Shafay Thobani,8, youngest microsoft IT certificate prodigy

KARACHI: Shafay Thobani, an eight-year-old child has won the honour of being the world’s youngest Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist, Geo News reported.

Born on March 13, 2004, Shafay grew interested in computers ever since he was a baby.

On April 9, 2012, Shafay appeared in the Prometric test and secured 91 per cent marks, thus making him the world’s youngest Microsoft Certified Training Specialist (MCTS) at the age of eight years and 24 days.

The young man is certified professional in Microsoft Windows 7 Configuration and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2. Before appearing in the exam, he remained under training of Microsoft certified trainers for 13 months.

His trainer Faisal Durrani said it was a challenge for him to teach complicated concepts such as Domain Name System (DNS) and Internet Protocol (IP) address to a child as young as Shafay. “So we split the 40-hour course designed for grown-up IT specialists into 13 months for the child. We taught him by giving him easy examples in order to grasp the concepts. Teaching him for three to four hours everyday, we would also allow him breaks to let him be the normal kid that he is, swimming, playing football or rollerblading,” said Mr Durrani.

Speaking of the boy’s main areas of interest, Shafay’s father Dr. Shah Thobani said he liked network and communication programming. “He has already completed 65 per cent of Microsoft Hyper-V virtualization, too,” he added.

“Shafay was born in 2004, the same year Arfa was declared the world’s youngest Microsoft Certified Professional at the age of nine. Arfa was an inspiration for us and I hope that Shafay, too, would be a role model for more children to show their tremendous achievements,” Dr Thobani said.

Shafay said, “I am proud of myself and I will work for Pakistan in any way possible.”

Why we pulled out of CAN - Catholic Church

The Catholic Church yesterday warned that the emergence of a Northern president in the 2015 general election may not be the ultimate solution to the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.

It said rather than seeing the violent activities of the sect as “a religious and northern agenda,” all Nigerians must join hands, irrespective of their religious and ethnic affiliations, to fight the menace.

The Administrator, Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, Monsignor Christopher Ajala, who stated this at a press conference marking the 15th anniversary of the diocese in Abeokuta yesterday, spoke against the backdrop of last weekend’s attack on the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, by suspected Boko Haram members.

The cleric also warned that the insecurity ravaging some parts of the country may snowball into the Middle East crisis if not well handled.

Ajala observed that the election of a president of northern extraction in 2015, as being canvassed in some quarters, may not bring an end to the Boko Haram issue.

He said, “All of us should join hands to fight this evil. Book Haram is not just a religious affair, it’s political. People have been saying that. It is an international organization and well established and so, it cannot just be got rid off overnight.

“You mentioned that if a Northern president is elected that this will stop, I doubt it. It is very clear now that it’s not the northern leaders that are responsible. If an Emir could be attacked, the Sultan also could be attacked. So, it’s not just a northern leader leading us; that’s not the issue. This group has its own objectives and we should be united in fighting them. Northerners and southerners should be united in fighting this evil.”

The diocesan administrator averred that it had been difficult to dialogue with Boko Haram because its members are faceless.

He, however, urged the Federal Government not to relent in its efforts to exterminate the dreaded sect.

Speaking on why the Catholic Church suspended its activities in the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Monsignor Ajala said the Christian umbrella body was too close to government.

He alleged that the Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor-led CAN had derailed from the objectives of the body, adding that the Catholic Bishops Conference was not comfortable with the development, hence its decision to pull out.

His words: “The Catholic Church took their stand before the purchase or the aircraft was donated to him. But what the Catholic Bishops Conference is complaining about is about the way they are running the national CAN now that is not meeting the objectives and the goals of CAN and the forefathers of CAN.

“CAN is now being run as part of the government and we said no.

Because they (government) will dictate to us what to do and they will not take our advice seriously. The Catholic Church decided to withdraw from the activities of CAN at national level; we are still part of the state. We made our stand clear in November, last year, and by December, the man bought a jet. I don’t know how he got it but the president was there on that day the jet was delivered to him.

