ANOTHER TRAGEDY STRUCK THE CELEBRITY WORLD

It was another terrible day to the entire world of showbiz as  another upcoming popular singer known as Damino Damoche was shot by an unknown cultist. The tragedy struck at the entrance gate of the Lagos State University, Ojo. Rumour had it that,  he was a member of a known cult group within the campus. So, he was shot by a rival cultist this evening. The image above was taken few hours before his death. May his soul rest peace .

OBAMA OPENLY DECLARES SUPPORT FOR SYRIAN REBELS

Secretary of State John Kerry will meet on Thursday with leaders of Syria’s opposition council and other nations that have been supporting the opposition at the Friends of Syria meeting in Rome. The outcome of that meeting is expected to move the United States towards more direct involvement in the nation’s conflict.
Kerry is expected to announce for the first time that the Obama administration is prepared to provide direct support to vetted members of the Free Syrian Army, the military wing of the opposition effort.
On Wednesday in Paris, Kerry acknowledged that the Syrian opposition needs more help. Kerry said the United States still believes that a political solution is the best way to

WHY BENITEZ MUST QUIT CHELSEA

Perhaps somebody forgot to tell Rafael Benitez that the Oscars were last week.It doesn't matter. Benitez's extraordinary performance managed to combine the good, the bad and the ugly as the Chelsea manager launched a scathing attack on his employers and club's supporters before revealing he will quit at the end of the season.

Here was Benitez, the victim. Here was the man in the middle of one of football's most high-pressured jobs being circled by an army of critics.

Perhaps the adrenaline kicked in. Perhaps he had just had enough. It was fight or flight.

Now he will await his fate with club owner Roman Abramovich, who has employed nine managers in 10 years, expected to take note.

Since Benitez walked into Stamford Bridge last November, he has been a sitting duck.

Protests, placards, songs about former managers

AN ENCOUNTER WITH A BLACKBERRY BABE

by Bayo Olupohunda (bayoolupohunda@yahoo.com)

By Bayo Olupohunda (bayoolupohunda@yahoo.com)

What’s your BB pin?”, she asked conceitedly, raising her BlackBerry screen-glazed eyes. Her fake Yankee accent was drowned by rancorous voices and the din of the heavy metal music blaring from the Hi-fi speakers of the high-end nightclub in the heart of Victoria Island, Lagos. Even when she was just sitting across the table as we both share a drink, I could barely hear her. Just as I could not make any sense out of our conversation in the entire time we spent together that evening. To add to my misery even now as I reflect on my experience that night, it is difficult to tell if my inability to understand my young female guest was due to her contrived foreign accent or the frequent interruptions from her “pinging” and the instant messages that kept coming into her BlackBerry phone.

Her obsessive romance with her phone, which repeatedly came in the way of our acquaintance, can be likened to having a conversation with the deaf. So, I had proceeded to ignore this new question; one of the many she had asked, while she took intermittent pauses,

A TEENAGER TO BE GIVEN 100 LASHES FOR FORNICATION

The Maldives government has said its hands are tied in the case of a 15-year-old girl sentenced to 100 lashes and eight months house arrest for engaging in premarital sex.

The registrar for the Juvenile Court confirmed Wednesday that the sentence was imposed Tuesday, after the girl confessed during a court hearing to the charge of fornication.

"She's staying in a children's home now so we have ordered her to remain in a children's home," registrar Zaima Nasheed Aboobakur told CNN.

"We have explained to her how if she wants to receive the punishment (the lashings) right now she can... or it can be postponed until she turns 18," she added.

Amnesty International told CNN the same girl was

HOW TO ACE YOUR TECHNICAL INTERVIEW

Whether you’ve been programming since your pajamas had feet on them or you’re facing down the barrel of your first post-school job hunt, the technical interview can be a terrifying hurdle between you and your dream job.
But don’t fear—just get ready to show off your skills. Below you’ll find some tips that are helpful to ace any technical interview.

