86% of Nigerians opposed to excessive remuneration for National Assembly Members

86% of Nigerians opposed to excessive remuneration for National Assembly Members

Abuja, Nigeria. December 8, 2010 – An overwhelming majority of Nigerians are opposed to the huge salaries and allowances, which are currently being "earned" by members of the National Assembly. That is a major finding of the November edition of the groundbreaking monthly Snap Poll conducted by NOI Polls, the nation's leading opinion polling organisation. The poll also revealed that a significant proportion of Nigerians are very much aware of the controversial remuneration, which the media has labelled "jumbo pay."

Specifically, 88% of respondents in the survey say they object to the payment of huge amounts to the National Assembly members. Respondents were asked the question 'Have you heard about the recent controversy regarding the earnings of the National Assembly Members?' 79% answered 'Yes' while 20% said 'No.'

The findings are coming against the background of the high profile disagreement between Central Bank Governor, Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and the Senate over the actual percentage of the national budget devoted to servicing the National Assembly. The senators had objected to Mr. Sanusi's statement that a quarter of the country's overhead costs is spent on the national legislature, a claim from which the Central Bank Governor has refused to back down.

The findings suggest that beyond the specific issue of what the exact budgetary provision for the National Assembly is, there is widespread dissatisfaction in the country regarding what is generally perceived as excessive remuneration paid to members of the National Assembly.

Survey Methods

Respondents for the snap poll were randomly selected from a database of phone-owning Nigerians aged 15 and above, compiled by NOI Polls. 1,012 people took part in the telephone interviews from the 15th to 17th of November 2010. For a sample of this size, we can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points. The margin of error reflects the influence of data weighting. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

See other important NOI Polls:

Nigerians favour Strong Opposition

Confidence in the Judiciary High

Happy New Year 2011

Photo Credit: Trendz Info

Happy New Year 2011!


We give all the glory to God for protecting and saving our beautiful and wonderful life to see the dawn of another year and we trust HIM to continue to see us through in the coming years and decades!





We thank God 24/7!

31 Dec 2010 10:00 Africa/Lagos



The Top Baby Names of 2010 Revealed

LONDON, December 31, 2010/PRNewswire/ -- Katie and Amy have fallen out of the list of the top 20 female christian names, it emerged yesterday (30th January 2010).

The monikers of troubled stars Katie Price and Amy Winehouse have been replaced by prettier and less infamous names, Maisie and Isabella.

The highest climber in the list of the most popular girls' names in the UK today is Bella, due in no small part to the lead character in Twilight, played by actress Kristen Stewart. Lacey, as in EastEnders actress Lacey Turner, is also on the up, soaring from number 57 up to 37. Florence is also becoming increasingly popular, moving up 33 places, as is Maisy.

Olivia is still top after 3 years and Sophie is still second. Lily is now third, up from 8th place, with Emily and Ruby completing the top five.

In the boys list Jack has finally been bumped off top spot by Oliver after 16 years in first place. Jack is now second while Harry, Charlie and Alfie, all non-movers, make up the top five.

Another bad year for F1 ace Lewis Hamilton has seen the popularity of his first name drop from 13th to 19th place, whilst his singer girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger fares even worse, with the name Nicole dropping seven places down the girls list to 84th place.

Ollie emerged as the biggest climber - up 56 places to number 53 - while Zachary, perhaps inspired by High School Musical's Zac Efron or even the son of jungle queen Stacey Soloman, has also become more common.

Bobby - the name of the late Jade Goody's son - is another big climber, up 25 places to number 70. And Kai - Coleen and Wayne Rooney's son has stepped up 10 places to number 56, despite his father's indiscretions.

The list was compiled by parenting club Bounty from names given to 423,000 children born in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland during 2010.

Yesterday, Faye Mingo, spokeswoman for bounty.com (http://www.bounty.com/) said: ''Our records show that parents are continuing to be influenced by popular culture and celebrity trends.

"The remarkable rise in popularity of names such as Ollie and Florence are most probably due to the X Factor star Olly Murs and the singer from Florence and the Machine experiencing their time in the limelight.

"However, parents are looking to a wide range of sources for influence and also seem to be rediscovering more traditional, 'old-fashioned' names like Ava and Stanley which have been more associated with grandparents in the past.

"Biblical names are also proving popular with Noah rising 20 places to 15th place and Jacob up 7, just missing the top ten."

Olivia is enjoying its third year in top spot after deposing Grace in 2008.

Jessica climbed one place to sixth, while Chloe dropped from fifth to seventh. Ava made it into the top ten for the first time while Grace slipped to ninth from sixth.

Amelia completed the top ten. Lucy was a non-mover at 13 while the next four places were all taken up by new names, including Isabella which climbed eight places to 14th.

Megan, Isla and Freya have all become more popular as has Lilly, most probably inspired by the singer Lily Allen.

On the boys list Jack finally surrendered top spot to Oliver but very little of the rest of the top ten changed. William climbed one spot to eighth as did Daniel to ninth while James slipped two to tenth.

Other names we will be hearing more regularly includes Logan, which climbed seven places to 17th and Oscar, which moved up four to 22nd.

Callum and Liam seem to have had their day - they were the biggest fallers in the top 30, seven and nine places respectively.

And new entries into the bounty.com top 100 lists were Esme, Courtney, Jude, Elliot and Stanley.

Faye Mingo added: "A recent study we ran found that one in five parents regret the names they have chosen for their children, so it's more important than ever for parents to choose a name them and their child will love for the rest of their life.

"It's hard to predict what we'll see next year but it's most probable that celebrities and popular culture will again play a part - and with a royal wedding on the horizon we may well see an increase in Williams and Kates born in celebration!"

See the Top 100 boys and girls names of 2010 and check the latest regional popularity (http://www.bounty.com/baby-names/regional-names) ratings at Bounty's baby names (http://www.bounty.com/baby-names) section which features a host of unique and handy functions to help parents decide on baby names. As well as being able to search names using letters of the alphabet (http://www.bounty.com/baby-names/names-beginning-with), number of syllables, origin, and meaning, parents can also search trend graphs which show if names are declining/growing in popularity as well as popular sibling/middle names for their chosen name, amongst a host of other useful tools.


TOP 100 BOYS NAMES 2010

1. Oliver
2. Jack
3. Harry
4. Charlie
5. Alfie
6. Thomas
7. Joshua
8. William
9. Daniel
10. James
11. Jacob
12. George
13. Ethan
14. Lucas
15. Noah
16. Max
17. Logan
18. Joseph
19. Lewis
20. Dylan
21. Samuel
22. Oscar
23. Ryan
24. Archie
25. Riley
26. Jayden
27. Tyler
28. Jake
29. Callum
30. Liam
31. Alexander
32. Connor
33. Luke
34. Adam
35. Benjamin
36. Matthew
37. Leo
38. Finley
39. Jamie
40. Alex
41. Freddie
42. Mason
43. Harrison
44. Henry
45. Ben
46. Harvey
47. Nathan
48. Isaac
49. Cameron
50. Aaron
51. Theo
52. Edward
53. Ollie
54. Finlay
55. Owen
56. Kai
57. Harley
58. Aiden
59. Michael
60. Toby
61. Sam
62. Leon
63. Kyle
64. David
65. Rhys
66. Evan
67. Bailey
68. Reece
69. Zachary
70. Bobby
71. Ashton
72. Kian
73. Sebastian
74. Luca
75. Kayden
76. Louis
77. Zac
78. Taylor
79. Brandon
80. John
81. Hayden
82. Billy
83. Caleb
84. Jude
85. Blake
86. Joe
87. Louie
88. Jay
89. Christopher
90. Joel
91. Bradley
92. Ellis
93. Corey
94. Elliot
95. Zak
96. Robert
97. Stanley
98. Aidan
99. Jenson
100. Patrick