“So, what we are saying is that our religious leaders should be honest, upright and they should also be the conscience of this nation.

If you are bought, the masses of this country are finished. If you can use money to buy our religious leaders, then there is no hope for the common man. That is the Catholic Church’s stand. We are supposed to speak for the people to correct the wrongs in the society and assist every government to know the will of God for them and we still stand by that.”

Chelsea to sign Brooklyn Beckham after passing a trial

After news emerged that David Beckham's son Brooklyn has gone on trial at Chelsea, we unearthed this footage of Beckham Junior scoring his first ever goal at the home of the Blues' Mancunian rivals. Beckham senior was spotted at Chelsea's Cobham training ground watching his 13-year-old son in action in a low key game, apparently in order to show him what English football is like at that age level, but Brooklyn already has a goal at a major Premier League ground to his name.

Brooklyn's Chelsea trial will, however, come as a blow to the fans that greeted his lethal finish with cries of "Fergie, sign him up!"…

Governors visit Chime in london

        

An undated photo showing runaway governor of Enugu state, Sullivan Chime in the company of visiting governors of Benue, Rivers and Akwa Ibom in London.

I warned Keshi say's TB Joshua

Unknown to soccer loving Nigerians, Coach Stephen Keshi was warned to ensure that the Super Eagles did not concede a last minute goal in their AFCON Group C match against Burkina Faso yesterday.

The Nigerian team, that scored a first half goal through Emmanuel Emenike were close to winning their opening match at South Africa 2013 Nations Cup, but lost focus and allowed the Burkinabes equalised barely 10 seconds to the end of the match at Mbombela Stadium.

Just as millions of soccer pundits have critisised the Eagles’ approach to the match, Keshi’s spiritual confidant, Prophet TB Joshua said he spoke to the coach to tighten up his team’s rear, especially in the second half.

The leader of Synagogue, Church of All Nations, who said the Eagles also disappointed him as a strong fan said: I called and warned Keshi to watch out for that dangerous move by the Burkina Faso strikers”.

And due to the fact that many people may not belief in his prediction, TB Joshua supported his claims by making a recorded copy of his conversation with Keshi available to P.M.NEWS.

In the conversation, Keshi urged the prophet to pray for his team, saying they did not want to concede any to against Burkina Faso.

In his response, Joshua, who advised Keshi to call him before the second half, stated: “You have to be careful and pray so that what the tragedy I saw does not happen to the Eagles. The horses of Burkina Faso do not get tired, and your defenders must not lose focus in the second half…”.

The Eagles, who fell like packs of cards in the encounter, also received hard knocks from former Nigerian internationals, Sunday Oliseh, Jonathan Akpoborie, Tijani Babangida and Rwanda Coach, Milutin Sredojevic.

Oliseh, a former skipper of the team, said yesterday’s draw was like a loss to the Eagles, “because they may regret the result as the competition progresses.”

Akpoborie, who earlier said the team cannot go far at the AFCON, castigated the strikers for not utilising their chances.

Babangida also lambasted the Keshi-led squad, saying they would blame themselves if the draw edge them out of the competition.

Rwanda coach, Sredojevic said he was disappointed in the Nigerian team, saying they lacked a winning mentality, concluding that Keshi is technically inept.

Meanwhile, Keshi has heaped praises on his players for the result against Burkina Faso. The ‘Big Boss’ declared that he is proud of his players despite their failure to hold on to their slender lead, which would have seen Nigeria assume top spot in the group.

“We are not going to let anything bring us down, trust me. I am very proud of the boys”.

Shakira,boyfriend Gerard Pique welcome's a baby boy

                                            

Shakira and her beau Gerard Piqué are brand new parents.

The Colombian-Lebanese pop singer, 35, and her soccer star boyfriend, 25, welcomed their baby boy in Spain on Tuesday. The tiny tot's name: Milan, which means "dear, loving and gracious in Slavic; in Ancient Roman, eager and laborious; and in Sanskrit, unification," according toShakira's website.

