'Winter Soldier': A Deadlier Captain America (Even With Exposed Ears)

Chris Evans in Marvel's 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier.' Photo courtesy of Disney.

After visiting the super-secretive set of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," we can confirm this much: Cap doesn't have Dumbo ears, much to Chris Evans's surprise.
Last July, Yahoo Movies was invited to Marvel's Manhattan Beach, California, set to witness Cap in action, and speak at length with Evans, the man who, three movies in, now fully embodies America's most patriotic superhero.
Watching Cap run up and down a giant catwalk surrounded by even bigger green screens, we couldn't help but notice Cap's slick new suit, capped off by a redesigned helmet. For the first time on film, Cap's cap features open ear holes — which took Evans a bit of getting used to.
"I always liked the ears inside; I always thought I kind of had big Dumbo ears. Whenever they tried a helmet with the ears out, I was like, 'Please don't make me do this, I look so silly." But they did some really good things. It looks a lot better," Evans said.
As you can see when comparing our exclusive poster above with the photos below, Cap's ears are certainly more exposed than they were in "Captain America: The First Avenger" and "Marvel's The Avengers."

L to R, Chris Evans in 'Captain America: The First Avenger' and 'Marvel's The Avengers'.

Of course, more aerated ears aren't the only new aspect of Cap's second stand-alone film. As Marvel actors are wont to do, Evans knows his character inside out, and spoke to us in great depth about him. Here's 15 far-less ear-y thoughts from our set interview with Evans:

1. There's going to be plenty of action:

"We're trying to push it a little more in this one. ... You guys saw 'Avengers,' those guys are good. I gotta have a reason to be on this team."

2. They're turning Cap up to 11:

"We've had a little fun turning up his power, turning up his speed, so the fights are a lot more grisly, and impactful, and in my opinion cooler."

3. He moves a lot like the video-game version of Captain America:

"Has anyone played the Captain America video game? I love it, and I don't like video games. And I love it … 'cause I love the way Cap moves. He moves so well, he just beats a--. That's how the guy needs to be moving. This isn't just a guy who was given the ability of speed and power. He's been training. He's got the frame of mind to absorb this information. So you can only assume with training and his ability, the guy should really be dangerous. And we should show that."

4. And they do show that:

"Shield use. And acrobatics, too. He's flipping off things, and spinning and jumping and he's using his environment and it's not just punch, punch, kick, kick."

5. Evans had to train in all new ways to kick butt in all new ways:

"It was a bit of a chore, but it was fun. I was excited. They put me in gymnastics classes. We were doing combat stuff everyday for two months."

6. Cap's not just growing as a fighter, he's growing as a human:

"[Anthony] Mackie's character [Sam Wilson/The Falcon] and mine, we have an understanding, because it's not like Cap has that many friends; his life is his work. And Natasha [Romanoff/Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson] kind of gives him a hard time about that, too: about getting out and dating, finding a social life, finding yourself outside your work."

 character posters of Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) & Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson)

7. Speaking of Natasha:

"It's nice with Scarlett, some of the dialogue just feels like the way people speak. It's so nice, cause it's human. And there's a lot of that in this movie. My favorite scenes are the scenes with Scarlett."

8. But there's still plenty of conflict:

"Our characters both have issues in this movie. It's just such an odd pairing; we're such different people. Her moral compass is for sale. And Steve [Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America] is a boy scout."

9. Bucky's emergence as the Winter Soldier [Sebastian Stan] also plays a big part:

"The stakes are high. That was one of Steve's biggest sources of guilt: The fact that out of this whole crew of Howling Commandoes — these guys that he convinced to come to battle with him — that was the one guy that didn't make it back. And that was the one guy that was always there for him. And then to find out that he did make it and was subject to some of the things that he was subject to, that's a lot, that's a lot for Steve to process."

10. Robert Redford, who plays a mysterious S.H.I.E.L.D. higher-up, ups everyone's game:

"The first day we shot together, we shot like a 15-hour day… and at the end of the day, it was a lot of my stuff, he had very minimal lines, he really could have left — I know a lot of actors who would've left, and been like, 'You cool doing this with someone else?' Which I think kind of sucks when actors do that. But he didn't do it. He stuck around. It's past midnight and this guy's here doing off-camera for me."

11. Evans is feeling very comfy in the Captain America suit (even with the ear flaps):

"It's a nice feeling to kind of come into your own. I think the first movie when I'd see myself in the suit I'd be like, 'Who's that idiot in the suit?' It's starting to feel more like real, or home, or something. So you do start caring a little bit more. You know, you do run into those kids. And they do have this impact. And it's a really nice thing. It's a responsibility now."

12. Good thing he's comfy, cause he's in it for the long haul:

"We're going to run the contract. There's no way I'm not going to be doing [it]. We're going to do 'Avengers 2.' We're probably going to be doing 'Avengers 3.'"

13. This movie won't be as black and white:

"It's always been Cap's goal to do what's right and to be of service, and to help where he can; in this movie I think the question is 'What is right?' I think it was a lot easier in the 40's to know who the evil was. There's no disputing Nazis are bad. Now it becomes a little bit more of a difficult answer. There's a lot more of a grey area about what is the right thing, and are you of service to that cause? That's where it becomes a tricky dispute for Cap."

14. The change in tone suits the character:
"He is a really human superhero. He doesn't shoot lightning, he doesn't fly. It's a very meat and potatoes type power. I think it's only appropriate that the tone and the theme fit more of a human element. It does have more of a grounded, political-thriller tone to it. I think that goes hand-in-hand with the character. It just works."

15. The tone also suits the conflict:

"They're also trying to infuse a much more human conflict that doesn't necessarily have to do with fighting monsters and doing the giant stunts. It's just about him coping with moral issues. Right and wrong. Good and bad. That's stuff we can all relate to."

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" opens wide April 4, but if you can't wait to see new footage until then, there will be a brand new Super Bowl ad this Sunday.

Air Force: 92 implicated in nuke cheating scandal

Air Force Nuclear Corps Cheating Scandal Grows

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top Air Force officials described a persistent culture of "undue stress and fear" that led 92 out of 550 members of the military's nuclear missile corps to be involved in cheating on a monthly proficiency test on which they felt pressured to get perfect scores to get promoted.

Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said Thursday that at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, roughly half of the 183 missile launch officers have been implicated in the cheating.

The cheating scandal is the latest in an array of troubles that now have the attention of senior defense officials, including Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. The Associated Press began reporting on the issue nine months ago, revealing serious security lapses, low morale, burnout and other issues in the nuclear force. The Air Force recently announced the cheating scandal that grew out of a drug investigation.

But James and Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, who heads Global Strike Command, insisted that the failures haven't affected the safety of the military's nuclear mission.

James and Wilson suggested that so far it appears the cheating was confined to the Montana base.
"These tests have taken on, in their eyes, such high importance, that they feel that anything less than 100 could well put their entire career in jeopardy" even though they only need a score of 90 to pass, said James, who only recently took over as secretary. "They have come to believe that these tests are make-it-or-break-it."