TOP 100 GIRLS NAMES 2010

1. Olivia
2. Sophie
3. Lily
4. Emily
5. Ruby
6. Jessica
7. Chloe
8. Ava
9. Grace
10. Amelia
11. Mia
12. Evie
13. Lucy
14. Isabella
15. Maisie
16. Poppy
17. Daisy
18. Ellie
19. Ella
20. Megan
21. Isla
22. Freya
23. Charlotte
24. Lilly
25. Summer
26. Isabelle
27. Holly
28. Sophia
29. Millie
30. Erin
31. Katie
32. Amy
33. Scarlett
34. Hannah
35. Lexi
36. Imogen
37. Lacey
38. Molly
39. Eva
40. Brooke
41. Lola
42. Phoebe
43. Layla
44. Emma
45. Leah
46. Abigail
47. Sienna
48. Gracie
49. Amber
50. Jasmine
51. Alice
52. Matilda
53. Elizabeth
54. Anna
55. Madison
56. Rosie
57. Paige
58. Lauren
59. Isabel
60. Bethany
61. Caitlin
62. Georgia
63. Faith
64. Lexie
65. Florence
66. Rebecca
67. Niamh
68. Zoe
69. Maya
70. Skye
71. Maddison
72. Tilly
73. Keira
74. Scarlet
75. Tia
76. Amelie
77. Libby
78. Sofia
79. Sarah
80. Aimee
81. Isobel
82. Esme
83. Zara
84. Nicole
85. Julia
86. Martha
87. Maisy
88. Heidi
89. Abbie
90. Mya
91. Darcy
92. Rose
93. Eleanor
94. Kayla
95. Miley
96. Hollie
97. Eve
98. Bella
99. Evelyn
100. Courtney

TOP 100 BOYS NAMES 2009

1. Jack
2. Oliver
3. Charlie
4. Harry
5. Alfie
6. Thomas
7. Joshua
8. William
9. James
10. Daniel
11. George
12. Ethan
13. Lewis
14. Max
15. Lucas
16. Dylan
17. Archie
18. Joseph
19. Jacob
20. Samuel
21. Liam
22. Callum
23. Oscar
24. Jayden
25. Logan
26. Ryan
27. Jake
28. Tyler
29. Riley
30. Luke
31. Harvey
32. Ben
33. Adam
34. Alexander
35. Benjamin
36. Leo
37. Matthew
38. Noah
39. Connor
40. Alex
41. Jamie
42. Harrison
43. Mason
44. Cameron
45. Owen
46. Henry
47. Nathan
48. Finley
49. Aaron
50. Freddie
51. Issac
52. Sam
53. Finlay
54. Theo
55. Harley
56. Aiden
57. Toby
58. Edward
59. Rhys
60. Michael
61. Evan
62. Kyle
63. Leon
64. Reece
65. David
66. Kai
67. Ashton
68. Bailey
69. Kian
70. Louis
71. Taylor
72. Hayden
73. Brandon
74. Joe
75. Jay
76. Luca
77. Kayden
78. Ewan
79. Joel
80. Sebastian
81. Zac
82. Ellis
83. Josh
84. Aidan
85. John
86. Billy
87. Zak
88. Bradley
89. Kieran
90. Blake
91. Christopher
92. Morgan
93. Caleb
94. Louie
95. Andrew
96. Bobby
97. Gabriel
98. Robert
99. Elliot
100.Jude

TOP 100 GIRLS NAMES 2009

1. Olivia
2. Ruby
3. Sophie
4. Chloe
5. Emily
6. Grace
7. Jessica
8. Lily
9. Amelia
10. Evie
11. Mia
12. Lucy
13. Ava
14. Ella
15. Charlotte
16. Amy
17. Daisy
18. Katie
19. Megan
20. Summer
21. Ellie
22. Isabella
23. Holly
24. Millie
25. Poppy
26. Freya
27. Erin
28. Isla
29. Isabelle
30. Hannah
31. Emma
32. Brooke
33. Molly
34. Phoebe
35. Eva
36. Leah
37. Lilly
38. Abigail
39. Sophia
40. Imogen
41. Maisie
42. Scarlett
43. Lexi
44. Jasmine
45. Lola
46. Layla
47. Isabel
48. Lauren
49. Amber
50. Madison
51. Matilda
52. Elizabeth
53. Bethany
54. Sienna
55. Rosie
56. Anna
57. Gracie
58. Paige
59. Alice
60. Caitlin
61. Georgia
62. Maddison
63. Rebecca
64. Lacey
65. Isobel
66. Faith
67. Libby
68. Tia
69. Keira
70. Lexie
71. Niamh
72. Skye
73. Nicole
74. Aimee
75. Sarah
76. Zoe
77. Eleanor
78. Amelie
79. Julia
80. Eve
81. Maya
82. Tilly
83. Zara
84. Martha
85. Sofia
86. Scarlet
87. Darcy
88. Abbie
89. Victoria
90. Heidi
91. Alexandra
92. Taylor
93. Miley
94. Kayla
95. Mya
96. Lydia
97. Florence
98. Evelyn
99. Rose
100. Courtney

Notes to Editors:

- The top 100 boys and girls names lists were compiled using data
collated from the registered births of Bounty Parenting Club members in
2010

- Bounty (http://www.bounty.com) is the UK's favourite parenting club,
providing information, support and products for young families
throughout the four key-life stages: pre-birth, birth, toddlers and
pre-school

- With 2.5 million members and over 50,000 new members joining
every month, Bounty reaches 9 out of 10 new and expectant parents in
the UK through its Bounty bag sampling

- http://www.bounty.com has 750,000 opted-in members and a further
28,000 new members joining each month
- http://www.bounty.com/baby-names features a host of unique and
handy new functions and tools to help you decide on baby names.
Whether your heart is set on a name and you want to find out more about
its origin or meaning, have absolutely no idea how to go about choosing
a name or simply want to find a name rated by others as 'cool' or
'exotic', Bounty.com is the go-to site for all your naming needs. In
just one click you can search:

- Regional mapping (search the popularity of names throughout the UK
based on where you live)

- Middle names (search for names that are most commonly used as middle
names with your chosen first name)

- Sibling names (search for common sibling names alongside your chosen
first name)

- Rate names according to how 'cool', 'great', 'traditional', 'exotic',
'unique' they are

- Find out nick-names, explore famous people names, and characters
featured in books, TV or film

- Find out who else likes the names you do and ask friends and family to
confidentially rate your favourite names

- Name trend graph showing if names are in declining/growing in
popularity

- Search using letters of the alphabet, number of syllables, origin, and
meaning

- Collate your own 'shopping basket' of preferred names

Source: Bounty UK Ltd

For further information please contact Rachel Burrows on +44-(0)1707-294000, or email rburrows@bounty.com

The Tears of Chairman Mao

Photo Credit: Robert L. Peters.

The Tears of Chairman Mao


What is going on in the People's Republic of China (PRC), today will make Chairman Mao turn in his grave, because the Great Wall of the Red Empire is crumbling fast as capitalism undermines communism in the laissez-faire of free market economy and made China the country with the second largest population of billionaires in the world, just behind the US.
So, how can the so called communist leaders explain that to us?


How can a socialist state with a so called communist manifesto boast of billionaires while millions of their compatriots are ravaged by poverty? Who is following whom? Is someone not robbing Zedong to pay Deng? While the rich Deng is smiling all the way to the bank, the cheated, exploited and oppressed poor Zedong is gnashing his teeth and biting his cracked lips sweating in the factory earning only $1 daily.

One of the oldest civilizations in the world that once prided herself as an invincible communist state is fast becoming the largest market of capitalism since she has left her doors wide open to capitalist nations of the West, Middle East, Africa and her Asian neighbours of Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, India and others flocking to buy and sell their goods in the most populous country in the world.

The communist icon Deng Xiaoping is credited for the free market economic reformation and transformation of China since he dumped the Maoism of his former comrade Mao Zedong, the legendary revolutionary Marxist popularly revered as Chairman Mao. But the so called free market economy has left the majority of the peasants in rural China behind.


See what market economy has done to China.

203 million people— live on less than $1 a day.
593 million people— live on less than $2 a day.

There is rampant child abuse as poor children often work 14 hours a day, seven days a week, and sleep by their machines in the factories.