"We are happy to announce the birth of Milan Piqué Mebarak, son of Shakira Mebarak and Gerard Piqué, born January 22nd at 9:36pm, in Barcelona, Spain," said a statement posted Tuesday. "Just like his father, baby Milan became a member of FC Barcelona at birth."

Earlier in the day she had tweeted, "I'd like to ask you all to accompany me in your prayers on this very important day of my life. Shak." The "Loca" singer also wrote the message in Spanish.

Milan weighed in at 6 pounds, 6 ounces, and he and Shakira are in "excellent health."

In late December, Piqué facetiously posted on Twitter that their son had been born, partaking in Spain's Dia de los Inocentes, which is similar to the American April Fool's Day.

The couple has been dating for two years and announced the pregnancy last September. UNICEFGoodwill Ambassador Shakira and Piqué posed semi-nude together last week to promote their baby shower, which benefited UNICEF.

Shakira previously dated Antonio de la Rúa fo 11 years but split from her business partner in August 2010. 

Young officer from NAF builds a drone

                                       

KADUNA — Young officers from Nigerian Air Force School of Engineers, Aircraft Design Centre, Kaduna, yesterday, dazzled the Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Okon Bassey-Ewa when they displayed to him an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, UAV, referred to as drone, which could fly non-stop for about four hours at 3000 feet.

The drone was conceptualised, designed and built by them in Kaduna under the direct supervision of the Provost of the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, Institute of Technology, Prof. Emmanuel Ezugwu.

According to officials of the institute, the drone’s empenage was about three metres while the wing span was about half a metre.

                                            

The four officers, all Flight Lieutenants, said it was a three-year effort in collaboration with Cranfield University of United Kingdom with funds from the Federal Government.

The officers who asked that all the credit for break through be given to the Commandant of the school and Chief of Air Staff pleaded that their names be not mentioned in the press.

The school had earlier displayed a conceptualised model of an ab-initio training fighter aircraft known as Farawa (meaning “the beginning” in Hausa) for the Air Force just as it was trying to design a Nigerian-made Air Beattle, AB-18, for the Air Force.

The four officers had bagged Masters degrees in various fields related to avionics from Cranfield University, after their first degrees from the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna.

They told Vanguard: “We designed and built this UAV based on the pressing needs of our country today. The vehicle can be used in pipeline monitoring, border patrol, mapping and disaster monitoring. Other areas of use include  maritime patrol, aerial surveillance and pest monitoring.

“The vehicle can fly at 3000 feet, and remain airborne for four hours using petrol for now. The first one we built is called Amebo 1. The second one is Amebo 2 and is an improvement over the first.

                                                 
“If we keep getting the right support as we are getting now, we will accomplish our mission for the country.”

In fact in the next five years, we may start building our own light aircraft for training new pilots”, the officers said.

The Minister who was obviously amazed at the development was in Kaduna attending the National Stakeholders’ Workshop/Exhibition on National System of Innovation, NSI, during which several inventions by Nigerians were exhibited.

Earlier in his opening remarks at ceremony the Minister had said, “as demonstration of the drive towards promoting innovations the Ministry is calling for entries for the maiden, ‘’Best

Innovation/Invention Award.’’

The award which was open to individuals, institutions and corporate bodies  has a grand prize of N1 million.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/young-naf-officers-design-build-drone/

Two days blackout, For six states

Six states of the federation will experience power outage on Saturday and Sunday, the Transmission Company of Nigeria has said.

A statement issued by the Assistant General Manager, Public Affairs, TCN, Mr. Dave Ifabiyi, in Abuja on Tuesday, named the states as Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo and parts of Benue.
According to ifabiyi,the light out will enable the company's contractors enhance the capacity of the transmissions systrem that serves the affected states.
He said,"/In the bid to complete the final connection works on the new double circuit 330kV transmission line from Benin, in Edo State, to Onitsha, in Anambra State, and the associated substation at Onitsha, there will be power interruption to Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo states in the eastern part of the federation, as well as parts of Benue State on Saturday, January 26 and Sunday, January 27, 2013.

“The crucial final connection works to be carried out by our contractors, having completed the stringing of 330kV double circuit transmission line across River Niger, aim at enhancing the transmission capacity in the area and improving grid power delivery and reliability nationwide".
Ifabiyi added that TCN regretted any inconveniences the two-day power interruption would cause the governments and the people of the affected states. 

http://www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/six-states-to-experience-two-day-blackout-tcn

 


For some time now, I had been lamenting on the 'I don't care' nature of our dear NBC for allowing certain indecent Nigerian musical videos to be broadcast in Nigeria, hence misleading so many Nigerian youths and causing more and more immoralities amongst the youths and infidelity amongst the married folks as these videos keep leaving 'sex' 'sex' 'sex' in the minds of every Nigerian that listened to them....now, thank God NBC has waken up. 

The list below show music videos that have been tagged NOT TO BE BROADCAST by NBC

1. Tillaman ft Vector- Ma Roll (contains Intimate and suggestive dance steps)
2. Wande Coal – Go Low (scenes of nuditiy in the video)
3. D’Prince – Take Banana (contains Intimate, vulgar, words and suggestive dance steps)
4. Flavour – Shake (vulgar and suggestive dance steps)
5. Goldie – Ski bo bo (features minor with suggestive and immoral dance steps)
6. Chuddy K – Chop My Dollar (features ladies and children with suggestive and Intimate dance steps )
7. Timaya – Shake Ur Bum Bum (Intimate, suggestive dance steps with vulgar lyrics
8. P Square – Alingo (Intimate dance scenes at the end of the musical video)   

World largest jersey unveiled by guinness

IN continuation of its unflinching support to Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Guinness Nigeria Monday unveiled world’s largest football jersey to drum up backing for the Stephen Keshi-tutored side.

At the Teslim Balogun Stadium, the 275.5 X 245.9 square metres jersey was unveiled and it is to be signed by millions of Nigerians willing to support the team for football fiesta.

According to the Marketing and Innovation Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Austin Ufomba, the unveiling of the jersey is one of the activations put together by the company to rally support for the senior national team.

“Even when the team failed to qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup, Guinness has remained committed to supporting the team and this jersey unveiling is one of the activations under the Guinness Fly With the Eagles promo. Already 200 people that will fly to South Africa to support the team have been selected through the daily draw while the promo is still ongoing. The jersey will go round the country and fans are expected to sign on it to show their support to the team,” Ufomba said.

The record-breaking attempt is to help break the world record for the largest football jersey on Planet Earth, and Guinness is proud sponsor of this historical event.

Also, fans will get the rare privilege of writing their messages of support to the Super Eagles on this massive jersey, which will be on display at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, from yesterday to Friday January 25, 2013.

Why western intervention would not succeed in mali

Britain is on standby and the US is already transporting French troops into Mali. But a new paper says the west is "betting on the wrong horse" by intervening in the region.

Now well over a decade after the beginning of the so-called war on terror, yet again, another western nation is leading a military intervention against Islamist paramilitaries based in a largely ungoverned region of a state in the Global South, write Anna Alissa Hitzemann and Ben Zala for the Oxford Research Group.

The hostage situation in Algeria that developed late last week is just the latest in a series of western hostage takings in recent years, demonstrating the increasing radicalisation of elements in the region.

The French-led intervention in Mali is only one of many in a growing list of attempts to control outbreaks of political violence and terrorism with military means.

As the intervention gathers pace, it is worth reflecting on the lessons from similar operations over the past decade or so. From the US-led interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq to the attempts to control Islamist-inspired political violence in Yemen, Nigeria and Somalia and separatist rebellions in Burma, Indonesia and elsewhere, the resort to military force has singularly failed to achieve the aims set for it.

Common to all of these examples is the reluctance to match military operations against rebel groups and insurgents with serious, long-term efforts to address the factors that underlie the feelings of resentment and marginalisation that drive such conflicts.