Before the Interview

Get a Book

As early as possible before your interview (though I only managed a meager two weeks), start preparing. Working through a prep book will not only refresh your algorithms and data structures knowledge, but it’ll also put you in the right problem-solving mindset.
Most importantly, pick the right prep book for your level and interests. Cracking the Coding Interview is a great resource, but if you

HOW AFGHAN POLICE HAD A SLEEP OF DEATH

Militants shot dead 17 people overnight, including 10 local Police officers, as the victims slept, in eastern Afghanistan, officials said Wednesday.

The attack took place at a police outpost in Ghazni province, according to the provincial governor.

In addition to the officers, seven of their friends and relatives who were spending the night were also killed, Gov. Musa Khan Akbarzada said.

Authorities are trying to determine how the militants gained access to the sleeping quarters.

In a separate incident, a suicide bomber targeted an Afghan National Army bus in western Kabul, injuring six personnel and one civilian, according to Kabul police chief Mohammad Ayoub Salangi.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for both attacks.

IT PAYS TO BE CORRUPT IN NIGERIA

by Azuka Onwuka (azuka.brand@augustconsulting.biz)

There is no denying that a corrupt judge is worse than an armed robber. Last week’s soft-landing for two judges accused of corruption by the National Judicial Council shows that we are not serious about the fight against corruption. Even though the NJC had been commended for its action, the action of the NJC deserves no commendation. By recommending two judges — Justice C. E. Archibong of the Federal High Court, Lagos and Justice T.D. Naron of High Court of Justice, Plateau State — whom it found guilty of compromising their sacrosanct offices, for “compulsory retirement”, what the NJC had done was to tell the judges to go home and enjoy the proceeds from their corruption. A corrupt official should be summarily dismissed or recommended for dismissal, not sent on “compulsory retirement.” Retirement presupposes that the judges are entitled to all their benefits after a meritorious service, but dismissal means that their tenure had a question mark.

It was also curious that there was no comment from the NJC that suggested that it planned to report the judges to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission or the police for prosecution. The NJC’s recommendation that the two judges be compulsorily

NORTH KOREA THREATENS THE UNITED STATES.

Ahead of annual, routine military exercises between South Korea and the United States, North Korea issued its usual caustic objections Saturday.

It threatened "miserable destruction," if "your side ignites a war of aggression by staging the reckless joint military exercises ... at this dangerous time."

Though customary, the stark posturing by North Korea stands in the shadow of an underground nuclear test two weeks ago that was preceded by the launch of a long-range missile capable of transporting a warhead.

The detonation of the nuclear charge was the

GOLDIE GOES DOWN SIX FEET. RIP

The late upcoming super star, famously called Goldie, who died on the 14th of February on her arrival from the United States, was buried today. it was a moment of pain and sadness for every visitor who came around to pay their last respect. The late singer died of Pulmonary Embolism according to the unconfirmed medical report from the Redinton hospital on Victoria Inland. She was also regarded as the Nigerian Lady gaga due to her dress style. She also played an active role in the last Big Brother Africa. May her soul rest in peace.

2013 OSCAR WINNERS

It was a great night celebrating the best in movies at the 2013 Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday (February 24) in Hollywood.
The big award of the night for Best Picture went to Argo and its producers Ben Affleck, George Clooney, and Grant Hezlov. The film also won the awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing.
Lincoln‘s Daniel Day-Lewis won the award for Best Actor, Silver Linings Playbook‘s Jennifer Lawrence won the award for Best Actress, Django Unchained‘s Christoph Waltz won the award for Best Supporting Actor, and Les Miserables‘ Anne Hathaway won the award for Best Supporting Actress.

BEST PICTURE
Amour
Argo - WINNER
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

BEST ACTOR
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln – WINNER
Hugh Jackman,

OSCAR 2013: WHO STEALS THE SHOW TONITE?