Boys in Green Mountain City get paid about 18 cents a load for carrying 55 pound bags of coal up a mountain. Even in the cities, a school teacher with a salary of $50 a month—good by Chinese standards—might have to save for two years to be able to afford a bicycle. Married couples often live apart, sometimes in opposite corners of the country, working at different places. The only time they get to see each other is during holidays, three weeks a year.
~ Click here for more facts.


The Chinese Dream of Chairman Mao has been turned into a nightmare by those who have hijacked the loot of free market economy dining and wining like Hollywood stars as they regale themselves in their luxurious comfort zones in Beijing and Shanghai while their victims languishing in poverty in the provinces of Gansu and Guizhou are not different from the impoverished masses in Haiti and Sudan.


Many poor Chinese abhor the new millionaires who exploit tax breaks, child labor and financial privileges to get rich quick. "Red-eye disease" describes jealousy brought about being left out but seeing others get rich quick. One orange farmer in Hunan told Time, "Rich entrepreneurs spend the equivalent of my annual income in one night at a karaoke bar."


Millions of poor peasants who toil daily in rural China are grumbling in angst filled with bitterness and sadness, because they are disgusted by the affluence of the rich folks in urban China. They wished they were back in the good old days of Chairman Mao.

"They feel that though life was hard in those years, it was more or less egalitarian, and people had the right to, moreover, to stop the wrongdoing of bureaucrats. But now the gap between rich and poor is growing wider and wider. Millions of workers in state owned factories have lost their jobs or are only partially paid. Retirement pensions are constantly in arrears. The peasants have been suffering under increasing financial burdens, sometimes including extortion at the hands of local officials. Corruption and abuse of power have run wild," said dissident Liu Binyan, expressing the provocative plight of the poor masses in China and thousands of them are committing suicide.


It has been reported that around 287,000 Chinese kill themselves every year.


Is this the dream of Chairman Mao?

The capitalists controlling modern China and the hypocritical pseudo communist leaders have betrayed the people, because they have failed to “Serve the People” as commanded by Mao Zedong in the speech he delivered on September 8, 1944.

The so called economic prosperity of China is only the masquerade of hypocrisy of the rulers in the Communist Party of China (CPC)) and their beneficiaries whose palatial homes and towers of mercantilism are not different from the whited sepulchres of the Pharisees denounced by Jesus Christ.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

~ Matthew 23:27 (King James Version)

Chairman Mao is not resting in peace, but turning in his grave and shedding tears for the millions of poor peasants in rural China who may be starving into the New Year.



~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

Call for Entries for 2011 Poster Design Competition

The Art Institutes and Americans for the Arts Issue Call for Entries for 2011 Poster Design Competition

Eighth Annual Competition Asks High School Seniors to Demonstrate Why “Life is Better With Art in It”




PITTSBURGH, PA (DECEMBER 29, 2010) /PRNewswire/ — The Art Institutes and Americans for the Arts today announced they are seeking entries for their eighth annual Poster Design Competition. The Competition challenges entrants to submit a poster that addresses the theme, “Life is better with art in it.” The national winners will earn up to a full-tuition scholarship to one of The Art Institutes schools.

In partnership with Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts, The Art Institutes annual Poster Design Competition provides design-minded students an opportunity to study at one of the more than 45 Art Institutes schools.

The competition is open to high school seniors in the U.S., Canada (excluding Quebec) and Puerto Rico. The deadline to submit entries is February 4, 2011. Full entry requirements can be viewed at www.artinstitutes.edu/postercompetition.

According to John Mazzoni, president of The Art Institutes, “The Poster Design Competition provides a venue for high school seniors to channel their design talents into an opportunity to earn a tuition scholarship.” With every year of the competition, Mr. Mazzoni says, “students’ entries become more creative and inspired.”

“The Poster Design Competition brings out and showcases a diverse pool of remarkably talented high school students,” says Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “The entry pieces are not only vibrant and exciting, but also a great reminder of how much art can touch us in our everyday lives.”

To learn more about The Art Institutes and Americans for the Arts Poster Design Competition, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/postercompetition.

