confusion' Witnesses were quoted as saying that the grenade in Sunday's attack was thrown from outside the compound, and landed on the iron-sheeted roof of the church while the officers and their families were inside attending a prayer session.

"It is believed to be a motor thrown or a grenade because it penetrated the roof before landing within the crowd. There is confusion," one police officer at the scene was quoted by Kenya's The Standard as saying.
Gunfire was also reportedly heard at the scene of the explosion.
Kenya's Red Cross said 11 wounded people were taken to hospital in Garissa, with three evacuated by air to Nairobi for further treatment.
Regional police chief Philip Tuimur said a major operation was under way to track down the attackers.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion will once again fall on al-Shabab.
In September, one child was killed and three seriously injured in a grenade attack on a church in Nairobi.
A mob later rounded on Somalis living near the church, injuring 13 people with sticks and stones.

US set for final campaigning day

BBC

US presidential rivals Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are approaching the final day of their election battle in a frantic fight for swing state votes.

Mr Obama is scheduled to appear in Madison, Wisconsin, accompanied by Bruce Springsteen, before going on to Iowa and Ohio.
Mr Romney is due in Florida - where polls suggest he is ahead - in Virginia, New Hampshire and Ohio.
Analysts say the election will come down to a handful of swing states.
Mr Obama and Mr Romney are running almost neck-and-neck in national polls, but polls of many key battlegrounds show Mr Obama narrowly ahead.
However, neither camp is exuding absolute confidence, the BBC's North America editor Mark Mardell reports.
The campaign has been most intense in Ohio, which no Republican has ever lost and still made it to the White House.

The pair spent Sunday addressing crowds across the country, with Mr Romney speaking in Pennsylvania, a state his aides insist he can now win on Tuesday.

Mr Obama held rallies in New Hampshire and Florida and carried on to Ohio and Colorado in the evening.
In Florida, Democrats have filed a legal case demanding an extension of time available for early voting, citing unprecedented demand.
In Ohio, Republican election officials will go to court on Monday to defend an 11th-hour directive to local election officials.
Last month, a federal appeals court reinstated early voting on the last three days before Tuesday's election.
The ruling overturned a state law saying early voting should end on the Friday before the election, making an exception only for voters living overseas and for military personnel, who tend to favour Republican candidates.
Critics say this potentially favours the Obama camp.

Valerie Ebe Sworn In As Akwa Ibom's First Female Deputy Governor.

The Akwa Ibom Chief Judge, Justice Idongesit Ntem-Isua, in Uyo on Saturday swore in, Valerie Ebe, as the first female Deputy Governor of the state.

Mrs Ebe took over from the former Deputy Governor, Nsima Ekere, who resigned his appointment on Oct. 31 shortly before his impeachment proceeding climaxed.

Mrs Ebe’s nomination was confirmed by the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly on the previous day following her nomination by the state governor, Godswill Akpabio.

Although the governor say gender was not a consideration in her appointment, he admits a section of the public would “definitely see her as being at the vanguard of our faith for more women participation in governance.

“By her appointment, we now have a triumvirate of women in key positions like the Chief Judge, Head of Civil Service and Deputy Governor,” the governor said.

Mrs Ebe is the first woman in the 25-year history of the state to hold the deputy governor’s position.

Ebe, from Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of the state, was born on March 26, 1947 and had served as Commissioner for Culture and Tourism and Commissioner for Environment.

She had also served as People Democratic Party, PDP’s legal adviser.

Nigeria: Governor Dickson, President Zuma and Investment Fever in Bayelsa State.

Gov Seriake Dickson

Last month, precisely Friday, October 26, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and his investment team stormed Johannesburg, the business capital of South Africa, on the invitation of President Jacob Zuma. This visit and the power-packed investment summit, which held at the Hilton Hotel, upped the ante in the vortex of investment in Bayelsa State. The October meeting was sequel to the governor's visit to the country in May where he and his team wooed investors to the state.
These businessmen are expected to replicate some of the infrastructure that make South Africa a strong economy in Bayelsa State. This novel drive of Hon. Dickson is hinged on his belief that Bayelsa has a lot to tap from the South African economy which he describes as having all the trappings of a first world economy.
Expectedly, the governor's first pot of call was the South African State House in Pretoria. President Zuma was at the University of Pretoria where he was delivering a lecture at an occasion put together to honour the longest serving president of African National Congress (ANC), late Oliver Thambo, and others. When he was told that Governor Dickson had arrived, there was no other way the South African strongman could have honoured the countryman-governor than to cut short his engagement after his speech and cruised to his office to receive the governor and his team. We had lunch with Mr. President and went straight to the business of our visit, which lasted 30 minutes.
Governor Dickson informed his host that he is currently emulating his party, African National Congress (ANC) by running Bayelsa State from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Yenagoa at least once in every month. The governor advised African leaders to go beyond "political integration to integrate our people economically because it is when we build a strong economic base for our people that we can put food on their table." While rolling out the investment potentials of his state, the governor said government had put in place time-tested insurance policies for all investors and investment.