Oscars 2013: A Preview

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time of the year again: The Oscars have arrived.
The stars are set to turn out for the most ostentatious night in Hollywood, from the “Who are you wearing?” hysteria of the red carpet to the ecstatic acceptance speeches to the inevitable after-parties.
The ceremony, held at the Dolby Theatre in the Hollywood & Highland Center in Los Angeles, California, is hosted this year by Seth MacFarlane of Family Guy fame.
Like many of you we here at Dawn.com have Oscar fever, and we figured we’d run through a few of the main categories and nominees, and highlight what to expect on Oscar weekend.
Best Picture

Ben Aflleck (left) and Brian Cranston (right) in a scene from “Argo”. — Courtesy Photo

Only six times in Oscar history has the winner of the Best Director not corresponded to the Best Picture honoree, and when Ben Affleck wasn’t nominated in the former category, the odds seemed stacked against Argo taking the top prize.
Since then, however, Argo has turned into the frontrunner

AFGHAN PRESIDENT ORDERED US TROOPS TO LEAVE PROVINCES

Afghanistan's president on Sunday ordered all U.S. special forces to leave a strategically important eastern province within two weeks because of allegations that Afghans working with them are torturing and abusing other Afghans.

The decision seems to have caught the coalition and U.S. Forces Afghanistan, a separate command, by surprise. Americans have frequently drawn anger from the Afghan public over issues ranging from Qurans burned at a U.S. base to allegations of civilian killings.

"We take all allegations of misconduct seriously and go to great lengths to determine the facts surrounding them," the U.S. forces said in a statement.
Also Sunday, a series of attacks in eastern Afghanistan showed insurgents remain on the offensive even as U.S. and other international forces prepare to end

OSCAR PISTORIUS'S BROTHER ALSO FACES A MURDER CHARGE

As Olympic icon Oscar Pistorius faces a murder trial for the shooting of his girlfriend, his older brother is charged in the death of another woman.

Carl Pistorius is accused of culpable homicide in the 2010 death of a female motorcyclist, 

Prosecutors allege Carl Pistorius was driving recklessly in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa, when he crashed with the motorcyclist.

Attorney Kenny Oldwage disputes allegations that his client was driving recklessly and said the motorcyclist rode into Carl Pistorius' vehicle.

Carl Pistorius was initially scheduled to go on trial Thursday -- the day before his brother Oscar was granted bail. But the trial has been rescheduled for the end of March, meaning Carl's trial could be completed before Oscar's trial is scheduled to begin in June.

Pistorius family spokeswoman Janine Hills said she is in touch with the family and will issue a statement about Carl, but could not confirm when the statement will be released.

Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee sprinter known as the "Blade Runner," is charged with premeditated murder in the death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius said he accidentally shot his girlfriend, thinking she was an intruder.

JOB INTERVIEW: 3 WAYS TO ANSWER "WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WEAKNESS?"

When you’re asked “what’s your greatest strength?” in an interview, you’ve got it covered: You showcase your professional skills and talk about how there’s no one better suited for the job. But, “what’s your biggest weakness?” That question can be much tougher to answer.
But it’s not a trick question. What your interviewer is really trying to do—beyond identifying any red flags—is to gauge your self-awareness and honesty. So, “I can’t meet a deadline to save my life” is not an option—but neither is “Nothing! I’m perfect!” A good answer can show how you can overcome challenges, paint you as a committed professional who continues to improve herself, and actually highlight your strengths.
Here are three strategies to ensure that talking about your weakness won’t be the weak spot in your next interview.

1. Show How You’ve Overcome Something

Everyone has areas that could use improvement, but if you can describe how you’ve mitigated yours, you’ll seem strong, capable, and in charge of your professional development. So, think of something that you struggle with but that you’re working to improve. You

LEST WE IMMORTALIZE NUISANCE...THE "GOLDIE" SITUATION

BY ESEOGHENE Al-FARUQ OHWOJEHERI
About ten years ago I lost a friend in an armed robbery incident. Obviously the armed robbers were not satisfied with robbing they needed to make a point by harming someone in the house and my friend’s mother was their target. As they swung the axe my friend who was the scholar of our class in secondary school protected his mother with his head….he died; no national award, no postmortem speech from the Governor and of course no celebrity burial; he was just another guy, the fact that he took a battle axe to his head for his mother was irrelevant

This and many more of it happens in a country wherein people get millions both in local and foreign currency for playing football; a country wherein comedians shake hands with the President and women who kiss strange men on camera in the name of acting take home National Award and an immoral youth who made fame singing about his private part is given special opportunity to interview the President in a desperate campaign strategy because the thinking is that the

BREAKING NEWS: OSCAR HAS BEEN CHARGED OF PREMEDITATED MURDER

In an emotionally wrenching hearing Tuesday, a judge upgraded the charge against Oscar Pistorius to premeditated murder, saying he could not rule out the possibility that the track star planned the shooting death of girlfriend.But the judge said he will consider downgrading the charge later.

Pistorius had been charged with murder for the Valentine's Day shooting of Reeva Steenkamp, and the hearing Tuesday was to determine whether he should be allowed to post bail.

But prosecutors had said they would try to get the charge upgraded. And throughout the proceeding, they hammered away at the possibility that Steenkamp's killing was premeditated. The defense countered by contending Pistorius thought his girlfriend was an intruder.

With the new charge, Pistorius' case for bail may prove much more difficult. The defense must now try to argue that "exceptional circumstances" exist that would justify bail.

"I fail to understand how I could be charged

JOB ETIQUETTE:INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

By Briana Fasone

“Etiquette, remember, is merely a collection of forms by which all personal contacts in life are made smooth.” So wrote Emily Post, the goddess of manners, in the first edition of her eponymous etiquette tome, published in 1922.
Much has changed since Ms. Post penned those words, which appeared in a chapter titled “Etiquette in Business and Politics” (written for gentlemen, mind you). So where can today’s job-seeking Gen Y professionals learn to mind their P’s and Q’s?
Enter Anna Post, the great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post and the co-author of Emily Post’s Etiquette, 18th Edition, in addition to a handful of contemporary etiquette guides. Since joining the Emily Post Institute in 2006, Anna has conducted business etiquette seminars around the country and can tell you a thing or two about gracefully landing your dream job (or, well, any job).
Must you cover your colorful tattoos during interviews? How fast should you send out those thank-you notes? When should you start talking salary? We asked Anna Post our most pressing job search etiquette questions and got her answers—so the rest of your professional life can be made, well, smooth.

You have a job, but you’re looking to leave. Should you be upfront with your current boss about your plans to move on?

Not necessarily—not until you really have something concrete to tell them. This is to protect the position that you do have. People can get interested in a job and it comes to nothing.
But you absolutely must once you’ve accepted an offer. Some people choose to tell when they have received an offer, some even choose to inform

BREAKING NEWS: EXPLOSION IN AMUWO ODOFIN

What is this? Terrorism? Bokoharam in Lagos? are some of the questions everyone is raising now in the community of Amuwo Odofin. All of a sudden was an Explosion under the Festac link bridge. The source of this planted explosion is yet be confirmed by the people and security agencies around. One person expected to have died in the blast.Details later.

WHY BUHARI MAY NOT BE ELECTED PRESIDENT

By Sabella Abidde (sabidde@yahoo.com) 

From 1973 until his death in 1987, I was an ‘Awolowo-man’. I still am! In some ways, Chief Obafemi Awolowo had equals; but in many other ways, the mountain and the oceans were his and his alone. To me, he was the greatest Nigerian who ever lived. You may debate my assertion, but really, what’s there to debate? Verifiable data are there to support my claim. But beyond the data are the everyday realities that attest to the superior accomplishments of Awolowo. Ask yourself this simple question: “Who was on the stage before Awolowo; and what’s the political stage and space been like since his death?” In another  time and place, he’d be philosophised and declared a statesman extraordinaire.  He was that good. He was that great a human being.

But amongst the current crop of high-level politicians, ideologically and philosophically, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) stands closest to Awolowo. He is a clear disciple of the sage. He himself may not say it; but the characteristics are apparent for sharp

PRE HUGO CHEVEZ RETURNS TO VENEZUELA

President Hugo Chavez announced his return to Venezuela from Cuba early Monday, where he had been undergoing cancer treatment."We come back to the country of Venezuela," Chavez posted on his official Twitter account. "Thank God! Thank you dear people! Here we continue the treatment."

Vice President Nicolas Maduro said his boss returned to Caracas at 2:30 a.m. local time Monday. The nation's minister of communications also announced the news.

Venezuelans have seen very little of their leader in recent months and have heard even less. The Twitter post early Monday on the president's account is the first since November 1.