The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu) is a system of more than 45 education institutions located throughout North America. The Art Institutes system is America’s Leader in Creative Education providing an important source for design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. Several institutions included in The Art Institutes system are campuses of South University.

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of 50 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.

Media Contacts:
Jacquelyn P. Muller
Vice President – Communications/Public Relations

The Art Institutes
Office: 412.995.7262
jpmuller@aii.edu

Devra Pransky
Sr. Director of Communications
The Art Institutes
Office: 412.995.7685
dpransky@aii.edu

Best & Worst of 2010: Facebook is Top Search Term in 2010

Social network site http://www.facebook.com/Facebook top-visited Website in 2010.

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
30 Dec 2010
18:06	American Lung Association Selects Eleven Biggest 'Clean Air' Events of 2010
19:00	Top 10 Automotive Stories of 2010: Toyota's Nightmare Year Selected As #1
29 Dec 2010
23:33	Facebook was the Top Search Term in 2010 for Second Straight Year
15:00	The Baby Names A-List: BabyCenter® Announces Favorite (And Least Favorite) Celebrity Baby Names of 2010
28 Dec 2010
17:01	Top Movies of 2010: Redbox Counts Down the Year's Top Rentals
21 Dec 2010
15:44	AARP The Magazine Announces the Top 10 Movies For Grownups® of 2010
20 Dec 2010
21:08	Crisis Expert and Author David Margulies Picks Best and Worst Crisis Management in 2010
15:04	The Ten Worst Media Disasters of 2010
13 Dec 2010
16:01	British Petroleum, Toyota and National Public Radio Top 2010 PR Blunders
15 Dec 2010
21:01	eBossWatch Publishes 2010 List of America's Worst Bosses
14 Dec 2010
14:00	Phil Lempert Names the Best and Worst Food Products of 2010
8 Dec 2010
06:01	Motor Press Guild Announces 2010 Dean Batchelor Award Winners
6 Dec 2010
17:00	McGraw-Hill Construction Announces 2010 Best of the Best Awards
15:00	Wine.com Releases Top 100 List; Reports Record Holiday Sales
16 Nov 2010
18:56	Hudson Booksellers Announces the Best Books of 2010

Photo Credits:

http://www.irishhealth.com/

http://www.mmorpg.com/newsroom.cfm/read/19116

Britain's Top 2011 Resolutions Revealed

30 Dec 2010 15:59 Africa/Lagos


Britain's Top 2011 Resolutions Revealed

DUBLIN, December 30, 2010/PRNewswire/ --

- New Research Suggests Young People Want to be Smarter Savers and New Year's Priorities Differ by Region

An online poll of over 2000 British men and women released today from PopCap Games revealed Britain's top new year's resolutions for 2011.

While some of the resolutions may not come as a surprise, what is surprising is that, of those who plan to make a new year's resolution in 2011, the top resolutions are almost exactly identical for both men and women:

1. To lose weight/keep fit - 38% (35% men; 41% women)

2. To reduce stress and enjoy life more/have more fun - 23% (24% men; 23% women)

3. To save money - 15% (15% men; 15% women)

AGE DIFFERENCE

While men and women are agreed on these three resolutions, there is a marked point of difference among the age groups when it comes to their top priority resolution. Of those polled who plan to make resolutions, young people aged 18-24 are Britain's most committed savers (29%) but they are least committed to reducing their stress or having more fun (16%); while people aged 55+ are the most committed to reducing stress or having more fun (31%) and those over 55 least concerned with saving (9%). In fact, across all age groups who are planning to make resolutions, the research revealed a rough trend that as people get older they are less concerned with saving money as their top priority resolution and more committed to reducing stress and enjoying their lives:


Click here for details.

Top 10 Mobile Industry Execs to Watch in 2011

Sanjiv Ahuja


Top 10 Mobile Industry Execs to Watch in 2011

Here are our picks for the people to watch in mobile in 2011 -- folks that may not be your radar now, but definitely should be (in alphabetical order):

1. Sanjiv Ahuja, chairman and CEO, LightSquared
This Long Term Evolution (LTE) startup operator has the potential to shake up the US mobile broadband scene with its wholesale, hybrid terrestrial/satellite model. Ahuja is no stranger to the C-level -- as a former CEO of France Telecom SA (NYSE: FTE)'s Orange mobile operation from 2004 to 2007 -- but can he deliver the promise of LighSquared? (See Harbinger Hatches LTE Challenger in US, LightSquared Lands $850M for LTE Build , and LightSquared Names LTE Suppliers.)

2. Tony Bates, CEO, Skype Ltd.
Why? Well, the first LTE networks are live now and none of them can deliver voice services. Until operators resolve how to deliver voice over LTE (VoLTE), there is an opportunity for over-the-top voice providers like Bates's Skype to step in and fill that service gap. So will they, or can they, do it next year? (See LTE Voice Lag Leaves Operators Vulnerable , Operators Rally Round IMS for LTE Voice, Voice Over LTE & the 'IMS Gap', and MetroPCS Plots LTE Smartphones, VoLTE Trials.)

3. Bill Huang, general manager, China Mobile Communications Corp. 's Research Institute
Huang is the public face of Long Term Evolution Time Division Duplex (LTE TDD), which is the version of LTE championed by China Mobile. Next year is critical for LTE TDD as China Mobile expands its user trials and the mobile broadband technology is expected to take root in India. So what Huang says will be an important indication of the technology's maturation. (See Teeing Up LTE TDD and China Mobile Opens Up on LTE TDD Trials .)

4. Alexander Izosimov, group CEO, VimpelCom Ltd. (NYSE: VIP)
Izosimov is leading the charge to create a new emerging market mobile operator powerhouse through a $6.5 billion deal to merge VimpelCom with Weather Investments, which owns Orascom Telecom and Wind Telecomunicazioni SpA . (See Telenor Opposes VimpelCom Acquisition and VimpelCom Gets Wind.)

5. Manoj Kohli, CEO (International) and joint managing director, Bharti Airtel Ltd. (Mumbai: BHARTIARTL)
This is the exec tasked with taking Bharti Airtel's success in India and repeating it across Africa. As the world's fifth-largest mobile operator since it acquired Zain Group 's mobile operations in Africa for $10.7 billion, 2011 will be a big year as Kohli embarks on Bharti's African ambitions. (See Bharti Secures $10.7B African Acquisition, Bharti Shows Off New Physique, Airtel Rebrands Across Africa, Bharti's African Adventure, and Top 10 Movers & Shakers.)

6. IIja Laurs, CEO and founder, GetJar Networks Inc.
The mobile app market is hot, and Laurs founded and still leads the largest independent app store that is second only to Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL)'s App Store. His moves in 2011 will be exciting as he navigates his company through the intense market for mobile apps. (See AT&T Adds GetJar for App Attack and Pyramid: Mobile Apps on the Upswing.)

7. Paul Palmieri, CEO, Millennial Media
Palmieri's mobile advertising firm has reportedly caught the eye of Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; Toronto: RIM), which wants its own mobile ad network. So, Palmieri has dealmaker potential in 2011. (See RIM Wants Ads, Apple Doesn't, Apple: Ads Get the i Treatment, and Google Buys AdMob for $750M.)

8. Bhaskar Roy, co-founder and senior VP of product, Qik Inc.
Roy is one of the founders of mobile video chat specialist Qik and remains at the heart of the company's strategy and product development. So with competitors like ooVoo and fring emerging, how can Roy keep up the momentum for the company's mobile video app? We'll watch to find out! (See Top 10 Apps LTE Will Super-Charge, Leading Lights: Mobile Services/Apps Finalists, and Qik Touts Video Chat Explosion on Sprint's EVO.)

9. Rajeev Suri, CEO, Nokia Siemens Networks
In 2011, Suri's management skills will be tested as he contends with the integration of the Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT) wireless infrastructure business as well as reportedly dealing with a new ownership structure with the addition of private equity investors. How he executes the Motorola acquisition will affect to what extent the company can boost its position in the North American market, which it so longs to do. (See Might NSN Choke on Its Moto Morsel?, NSN to Buy Moto's Wireless Biz for $1.2B , Rumor: NSN Stake Sale Near, NSN CEO: Don't Write Our Obituary, and NSN Revamps SPIT Unit.)