FILE - This Jan. 9, 2014 file photo shows a mockup of a Minuteman 3 nuclear missile used for training

 

The launch officers didn't cheat to pass the test, "they cheated because they felt driven to get 100 percent," she said.

Of the 92 officers implicated so far, as many as 40 were involved directly in the cheating, Wilson said. Others may have known about it but did not report it. Separately, James said that an investigation into drug possession by officers at several Air Force bases now involves 13 airmen, two more than initially announced.

All 92 officers have been decertified and suspended while the scandal is being investigated, meaning other launch officers and staff to fill in, performing 10 24-hour shifts per month, instead of the usual eight, Wilson said. Staff members from the 20th Air Force, which oversees all of the nuclear missile force, are also being tapped to do the shifts.

The Air Force has 450 intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs, on alert at all times. Each day, a total of 90 officers work in pairs inside 45 underground launch control centers, with each center monitoring and controlling a group of 10 ICBMs. They work 24-hour shifts in the missile field and then return to their base.

The latest scandal set off a top-level search for solutions, including a recent round of visits by James to all the nuclear bases, where she met privately with small groups of airmen to get their insights into the problems.

James and Wilson said that the problems underscore the need for new testing and training procedures, provide more incentives and rewards for those who perform well, and set up a system that looks at more than test scores when evaluating officers.

Officials have yet to discipline any commanders or officers beyond those who actually took the tests. But the ongoing reviews look at leadership and accountability within the force. That includes a culture of poor integrity that may encourage officers to share test answers as a way of looking out for each other.

"I do believe there are climate issues, and part of that will be assessing commanders -- how did this happen," said James.

Wilson said all missile launch officers have now been retested, and the average score was about 95 percent. He said 22 failed. Additional nuclear testing and crew evaluations are also being done.

Malmstrom Air Force Base is responsible for 150 Minuteman 3 nuclear missiles, or one-third of the entire Minuteman 3 force. The other two bases are F.E. Warren in Wyoming and Minot in North Dakota.

The tests in question are designed to ensure proficiency by launch officers in handling "emergency war orders," which involve the classified processing of orders received through their chain of command to launch a missile. These written tests are in addition to two other types of monthly testing on the missile system and on launch codes.

According to James and Wilson, the monthly tests all cover the same course material, but until now each base developed its own individual questions. As a result of the scandal, Wilson said the tests will now be developed by 20th Air Force.

Madrid rule out 'Coca-Cola Bernabeu' but could strike Microsoft deal

The Spanish side will present plans for the €400 million renovation of their stadium on Friday, with around half of the total outlay to be funded by naming rights

Real Madrid are still in talks with software giant Microsoft over a possible partnership for naming rights, but have ruled out a deal with drinks company Coca-Cola.

Madrid will unveil plans for the €400 million renovation of their Santiago Bernabeu home on Friday, with around half of that outlay to be made up in naming rights.

President Florentino Perez has been in talks with Microsoft for some time, while Coca-Cola were also prepared to pay €80m per year to have their name on the stadium.

Coca-Cola are already official sponsors of Madrid and the two organisations boast a strong relationship, but the club have currently ruled out naming their ground 'The Coca-Cola Santiago Bernabeu'.


Into the future | The four designs for the new Santiago Bernabeu
Perez, who has chosen from four different designs, expects the new Santiago Bernabeu to raise at least €50m extra per year in terms of ticket sales (with capacity set to be increased to around 90,000 spectators) and corporate revenue.

The renovation will be carried out by German architects GMP Architekten, in conjunction with Catalan company Ribas&Ribas. Their design, bottom left on the above image, will also have a retractable roof.

Building work on the site will be suspended for home matches, which will be played as normal at the Bernabeu, with the redevelopment set to be finalised in 2017.

Madrid have called a press conference on Friday to formally announce the renovation and further details of the new Bernabeu project.

Chrissy Teigen Photobombed By Neil Patrick Harris At Grammy Awards

Chrissy Teigen has officially been…wait for it…photobombed!

The 28-year-old supermodel and her husband, recording guru John Legend were added to the growing list of celebrities to have experienced this hilarious trend during the Grammy Awards last night. The man to do it? None other than “How I Met Your Mother” actor Neil Patrick Harris. As his alter ego Barney Stinson might say, the picture was indeed “legendary.”
The adorable pic shows the actor and Grammy presenter with a gaping wide open mouth as he casually inserts himself into the background of their husband-and-wife selfie. While some might have been annoyed by his antics, Tiegen playfully gave credit on the photo’s Instagram caption where she wrote, “One can only be so lucky to get a NPH photobomb.”
Tiegen seems to shine at these events. According to the Daily News, the Sports Illustrated beauty “spent the night taking in the Grammy Awards moments alongside husband John Legend, and sharing them with followers on her Instagram and Twitter pages.”
Fans got a taste of what to expect hours earlier when she posted a racy photo of herself getting ready for the big event. Instagram showed a presumably topless shot of her cut off just above the bust line with a caption that read “Getting ready for GRAMMYS! #getnaked.”
And while Chrissy Teigen is a master at grabbing everyone’s attention via social media, it’s worth mentioning that her photobomber isn’t too shabby himself. While Neil Patrick Harris was tabbed by the Grammy’s to introduce the performance by Album of the Year winners Daft Punk with special guest Stevie Wonder, he spent his down time tweeting out numerous photos and tweets during the show.
In one series of photos, he grabbed a selfie with himself and husband David Burtka followed by shots of Katy Perry and her brother David as they arrived at the gala. Harris also gave humorous play by play after various performances including those by Taylor Swift and Imagine Dragons, the latter of which he commented: “Imagine Dragons rocked so hard a couple people exploded in the front row. #truth.”
See more of Chrissy Teigen and Neil Patrick Harris at the Grammy Awards with these related Tweets and Instagram shots:

<noscript><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/jp0PobJjZp/embed/" height="710" width="612" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></noscript>

pic.twitter.com/gj2QX5L8dT

John Legend is phenomenal. I was sure he was singing to me, kept looking right at me. Realized his wife was one row behind me. #nexttime
— Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) January 27, 2014

Heading to @theGRAMMYs with @Davidburtka. Best concert of the year. Expect some random tweets. pic.twitter.com/98wpmoVoWI
— Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) January 26, 2014

[Instagram Image Via Chrissy Teigen]

Burning Question: Why 'The Godfather' and 4 Others Had Their Oscar Noms Revoked

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Salvatore Corsitto, James Caan, and Marlon Brando in 'The Godfather' (Photo: Everett)

The Academy has rescinded the Best Original Song nod for "Alone Yet Not Alone" over campaign violations. How rare is it for the Oscar folks to take away a nomination?

Rare, but not unheard of. According to Oscar historians, this snub of snubs by cinema’s snobbiest snobs has happened at least five times before.

