2 Million Pilgrims Arrive in Makkah to Perform Hajj

 2 Million Pilgrims Arrive in Makkah to Perform Hajj

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, August 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

With the annual Hajj pilgrimage having officially started, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced the arrival of 2 million pilgrims to the Holy City of Makkah.

Saudi Arabia shoulders the responsibility of organising and conducting the pilgrimage, under the supervision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, as well as Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

"Hosting Hajj each year is an honour and a great responsibility for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, one we hold dear to our hearts. We spare no effort when it comes to the well-being of pilgrims and our number one priority is to welcome individuals from all over the world as they seek to fulfil their religious and spiritual duty," said HE Dr. Awwad Alawwad, Minister of Culture and Information.

Malawi: Stop Ritual Murders of People with Albinism

Malawi: Stop Ritual Murders of People with Albinism

A new wave of killings and attacks targeting people with albinism over the past six months is being fueled by systemic failures in Malawi’s criminal justice system which leave members of this vulnerable group at the mercy of criminal gangs.

Since January 2017, at least two people with albinism have been killed while seven more have reported crimes such as attempted murder or abduction.

Albinism is a rare,non-contagious, genetic condition present at birth that results in absence of pigmentation in the eyes, skin and hair. It is estimated that between 7000-10000 people live with albinism in Malawi.

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OluTimehin Adegbeye, Chika Ezeanya-Esiobu and other Nigerians in Tanzania for TEDGlobal 2017

TEDGlobal 2017 Conference Opens in Tanzania
Ten years on, TEDGlobal returns to Africa with live event featuring 45+ talks, interviews and performances

ARUSHA, Tanzania, Aug. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TED, the nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, opens its TEDGlobal 2017 Conference today in Arusha, Tanzania. Themed "Builders. Truth-tellers. Catalysts." the event will host 700 attendees at the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge for a program of 45+ speakers and performers sharing ideas in TED's signature format of short, powerful talks – no longer than 18 minutes. The four-day event will also feature presentations and performances from 27 TED Fellows. It marks TED's first return to Africa since the memorable TEDGlobal 2007 Conference held at the same location.

"Our event here a decade ago led to so many meaningful ideas, connections and collaborations," said head of TED Chris Anderson. "Now, we have a chance to reignite those sparks. The ideas emerging from Africa have the potential to create transformative impact, not just here on the continent, but worldwide."

"This gathering couldn't come a moment too soon," said TEDGlobal co-curator Emeka Okafor. "Africa has experienced spectacular economic, demographic and creative growth, but both opportunity and danger are rising at an exponential rate. Our conference will gather the idea catalysts, problem-solvers and change-makers already hard at work here charting Africa's own path to modernity."

The speakers and performers selected for TEDGlobal 2017 offer fresh, unique perspectives and solutions on a global level. They include:

OluTimehin Adegbeye, Writer and activist
Oshiorenoya Agabi, Neurotechnology entrepreneur
Nabila Alibhai, Place-maker
Alsarah & the Nubatones, East African retro-popsters
Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, Publisher
Christian Benimana, Architect
Niti Bhan, Founder and owner, Emerging Futures Lab
Mahen Bonetti, Film curator
Augustus Casely-Hayford, Cultural historian
Natsai Audrey Chieza, Designer
Llew Claasen, Strategist
Tania Douglas, Biomedical engineering professor
Touria El Glaoui, Art fair curator
Chika Ezeanya-Esiobu, Indigenous knowledge expert
Kamau Gachigi, Technologist
Ameena Gurib-Fakim, President of Mauritius
Leo Igwe, Human rights activist
Amar Inamdar, Entrepreneurial business leader
Joel Jackson, Transport entrepreneur
Tunde Jegede, Composer, cellist, kora virtuoso
Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda
Zachariah Mampilly, Political scientist
Vivek Maru, Legal empowerment advocate
Kola Masha, Agricultural leader
Clapperton Chakanetsa Mavhunga, MIT professor, grassroots thinker-doer, author
Thandiswa Mazwai, Singer
Yvonne Chioma Mbanefo, Language and culture advocate
Sara Menker, Technology entrepreneur
Sethembile Msezane, Artist
Kisilu Musya, Farmer and filmmaker
Robert Neuwirth, Author
Kevin Njabo, Biodiversity scientist
Ndidi Nwuneli, Social innovation expert
Dayo Ogunyemi, Cultural media builder
Nnedi Okorafor, Science fiction writer
Fredros Okumu, Mosquito scientist
Qudus Onikeku, Dancer, Choreographer
DK Osseo-Asare, Designer
Keller Rinaudo, Robotics entrepreneur
Chris Sheldrick, Co-founder and CEO, what3words
Sauti Sol, Afro-pop band
George Steinmetz, Aerial photographer
Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Historian and philosopher
Pierre Thaim, Chef
Iké Udé, Artist
Washington Wachira, Wildlife ecologist and nature photographer
Magatte Wade, Brand creator
Ghada Wali, Designer
A number of exciting brands and companies have partnered with TEDGlobal 2017 to help share ideas and foster an atmosphere of curiosity and discovery. Partners include: The Africa Center, Boston Consulting Group, Brightline Initiative, Gilead Sciences, Logitech, Omidyar Network, Sandstorm Kenya, Tommy Hilfiger, Westpac Banking Group and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.