US Economy Adds 171,000 New Jobs.

Thisday

The announcement is a boost for Obama.

The US economy added 171,000 new jobs in October, which was much more than had been expected.

But the official figures from the Labor Department showed that the unemployment rate still rose to 7.9%, having fallen to 7.8% in September, as more workers resumed the search for jobs.

Only people who are currently looking for a job count as unemployed, reports the BBC.

Unemployment is one of the key issues ahead of Tuesday's presidential election.

The figures were the last major set of economic data scheduled before the election and the Republican candidate, Mitt Romney, has made the state of the jobs market one of the central planks of his campaign.

"Today's increase in the unemployment rate is a sad reminder that the economy is at a virtual standstill," he said.

"The jobless rate is higher than it was when President Obama took office, and there are still 23 million Americans struggling for work."

The number of jobs created in the previous two months was revised upwards, with an extra 34,000 jobs added in September and 50,000 added in August.

"We've made real progress," Barack Obama told a crowd in Ohio.

"But we've got more work to do."

Despite the new jobs, Barack Obama will still go to the polls with the highest rate of unemployment of any president seeking re-election since Franklin D Roosevelt.

The unemployment rate edged up slightly because the number of people looking for jobs increased. These were people who had previously given up hope of finding work, but who now think they may have a better chance. As a result, this increase may be seen as a sign of confidence in the economy, analysts say.

Contractor Summoned over Multi-billion Naira Security Contract.

Thisday

Security agencies will today (Monday) quiz a defence and security contractor, Mr. Rabiu Hassan, as part of the ongoing investigation into a multi-billion naira contract for the procurement of 20 units of K-38 patrol boats for the Nigeria Army.

Hassan, who is the chief executive officer of Hypertech UK, is the author of a petition titled: “Conspiracy, fraud, supervision and compromising of Nigeria’s National Security and Official Corruption in the Award and Execution of National Security and Defence Projects in Nigeria.”

In that petition sent to the President, and security and anti-corruption agencies, Hassan had alleged that some Isreali contractors, along with some Nigerian officials, defrauded the nation in the procurement of over N3billion K-38 patrol boats for the army by supplying only eight units, even though 80 per cent of the total contract sum had been collected.

Because of the amount involved and sensitive nature of the contract, it was gathered that the office of the National Security Adviser and the State Security Service (SSS) were the two government departments currently carrying out discreet investigation into the issue, though petitions were sent to the two anti-corruption agencies.

A top official of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Security (PICOMSS) was said to have been quizzed concerning the contract while invitation had been sent to a former National Security Adviser to come and shed light on the status of the procurement.

It was gathered that Col. Bello Fadile (rtd), a senior aide of the National Security  Adviser, invited Hassan to appear at the NSA office today. He is also billed to appear at the headquarters of the State Security Service (SSS) in Abuja over the same issue.

When Hassan was contacted last night, he confirmed the invitation adding that he arrived in the country on Sunday afternoon so that he could honour the invitation from the two offices today.

BUKOLA SOGBUYI’s Brave Fight for Life.

 
Thisday 

Chronicles of an astonishing resilience of a vivacious lady who practically walks in the shadow of death.

There was nothing about Bukola Sogbuyi’s appearance to betray her health condition. Looking radiant, chubby and peaceful, it was hard for me to believe that she was a sickle-cell carrier. Unlike the visible signs that usually accompany carriers of the sickle-cell disease such as the yellow colouring of the eyes or fragility, Bukola seems the opposite. Simply put, she is hyperactive. Sickle-cell disease is a recessive genetic blood disorder which prevents the easy flow of blood into the blood vessels causing pain and organ damage which could lead to risk of death or infection. As she settled down for the interview, I couldn’t help but admire her gait and composure.
 

Background
Being the only child of her parents,  Bukola Sogbuyi, an indigene of Lagos State, lived most of her childhood in London with her mother. She was among the recently passed out NYSC Batch C Corpers after graduating from the University of California with a B.A in Communication Studies. She also holds a Master degree in Feminism Theories and Organisational Communication.

