Indian firm to train 1,500 IT engineers in Nigeria

An Indian information technology company will train 1,500 computer aided designs and drafting (CADD) engineers in Nigeria annually.

Having opened a centre in the capital city of Abuja earlier, the IT firm -- CADD Centre -- has now set up another centre in this port city of Lagos in western Africa for this objective.

CADD Centre Training Services is the training arm of 24-year-old CADD Centre Group, headquartered in Chennai.
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Drogba Returns to Champions League

Didier Drogba

World football governing body, FIFA, has granted a temporary license to Ivorian striker, Didier Drogba to play for Turkish outfit Galatasaray, the club he joined following the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations on a one-and-a-half season contract.

This agreement has been denounced by his former club Shanghai Shenhua, with which the captain of the Elephants is linked until December 2014, but the transfer was able to take place due to the non-payment of the player’s salary over a three-month period.

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Nigeria climbs to 30th in FIFA ranking

Nigeria yesterday benefitted from her victory at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa as the country rose by 22 spots in global football in the current FIFA ranking released by the world football governing body.

Nigeria jumped 22 spots to occupy number 30 in the world, courtesy the country’s impressive showing at the continental football show that culminated with the Africa Cup of Nations triumph.

The Super Eagles defeated the Stallions of Burkina Faso 1-0 on Sunday to win their third African title in Johannesburg.

This made them climb up sharply on the global rankings to 30th place and fourth in Africa. Before yesterday’s release, Nigeria was 52 in the world and number nine in Africa when the Nations Cup commenced in January.

Cote D’Ivoire remain the top country in Africa as they climbed two places up to 12th worldwide despite failing to get past the quarter final stage. Ghana and Mali remain in second and third place.

Algeria, Tunisia, Zambia, Central African Republic, Burkina Faso and South Africa make up the top ten countries in Africa.

Spain, Germany, Argentina, England and Italy hold the top five spots globally.

Nigeria: Reps Direct CBN to Ban Dollar Denominated Local Transactions

Worried by the rising practice of using dollars for local transactions in Nigeria, the House of Representatives has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to ban the use of foreign currencies in domestic business transactions in Nigeria.

The lawmakers took decision this while adopting the resolutions of a motion raised by Hon Nadu Karibo (PDP, Bayelsa State).

Leading debate on the motion, Karibo pointed out that every country has its currency which serves as a means of exchange, a symbol of identity, a source of pride and a sign of independence and economic stability.

He noted that despite the fact that the naira is the only currency recognised by law as the means of exchange for domestic transactions in Nigeria, some individuals and corporate bodies carry out their transactions in foreign currencies.

The legislator expressed regret as what he described as "a growing trend" in the use of foreign currencies, especially the US Dollar, for payments of school fees, hotel bills, real estate, rent and purchase in bars, night clubs, and luxury good shops in Nigeria.

He further expressed worry that the ugly trend had led to the high demand of those foreign currencies, especially the US Dollars in Nigeria.

In his contribution to the debate, Hon. Warman Ogoriba said, "I was in South Africa where I wanted to pay my hotel bills in Dollars and it was rejected. They asked me to change to their local currency. Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised because here Nigerians freely use the Dollar".

Hon Ali Madaki, however, spoke against the motion, arguing that if Nigeria was willing to attract foreign investors into the country, foreign currency, especially the dollar,

Nigeria

We Received U.S.$40,000 for Jonathan's CNN Interview - U.S. Firm

A United States-based communication firm, Fleishman-Hillard Inc, has admitted that it arranged a Cable News Network … see more »

Martins on song

Martins © Shengolpix

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Nigerian striker, Obafemi Martins was in fine form as he scored in Levante’s win over Greek club, Olympiakos in the last 32 of the Uefa Europa League on Thursday.

The forward’s effort in the 56th minute was the final goal in Levante’s 3-0 win over the at the Ciudad de Valencia.

Martins’ produced a lovely run and dink that left the Olympiakos keeper, Balazs Megyeri with no chance as the Spaniards took a giant step towards qualification for the next stage of the competition.

The former Rubin Kazan man had earlier fluffed a spot kick in the first half.

Martins was substituted in the 83rd minute.

They will be favourites to progress to the round of 16 ahead of the second leg which comes up at the Stadio Karaiskaki, Piraeus on February 21.

Body in Mountain Cabin 'was Dorner'

 Aerial shot of the burning cabin where Christopher Dorner’s body was found

BBC

The charred body found in a mountain cabin after a police gun fight has been identified as a former policeman accused of murder, officials say.

Dental records showed the body was Christopher Dorner.

Police say Dorner killed three people last week in revenge for being fired from the Los Angeles police in 2008, reports the BBC

As police closed in on Tuesday, he shot and killed an officer and wounded another before the cabin in which was barricaded caught fire, officials said.

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Afghan Army Trains Women for Special Forces

 A female member of Afghan special forces (R) stands guard during a training exercise on the outskirts of Kabul

AP

The Afghan army is training female special forces to take part in night raids against insurgents, breaking new ground in an ultraconservative society and filling a vacuum left by departing international forces.

"If men can carry out this duty why not women?" asks Lena Abdali, a 23-year-old Afghan soldier who was one of the first women to join one of the special units in 2011, reports The Associated Press.

Night raids have long been a divisive issue between Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who doesn't want foreign troops entering Afghan homes, and the U.S.-led coalition that says the raids are essential to capturing Taliban commanders.

Many Afghans, however, have complained that the house raids are culturally offensive. Having male troops search Afghan females is taboo. So is touching a family's Quran, the Muslim holy book, or entering a home without being invited. Another focus of anger has been the disregard for privacy and Afghan culture because women and children are usually home during the raids.