1.497 Million Pilgrims Arrive Saudi Arabia for Hajj

Saudi Arabia Says 1.497 Million Pilgrims Arrive for Hajj

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The Kingdom is expecting to welcome around two million international pilgrims in total.

Saudi Arabia has to date welcomed 1.497 million pilgrims who have flocked to the country in preparation for the annual Islamic Hajj pilgrimage, which is due to begin on August 30, 2017.

Is there Any Organization Like the SAG-AFTRA in Nigeria?

Is there Any Organization Like the SAG-AFTRA in Nigeria?

The Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is an American labor union representing approximately 160,000 film and television actors, journalists, radio personalities, recording artists, singers, voice actors, and other media professionals worldwide. The organization was formed on March 30, 2012, following the merger of the Screen Actors Guild (created in 1933) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists  (created in 1937 as American Federation of Radio Artists, becoming AFTRA in 1952 after merger with Television Authority).
SAG-AFTRA is a member of the AFL–CIO, the largest federation of unions in the United States.
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Nigeria is reputed to have the second largest video film industry in the world popularly known as "Nollywood", even though the Nigerian film industry includes Kannywood of the larger northern region, which actually was founded before the New York Times coined the word "Nollywood" in 2002. The difference between Nollywood and Kannywood is like the difference between Bollywood and Tollywood in India.

The Nigerian film industry is the largest in Africa, but not the biggest in revenues, because the biggest box offices in Africa are in South Africa and Egypt where the film industries are better organized with world class studios, more cinemas and professional bodies.
There are no world class studios in Nigeria and the professional bodies are not well organized. And the most disorganized is the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) which is an embarrassment when compared to the SAG-AFTRA.

The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) at the moment is a joke, because it is not only dysfunctional, but misrepresenting the actors in Nigeria.
 The leadership of AGN is being abused and misused by a clique of Lagos based Nollywood actors jaundiced by cronyism and nepotism.
Are Yoruba actors, Hausa actors and other non-south eastern and south-south actors not members of the AGN?
What is all the nonsense of a clique jostling the leadership of the AGN and misrepresenting the actors in Nigeria?
As I told one of them earlier today, that the leadership of the guilds in the Nigerian film industry should not be abused and misused by opportunistic title chasers who in many cases are underachievers in the Nigerian film industry.

The AGN and Association of Movie Producers (AMP) don't have secretariats. They don't have any office where you can show or welcome local and international visitors, students and scholars who want to see the so called Nollywood.
It is really embarrassing to visit their offices in Lagos.  And the leaders don't feel embarrassed?

When the famous cofounder and CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg visited Nigeria in August last year, and wanted to visit Nollywood, because he thought it was a location like the famous Hollywood, it would have been a big disgrace to take him to the offices of the AGN, DGN and AMP. To save him from disappointment and save us from embarrassment, he was taken to Afrinolly Space in Oregun, far away from the shenanigans and squabbles in "Surulerewood".
By the way, Surulere is the location of majority of the Nollywood filmmakers and their associations in Lagos state of Nigeria.

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Publisher/Editor of NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series. https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series Books 1 and 2.