The Academy has been in the take-backs business since at least 1942, when the film "Dive Bomber" got fragged for reasons now lost to history. "Bomber" was, however, replaced by a film with the equally derring-do title of "The Sea Wolf."

From left: Fred MacMurray, Alexis Smith, and Errol Flynn in 1941's 'Dive Bomber' (Photo: Everett)

And of course writers have gotten their fair share of freeze-outs; this is the movie industry, after all. The years 1954 and 1956 both saw scribes booted from the Best Writing category, for "Hondo" and "High Society," respectively. The former film lost its status after the nominee, Louis L'Amour, pointed out that the script derived from his own previously published short story, a fact not noted in the credits, a fact that cost L'Amour L'nomination.

But the "High Society" story is just really sad. In 1956, there were two movies by that name. The Academy nominated the version starring the comedy troublemakers The Bowery Boys as a bunch of grease monkeys getting into japes with rich people. If that doesn’t sound like your typical Oscar nomination, that’s because it wasn't. As the film's own writers gracefully pointed out, the Oscar folks probably meant to honor the highfalutin musical starring Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby. So the writers lobbied against themselves until they got taken off the ballot.

Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby in 1956's 'High Society' (Photo: Everett)

Even "The Godfather," that, um, godfather of family dramas, has suffered an Academy-borne slight. Even worse, it was the original "Godfather," sin of of all sins. Back in 1972, Nino Rota’s now-famous score got nominated for all of a New York minute before the Academy "withdrew" the nomination, which, by all accounts, is the same thing as rescinding, just gentler. You know, the kind of term that won't spur somebody to put a horse head in your bed. The offense: The music already had been used in another movie — 1958 Italian comedy "Fortunella."

Lastly, let's talk foreigners. The Academy jettisoned the 1992 Spanish-language film "A Place in the World" after learning that its submitting country, Uruguay, didn’t really have all that much control over the production.

Argentina did, but Argentina was already championing another film for Oscar consideration. I’ll let you guess whether that film went anywhere with the Academy.

‘Cristiano Ronaldo Is Not The Best; I Am’ Says France’s Franck Ribery

Cristiano Ronaldo, despite scoring a staggering total of 69 goals in only 59 games in 2013, did not deserve the Ballon D’or award as the year’s best player. At least, that’s what one of his competitors, Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery now says.

Cristiano Ronaldo won the coveted trophy for the first time last Monday, at an awards ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland, home base of the world football (aka soccer) governing body, FIFA. The final three nominees were Ronaldo, Ribery and Barcelona’s brilliant Lionel Messi, who had a grip on the trophy for the previous four years.

Messi hasn’t said anything, but Ribery has not exactly extended his congratulations to Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese superstar who leads Spain’s Real Madrid side. In fact, he feels that Europe’s best player last year was not Cristiano Ronaldo. It was Franck Ribery.

“I won everything, with the team and individually. Ronaldo won nothing,” Ribery told a German newspaper, quoted by Sky Sports. “I feel I had earned this award. It’s all politics.”

While Ribery may or may not fully understand the criteria for the award and why it went to Cristiano Ronaldo this time around, he has at least some kind of a point. Ribery was the best player on the 2012-2013 Bayern Munich squad that won not only Germany’s top flight Bundesliga, but also the arduous UEFA Champions League tournament as well.

In addition, Bayern Munich, led by Ribery, won the UEFA Super Cup — a single game pitting the Champions League winner against the champion of the lower-ranked UEFA Europa League — and the FIFA Club World Cup.

As for Cristiano Ronaldo, well, as Ribery so bluntly pointed out, his Real Madrid squad won nothing last year.

Ribery is so alienated by the Cristiano Ronaldo victory that he doesn’t even want to be considered for the award again.

“The Ballon D’Or means nothing to me,” he said.

The year that the trophy went to Cristiano Ronaldo may be the last time, at least for a few years, that Ribery has a shot at the trophy. Along with his France national side teammate Karim Benzema — who plays for the same Real Madrid club as Cristiano Ronaldo — Ribery faces an upcoming trial on a charge of soliciting an underage prostitute, according to Sports Illustrated.

If convicted, both Ribery and Benzema could find themselves in prison for three years.

Ribery found some support, but only partial support, from one of France’s greatest all-time players, Zinedine Zidane, who backed Cristiano Ronaldo for the award, but also felt that Ribery “deserved something.”

“For me, the award should only be won on what the player does on the pitch,” said Zidane, quoted on Goal.com. “Franck was outstanding.” But Zidane then cited the 69 goals scored by Cristiano Ronaldo as the deciding factor. “To do that is something incredible,” he said.

Santos to take legal action against Neymar's father over transfer

The 21-year-old's former club are furious that his father will not show them contracts signed with the Blaugrana, while DIS group are claiming the player breached a deal with them

Neymar's father is to face legal action from Santos over his refusal to show the club details of the deal he made with Barcelona in 2011.

The Brazil international moved to Camp Nou in June 2013 for a reported €57.1 million, although figures released by the Catalunya club's new president Josep Maria Bartomeu last Friday indicated the forward cost €86.2m, excluding wages.

However, Santos received only €17.1m of the transfer fee, while €40m went to Neymar Sr's company N&N - co-owned by the 21-year-old's parents - which has caused the Peixe to become curious about the finer points of his deal with the Catalans.

The Selecao star's former club are furious that Neymar's father will only verbally tell them details of the deal and are taking legal action against him, while criticising Barcelona's tactics in the transfer saga.

"There is a way we can know [if what Neymar SR is saying is true]," a Santos representative told Globo Esporte.

"Santos made an agreement whereby we sent the documents and everything relating to the negotiation.

"Neymar’s father called me and told me he would come here. He revealed that there was a confidentiality clause, meaning that he could talk, but not show us anything. Santos are going to dispute that [legally] and we are waiting for a response.

"When you have a figure paid such as €40m, what happens is that everybody is suspicious. We feel deeply upset by the statement made by Barcelona, because it wasn’t what we had negotiated."


'What I do?' | The storm around Neymar's move to Barca refuses to subside

Another unhappy party involved in the complex transfer is the DIS group, which claims that Neymar had broken the terms and conditions of their deal by not telling them about Barca's offer in 2011.

The Blaugrana paid Neymar's father €10m up front over two years ago - with the other €30m to paid following an eventual transfer - to ensure that he helped ease through the deal at the expense of other interested clubs, such as Real Madrid.

Santos president Luis Alvaro de Oliveira subsequently denied all knowledge of any 2011 dealings between Neymar Sr and Barcelona, but the player posted a document on Twitter on Wednesday, which seemed to suggest the club chief had signed a contract acknowledging the agreement.

DIS group - third-party investors who have complained that they have not been given their share of the money by Barca for the player's sale - showed Brazilian media details on Thursday that suggested that the agreement breached their pre-existing contract with Neymar.

"The agent promises to communicate to DIS, in writing, within 48 hours from receiving any proposal received that proposes the transfer the athlete Neymar da Silva Santos Jr to another football club," the clause, seen by ESPN Brasil, reads.

"They must inform DIS about the club, the source of payment, the amounts being paid and the payment periods."

Neymar's transfer has also been taken to the courts in Spain, following a complaint from a Barcelona socio about the legality of the financial aspects of the transfer. 

Manchester United launch €15m bid for Porto defender Otamendi

The Portuguese club have yet to make a decision on whether to sell the 25-year-old, while the move has been complicated by Manchester City's pursuit of Eliquiam Mangala

Manchester United have lodged a €15 million bid for Porto’s central defender Nicolas Otamendi.

While the Portuguese club consider the Argentina international as a more expendable asset than his defensive partner Eliquiam Mangala, they have yet to take a decision on whether to sell.
  
An aggressive though not especially quick defender, Otamendi has been at Porto since 2010, playing a part in Andre Villas-Boas' famous treble-winning team in his first season at the club.

The 25-year-old has made 16 full international appearances for his country, but has fallen out of favour since Alejandro Sabella's arrival as Argentina coach.
  
Otamendi's potential recruitment forms part of David Moyes' plan to add five individuals at their peak of their playing careers to the club-record capture of Juan Mata.

United's new boss has sought to attribute blame for the club's debilitating season to the Premier League-winning squad he inherited from Sir Alex Ferguson and has been granted unprecedented financial backing to overhaul it.
  
However, United's bid for Otamendi has been complicated by Manchester City's attempt to recruit Mangala.

Convinced they can achieve the full €50m buyout in the France international's contract, Porto have so far refused to negotiate a fee for Mangala, who they intend to retain for the season.

If City were to trigger that release clause, however, his sale would seriously damage Paulo Fonseca's attempt to retain the Portuguese title.

How Jennifer Lawrence Nearly Ruined her ‘American Hustle’ Dress

Francois Duhamel/Annapurna Productions

Jennifer Lawrence has made it clear that she’ll eat whatever she wants when she wants — even if she’s wearing a skin-tight, custom-made white gown on the set of her latest film.
The Oscar-nominated costume designer of “American Hustle,” Michael Wilkinson revealed how Lawrence nearly ruined her character’s iconic white dress with Doritos dust.
“Jennifer Lawrence is a very . . . let’s say . . . raw and intuitive young lady, and she’s not against eating Doritos and snack food in her costume,” Wilkinson said at at an awards-season discussion moderated by Vanity Fair at the Diane von Furstenberg exhibit in Los Angeles Tuesday night.

Fortunately, Wilkinson had some backup dresses. Because Lawrence’s character, the jealous and unpredictable Rosalyn, was originally supposed to spill champagne over herself in the scene where she confronts her husband’s mistress, played by Amy Adams, the designer had constructed four different versions of the dress.

“And I’m kind of glad we did,” Wilkinson said.
Also fortunate for the production, the fabric Wilkinson chose was only $3.99 per yard because director David O. Russell was intent on the dress looking cheap and stretchy.
“David really had it set in his mind that she would be wearing this dress that she just poured herself into,” Wilkinson said. “He wanted to see every single lump and bump. There had to be a sense of, ‘Is she going to fall out of it?’ It had this dangerous feeling to it, which matched her own dangerous mental landscape.”

In the past Lawrence has joked about demanding tasty snacks on set at all times while she’s filming.
“My bodyguard Gilbert, right before they call ‘action,’ I’m like, ‘If there aren’t Cheez-Its here by the time they call ‘cut,’ just go home,’” she told Harper’s Bazaar U.K. for its November cover issue. “And he’ll start running. It cracks me up how seriously he takes it.”
But Lawrence was serious when she told the magazine, “If anybody even tries to whisper the word ‘diet,’ I’m like, ‘You can go f*** yourself.’”

Hillary Clinton biggest Democratic front-runner ever: poll

She still hasn't announced whether she's running for president in 2016, but Hillary Clinton is already the biggest front-runner ever for the Democratic presidential nomination, the Washington Post reports.

According to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, Clinton leads Vice President Joe Biden by 61 percentage points — the largest margin in the history of the poll.

The former first lady is tops among all possible candidates for the Democratic Party with 73 percent of those polled saying they'd vote for her. Biden, at 12 percent, is a distant second, while Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who some believe could challenge Clinton in a primary, gets 8 percent of the vote.

"For any politician looking to take a flyer on challenging Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primary," the Post writes, "these numbers will have a chilling effect on those ambitions."

Among possible Republican candidates, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan (20 percent) leads by just 2 percentage points over former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (18 percent) for the 2016 nomination. Scandal-plagued New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who was once tabbed as a front-runner by some observers, sits in third place at 13 percent.

Historically, though, a big preprimary lead doesn't necessarily mean a candidate is a lock for the nomination, much less the White House.

In December 2006, Clinton led then-Sen. Barack Obama by 22 percentage points (39 to 17) among potential 2008 Democratic contenders. John Edwards, the 2004 vice presidential candidate, was third (12 percent) in that poll, while former Vice President Al Gore (10 percent) was fourth.
In 1999, Gore himself enjoyed a 37-point lead over former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley for the Democratic nomination ahead of the 2000 presidential race.
Still, the Post notes, Clinton "is a much larger favorite to be the nominee at this point in the 2016 process than she was at this same time (or ever) in the 2008 contest. And, while the hypothetical 2008 matchup showed three candidates — Obama, Edwards and Gore — with real followings immune from Clinton's frontrunner status, there is no one out there in 2016 that can make the same claim."
The poll, in part, shows why oddsmakers think a Clinton nomination is practically inevitable.

According to Oddschecker.com, a British website that tracks online bookmakers, Clinton is nearly a prohibitive favorite, with the odds of her gaining the Democratic nomination at 4 to 5.

2016 Republican presidential primary poll

• Paul Ryan 20%
• Jeb Bush 18%
• Chris Christie 13%
• Ted Cruz 12%
• Marco Rubio 10%
• Rand Paul 11%
• Other 2%
• None of these 4%
• Would not vote 1%
• No opinion 9%

2016 Democratic presidential primary poll

• Hillary Clinton 73%
• Joe Biden 12%
• Elizabeth Warren 8%
• Other 1%
• None of these 2%
• Would not vote 4%

SOURCE: ABC News/Washington Post poll

How woman ‘stole diamonds worth £12 million from billionaire, Sultan of Brunei’s ex-wife’ (PICTURED)

A 35-year-old female bodyguard, Fatima Lim, has been accused of stealing rare diamonds worth £12 million which belonged to the ex-wife of one of the  world’s richest men, replacing them for near-worthless replicas.
Lim is said to have stolen two large diamonds from the safe at the London home of Mariam Aziz, a former wife of the Sultan of Brunei to clear a gambling debt.
She is accused of replacing the pear-shaped 12.71 carat blue diamond – valued at £7.6million – and a rectangular 27.1 carat yellow diamond – worth £600,000 – with replicas worth £150 each.
Daily Mail reports:

The Singapore national is said to have stole the gems from her employer’s £1.7 million home in Kensington, West London, after duping her daughter into letting her borrow them for a few hours.
She is also accused of stealing a £3.3 million diamond bracelet after Mariam Aziz gave it to her for safe-keeping while out gambling.
When Miss Aziz wanted it back, Lim denied ever being given it and suspicion fell on a housemaid.
Later she stole and sold the diamonds given to Miss Aziz by the Sultan of Brunei during their marriage, with the blue diamond being bought from the Hilton Park Lane jewellers in 1986, the court heard. 
The Sultan, one of the world’s richest men, and Miss Aziz, a former airline stewardess who is of Bruneian, Japanese and Scottish ancestry had four children during their 21 years of marriage.
Gareth Patterson, prosecuting, said: ‘The prosecution case is that this defendant breached the trust that was placed in her by her employer, Miss Aziz.
‘These three items were a diamond bracelet, a large yellow coloured diamond and a large blue coloured diamond.
‘It appears that the defendant may have decided to sell these diamonds, because she – the defendant – had been gambling and needed to clear her debts.’
Isleworth Crown Court heard that after stealing the gems, Lim took them to a jeweller in Hatton Garden to sell, claiming they been a gift from Miss Aziz to her mother, who she claimed had been a PA to the sultan’s former wife.
To cover her tracks she had fakes worth just £300 made and put these back into the safe at Miss Aziz’s home, it is claimed. 
The alleged theft was only discovered in December 2009 when Miss Aziz asked her adopted daughter, Afifa Abduallah, to take the diamonds, which had now been set in rings, back to the Hilton for resizing.
Jurors heard Lim started working for Miss Aziz in 2003 firstly as a badminton coach, but that her role eventually evolved to that of a personal assistant and bodyguard to the mother-of-four.
In her capacity she travelling between her boss’ houses in Singapore, or Brunei, or in London.
Mr Patterson added: ‘The background, sadly, to this case is that Miss Aziz came to consider the defendant to be one of her most trusted employees and considered her essentially as a friend.’
The pair would visit casinos across the world, including the Clermont Club in Berkeley Square and Les Ambassadeurs, near Park Lane and such was the trust placed in her Lim ‘was allowed to become a signatory on Miss Aziz’s accounts’.
If Lim reached her credit limit on any of her own accounts, she would be able to use Miss Aziz’s.

 

 Lim, a former bodyguard to Mariam Aziz, right, the ex-wife of the Sultan of Brunei, left, is said to have duped the couple’s daughter into letting her ‘borrow’ the diamonds, before selling them and replacing them with near-worthless replicas

It was at the Les Ambassadeurs casino in May 2008 that Miss Aziz gave her an eight-diamond bracelet worth around $5.5million dollars bought from Graff jewellers in Bond Street for safe keeping.
Two or three weeks later the sultan’s former wife wanted to wear the bracelet, but that it could not be found, the court heard.
Miss Aziz’s staff were questioned and Lim denied having ever been given the item. Instead suspicions were raised against another housemaid, jurors heard.
However, Mr Patterson said that this housemaid claims that Lim had later come to her and said she knew someone who could make replica jewellery.
Lim eventually took the bracelet, as well as another one, to a jeweller in London’s famous Hatton Garden.
Giving her name as Sue, but later identifying herself, she claimed she had authorisation from her mother to sell the items.
But Mr Patterson told the court that Lim’s mother had never worked for Miss Aziz and that this was just a story she had made up to ‘cover her tracks’.
It is alleged that she then played on her close relationship with Miss Aziz’s adopted daughter, Afifa Abduallah, who saw the two as ‘best friends’.
Twice she asked Miss Abdullah to borrow the diamonds as collateral on a property deal on the promise to return them in a short time.
Mr Patterson said: ‘In order to do that, what she did is she abused her friendship with the young and naove adopted daughter.’
The second time when she asked for the same favour toward the end of the year she switched the diamonds with £300 replicas made out of cubic zirconia.
She later sent Miss Abdullah Facebook messages asking her to keep it secret from her mother.
When the thefts were discovered Miss Abdullah eventually told her mother what had happened and Lim was confronted by Miss Aziz’s nephew Idris Ja’afar in Brunei, the court heard. 
She initially denied being in London in December 2009, but ‘came clean’ when Miss Abdullah arrived at the meeting and asked ‘if Miss Aziz might forgive her and pardon her’.
However, Lim, of no fixed address, denies three counts of theft. The trial continues.

I didn’t accuse ex-Service Chiefs of ‘unnecessary competition’ – Jonathan

The recent sack of some Nigerian military heads has caused the eruption of chatter in the media as to what could have led to the decision.
Some quarters attributed it to the insecurity in the north while others yet have released reports claiming that President Goodluck Jonathan said that he relieved the military chiefs of their positions due to an unhealthy rivalry between them.
A statement released today by the state house and signed by the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, has declared the latter report to be false.
Read full press release below:

Reports in the media yesterday which claimed that President Jonathan said during his visit to Yola on Tuesday that he “fired” former service chiefs because of “unhealthy competition” among them are untrue and misleading.
It appears that for reasons of mischief and reckless sensationalism, a section of the media deliberately chose to misrepresent the President’s innocuous and clear call for greater synergy and inter-service cooperation in the war against terrorism.
President Jonathan did not at anytime during his remarks in Yola say that the former chiefs were guilty of undue rivalry, nor did he say, as claimed by some newspapers, that such unhealthy rivalry was responsible for recent security breaches in Adamawa and other parts of the country.
As Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces and Chief Security Officer of the Federation, President Jonathan is fully aware of the importance and sensitivity of all defence and security-related matters. If he had any reprimand or admonition for the former service chiefs, which he does not, he would not have cavalierly given it at a public function as the media falsely reported.
The President has nothing but praise for the manner in which the outgoing service chiefs did their job in very challenging circumstances and he did not in the course of his remarks in Yola suggest or imply that any wrongdoing, lack of cooperation or unhealthy competition was reason for the recent changes in the Military High Command.
Members of the Armed Forces and all objective observers know that such changes are routine and in the interest of the growth and well-being of the Armed Services.
President Jonathan has no need therefore to justify the recent changes to anyone and the recourse by the media to a totally off-the-mark interpretation of his remarks in Yola to explain the changes was most unnecessary and pointless.

INEC timetable and challenge of conducting a credible poll

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega
| credits: File copy

JOHN ALECHENU writes on the release of the 2015 elections timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission and what Nigerians expect from the electoral body as well as the political class

In line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), the Independent National Electoral Commission released a timetable of activities ahead of and for the 2015 general elections late on Friday last week.

According to the INEC timetable, the 2015 elections proper will begin with the Presidential and National Assembly elections on February 14, 2015, to be followed by State Assembly election.