Venezuelans got the first glimpse of their ailing

ARSENAL--BAYERN CHAMPION'S LEAGUE PREVIEW

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has ridden out periods of turbulence in what is certain to be eight successive trophyless seasons of domestic disappointment but the heat is back on when Bayern Munich visit in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The Frenchman, whose furrowed brow added a line or two after Arsenal were dumped out of the FA Cup by second-tier Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, has called on his side to stand up and be counted when they face the runaway Bundesliga leaders in a last 16 first-leg tie.
Arsenal were booed off after the home fifth round-defeat by Blackburn, completing a Cup exit double at the hands of lower league opposition after a shock Capital One (League Cup) quarter-final loss to fourth-tier Bradford.
Out of contention in the Premier League and

HELP! HOW DO I HANDLE SEXUAL HARASSMENT BY A SENIOR PARTNER?

By Fran Dorf 

Dear Fran,
I work in an office with about 15 female employees and three male senior partners. One of the senior partners has always made me uncomfortable—from the way he stands too close while talking to the way he puts his hand on my shoulder to the way he makes inappropriate jokes. He does this with every female employee, so it’s not as though he’s singling me out specifically, but I seem to be the only one who is actually uncomfortable. 
I’ve been working there for about 10 months and it’s just gotten harder and harder to deal with. From the way he acts, it’s clear he doesn’t respect any of the women who work for him and to top it all off, I recently found out that he’s in a relationship with one of my (married) co-workers.
I understand that the way he acts is inappropriate

7 FOREGNERS HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED IN BAUCHI

BAUCHI, Nigeria -- Gunmen attacked a camp for a construction company in rural northern Nigeria, killing a guard and kidnapping seven foreign workers from Britain, Greece, Italy and Lebanon, authorities said Sunday, in the biggest kidnapping yet in a region under attack by Islamic extremists.
The attack Saturday night happened in Jama're, a town in a rural portion of Bauchi state. There, the gunmen first attacked a local prison, burning two police trucks, Bauchi state police spokesman Hassan Muhammed told The Associated Press.
The gunmen then targeted a worker's camp for a construction company called Setraco, which is in the area building a road, Muhammed said. The gunmen shot dead a guard at the camp before kidnapping the foreign workers, the spokesman said.

Adamu Aliyu, the chairman of the local government area that encompasses Jama're, identified those kidnapped as one British citizen, one Greek,

HOW GOD SAVED THE EARTH FROM ASTEROID TODAY

It came closer ... closer ... and then it started heading away. But you may not have noticed at all.

An asteroid passed relatively close to Earth around 2:24 p.m. ET Friday. As scientists had been predicting all week, it did not hit.

A different and unrelated meteor exploded over Russia Friday, hours before the much larger asteroid's fly-by, injuring about 1,000 people. Scientists say this was a pure coincidence.

By contrast, the asteroid, called 2012 DA14 never got closer than 17,100 miles to our planet's surface.

Stargazers in Australia, Asia and Eastern Europe could see the asteroid, called 2012 DA14, with the aid of a telescope or binoculars. At the Gingin Observatory in Australia, the asteroid appeared as a bright white streak as viewers watched a live NASA video feed.

Scientists are studying this asteroid so extensively that they can already predict its path for most of the 21st century, said Paul Chodas of NASA's Near Earth Object team.

But it is only one of thousands of objects that are

CHANGING JOBS: HOW TO ANNOUNCE IT STRATEGICALLY

By Leslie Bradshaw

So you’re changing jobs. That’s exciting! You’ve probably realized you need to have an internal succession plan—but in addition, you also should spend a good amount of time preparing your external communications plan. That is, how you’re going to announce the move to your network, industry, and the world.

Why? Well, it’s a great chance to talk about your new and former employers, frame your accomplishments in the best way possible, and position your move as the exciting news that it is—all important parts of building your brand.

I recently left JESS3, a data visualization firm I co-founded in 2006, to join the founding team of Guide, a tech start-up focused on turning online news and social streams into video, and I just went through this process myself. Here are the sequential strategies I found useful.