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LAGOS in MOTION: A Photo Album of Africa's Largest Megacity

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From Angola To America: The Historic Arrival Of The First Africans In 1619 Virginia

AMERICAN EVOLUTION™ Commemorates The Historic Arrival Of The First Africans In 1619 Virginia
The African Arrival will commemorate the history of the twenty Angolan Africans that reached the Jamestown settlement nearly 400 years ago

WILLIAMSBURG, Va., Aug. 23, 2017  /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On today's International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, the 2019 Commemoration, AMERICAN EVOLUTION™ will recognize the 1619 arrival of the first Africans in English North America at what is present-day Hampton, Virginia. As part of African Arrival month, AMERICAN EVOLUTION™ invites participants and partners to explore the aftermath of the moment when African, Native American, and European culture collided and forged what would eventually become the United States of America.

Michael R. Bloomberg to Convene Heads of State and CEOs at Inaugural Global Business Forum

Michael R. Bloomberg to Convene Heads of State and CEOs at Inaugural Global Business Forum
President Clinton, Bill Gates, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Christine Lagarde, Jim Kim and many others to join government and business leaders during UN General Assembly

Forum will address today's most pressing challenges to economic growth and prosperity

NEW YORK, Aug. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloomberg today announced a selection of featured speakers for the first-ever Global Business Forum, which will bring heads of state together with global CEOs to discuss opportunities for advancing trade and economic growth, and the related societal challenges – from climate change to workplace automation to terrorism – facing both groups. The daylong Forum will be an unprecedented convening of major business and government leaders from all regions of the world. It will take place on Wednesday, September 20th, 2017 in New York City, during the week of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Forum was inspired by the Bloomberg U.S.-Africa Business Forum, which in 2014 and 2016 brought business leaders together with heads of state from every African nation, and the Clinton Global Initiative, which held its Annual Meeting during U.N. General Assembly week and established a new model to bring together global leaders from all sectors to create and implement tangible solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. The Global Business Forum seeks to build on their success by convening leaders who are best positioned to expand trade, drive economic growth, and tackle our most pressing common challenges. World leaders from over 30 countries along with more than 100 global CEOs have confirmed attendance.

"Global trade and investment are the most powerful forces we have for reducing poverty and spreading opportunity – but too often, business and government leaders don't realize how they can help each other," said Michael R. Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, and 108th Mayor of New York City. "The Africa Summit we hosted demonstrated how much can be gained by bringing the two groups together, and the annual meetings held by the Clinton Global Initiative showed the incredible opportunity the U.N General Assembly week presents for forging new partnerships. The Forum will be a great opportunity for heads of state and CEOs to speak directly with one another about ways they can work more closely together."

Bloomberg is sponsoring the forum in partnership with the Alibaba Group; Dangote Industries Limited; EXOR, the holding company controlled by the Agnelli family; the Mahindra Group; and MiSK, the philanthropic foundation of His Royal Highness Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.

The featured speakers and participants at the Global Business Forum will include:

• The Honorable William J. Clinton, 42nd President of the United States
• Bill Gates, Co-Founder, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations
• Jack Ma, Executive Chairman, Alibaba Group
• Lloyd Blankfein, CEO and Chairman, Goldman Sachs
• Laurence Fink, CEO and Chairman, BlackRock
• Jim Kim, President, World Bank Group
• Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund
• Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever
• Indra K. Nooyi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo
• David Rubenstein, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, The Carlyle Group
• Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO, SoftBank Group Corp
• Mary Callahan Erdoes, CEO, J.P. Morgan Asset & Wealth Management
• Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild, Chair, E.L. Rothschild
• Aliko Dangote, President and CEO, Dangote Industries Limited
• John Elkann, Chairman and CEO, EXOR
• Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group
• Ajay Banga, President and CEO, Mastercard
• Arif Naqvi, Founder and Group Chief Executive, The Abraaj Group
• Euisun Chung, Vice Chairman, Hyundai Motor Company
• Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah, Chairwoman, Henkel
• Eileen Murray, Co-CEO, Bridgewater Associates
• Isabelle Kocher, Chief Executive Officer, ENGIE

More than 30 world leaders representing all regions including G20 countries are confirmed to attend, including: Antigua and Barbuda; Bhutan; Republic of Botswana; Burkina Faso; Colombia; Côte d'Ivoire; Croatia; Georgia; Hungary; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Mali; Malta; Mexico; Mongolia; Italy; Pakistan; Republic of Palau; Peru; Singapore; Turkey; Republic of Seychelles; Zambia; and the EU. Many others, including additional featured speakers, will be announced prior to the forum.