Before the polls, all the registered political parties are expected to hold congresses, conventions and ultimately elect their candidates, who will stand for the various elective offices on their party platforms.

Section 31(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 stipulates that “Every political party shall not later than 60 days before the date appointed for the general election under the provisions of this Act, submit to the Commission in the prescribed forms a list of the candidates the party proposes to sponsor at the elections.”

Logistics problems, which have dodged the Prof. Attahiru Jega-led INEC’s handling of elections, beginning with elections into the National Assembly in April 2011, appear far from over.

While it is true that some improvements were observed with the conduct of governorship elections in Kogi, Ondo and Edo states, the gains recorded were filtered away with the lapses which became apparent during the Anambra governorship polls.

Although, a lot of attention was focused on the “human error” which was blamed for the disaster in Nnewi North, complaints about the late arrival of electoral officials and materials as well as missing names from the voters register, were widespread.

After failing to meet public expectations with its poor handling of the November 16, 2013 Anambra election, providence has handed the commission another rare opportunity to redeem its image and restore public confidence.

This time around, how the commission tackles the myriad of internal and external challenges to ensure credible governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states scheduled to take place later this year, will go a long way to show how well INEC is prepared for the 2015 general elections.

Perhaps, in an attempt to mitigate a repeat of obvious lapses in the Anambra governorship poll, INEC kick-started preparations for the forthcoming elections with a retreat for the agency’s top echelon in Kaduna recently.

At the two-day event, the INEC management team discussed among others the continuous voters registration, budget for the elections in Ekiti and Osun states as well as the 2015 general elections. It also discussed staff training and several other matters aimed at putting the body in good stead ahead of the polls. To many, the icing on the cake was the announcement of a schedule of activities to be carried out before the 2015 elections.

According to the timetable, party primaries are to commence on October 2, 2014, and end on December 11, 2014. INEC equally envisages that all disputes arising from the said primaries should have been addressed by this time.

As is to be expected, the order and timing of the 2015 elections has generated a lot of interest especially among politicians. While the ruling Peoples Democratic Party has announced its readiness for the elections, members of opposition political parties remain suspicious.

They suspect that the order of elections, as contained in the timetable, is tailored to suit the ruling party.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, in his reaction to the INEC’s order of elections, said, “We are ready for the elections as shown by the timetable released by the commission.” He expressed doubts about the readiness of the opposition, because according to him, he would not be surprised, if the main opposition party calls for a boycott of the polls, “because they know they will lose.”

The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Chief Dan Iwuanyawu, says while the early release of the timetable is commendable, the sequence of elections is not.

He says, “Are you sure that the Presidential election is before the governorship election? That is not good enough.”

A stalwart of the opposition All Progressives Congress and Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, is clearly suspicious about the INEC’s motive.

He says President Goodluck Jonathan and the ruling PDP will have an advantage from having the Presidential elections coming first.

According to Kwankwaso, the opposition has every course to worry. This, he says is when one takes into cognisance the series of threats by the President’s supporters.

He says, “It is not just the bandwagon effect, they want to intimidate people, ‘if you don’t vote for me, you do this and we’ll do that’. We’ve been in this game for a long time. So, we know they want to use intimidation.”

Socio-cultural groups such as the Arewa Consultative Forum and the Afenifere expressed divergent views on the timetable.

Agreeing with views earlier expressed by Kwankwaso, the National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Mr. Anthony Sani, says the forum is not comfortable with INEC’s timetable as it is.

Sani says, “We prefer all elections to hold the same day in order to reduce cost and avoid the bandwagon effect. But INEC has said there is no enabling law by the National Assembly that will make it possible for the elections to hold the same day; and we have also called on the legislature to make that possible.”

He argues that the ACF will prefer that litigation arising from the electoral process be disposed of before winners are inaugurated. This, the forum notes will forestall a situation where individuals, who are declared winners before the resolution of such disputes, use public funds to fight their legal battles. The forum also expressed reservations about INEC’s level preparedness for the 2015 general elections,

However, the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, speaking through its spokesman, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, disagreed with those suggesting that elections should be held on the same day.

According to the group, Nigeria lacks the capacity to hold all elections on the same day.

Odumakin says, “It is clear that Nigeria does not have the capacity to conduct elections same day. We saw what happened in Anambra State as regards the logistics challenges and the poll was bungled by INEC itself.”

Spokesperson for the INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu, while reacting to some of the concerns raised about the sequence of elections, says since “the law allows the window of 150 maximum and 30 days minimum and the commission prefers to move closer to the 150 days maximum, that will allow time for litigation before 2015.”

He also explained that INEC was preparing for the elections, adding that the distribution of permanent Voter Card had reached an advanced stage.

As the debate rages, Jega and his commissioners have used every opportunity to announce that the commission cannot and should not be expected to guarantee perfect elections. They have, however, promised that the commission will do all within its power, to ensure that the 2015 poll is substantially better than previous ones.

A lot has changed since the highly rated 2011 general elections. The voting population has, without a doubt, increased. This is even more so considering the increased level of awareness about voting rights and obligations among a growing population of young Nigerians. The challenge before the commission is therefore Herculean.

A substantial increase in population presupposes a need for constituency delineation. The process of doing this will involve the passage of relevant amendments to existing legislations by the National Assembly.

The creation of additional polling units to cater for the expected increase in the number of voters will equally require the deployment of additional manpower and material.

Public expectations about free, fair and credible elections in 2015 are higher than ever. Sadly, nothing appears to have changed in the attitude of the political class.

Threats of violence, which characterised previous elections, and the absence of internal democracy, which has become the rule rather than the exception among the political parties, remain a reality, which threatens the very foundation of the nation’s young democracy.

One cannot lose sight of the challenge of the ubiquitous human factor, which reared its head in the Anambra election. The integrity of electoral officers is constantly being threatened by the desperation of the political class. When the desperation of politicians, bent on winning elections at all cost, comes in contact with the greed of a few but powerful cabal of electoral officers, the end result is electoral disaster.

It will be foolhardy to expect INEC to succeed without the collaboration of its development partners at home and abroad; it’s like asking for the impossible to expect an election, worth its name, without a change of attitude by the civil populace and the political class.

Nigerians appear tired of excuses as has become the practice after each bungled election. The electorate expect Jega and his team to, at least, deliver on their promise.

Source PUNCH.

What Happens When You Call 911 for Dumb Reasons

ABC News - What Happens When You Call 911 for Dumb Reasons (ABC News)

From a philosophical reaction to pot brownies, to complaining about an uncommitted boyfriend, 911 dispatchers have handled their fair share of ridiculous non-emergency calls.

The Washington County Dispatch in Oregon has decided to do something about it. Their agency is debuting a brand new campaign called 'You Called 911 For That?!' to educate people about when to not call 911.

Each week, the WCCCA will publish the most ridiculous use of the 911 system from calls that were answered by emergency dispatch.

This is the first week of the campaign, and Dispatch Agency Spokesperson Mark Chandler said in just one week they had about 10 calls in the "ridiculous" category that qualified for the title of most absurd.