10. Juan Villalonga
Yes, that Villalonga: the former Telefónica SA (NYSE: TEF) CEO who left the Spanish giant in the summer of 2000 amid allegations of insider trading and an investigation into his stock dealings by the Spanish securities and exchange commission. Now he's back and this time has a role as chairman of Switzerland-based mobile infrastructure software company Sunbay. What will he get into next?

— Michelle Donegan, European Editor, Light Reading Mobile

UN convoy attacked in Ivory Coast

Italy troubled by religious intolerance in Nigeria

A scene from the December 24, 2010, Jos terrorist bombings in Plateau state of Nigeria. Photo Credit: Gnaija.

28 Dec 2010 04:41 Africa/Lagos


Nigeria / Italy / Minister Frattini expresses concern over episodes of religious intolerance in Nigeria

ROME, December 27, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Foreign Minister Franco Frattini is following with great concern the dramatic news from Nigeria, where the recent serious episodes of religious intolerance have produced a sad toll of bloodshed.


“As the violence is linked to the profession of a religious creed, those universal principles of peace and goodwill which are the essence of each and every religion are being painfully undermined”, stated Fratttini.


“The firm condemnation of all forms of violence and intolerance is a crucial element of Italy's commitment to freedom of religion and religious tolerance”.


Minister Frattini concluded: “My profound sadness for the victims goes hand in hand with a strong appeal for moderation and peaceful co-existence between different faiths to prevail in Nigeria”.

Ivory Coast, Italian Development Cooperation sends kits


Foreign Minister Franco Frattini is following the situation in Ivory Coast very closely. His concern can be set against the effort by the international community, and the European Union in particular, to ensure that the grave tensions sweeping the country are dampened down. The only legitimate solution to achieve this end is the unconditional acceptance, without further delay, of the outcome of the presidential election held on 28 November.


The humanitarian crisis that has emerged in the wake of the political turmoil and which affects those who have sought refuge in the neighbouring countries of Liberia, Ghana and Guinea is a source of great concern. To make a concrete contribution to tackling the emergency, Minister Frattini has issued instructions to Italy's Development Cooperation to send medical kits to the region. These will support the response plan currently at an advanced state of preparation by the World Health Organisation.


The Development Cooperation medical kits were delivered recently to the United Nations Humanitarian Depot in Brindisi, and from there were shipped to the Depot in Accra. They will be distributed over the next few days to relieve the hardships of the local populations. The operation is worth about 300,000 euros in total.



Source: Italy - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
28 Dec 2010
04:41	Nigeria / Italy / Minister Frattini expresses concern over episodes of religious intolerance in Nigeria
04:41	Nigeria / Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on Nigeria
26 Dec 2010
15:30	Cote d'Ivoire / ECOWAS give a final warning to Mr. Laurent Gbabgo
24 Dec 2010
03:41	Côte d'Ivoire / Human Rights Council debates situation of Human Rights in Côte d'Ivoire
23 Dec 2010
22:05	Bristow Group Inc. Completes Redemption of Its 6 1/8% Senior Notes Due 2013
16:35	Cote d'Ivoire / Nigeria / USA / Readout of the President's Telephone Call with President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria
05:03	Côte d'Ivoire / Statement by Commissioner Reine Alapini-Gansou, Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire
04:56	La BID et la BAD signent un accord d'un milliard de dollars pour des projets communs

Nigeria’s Best Kept Beauty Secret

A Nigerian beauty Adaeze. Photo Credit: Nigerian Entertainment Today.

Do you know Nigeria’s best kept beauty secret?
I found it on the BEST YOU blog and you can find out the details from the following article.

Nigeria’s Best Kept Beauty Secret

Shea nuts. Photo Credit: My Bath House

When Moabong Oku left Nigeria 16 years ago, one beauty aid she brought with her was shea butter. It’s made from the nut of Africa’s karite tree, indigenous to some 20 countries in the dry savannah belt, called the Sahel, which stretches from West Senegal to Sudan.

Click here to find out more.