"Global trade has lifted hundreds of millions of people around the world out of poverty, but there's more that we can do. Alibaba is proud to help make globalization more inclusive, enabling young people, small businesses, and developing countries around the world to share in its benefits," said Jack Ma, Executive Chairman of the Alibaba Group.

The Global Business Forum will comprise a series of keynotes and conversations with global experts and leaders to further inspire and support plans for business and government collaboration for economic growth. Country and business announcements resulting from the Global Business Forum programming and smaller, private meetings are also expected.

The 2017 Global Business Forum program will feature topics such as:

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UNFPA Regional Ambassador Stephanie Linus Visits Ghana

UNFPA Regional Ambassador Stephanie Linus Visits Ghana

Stephanie Linus, the UNFPA Regional Ambassador for Maternal Health in West and Central Africa has taken her advocacy message to Ghana.

The award winning actress and movie director who is still in the West African country is attending a series of events on the invitation of UNFPA Ghana under the leadership of Mr. Niyi Ojuolape; UNFPA Ghana Representative, to advocate for quality maternal health care for women and young girls, resource mobilization for quality healthcare service delivery and encourage policies that protect the rights and dignity of the girl child.

So far, she has held a press conference, visited Radio & TV Stations and paid a courtesy call to the Minister of Gender, Child and Social Protection Hon. Otiko Afisah Djaba. Today, she will be meeting with a coalition of youth organization to discuss some of these advocacy issues and will also attend the Glitz Style Awards later tonight.

Mrs Linus continues to use her platform to speak out against harmful cultural practices, tackle prejudice and push the world to do more to empower women and girls with the freedom, education and equal rights they deserve.

Progenitor of Igbos Came from the Sky Before the Deluge - Igbo Professors

Progenitor of Igbos Came from the Sky Before the Deluge - Igbo Professors

Did you know that two Igbo Professors, Adiele Eberechukwu Afigbo (22 November 1937 – 9 March 2009) and Catherine Obianuju Acholonu (26 October 1951 – 18 March 2014) said Igbos originated from Nephilims, offspring of the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men" before the Deluge, according to Genesis 6:4 of the Holy Bible. That they landed on south eastern Nigeria from the sky even before the birth of Abraham.  They were descendants from the Fallen Angels. Therefore, these two Igbo scholars dismissed the myth of Igbos  being Jews.  In fact, the hypothesis of Professors Afigbo and Acholonu is in accordance with the myth of Ọ̀ràézè Ǹrì or Kingdom of Nri that Nri's royal founder, Eri, is said to be a 'sky being' that came down to earth and then established their civilization.

The origin of Benin people is also traced to the Igodomigodo Kingdom of Ogiso sky-kings whose descendant, Prince Ekaladerhan later became Izoduwa or Oduduwa, the first Oni in uhe (Ilé-Ifẹ̀). No wonder they said: "Oduduwa was an emissary from the community of Oke-Ora (Ora mountain), the easternmost part of the Ife cultural area towards the Northeastern Ijesa people. He descended from the Hills on a chain, earning the oriki 'atewonro' meaning 'one who descends on a chain."
These Nephilims landed in the same location of Igboland and Igodomigodo. Now you know who built the Eredo, the largest man made structure on earth reported to be 160 kilometres long and in places tower seven storeys high, complete with guardhouses, moats and garrison barracks. They enclose an area the size of Greater London, or 30 times bigger than Manhattan. https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg16322035-100-the-african-queen/

Genesis 6:4: The Nephilim were in the earth in those days and also after that when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men and they bore children to them; the same were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.

Numbers 13:33 And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim and we were in our sight as grasshoppers and so we were in their sight.’

Read about the shocking discovery of "Mysterious GIANT Coffins Discovered in Egypt Near Pyramid of Giza May Prove Existence of The Biblical Nephilim" on https://christiantruther.com/fallen/nephilim/giant-coffins-egypt-biblical-nephilim/.

The video of the recent discovery of giant skeletons shocked the world.
The discoveries confirm the scriptures of the Holy Bible.

~ By EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima, author of " The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Dream", "The Prophet Lied", "Scarlet Tears of London", "In the House of Dogs", "Diary of the Memory Keeper" and other books. https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima.

The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Dream: My Testimony on the 2015 Presidential Election
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The ignorance or stupidity of one person can cause the destruction of millions of innocent people.
~ Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima