Welcome to Olamama's blog!!!: November 2017

Thursday, 30 November 2017

Apple marks World AIDS Day with in-store and in-app donations

After raising $160 million for the Global fund as part of its partnership with (RED), Apple is marking tomorrow’s World AIDS Day by offering up a bunch of opportunities to donate. The easiest of the bunch is the company’s promise to donate $1 to the fund for every transaction made with Apple Pay at the company’s retail stores, on its site or in-app.

A woman has been arrested after she allegedly cut off her boyfriend’s penis in a rage after a sex attack. Brenda Barattini, 26, is accused of using garden shears to chop off the manhood of a man known only as Sergio F, 40. The motive behind the attack is currently unclear, with Sergio’s lawyer saying it happened during a sex game, while Brenda’s lawyer says it was because he attacked her. Police and ambulance crews arrived at the scene shortly after, with the man taken to hospital where he is said to still be in a ‘stable condition.’

The Argentine Navy on Thursday signaled that it had given up hope of finding the 44 crew members aboard a submarine that appeared to have experienced a calamitous event in mid-November. The announcement was almost certainly an acknowledgment of the largest loss of life aboard a submarine in nearly two decades. Capt. Enrique Balbi, a navy spokesman, said the operation to find the submarine, the San Juan, had been downgraded from a rescue mission to a search for the remains of the vessel.
Some relatives of crew members reacted angrily to the decision and complained that they first learned about it on the news.

Everton announced the hiring of Sam Allardyce as their new manager on Thursday, a day after he watched the 4-0 win over West Ham United from the stands. Discussions between Everton and Allardyce's representatives have taken place since Monday and now the club's six-week search for a replacement for the sacked Ronald Koeman is at an end as the former England manager signed an 18-month contract.

The British Foreign Office said it had summoned the North Korean ambassador to condemn Wednesday’s ballistic missile test. North Korea said it had successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile in a “breakthrough” that put the U.S. mainland within range of its nuclear weapons.
“I summoned the North Korean Ambassador to the Foreign Office to make clear to him our condemnation of this latest ballistic missile test,” Minister for Asia and Pacific Mark Field said in a statement.
“North Korea claims it wants to bring security and prosperity to its people. But its actions are creating only insecurity and deepening its isolation,” said Field.
Britain is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. The latest test was the highest and longest any North Korean missile had flown, and it landed in the sea near Japan.

Two dead after bereaved father sets off grenades at murder trial in Ukraine

At least two people are dead in Ukraine after a bereaved father set off two grenades at the murder trial of the men accused of killing his son. Nine other people including two defendants, two bailiffs, employees of the court and prosecutor's office and members of the public were injured by shrapnel after the man detonated the grenades, police said. The father was killed instantly, and one of the defendants, a man born in 1977, later died of his injuries in the hospital.

Sports Illustrated has just named Colin Kaepernick the 2017 Muhammad Ali Legacy Award recipient for his tireless activist work. The magazine announced its decision Thursday with Lonnie Ali, Muhammad Ali’s widow, who consults with SI to choose the recipient each year.
“Like Muhammad, Colin is a man who stands on his convictions with confidence and courage, undaunted by the personal sacrifices he has had to make to have his message heard,” Ali said in a statement. “He has used his celebrity and philanthropy to benefit some of our most vulnerable community members. I know the Ali family joins me in congratulating Colin as he receives the 2017 SI Muhammad Ali Legacy Award.”

Rihanna is getting honored with her own street in Barbados and it's the very same one she grew up on. The Government of Barbados will officially change Westbury New Road to Rihanna Drive today in her honor. The sign's already up, but the official name changing ceremony will take place today and Rihanna is expected to show up.

Rihanna lived at the home until the age of 16 when she left to pursue her music career. Her family doesn't live there anymore but it remains a major tourist attraction.

Zimbabwe court acquits Mugabe critic

Leading Zimbabwean opposition activist Pastor Evan Mawarire has been acquitted on charges of trying to overthrow Robert Mugabe's former government. The organiser of last year's #ThisFlag protests faced 20 years in prison had he been convicted. A Harare high court judge ruled there was no evidence that he had "urged a violent removal of government".
The case was seen as a test of judicial independence after the forced resignation of Mr Mugabe last week. The former president, who stepped down after soldiers placed him under house arrest, was long accused of using the courts to hound his political opponents. Tweeting a selfie taken in the courtroom, the smiling pastor called on his fellow citizens to join in "building a better Zimbabwe".