The winner for best/worst non-emergency was a person calling to report that his debit card wouldn't work at a gas station. The runner-up was a woman reporting a person smoking a cigarette on a train platform.

Washington Dispatch agency spokesman Mark Chandler says most people understand the proper use of 911, but because of limited 911 lines and operators, the agency is not equipped to handle the large number of non-emergency calls or general information requests.

"You should only call 911 if there is an emergency involving your life or property," Chandler told ABC News today. If a crime had taken place where no emergency vehicle is needed, Chandler recommends calling your local police station.

"For instance, someone was calling to ask if the trailer they were looking to purchase had been stolen previously," said Chandler. "That's obviously an important question but one that you'd call your local police department for, rather than tying up the 911 emergency lines."

The program 'You Called 911 For That?!' was inspired by a similar series in Vancouver, where the police department released a Most Absurd Calls list of 2013. The article received national attention in Canada, which prompted Chandler to consider it for Washington County.
Chandler hopes this program will help his dispatch team find ways to better direct callers to their local police station.

"We can't have lines tied up with non-emergency calls when someone is on hold in a real emergency trying to assist someone with CPR," said Chandler.

Gunmen kill Niger poly lecturer

The Head of the Science Department at the Niger State Polytechnic, Alhaji Abdulrashid Abdullahi, was on Thursday killed by three gunmen on the Zungeru-Tegina highway.
The News Agency of Nigeria learnt in Minna that Abdullahi was killed while on an official trip to Kaduna.
According to Abdullahi’s driver, Malam Hussaini Babangida, the gunmen stopped them at an abandoned checkpoint after the Zungeru Bridge.
“I stopped because I thought they were security men but they immediately went for Abdullahi’s door with a machete.
“I tried to drive away but I heard the lecturer shout, I have been shot as they could not open his door. I drove the vehicle very fast back to Zungeru, where the lecturer was pronounced dead at a hospital,” he said.

He said nothing was taken away from them.
“It is sad that they killed my cousin for undisclosed reasons,” Babangida said
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Richard Oguche, confirmed the incident.

FRSC redeploys senior officers

The Federal Road Safety Commission  has redeployed four Deputy Corps Marshals, four Assistant Corps Marshals and two Corps Commanders as part of efforts to achieve its 2014 strategic goal.
This was contained in a statement by Mr. Jonas Agwu, the Commission’s Public Education Officer, in Abuja on Thursday.
Details of the redeployment showed DCM Boboye Oyeyemi, formerly of the Operations Department, redeployed to the Motor Vehicle Administration Department.
Others include DCM Garba Danjuma, who moves to the Operations Department from the Motor Vehicle Administration Department.
It added that DCM Chidi Nwachukwu of Training, Standards and Certification, swapped position with DCM Adei Abu of Administration and Human Resources Department.

The statement said ACM Ademola Lawal, Zonal Commanding Officer, Lagos headquarters, is now in charge of the command’s Administration and Strategic Section, Operation Department, National headquarters.
The Zonal Commanding Officer, Abuja Zonal Command Headquarters in Gwagwalada, ACM Austin Aipo, now takes charge of operational matters at the Command, Administration and Strategy Section of the same Operations Department.
The Zonal Commanding Officer, Yola, ACM Bitrus Darwang, according to the statement, has been redeployed to Bauchi as Zonal Commanding Officer, while ACM Abubakar Ringim, in Bauchi, moves to Yola as Zonal Commanding Officer.
It stated that Corps Commander, Efosa Osawe, former acting Head of the Safety and Engineering Department, moved to the Motor Vehicle Administration Department as Head of the National Drivers Licence Section.
Former Kogi Sector Commander, Olakunle Motajo, is now the acting Head of the Safety Engineering Department at the national headquarters, Abuja.

Reps reject bid to simplify impeachment of President

Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal
| credits: File copy

Members of the House of Representatives on Thursday rejected a proposal to simplify the process of removing the President and Vice-President from office.

The proposal was contained in a bill seeking to amend Section 143 of the 1999 Constitution by deleting it and replacing with an entirely new section 143.

The bill, which was sponsored by a lawmaker from Bauchi State, Yakubu Dogara, sought to remove the “ambiguity” in the procedure for impeaching the two highest political office holders with a notice of impeachment initiated by the House of Representatives and terminating in the Senate.

However, the amendment proposal failed to secure the mandatory two-third majority support as members voted on it and 18 other proposed amendment clauses on Thursday.

Out of the 297 lawmakers, who registered to vote on the amendment, 172, supported it, 122 opposed it, while three abstained.

The Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, who presided over the session, therefore, ruled that the amendment had “failed.”

The 18 other new clauses introduced by the AdHoc Committee on Constitution Review headed by the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, were passed by members.

However, it was a session nearly marred by alleged cheating by the Majority Leader, Mrs. Mulikat Akande-Adeola, who was accused of voting for Ihehioha on some clauses.

The majority leader and Ihedioha share front row seats and normally sit next to each other in the chamber.

Ahead of voting on Thursday, Ihedioha left his seat to join Tambuwal on the Chair for the consideration of the constitution review report.

As voting progressed, the Minority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, raised the alarm that he noticed Akande-Adeola punching the electronic voting device on behalf of Ihedioha so that he would be recorded as having voted.

He shouted, “Point of order,” to ask whether there was a provision in the House Rules that permitted voting by proxy.

Tambuwal responded in the negative, to which Gbajabiamila continued, “I saw the majority leader, who has been voting consistently for the deputy speaker.”

The speaker claimed not to have taken note, but told the minority leader that “I will begin to observe her now.”

Some members tried to protest further on the allegation, but Tambuwal controlled the situation by restoring order.

Akande-Adeola put up a defence, saying that she was surprised that the minority leader could raise such an allegation.

She accused Gbajabiamila of paying too much attention to her instead of concentrating on voting.

“Mr. Speaker, Femi has been all over me and this is becoming dangerous,” she complained.

Members reacted with a thunderous laughter and later made the matter looked like a joke.

Tambuwal too went comical by saying that he thought Gbajabiamila was only interested in taking over the seat of the majority leader.

He noted that it appeared there were more issues between the two just coming to his knowledge.

“Therefore, I refer this matter to the Committee on Ethics and Provileges for investigation,” he ruled, laughing heartily.

One of the new clauses provided immunity for lawmakers from prosecution “in respect of words spoken or written at plenary sessions or at committee proceedings, to guarantee that freedom of speech and debates and proceedings in legislative houses are not impeached or questioned in any court.”

A total of 301 members voted in support of this proposal with none abstaining.

Similarly, members’ seats are now to be protected in the event of appointment to serve in any body or commission.

In the case of a minister or head of any agency ignoring the summons of the National Assembly, a new clause empowered the legislature to “by law, further prescribe civil and/or criminal sanctions for any failure, refusal or neglect to obey the summons issued by a legislative House or Committee thereof.”