Don’t Leave Digital Crumbs Before You’re Ready to Announce

First things first: Don’t give any clues of your departure on your social media profiles before you’re actually ready to announce it. While it may seem obvious not to check in on foursquare when you’re out interviewing for a new job, you should also avoid friending,

DRUG KILLED GOLDIE---PM NEWS

Nigeria’s music diva, Susan Oluwabimpe Harvey, popularly known as Goldie, who died Thursday night may have died as a result of doping complications, close sources to her said.
She died last night at Reddington Hospital, Victoria Island, Lagos, and barely few hours after she arrived from Los Angeles, United States of America.
Goldie: shocking death
Goldie’s death was confirmed yesterday by her management via her Facebook Page and Twitter handle. The post reads: “It is with heavy heart that I have to announce to you all that Goldie passed on this night (last night) shortly after arriving Lagos from Los Angeles. May her soul rest in the eternal peace of the Lord… Amin.”
The main cause of her death is still sketchy as at time

GOLDIE IS DEAD

The upcoming Nigeria music star popularly referred to as GOLDIE and Nigeria lady Gaga is is dead. It was reported she died at the Reddington Hospital in Victoria Island. A source said Goldie just came back from the US today and was full of life, then something went tragically wrong her. Detail later.

WOW! AS NIGERIA STEPED UP ON FIFA RANKING

Only few could have doubted this improvement of Nigeria performance on the FIFA scale of monthly rankings. Nigeria's rating was stepped up from what it used to be. The just concluded AFCON says a lot on this as you can find the rating and position below.

	Rnk	Team	Pts	+/- Pos
	1	Spain	1590	0
	2	Germany	1437	0
	3	Argentina	1281	0
	4	England	1160	2
	5	Italy	1157	-1
	6	Colombia	1129	-1

HOW OSCAR PISTORIUS, THE SOUTH AFRICA OLYMPIC BLADE RUNNER KILLED HIS WIFE ON VAL'S DAY

A beloved model is dead, those who knew her are in mourning, and one of the world's most admired Olympians is charged with her murder after a Valentine's Day shooting in South Africa.

Oscar Pistorius, a Paralympic runner who blazed new terrain by competing in last summer's Olympics, is accused of killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. A shooting took place inside his upscale home in Pretoria, South Africa, early Thursday, and only the two of them were there at the time, police said.

Shock waves from the incident quickly reverberated across the world, casting a shadow over the man known as the "Blade Runner" for his achievements on prosthetic limbs.

Pistorius will be named officially as the suspect when he appears in court Friday, in keeping with South African law. Authorities have already announced that the suspect

WILL THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ACCEPT THE AFRICA'S BRAND OF CATHOLICISM?

Cardinal John Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria, was asked last week at the celebration of Black History Month in Toronto if he thought that the time was ripe for an African pope. His answer attracted much cheering from the crowd of over 500 Catholics of African descent.

He said: "The time for an African pope was ripe even in the time of the Apostolic Fathers in the first century of the church.

"I am not saying that I wish to be considered for the papacy, but the fact that the Gospel is to be preached to all peoples, languages, and races means that the highest leadership of the church should be open to anyone from any race, language and nation. I will not be surprised to see an African pope in my lifetime."

None of us who listened to him expected that a week later, the prospect of an African pope will be put to the test in the next conclave in March as a result of the sudden resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.

For many Catholics, where a pope comes from may not be as important as who the pope is, but for most African Catholics the election of an African pope will be a wonderful sign that African Catholicism has come of age, and they hope that such a pope will address squarely the particular challenges facing Africans today and integrate African culture and socio-economic priorities into mainstream Catholicism.

This is not only with regard to African Catholicism but to African Christianity in general. British Missiologist Andrew Walls argues: "African Christianity must

THE REAL STORY OF ST VALENTINE

Flowers, candy, red hearts and romance. That's what Valentine's day is all about, right? Well, maybe not.

The origin of this holiday for the expression of love really isn't romantic at all -- at least not in the traditional sense. Father Frank O'Gara of Whitefriars Street Church in Dublin, Ireland, tells the real story of the man behind the holiday -- St. Valentine.
 The reason behind all of this is a kindly cleric named Valentine who died more than a thousand years ago.
It is not exactly known why the 14th of February is known as Valentine's Day or if the noble Valentine really had any relation to this day. The history of Valentine's Day is impossible to be obtained from any archive and the veil of centuries gone by has made the origin behind this day more difficult to trace. It is only some legends that are our source for the history of Valentine's Day.