As the commentary and analysis of events in Mali follow the fortunes of the military battles of France and its other western and African allies, it is worthwhile examining the political, socio-economic and cultural divisions which have sparked the uprising in the north of Mali.

Background to the northern uprising

The factors that led to the current Malian crisis are complex but can largely be attributed to unintended consequences of the war against Gaddafi. It is clear that the 2011 crisis in Libya, followed by foreign intervention and Nato's military involvement, and the consequent fall of Gaddafi's regime, had a crucial role to play.

After losing the war in Libya, hundreds of Malian mercenaries (many of whom had been recruited among former Tuareg rebels) who had been an integral part of Gaddafi's army, returned home. They brought with them an arsenal of weapons and ammunition as well as experience.

These soldiers who returned to Mali from Libya played a key role in the formation of the largely Tuareg-led secular MNLA (Azawad National Liberation Movement), which in a matter of months, took over several key towns in the north of Mali, declaring an independent Azawad state.

The situation in the north of Mali led to widespread frustration within the military over the government's incompetence or unwillingness to deal with the issue and reclaim their territory. Ultimately, it led to the April 2012 military coup by Amadou Sanogo against Mali's elected government and president Amadou Toumanie Touré.

Interestingly enough, Sanogo himself had received extensive training by the United States as part of the $600m (£380m) spent by the US government in efforts to train military of the region to combat Islamic militancy.

The actions of the separatist MNLA group and the consequent military coup and inability of the Malian government and military forces to control the situation led to a violent conflict in Mali's north which includes four main groups: the secular MNLA and the religiously motivated AQMI (Al-Qaeda of the Islamic Maghreb), Ansar Dine and MUJAO (Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa).

AQIM, the group most closely linked to the international terrorist network Al-Qaeda, has been present in Mali for several years now, has taken several European hostages over the last few years and is said to be made up of mostly Algerians and Mauritanians with much financial support from abroad.

Tuareg rebellion and the paths not taken

The formation of the Tuareg-led MNLA movement and its desire for an independent Azawad state has in fact deep roots and a history going back to the first Tuareg rebellion of 1963. Tuaregs led significant armed struggle and resistant movements against colonisation by the French and later the central Malian government.

Long-term sustainable security and stability for Mali will not be possible without seriously addressing the long-standing and deep-seated grievances that stem from the marginalisation of the northern territories and their peoples.

The political, socio-economic, educational and cultural marginalisation of the north cannot be ignored. With the effects of climate change, increasing desertification and the government's reluctance to implement meaningful development programmes, Tuareg and other nomadic communities see no viable future and feel abandoned by the Malian state.

Grievances also stem from past brutal repressions of Tuareg movements, as well as the state's failure to adhere to the Algerian brokered peace agreements between Tuareg rebels and the government.

Even after the Tuareg rebellions of the early to mid 1990s, the Malian government still remained unwilling or unable to implement the education programmes and development projects which were promised and are necessary to alleviate poverty and a deep sense of disenfranchisement.

The political, socio-economic, educational and cultural marginalisation of the North cannot be ignored.

It would have been wise to negotiate and come to an agreement with the MNLA at the early stages of the current crisis. Both Burkina Faso and Algeria pushed for a diplomatic solution to this crisis instead of military intervention.

Burkina Faso's president, Blaise Compaore, West Africa's mediator on the Malian crisis, had organised talks between MNLA, Ansar Dine and the Malian government in Ouagadougou in December. A ceasefire was agreed and all parties approved to adhere to further peaceful negotiations.

The talks which had been planned to continue this January have now been interrupted due to the French military intervention in Mali.

The chance of finding a solution to combating Islamic extremism in northern Mali would be significantly better if the Malian and French military sought a way of collaborating with the Tuaregs. This is a challenging task but a task that is unavoidable over the long-term.

It is the resentment towards the central government over the marginalisation of the northern territories and its population that in part has helped Islamists gain strength.