Pics: Girl, 19, undergoes 50 surgeries to look like Angelina Jolie but it's an epic fail

An Iranian woman has had at least 50 surgeries in order to look like Angelina Jolie but people honestly think she needs to sue her doctors. Sahar Tabar is only 19, yet at such a young age, she has already had so much done to her body just to look like her idol. The woman from Teheran, Iran says she is one of Angelina Jolie’s biggest fans and "would do anything" to look like the Hollywood actress. She went on to shed 90 lbs. and now diets constantly to maintain her weight at 40 kilograms. She's also had 50 surgical procedures just to attain the look that she had always coveted.
More pictures after the cut

Anthony Senerchia, the man who inspired the viral sensation “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge” has died after a 14-year-long battle with the disease. He passed away on Saturday at the age of 46, after battling with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Senerchia was diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2003. He was told he only had a few years to live, his obituary states, shortly after marrying his wife Jeanette.
“Throughout his fight, Anthony maintained a positive attitude and would say ‘It’s not what we take from life, but what we give back to others is what ultimately defines us,'” his obituary reads.

Six Italian police officers who issued residency permits to migrants in return for bribes of several thousand Euros have been arrested. According to the ANSA news agency, Four of the officers were jailed, two were placed under house arrest, and two “intermediaries” were also arrested.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday, wiped away tears as he delivered an apology on behalf of the government for decades of discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirit (LGBTQ2) community. The prime minister said he wants to ensure such oppression never happens again.
He said:

Thai authorities have fined two American tourists for public indecency for posing for a “butt selfie” in front of a famous Buddhist temple, police said on Wednesday. The two, who police identified as Joseph Dasilva, 38, and Travis Dasilva, 36, were arrested late on Tuesday at an airport in the capital, Bangkok. They were each fined 5,000 baht ($154) for baring their buttocks for a picture taken last week at Bangkok’s Wat Arun, or Temple of the Dawn.
“The two American citizens have admitted taking the picture,” district police chief Jaruphat Thongkomol said.

Chinese street barber Xiong Gaowu deftly scrapes a straight razor along the inside of his customer's eyelid.
"You should be gentle, very, very gentle," said Xiong, who performs traditional eyelid shaves at his roadside location in Chengdu, the capital of the southwestern province of Sichuan.
Customers swear by the practice of "blade wash eyes", as it is known in Mandarin, saying they trust Xiong's skill with the blade.
"No, it's not dangerous," said 68-year-old Zhang Tian. "My eyes feel refreshed after shaving and I feel comfortable."

Last night, the 22nd MOBO Awards held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, United Kingdom. The ceremony saw Stormzy add to his growing awards haul as he picked up three out of a possible five gongs at this year’s MOBO Awards. The London-born artist dominated the star-studded ceremony as he fought off competition from Sampha, J Hus and Skepta to be crowned Best Male Act and Best Grime Act. He also picked up the coveted Best Album gong for his debut Gang Signs & Prayer.

See the Full list of 2017 MOBO Awards winners below...

A Zambian politician and former opposition UPND Vice President, Dr. Canisius Banda has left friends and fans in shock after a nude photo of himself was posted on his Facebook page. A lot of Zambians were shocked and suspected his account must have been hacked.
See the picture after the cut

A ‘celebrity’ elephant has crushed his owner to death in Thailand this week. The accident, which has sparked fresh debate over the kingdom’s animal tourism industry, took place on Monday morning in the northern city of Chiang Mai. Owner Somsak Riengngen had just unchained the five-tonne elephant Ekasit, who has starred in a number of feature films and commercials. Ekasit then took a few steps before reversing course and attacking 54-year-old Somsak, who was on the ground.

The Twitter employee who deactivated President Donald Trump's Twitter account has been revealed. In a new interview with TechCrunch, contractor Bahtiyar Duysak from Germany opened up on how the President's page disappeared for 11 minutes one day in November.He said
"In my opinion, it was definitely a mistake and if I am involved with this, I really apologize if I hurt anyone. "I didn't do anything on purpose but as I said, I had a wild time in America and I was tired sometimes and everyone can do mistakes."
I didn't hack anyone. I didn't do anything I wasn't authorized to do…I didn't do any crime."
As for why Bahtiyar decided to come forward today, he claims that he simply wants the media to back off from investigating who is responsible.
"I just want to continue an ordinary life," "I had to delete hundreds of friends because reporters are stalking me. I just want to continue an ordinary life."

India jails 8 donkeys for eating expensive plants

Eight donkeys have spent four days in an Indian jail for eating expensive plants. They did not go for trial. They were summarily incarcerated as the illegal eating took place near a prison. It all happened in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The animals were arrested after eating up “expensive” plants just outside the compound of the main jail in the state’s Jalaun district, over 200 km from capital Lucknow.

Davido wins Best African Act at the 2017 MOBO Awards

Davido was also a big winner at the MOBO Awards in London,winning the Best African Act 2017.He was nominated alongside Wizkid(who won Best International Act), Wande Coal, Eugy, Maleek Berry, Tiwa Savage, Juls, Mr Eazi, Sarkodie and Tekno.

