Twitter handle stolen

Twitter username @N - which had allegedly been stolen - has been returned to its original owner.
Naoki Hiroshima, who had held the Twitter handle since 2007, claimed last month that a hacker had stolen it.
He had said at the time that someone took control of his other online accounts and threatened to compromise data and websites owned by him, forcing him to give up the handle.
On Wednesday, Mr Hiroshima tweeted: "Order has been restored".
"This is a happy ending not only for me but also for sane employees and loyal users of Twitter's. Congrats to those, too," he added.
However, he did not mention how he got back the control of the handle.
In a previous blog post Mr Hiroshima had claimed that he had earlier been offered $50,000 (£30,000) to sell it and people had tried to "steal" it before.
Mr Hiroshima said his Twitter name was considered rare as it only contains one character.

Arrest of US jaywalker prompts outcry

Arrest of US jaywalker prompts outcry http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-echochambers-26332319

BOKO HARAM CLOSES NORTHERN BORDERS

BOKO HARAM CLOSES NORTHERN BORDERS
Boko Haram: Nigeria closes northern border with Cameroon A woman walks past burnt houses after an attack by Boko Haram Islamists on February 20, 2014 in the northeast Nigerian town of Bama (AFP/File) YOLA, Nigeria (Reuters) – Nigeria has sealed its northern border with Cameroon in an effort to shut out Islamist militants using its neighbor as a launchpad for attacks, the military said on Sunday. The closure extends from northern Borno state, by Lake Chad, to the southern end of Adamawa state, around halfway along Nigeria’s 1,500-mile border with Cameroon. Both states are covered by a state of emergency that President Goodluck Jonathan declared last May as part of an offensive meant to crush Islamist sect Boko Haram. “To effectively curtail the activities of the insurgents, the Cameroon border in the northeast has been closed indefinitely,” Brigadier-General Rogers Ibe Nicholas said in a statement. The Islamists, whose struggle for an Islamic state in northern Nigeria has killed thousands and made them the biggest threat to security in Africa’s top oil producer, are currently based in the hilly Gwoza area next to Cameroon. Nigerian security officials say they often launch deadly attacks then flee over the border to avoid being pursued. They killed more than 200 people in two attacks last week on villages, prompting renewed criticisms that military action has failed to neutralize them.

Google unveils 3D smartphone

Google has unveiled a prototype smartphone with "customised hardware and software" that enables it to create 3D maps of a user's surroundings.
The device's sensors allow it make over 250,000 3D measurements every second and update its position in real-time.
Google said potential applications may include indoor mapping, helping the visually-impaired navigate unfamiliar indoor places unassisted and gaming.
It has offered 200 prototypes to developers keen to make apps for it.
Google said its Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) unit developed the phone as part of a project called Project Tango with help from researchers at various institutions.
"We are physical beings that live in a 3D world. Yet, our mobile devices assume that physical world ends at the boundaries of the screen," the firm said.
"The goal of Project Tango is to give mobile devices a human-scale understanding of space and motion.
"We're ready to put early prototypes into the hands of developers that can imagine the possibilities and help bring those ideas into reality," it added.

Market turmoil to donate G20

Stock market and currency turbulence in emerging markets like Brazil and Indonesia are expected to feature at this weekend's G20 finance ministers' meeting in Sydney.
The official theme of the meeting is restoring global growth.
But the main issue for participants, which also include Argentina, could be the dramatic revaluation of their currencies and share markets.
Investors are returning to the US as it winds down its ultra-easy money stance.