Bukola grew up with the belief that she was as healthy as any other child until she was six years old. The doctors had told her parents when she was born that her genotype was AS but when she had her first crisis at the age of six, her parents were forced to carry out more tests which revealed that she was a sickle-cell carrier. From there on, it has been one challenge or the other. Her once perfect life suddenly came to a grinding halt as her parents try to keep their baby alive. “I would be asked not to play or dance at social events because of my health but inwardly I was dying to partake in those activities. Sometimes I break the rules, but I usually have to face the consequences of such actions.”

Challenges
Losing her mum in a plane crash at the age of 15 was a big challenge to Bukola who was closer to her mother and lived with her most of her childhood days. “It was one of my greatest challenges but she had taught me how to be independent and a survivor at an early age.  With time, I got over it, moved on and do what I know how to do best; embracing life.”

Living alone in the States, Bukola had to learn how to take care of herself. “With mum gone, I have to learn how to survive. I will have a crisis and there will be no one to drive me to the hospital. With my last strength, I will drive to the hospital all by myself. When I get to the gate or door of the hospital, I will just collapse.”

Apart from losing her mother, Bukola has been faced with rejection as a result of her health status. “I have had many people not loving me because I’m a sickle-cell carrier.” She quickly recounted her ex-boyfriend mother’s words to her when she discovered Bukola’s state of health: “I don’t want you to marry my son because if you die young, he will be a young widower.”
Sadly, the young man heeded to his mother’s words and broke up with her.  How she handled that, this is what she had to say:  “I have to respect his decision, he has to listen to his mum but I do know that being a sickle-cell carrier does not make me less of a human being. I also have equal rights as any other human being”

In school, she was asked to repeat a paper because of her health condition. She had missed attendance of the paper and the professor had insisted she spends one extra year despite the fact that  she passed the paper. However, her course mates were not happy about the professor’s decision and carried out a protestation on her behalf. “I still retook the paper though but the professor was reprimanded.”
After excelling in the first interview for a job as Customer Service Personnel in an organisation, Bukola was again turned down when the management discovered that she was living with sickle-cell.

Coping with Sickle Cell
Despite the stigmatization carriers of sickle-cell disease face, Bukola didn’t wallow in self-pity,  rather she is motivated. “I understand the psychological downside of this ailment so I try as much as I can to motivate others not to lose hope. I try to build a social platform where I can reach out to my friends and give them a reason to stay positive. After all, people live with HIV and yet they get married and have children, why give up on yourself?”
Though a bit limited in her activities, the budding energy in her won’t let her keep to conventional rules on managing her health such as non-exposure to mosquitoes and cold weather. “I lived in the USA where there is winter, what am I supposed to do then? Hide? I have been to camp and other outdoor activities at night and I don’t fall sick. I only know when to stop but I don’t allow these limitations to stop me from enjoying life.”
“My immediate family had been of great support to me but my friends know me better. I love being independent so I hardly ask for help. It happens on rare occasions.”

Financial Support
Before the Walk4Life campaign became a reality, Bukola had to seek for financial assistance. “It was difficult getting assistance from corporate bodies because of the way NGOs has been abused in Nigeria. I had no choice than to depend on my monthly NYSC allowance and ask family members for support. All in all, we were able to carry out the programme and I’m glad. We hope to get sponsors for this year’s edition which is slated for December.”

Contracts: FG Grants Local Manufacturers Preference over Importers.

Thisday  (Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga)

President Goodluck Jonathan has announced that, henceforth, 'Made in Nigeria' products will enjoy preference over imported ones in the award of government supply contracts.

Jonathan explained that, going forward, even when a locally manufactured product is costlier than the same kind of product which is imported, the 'Made in Nigeria' products will still be considered ahead of the foreign one in the award of supply contracts.

He made the disclosure while calling on all Nigerians to join in the campaign for the patronage of local goods at the 26th Lagos International Trade Fair, which he declared open.

The ten-day Fair was opened by Jonathan, who was represented by the Minister for Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga.

According to him “most people are not aware of what is called ‘margin of preference for Made in Nigeria products’. It is something which the President has done and asked us to look at.

"What it means is that if company A makes the same product in Nigeria and B buys the same product from somewhere and brings it to Nigeria if they quote for the same thing for government expenditure and the price of the company producing the goods in Nigeria is within 15 per cent of the price of the person importing, they get the contract,” he said.