Australian state legalises assisted dying in national first

The Australian state of Victoria has become the nation's first to legalise assisted dying. The landmark legislation was approved after more than 100 hours of gruelling debate - including two all-night sittings. The law means terminally ill patients in Australia's second-most populous state will have the right to request a lethal drug from mid-2019. They must be aged at least 18 and have less than six months to live.
The law is designed for patients who are in severe pain. It has 68 safeguards, including:

A patient must make three requests to specially trained doctors in order to end their life
A special board must review all cases
Coercion of patients into ending their life will be a crime

Additionally, patients must have lived in Victoria for at least 12 months and be of sound mind.

Wizkid wins Best International Act 2017 MOBO Awards

Wizkid has added a major feather to his cap.The star boy won the award for Best International Act at the 2017 MOBO Awards. He was nominated alongside, Jay Z, Drake , Cardi B, Kendrik Lamar, Travis Scott, DJ Khaled, Solange and SZA.
Wizkid has now become the first African Artist to have won the BET Award and MOBO Award for Best African Act, MTV EMA for Best Worldwide Act and also the MOBO Best International award.

Bosnian war chief dies after drinking bottle of poison and yelling 'I'm not a war criminal'

A Bosnian-Croat war chief has died after downing poison during his war crimes trial at The Hague, Croatian state TV reports.
Slobodan Praljak yelled, 'I am not a war criminal!' and drank a dark liquid from a small bottle seconds after losing his appeal against a 20-year prison sentence at the International Criminal Tribunal, in the Netherlands.
'I just drank poison,' he added. 'I am not a war criminal. I oppose this conviction.'
Praljak, 72, is one of six Croatian politicians sentenced to jail for their involvement in a campaign to drive Muslims out of a would-be Bosnian Croat mini-state in Bosnia in the early 1990s.
Watch the video after the cut

A domestic dispute turned deadly when a man shot and killed his wife, her daughter, and the daughter’s boyfriend at their Virginia home on Thanksgiving evening, police said. Christopher Gattis, 58, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. His victims were Jeanett Gattis, 58, her daughter, 30-year-old Candice Kunze, and Kunze’s boyfriend, 36-year-old Andrew Buthorn.

The new long range missile launched by North Korea early on Wednesday can reach targets at a distance of more than 8,000 miles, putting Britain and anywhere in the continental United States well within range of Kim Jong-un. Called the Hwasong-15, the missile was launched at 3:17am local time from a site to the north of Pyongyang, flying for 53 minutes before falling into the Sea of Japan, within Japan's exclusive economic zone.

A British company has released the first pictures of a ‘smart condom’ which collects very intimate data about the sex life of anyone brave enough to wear it. The device is called the i.Con and can detect sexually transmitted infections as well as sending data about a sex session straight to the wearer’s smartphone.
British Condoms said its ‘revolutionary wearable tech for the bedroom’ measures the number of calories burned during intercourse, the speed of a man’s thrusts, how long he lasts and even what positions are used. The condom firm said its invention would help men see how they ‘stack up to other people from around the world.’

Matt Lauer, one of the most prominent names in television, has been fired by NBC after more than two decades as anchor of the Today show following accusations of sexual misconduct. Lauer’s co-anchor Savanna Guthrie held back tears as she announced Lauer’s firing and read a statement from Andrew Lack, the chairman of NBC News, at the very top of Wednesday’s show.
“Dear colleagues, on Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer.
“While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he’s been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.”

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa says a three-month amnesty has been granted for the return of funds which have been "illegally externalised", the state broadcaster ZBC TV reports.
The new president told ZBC in a statement that the amnesty period stretches from the beginning of December until the end of February next year.
"As a first step towards the recovery of the illegally externalised funds and assets, the government is gazetting a three month moratorium within which those involved in the malpractice can bring back the funds and assets, with no questions being asked or charges preferred against them."
The station does not specify whether "illegally externalised" means stolen or moved into unauthorised, foreign bank accounts.

Ronaldo finally gets a new bust

Cristiano Ronaldo may not be hitting his dizzying heights on the field this season but the Real Madrid star continues to be honoured off it. A new bust of the Portuguese talisman has been unveiled at the Real Madrid museum in tribute to his record-breaking career. Only this time, it actually resembles the 32-year-old.

West Bromwich Albion have confirmed the appointment of Alan Pardew as their new manager. Pardew has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract and will be joined by his former Newcastle United assistant John Carver.
Pardew told the club's official website: "I'm thrilled with the opportunity Albion have provided and looking forward to getting to work with what I consider to be a talented group of players.
"The immediate challenge will be to get the results we need to pull ourselves up the table, but I'm aware that while I'm joining one of the great, traditional clubs of English football, it is one determined to go forward in the Premier League.
"It's an exciting opportunity to play a part in that ambition."