Pope francis to appoint cardinale

Pope Francis is due to appoint 19 new cardinals at a ceremony in Rome - the first such appointments of his papacy.
Cardinals are the most senior Roman Catholic clergymen below the pontiff.
Correspondents says the inclusion of prelates from places like Haiti and Burkina Faso reflects the Argentine Pope's commitment to the poor.
The new cardinals will receive the traditional red hat and robes at a formal ceremony known as a consistory.
Sixteen of the new appointees are under 80, making them eligible to enter a conclave to elect the Pope's successor.
The new cardinals come from 12 countries, including Spain, Italy and Germany.
Among them will be the head of the Catholic church in England and Wales, Archbishop Vincent Nichols.
Five are from Latin America and the Caribbean.
They will formally be inducted at a ceremony that is due to start at 11:00 local time (10:00 GMT).
The BBC's David Willey in Rome says Pope Francis' appointments are being seen as a clear attempt to share decision-making in the church.
The Pope is encouraging cardinals - old and new - to think outside the box in formulating new policies for the Catholic Church, our correspondent adds.
The new recruits will join the more than 100-strong College of Cardinals, which has been meeting in plenary session behind closed doors at the Vatican for the past two days.

Matteo Renzi has been sworn in

Italian centre-left politician Matteo Renzi has been sworn in as prime minister.
At 39, the Democratic Party leader is Italy's youngest-ever PM.
On Friday he formally accepted the mandate to lead a new government and named his cabinet.
He ousted Prime Minister and party colleague Enrico Letta in a vote earlier this month. Mr Renzi said his coalition would give "hope" to the economically-stagnant country.
He has promised to overhaul the jobs market and the tax and education systems within four months.
Half of the new cabinet are women.
Announcing his team on Friday, he said: "It's a government that will start to work from tomorrow morning."

Venezula madiro seeks obamas talks

Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro has invited US President Barack Obama to join him in talks aimed at resolving the problems between the two countries.
Mr Maduro said the meeting would help "put the truth out on the table".
He has accused US conservatives and media organisations of plotting to overthrow his government.
Earlier on Friday Venezuela revoked the accreditations of CNN reporters covering the country's crisis. Eight people have died in recent protests.
In a news conference on Friday, Mr Maduro said: "I call for a dialogue between Venezuela and the United States and its government.
"Let's initiate a high-level dialogue and let's put the truth out on the table."

Police kills banker

According to reports and tweets from David Ekpo, a staff of Ecobank, Babatunde Oke was allegedly killed in police custody yesterday. Tunde (pictured above), who worked at the Ladipo Oluwole, Ogba branch of the bank, had been accused of fraud and handed over to the police.

Davido Ekpo claims Tunde died after severe torture by the police. He leaves behind a wife and two children, a 2 year old and a 5-month old. Continue to see more tweets...

Ukranain President is Unguarded due to protesters

The Kiev offices of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych are unguarded, with opposition protesters apparently in full control of the government district, say BBC correspondents.

The BBC's Kevin Bishop says he was able to walk straight into the courtyard.

Opposition leaders say President Yanukovych, whose whereabouts are unknown, must stand down immediately.

They have called for elections by 25 May - not by the end of December as envisaged in Friday's peace deal.

Despite the EU-mediated agreement signed on Friday, thousands of people have remained on the streets of Kiev.

Parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Rybak has resigned, citing ill health.

Vitaly Klitschko, leader of the opposition Udar party, told parliament as it met on Saturday: "We must, as the people demand, adopt a resolution calling on Yanukovych to immediately resign."

President Yanukovych is not in parliament - there are unconfirmed reports he has left Kiev, with suggestions that he has travelled to Kharkiv in the east, close to the Russian border.

On Thursday, police opened fire on protesters who have been occupying Independence Square in central Kiev. The health ministry said 77 people - both protesters and police - had been killed since Tuesday in the worst violence since protests began in November.

Our correspondent says there is no sign of security forces inside the previously heavily guarded presidential complex, though some government employees arrived for work.

Protesters are standing in the grounds of the building in disbelief, he adds.

One group of far-right protesters had threatened to take action if he did not resign by Saturday morning.

Canada beat usa in overtime thriller

Marie-Philip Poulin scored in overtime to give Canada a fourth successive Olympic women's ice hockey title at the expense of rivals USA, winning 3-2.

The forward, 22, had also struck in the final minute of the third period to deny USA what would have been a 2-1 win and their first hockey gold since 1998.

Meghan Duggan and Alex Carpenter gave the Americans a 2-0 advantage before Brianne Jenner pulled one back.