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Goldie: How she died – Kenny Ogungbe

CEO of Kennis Music, the label Goldie was signed on, Kenny Ogungbe has issued a statement detailing the final hours of the late singer.

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Nigeria: Pope Resigned Due to Head Injury - It's Not True - Vatican

BUT for a head injury he sustained during a trip to Mexico last March, Pope Benedict XVI would not have suddenly resigned on Monday, it has emerged.

Vatican Spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi, confirmed that the Pope hit his head during his March 2012 trip to Mexico, but denied the accident had any "relevant" role in his resignation, citing old-age and not a particular health problem as reason for his resignation.

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Odemwingie sacks agents

Nigeria striker Peter Odemwingie has sacked his agents following his protracted and controversial decision to force a move to Premier League bottom club, Queens Park Rangers.

The forward has been in limbo at West Bromwich Albion as a result of his ill-advised action and he has decided to part company with his agents.

He took to the social networking site, Twitter via his verified account, @OdemwingieP to make the announcement.

“I have sacked my agents. They at my gate begging 4 permission to negotiate a come back. Told them to seek permission from authorities hahaha,” he tweeted.

The WBA forward who became a father in January also took the time to speak about the demands of his new life.

“Was nice to chat with those who were nice. Maybe we continue by 3am. No sleep for sometime now and not only because I became a dad,” he tweeted.

TomTom to Receive AFCON Trophy

 Super Eagles with the AFCON trophy

TomTom, the Official Candy of the Nigerian national football teams, has concluded arrangements to receive the Africa Cup of Nations which the Super Eagles lifted last Sunday in South Africa.

The trophy visit to the Ikeja, Lagos premises of Cadbury Nigeria Plc is part of the elaborate reception for the victorious team which would hold Friday afternoon.

During the event, TomTom will hand over to the team the packages it had for their triumphant experience. These include the Most Valuable Player award, which is valued at $10,000 (about N1.6 million) and the Shot-on-Target, which totalled $12,500 (about N2 million) for the 25 shots-on-target recorded throughout the championship.

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Thai couple win World’s Longest Continuous Kiss

BANGKOK (AFP) – A kiss lasting nearly two-and-a-half days propelled one determined Thai couple to a new record for the world’s longest smooch on Valentine’s Day, organisers said Friday.

Hospital security guard Ekkachai Tiranarat, 44, and 33-year-old housewife Laksana locked lips for 58 hours, 35 minutes and 58 seconds, smashing last year’s Guinness World Record by more than eight hours.

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Valentine’s Day Greeting From An Adorable Little Girl (Photo)

She meant to say I love my whole family…..but where is mom to correct her?

All that matters is the love she circled. Isn’t it?

MAN TURNS TO SNAKE AFTER GIVING 5 US DOLLARS TO SCHOOL BOY

There was panic in Kuwadzana yesterday afternoon when rumours circulated that a snake had mysteriously entered a Grade Two pupil’s tummy after he got US$5 worth of ‘miracle money’ from a stranger. The minor (name withheld) is said to have picked a R2 coin before meeting the man whom later gave him a US$5 note.

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GOLDIE IS DEAD.....NIGERIAN SINGER SUSAN HARVEY DIED IN LAGOS YESTERDAY

The first story that started this news is a shocking question we received from a fan of NaijaGists Facebook page who asked us” is Goldie dead“, we quickly put a call through to our source in Lagoswho is a very good friend of Goldie Harvey’s management company.

We received the confirmation back few minutes ago that Nigerian singer Goldie is dead. Yes Goldie Harvey is dead.

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Nigerian Woman Suffers Hot Soup Attack From Lover “My Fiance Poured A Burning Stove On Me”

A 27-year-old woman, Mary Sunday, has been in the hospital bed at Igbobi Orthopaedic Hospital seven months after she was allegedly attacked by her fiancé, Corporal Isaac Gbanwuan, with a pot of boiling stew and a lighted stove.

It was learnt that Sunday had lost her ears due to the attack.

Before the attack, which took place in August 2012, Sunday, was to report for training at the Police Academy, Kano as a cadet officer.

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Sexiest Celebrity Valentines: Robert Pattinson, Justin Bieber & More

Big-Screen Boys

Some guys just beg to be seen on enormous screens, like Zac Efron and Taylor Lautner for example. Whether they’re singing about basketball, or turning into werewolves, we don’t mind paying for insanely overpriced movie tickets to see them in action; they’re always worth the price of admission.

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Josh Duhamel’s Valentine’s Day Surprise For Fergie Revealed

Josh Duhamel told HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY what his go-to Valentine’s Day gift is — and it’s a little naughty! Keep reading for the salacious details.

Looks like things get pretty wild at the Duhamel-Ferguson household! On the red carpet for the Feb. 11 screening of Josh Duhamel’s new movie, Safe Haven, he gave HollywoodLife.com the low down on his best Valentine’s Day gift for Fergie. Hint: it involves costumes.

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Christopher Dorner Case: LAPD Alert Called Off, Officials Confident Manhunt is Over

The LAPD has moved back into a "normal state of police operation" after Tuesday's Christopher Dorner gun battle, a signal that the manhunt is over.

Cops won't officially declare Christopher Dorner dead until the tests are run on the corpse believed to be inside what is left of a burned down California cabin.

Still, every indication is that Dorner was inside when the cabin went up in smoke. A rep for the police department says the city is no longer on tactical alert.

Dorner met his fate following a frightening shootout in which he exchanged fire with police and barricaded himself in a remote cabin in Big Bear, Calif.

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John Galliano Outfit: Is It Anti-Semitic?

John Galliano has once again angered some members of the Jewish community.

The designer, who was fired from Christian Dior in 2011 after declaring his love for Hitler on video, was photographed yesterday outside a friend’s Manhattan apartment - and his outfit has apparently angered some local Jewish leaders.

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