The modern St. Valentine's Day celebrations are said to have been derived from both ancient Christian and Roman

FIRST APPEARANCE:I DON'T HAVE THE STRENGHT TO CONTINUE

Huge crowds in the Vatican cheered Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday as he made his first public appearance since announcing his resignation at the end of the month.

He thanked the Roman Catholic faithful in several languages and said it was not appropriate for him to continue as pope.

"I've decided to resign the ministry given to me by the Lord. I've done this in full freedom, for the benefit of the Church," he told those gathered in a Vatican City audience hall for his regular weekly appearance.

Benedict said he was fully aware of the gravity of his decision but that he could not carry on as pope "if I don't have the strength that it requires."

He appeared tired but not visibly unwell as he sat and read his remarks off several sheets of paper.

Benedict will also celebrate an Ash Wednesday mass marking the beginning of Lent at St. Peter's Basilica in the afternoon.

The service has been moved from Saint Sabina Church, where it is traditionally held, to the Basilica to accommodate the crowds of worshipers expected to

MADRIDFC VS MANU CL MATCH PREVIEW AND PREDICTIONS

By Kevin McCauley

As a football-enjoying public, we can all thank Borussia Dortmund for their fantastic performances in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. Without them, Real Madrid would not have finished second in their group, and without that, it wouldn't have been possible for Los Merengues to match up with Manchester United in the Round of 16.

On Wednesday, two of the world's best teams face off, with two of the most interesting and tactically adept managers in the world in either dugout. A number of Red Devils supporters will hope it's a showdown between the present and future managers of the club. Whoever progresses from their tie will join Barcelona and Bayern Munich as one of the favorites to win the competition, and no one would be surprised if it took more than 180 minutes to decide who goes through.

In recent weeks, Alex Ferguson

REPUBLICAN'S RESPONSE TO OBAMA'S STATE OF UNION ADDRESS(FULL TRANSCRIPT)

Good evening.

 I’m Marco Rubio. I’m blessed to represent Florida in the United States Senate. Let me begin by congratulating President Obama on the start of his second term. Tonight, I have the honor of responding to his State of the Union address on behalf of my fellow Republicans.  And I am especially honored to be addressing our brave men and women serving in the armed forces and in diplomatic posts around the world. You may be thousands of miles away, but you are always in our prayers.

The State of the Union address is always a reminder of how unique America is. For much of human history, most people were trapped in stagnant societies, where a tiny minority always stayed on top, and no one else even had a chance.

But America is exceptional because we believe that every life, at every stage, is precious, and that everyone everywhere has a God-given right to go as far as their talents and hard work will take them.

Like most Americans, for me this ideal is personal. My parents

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR MENTOR LEAVES THE COMPANY

There’s nothing better than having a mentor at work—someone to offer you guidance in your career, give you advice on your day-to-day responsibilities, and help you succeed within the organization. So when that person leaves? Well, it can be tough. Not only did you likely just lose your biggest advocate, you may also have just lost your closest friend at the office.

The good news is, if you approach the transition correctly, you’ll be just fine—and you may even be able to take greater control of your future because of it.

Your first step should be to identify what role your mentor played in your career: Maybe she was your manager and you’ll soon be adjusting to a new boss, or perhaps she was the person who helped you gain visibility within your company. In any case, once you’ve determined the void she’ll leave, you can come up with an action plan to fill it.

If Your Mentor Was Your Manager

If your mentor was also the person you reported to every day, she no doubt understood your strengths and capitalized on them—she may have noticed your strong social skills and selected you for a project with above-average client interaction, or she may have observed your perfectionist streak and assigned you to analytical work. And by understanding your talents, she probably trusted you with your tasks and granted you a lot of autonomy.

So understandably, when a new boss steps in,

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S 2013 STATE OF UNION SPEECH(FULL TRANSCRIPT)

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, fellow citizens:

Fifty-one years ago, John F. Kennedy declared to this Chamber that “the Constitution makes us not rivals for power but partners for progress…It is my task,” he said, “to report the State of the Union – to improve it is the task of us all.”