Poulin forced overtime before scoring the winner following a brilliant move.

Fellow forward Hayley Wickenheiser, 35, who has twice been named Most Valued Player at the Olympics, picked up her fourth Olympic gold.

Canada and USA have decided every gold medal game except one since women's ice hockey was added to Olympic programme in 1998. The one exception was in 2006 when Canada beat Sweden

Drug aboad captain philips ship

Drugs were found in the cabin where two US security workers were discovered dead on a ship made famous in the movie Captain Phillips, says a shipping firm.

Jeffrey Reynolds, 44, and Mark Kennedy, 43, were found on the Maersk Alabama in the Seychelles on Tuesday.

Their post-mortem examination results have not yet been released.

Both men were employed by Trident Group on the ship, which was hijacked by pirates in 2009, later dramatised in last year's movie starring Tom Hanks.

"We are saddened by the tragedy and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased men," Maersk Line Limited spokesman Kevin Speers wrote in a statement.

Dodged

Two Los Angeles Dodgers fans have been sentenced for the beating of a San Francisco Giants fan, which left the victim permanently disabled.

Louie Sanchez, 31, and Marvin Norwood, 33, received eight and four years respectively for the March 2011 attack outside the Dodger Stadium.

Father-of-two and former paramedic Bryan Stow, 45, was left brain damaged and in need of round-the-clock care.

The incident drew national attention to fan violence at US sporting events.

Money Missing

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday approved the appointment of Mr. Farouk Ahmed as Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency. The appointment, which takes immediate

effect, was announced in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati. Ahmed will take over from the incumbent Executive Secretary, Mr. Reginald Stanley, who is retiring after 35 years in service.

The incoming Executive Secretary, who hails from Sokoto State, is the current Managing Director of Nidas Marine Limited, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. The statement says Ahmed comes to his new job at the PPPRA with over 28 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry and a sound commercial and trading background having held senior positions in the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry including Manager, Crude Oil Programming, Nominations, and Shipping and Terminals.

Ahmed has also served as Executive Director (Commercial), Pipelines and Products Marketing Company Limited (PPMC). Jonathan thanked the outgoing Executive Secretary of the PPPRA for what he described as his meritorious service to the nation and wished him well in his future endeavours. Meanwhile, the President on Thursday summoned top officials of the NNPC to a closed-door meeting inside the Presidential Villa.

A source said the meeting, which was also attended by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Ahmed Makarfi; and the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, dwelt on the missing $20bn. Makarfi’s committee is currently investigating the alleged missing fund.

President and cbn gov

President Jonathan has suspended Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and has appointed an acting Governor, Dr Sarah Alade, the most senior Deputy Governor of the CBN. This was made known in a State House Press Statement released this morning. Find it below...
Having taken special notice of reports of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria and other investigating bodies, which indicate clearly that Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s tenure has been characterized by various acts of financial recklessness and misconduct which are inconsistent with the administration’s vision of a Central Bank propelled by the core values of focused economic management, prudence, transparency and financial discipline;
Being also deeply concerned about far-reaching irregularities under Mallam Sanusi’s watch which have distracted the Central Bank away from the pursuit and achievement of its statutory mandate; and  

Acting Governor, Dr Sarah Alade
Being determined to urgently re-position the Central Bank of Nigeria for greater efficiency, respect for due process and accountability, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has ordered the immediate suspension of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi from the Office of Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.  

Samdeboz blog™

DR SID GIVES FANS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN HIS SURULERE VIDEO

Dr said the Marvin™ cronner says his video of surulere that the song was dedicated to all poor-rich nigerians who have been through hell striving for a better tomorrow he say d video will be shot in the month of march

Samdebo.blogspot. com

GOODLUCK JONATHAN BRIBES HIS WAY TO 2015

The president of Nigeria Dr. Good luck Ebele Jonathan has done it again by bribing all agencies for the 2015 agency it all show that 2015 will be bloody due to the president of Nigeria Dr goodluck ebele Jonathan