He stated that for now the margin of preference for 'Made in Nigeria' products rule is being considered sector by sector to determine what percentage is appropriate for the different sectors.

“That way we will project and protect our local industries, it is important that we protect and patronise them. I want to encourage through this medium that Nigerians patronise 'Made in Nigeria' products.

"When you patronise 'Made in Nigeria' products you are creating jobs for your fellow brothers and sisters and contributing to the economy. That is going to be the theme of the next campaign for made in Nigeria products,” he said.

He disclosed that the government was working at an advanced stage to promote Made in Nigeria products, adding that the government was ready to harmonise its position with a private member bill in the National Assembly as soon as the policy goes to council and receives approval.
In his welcome address, the President of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), organisers of the Fair, Mr. Goodie Ibru, said the theme of the fair, 'Promoting Trade for Sustainable Economic Transformation' was chosen to underscore the significance of trade in the realisation of our collective aspiration of rapid economic transformation.

However, he said, for Nigeria  to benefit from trade, domestic firms must be competitive, stressing that the creation of an enabling environment to enhance competitiveness was crucial.

Ibru said the key drivers of any economy were the entrepreneurs; "who are the risk takers, the wealth creators and innovators adept in resource mobilisation and utilisation.

“They provide the platform to boost incomes and reduce poverty through the creation of jobs. An economy can only progress at a pace comparative to the prosperity of its private sector and vice versa,” he said.

CAF Player Award: Mikel is Last Nigerian Standing.

Thisday

Super Eagles and Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi, was last night among the 10 nominees for the Confederation of African Football (CAF)’ African Player of the Year Award.

Mikel, who is just worming his way back into the hearts of football fans in the country  following his superlative display in Super Eagles’ demolition of  Liberia in the last but crucial AFCON 2013 qualifier in Calabar last month, is the only Nigerian left in the race for the top prize.

He has however attained more success with Chelsea than the Eagles, winning European Champions League and an FA title.

Other players listed for the Award include; Alex Song (Barcelona/ Cameroun), Andre Ayew (Marseilles/Ghana), Christopher Katongo (Henan Construction/Zambia), Demba Ba (Newcastle/Senegal), Gervinho (Arsenal/Cote d’Ivoire), Didier Drogba (Shehua/Cote d’Ivoire), Pierre-E Aubanmeyan (St Etiene/Gabon), Yaya Toure (Man City/Cote d’Ivoire), Younes Belhanda (Montpelier/Morocco).

No Nigerian player was listed among the five players remaining in the run for Africa- based Player of the Year.

CAF’s Technical, Football and Media committees have decided on the current shortlists which will now be passed to head coaches and technical directors from CAF member associations whose votes will decide the eventual winners.

The top three nominees are to be announced in the last week of November. Ivorian Yaya Toure was voted 2011 African Player of the Year, while Tunisian Oussam Darragi was crowned last year’s African Player of the Year- Based in Africa. The winners will be unveiled at a ceremony on 20 December in the Ghanaian capital, Accra.

CAF said other categories for which winners will be announced at the Gala are as following: National Team of the Year, Women’s Footballer of the Year, Women’s National Team of the Year,  Club of the Year, Most Promising Talent of the Year,   Coach of the Year, Referee of the Year. Others include: Legend Award, Fair Play Award, Platinum Award and Africa Finest XI.

Obama Leads Romney 47-42 Percent Among Likely Voters in Iowa.

Thisday

President Barack Obama leads Republican challenger Mitt Romney by five percentage points among likely voters in Iowa, according to a poll released Saturday by the Des Moines Register.

Forty-seven percent of likely Iowa voters who participated in the survey said they're supporting Obama, compared to 42 percent who plan to support Romney. The survey was taken Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 by Selzer & Co. and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Among those, 7 percent said they were open to changing their minds before Tuesday, reports The Ticket.

Here's a wider breakdown of the numbers, courtesy of the Des Moines Register:

President Barack Obama does best with union households (31 points better than Mitt Romney), unmarried voters (up 28 points), younger voters (up 17), those with no more than a high school education (up 16), seniors (up 12), in the 1st Congressional District in eastern and southeastern Iowa (up 12) and with women (up 11 points).

Obama, a Democrat, also does well with Iowans who did not participate in the 2010 election, winning 53 percent to 31 percent among this group.

Romney, a Republican, does best with evangelicals (26 points better than Obama), voters in Iowa's 4th Congressional District in northwest Iowa (up 19 points), married moms (up 18), affluent voters (up 17), married voters (up 10), middle-age voters (up 9), people with minor children (up 5), and with men (up 3).