A total of 299 members voted in support of the clause, while one member abstained.

In another new clause, 293 members approved that the President shall give a state of the nation addresss to a joint session of the National Assembly once in a year “in a manner prescribed by the National Assembly.”

In addition, “national security agencies,” the police and the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation were placed on first line charge of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

The judiciary also benefited from the amendments, as 299 members voted in support of a clause seeking two-thirds majority approval of members of a legislative house before a judicial officer can be removed from office.

  Source PUNCH.

Sexual bribes: FIFA bans Lebanese referee for life

Ali Sabbagh, a Lebanese referee agreed to fix an April 2013 match in Singapore in exchange for sexual favors.
| credits: File copy

FIFA says it imposed a worldwide lifetime ban on Lebanese referee Ali Sabbagh, who agreed to fix an April 2013 match in Singapore in exchange for sexual favors.
The Asian Football Confederation had previously banned Sabbagh from refereeing and attending stadiums this month.
FIFA also extended 10-year bans on Sabbagh’s assistants, Ali Eid and Abdallah Taleb, to apply globally.
In another similar case, FIFA applied a worldwide 14-year-ban on former Slovakia international Ivan Hodur for his involvement in the fixing of  top-tier league matches.

FIFA also confirmed a 25-year-ban for former DAC 1904 player Marian Dirnbach and an 18-year ban for current player Tomas Huber.
FIFA provisionally suspended English semi-professional players Hakeem Adelakun and Michael Boateng, who are facing criminal prosecution, and an unidentified El Salvador national team player.

Osaze no troublemaker, says Hughes

Osaze Odemwingie
| credits: File cooy

Stoke City boss Mark Hughes has revealed how Osaze Odemwingie took his time before signing for the Potters on Tuesday, revealing the striker did not want a repeat of his failed move from West Brom to QPR which occurred last year.

Hughes told the Stoke Sentinel, “He was very aware, when we made contact, that he wanted to make sure everything was correct. He didn’t want to go through what he went through at QPR.

“He had a text and an e-mail from his club (Cardiff) to say it was okay.

“It was an unfortunate episode at QPR and people maybe took a view of him as an individual.

“I think he would admit circumstances weren’t what he wanted, but that wasn’t representative of him as a guy or a footballer.

“I think some people have been blinded by events rather than looking at his ability as a footballer.”

And Hughes is keen to play up those abilities to offset any claims that it was merely a deal of convenience to ship Kenwyne Jones in the opposite direction to Cardiff following his recent refusal to play against Liverpool.

“It’s a deal that facilitates what Cardiff feel they need in terms of a big guy – and what we need is a different kind of player,” Hughes continued.

“We have watched him for many seasons and always been impressed with his ability.

“He’s got a little bit of pace, versatility and a good eye for a goal, so a lot of the boxes we are looking to be ticked, Peter can do that.

“He’s an accomplished goalscorer who will create chances for himself and take chances created by others.

“When I saw him play, he was always a threat in games. As an opposition manager you always had to legislate for him. He’s a good Premier League player and can affect games.”

Hughes also believes there is enough fire in the belly, and mileage left in the legs, despite him being 32.

“He hoped that the Cardiff move was going to get him back on track, but it hasn’t worked out for whatever reason,” explained Hughes.

“But he’s here and ready to go. He’s got a lot of football life left in him and we will benefit from that.

“Thirty-two in this day and age is nothing like 32 when I was playing because they have a lot more knowledge and recovery strategies at clubs.

“So you can add any number of years to your career.”

Japan to support Nigeria’s automobile development plan

Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Ryuichi Shoji

Japan has pledged to provide technical assistance to the Federal Government in the implementation of the proposed Automobile Development Plan aimed at ensuring the production of various vehicles in the country.

The Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Ryuichi Shoji, who confirmed this while on a facility tour of the Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State, on Wednesday, said the support would involve the training of the relevant manpower for the realisation of the plan.

He said his country was prepared to provide the necessary facilities and equipment to aid the educational development of Nigeria.

According to him, Japan is ready to support Nigeria’s quest to develop its automobile industry and join the league of vehicle producing nations.

Shoji, however, noted that the dream was a long-term one that could not be achieved in a short time, adding that the country would require some years before the plan could be realised.

The ambassador noted that Nigeria, with a large population, already had the human resources required for its development, adding that the country should endeavour to use the advantage to improve its economy.

Shoji said, “Basically, investment will be made by each of the companies; what the Japanese Embassy can do is to provide support and assistance that will facilitate the development in the automobile industry in Nigeria; we don’t think this can be done in one year or two years; it is a long-term objective; developing the automobile industry takes time.

“There is a need to start with the provision of infrastructure like power, water and so on; the automobile industry is a complicated industry, but we will support it. Also, supporting industries like spare parts making should be developed; we can see that this cannot be done in one or two years, it is a long process and we will support this process if well managed.”

Earlier, the founder, Elizade University and Chairman, Toyota Nigeria Limited, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo,  said he had built a relationship with Japan in the last 42 years through his association with Toyota, which is one of the leading vehicle manufacturers in the world.

He said the establishment of the institution was as a result of his connection with Japan, adding that whatever he was today was made possible by his association with the Asian country.

Ade-Ojo said the university was young and hungry for assistance as it was just starting in its quest to be a world-class institution.

He noted that the visit of the ambassador would be the beginning of a very strong relationship between Japan and the university.

Lagos closes seven firms over N58.7m tax evasion

The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service has shut down seven companies for failing to remit about N58.8 million personal income taxes of workers to government.
The Head of the Distrain Unit of the LIRS, Mrs Folasade Coker-Afolayan, announced this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Lagos.
Coker-Afolayan, who led the enforcement team, said that the companies were sealed on Wednesday during a state-wide tax enforcement drive.
She said that the affected companies’ tax liabilities covered between one and four years.
According to her, the enforcement will continue until companies and workers imbibed the culture of voluntary tax compliance.

“Tax evasion is a crime and it is a serious crime to evade tax for so many years.
“Tax payment is also a civic responsibility for everyone because that is the only way government can provide the necessary infrastructure for the citizens and also improve their standard of living,” she said.
Coker-Afolayan also urged companies to remit the personal income tax of their workers promptly to avoid closure of their business premises.
She said that LIRS usually followed due process by notifying companies severally before shutting down defaulting ones.
She also said that a notice of intent had been sent to the affected companies in accordance with the Personal Income Tax Act amendment 2011.
“As to whether they received the notices or not, that is purely an internal matter of the companies,” she said.
Coker-Afolayan advised companies operating in the state to remit their taxes promptly and not to wait until government enforced the tax laws.
Meanwhile, some of the affected companies accused the state government of not giving them fair hearing on the alleged tax issues.
They also said that the LIRS enforcement approach was barbaric and inimical to business growth and economic development.
They urged the state government to establish a quasi-legal body for effective resolution of the allegations levelled against operating business concerns.