Tonight, thanks to the grit and determination of the American people, there is much progress to report.  After a decade of grinding war, our brave men and women in uniform are coming home.  After years of grueling recession, our businesses have created over six million new jobs.  We buy more American cars than we have in five years, and less foreign oil than we have in twenty.  Our housing market is healing, our stock market is rebounding, and consumers, patients, and homeowners enjoy stronger protections than ever before.

Together, we have cleared away the rubble of crisis, and can say with renewed confidence that the state of our union is stronger.

But we gather here knowing that there are millions

VICTOR MOSES CLEARED BUT EMENIKE VERY DOUBTFUL

From an unconfirmed report reaching us is that Emenike might not be on the pitch with other members of the super eagles in the final match against Burkina Faso coming on Sunday. Emenike, who has netted four goals so far in the tournament did not train again on Friday, making it the second straight day. In the same vain, it was a great relief yesterday when Victor Moses was released by the doctor for the Sunday match after the initial doubt of the state of his injury.

I ACTED AS THE VICE PRESIDENT UNDER OBASANJO--El RUFAI

Written by Adenuga Tunde

It was as if the newly release book of Mallam Nasri El rufai was set as a trigger to release the bullets in the minds of some people. Or is this a sign of something great in this country? Knocks and kudos are tripping in from many quarters including the camps of the former president Olusegun Obasanjo and his former Vice, Alhadji Atiku Abubakar. 

Apart from the 4 mistakes of the former president while in office according to the former FCT minister, Mallam El rufai, he also made a flash point of major roles he played, not only as the FCT minister, under the Obasanjo's regime, but also as vice president of Nigeria even though it was Alhadji Atiku Abubakar that the entire Nigerians thought was playing the the vice president role especially when the battle between the two leaders was obvious. To quote him, he said, “Indeed in

4 MISTAKES NOT TO MAKE WHEN MANAGING OLDER EMPLOYEES

My first couple management gigs were very similar—both were at small businesses in college towns, where the majority of my employees were undergrads who only worked part-time. I was just a couple years out of college, too, and the fact that I was so close in age to my workforce made it easy to relate to them and get to know them personally and professionally.
Then, while I was still in my early 20s, I moved into a management position at a much larger software company. And my first day on the job, I noticed what was bound to be quite a challenge: My direct reports were, on average, 10 to 15 years older than me.
Immediately, I formed some judgments about these workers and how our relationships would be, which all turned out to be pretty off the mark. I learned (very quickly) that when you make assumptions, you make—well, you know the rest.
If you’re a new manager, don’t follow in my footsteps. Throw these four myths out the window, and you’ll be a much more successful coach and authority figure from the get-go.

Myth #1: You Just Can’t Relate

When I managed college kids, I knew exactly what their lives were like—they worked a couple hours between classes, took a few days off before finals to cram in a semester’s worth of studying, and really just wanted to earn some extra cash. Since I’d been in the same position just a few years before, it was easy for me to relate to them on a daily basis.
So when I started managing employees who were

OPINION:CONTENTS OF A CENTENARY CELEBRATION

By ’Tunji Ajibade (tunjioa@yahoo.com) Leave a Comment

It was well told. The story of the nation’s journey from the amalgamation of 1914. It took the form of a documentary, and was a part of the programme beginning Nigeria’s centenary celebration. To this writer, it was the highlight of the event because of its quality and content. But the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, had preceded the documentary.  He was the first of many other distinguished Nigerians who introduced each item of the centenary celebration. One felt like clapping for the SGF that time. He read his part well, sounding business-like. His speech had distinct structures. He didn’t take too much time on any. He remembered to state President Goodluck Jonathan’s instruction to the Centenary Celebration Organising Committee: That the programme for the celebration be about Nigeria, her people, her history, achievements, and the occasion used to celebrate optimism, not pessimism. The programme is not exhaustive yet; there are more rooms for suggestions, Anyim stated. Then he mentioned what’s in it for the nation: Fifteen thousand jobs. Reasonable nations don’t forget such details. And there will be a Centenary City, it will rank among the best in the world, he had added. In the end, he left the podium, neat, on a high note.

Alright. Everyone who is anyone was also present at