Saudi prince freed after returning $1 billion following corruption charges

Senior Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender to the throne, was freed after reaching an “acceptable settlement agreement” with authorities paying more than $1 billion, a Saudi official said on Wednesday. Miteb, 65, son of the late King Abdullah and former head of the elite National Guard, was among dozens of royal family members, ministers and senior officials who were rounded up in a graft inquiry partly aimed at strengthening the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

A physically challenged young girl simply identified as Elohoh killed her new born baby shortly after she delivered the boy in Ughelli North, Delta state, Nigeria.

Read the sad story shared by Facebook user,Simon Ivan Ohwo..
“Physical challenged mother kills child after delivery.Wonders they say will never end, some of these wonders happens beyond human imagination, just like in this case of homicide.
A well calculated plans been executed by One Miss Elohoh who is within her late 20s and resides with her mother and siblings at No 1 omohwovo street,Iwhrekpokpo in ughelli North.
Miss Elohoh who is a physically challenged and also a plantain chips seller, murdered her child after delivery today 27th Nov 2017 in her home.

Bali's international airport will re-open on Wednesday afternoon after a nearly three-day shutdown, airport authorities said. Officials had extended the closure of Bali's international airport for another 24 hours due to concerns the thick volcanic ash could harm aircraft. But they decided to reopen it as ash from a rumbling volcano that looms over the island paradise shifted away from the transport hub. "The airspace will be re-opened," at 3:00 pm local time (0700 GMT), Bali Ngurah Rai airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim told AFP.
But "we are going to constantly monitor the situation on the ground," he added.

When Roo the rooster became involved in an altercation with another rooster, he came off a little worse for the wear. Roo's owner, Darcy Smith took in another rooster recently and because of the animal's size Smith kept him in a separate cage. Roo became a little unsettled about having company and so, determined to be the only rooster who could rule the roost, decided to deal with the newcomer himself. Roo attempted to attack the new rooster through the cage and in doing this, broke his beak in two places and sustained head injuries which resulted in swelling on his brain. With such serious injures, Smith decided that Roo needed some serious medical care so he ordered a custom-made chicken wheelchair from Melbourne to aid his rehabilitation.

A Japanese cosmetics company has apologised after one of its stores put up a sign banning Chinese people from entering. The incident is unlikely to enhance already delicate bilateral relations between Japan and China, two neighbours with a long history of tensions, from regional disputes to historical clashes. It also raises the issue of lingering hostility among some Japanese to foreign visitors, despite the government’s attempts to boost inbound shopping-driven tourism, which is mainly fuelled by Chinese visitors.
The sign, which was handwritten in Japanese, was placed in the window of a Pola shop, which operates 4,600 cosmetics outlets across Japan and read: “Entry by Chinese police prohibited.”
Pola issued a statement apologising for causing “unpleasant feelings and inconvenience to many people” and confirmed it had removed the offending sign.

The European Union on Tuesday said it would spend €23.3m (N9.9bn) on a four-year programme that would focus on tackling corruption in Nigeria. The EU Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Kurt Cornelis, said this in Abuja during the inauguration of the four-year Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme in Nigeria.
He said, “The European Union is providing €23.3m for the initiative, to be implemented at the federal level and in four states of Adamawa, Anambra, Kano and Lagos. Corruption and an ineffective justice system undermine Nigeria’s effort at economic and social development and fighting poverty.”

A Thai man has made headlines after undergoing dramatic plastic surgery on TV that left him completely unrecognisable. After years of suffering from a twisted jaw that meant he was unable to chew and depressed about the way he looked Noppajit Monlin, 22, applied to appear on Thai TV makeover show Let Me In. The young man who was low on confidence said that his facial deformity meant that he was shunned during his lunch break by co-workers at the factory he works at in Thailand.

Kenyan president sworn in for second term amid violent clashes & protests

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn into office for a second term in front of tens of thousands who gathered on Tuesday in the country's largest stadium to celebrate what they hoped would be the end of months of election turmoil. But during the ceremony, police fired guns and tear gas in other parts of the capital, Nairobi, as officers attempted to stop the opposition from holding peaceful demonstrations in memory of dozens killed by police and militia during weeks of election protests. A witness said one person was shot dead.

Indonesian officials have shut the international airport in Bali for a second day, as Mount Agung spews volcanic ash into the atmosphere. Massive plumes of dark ash were seen reaching as high as 3km (2 miles) above the summit of the rumbling volcano, which began erupting last week. Officials raised the alert to the highest level on Monday, fearing an imminent major eruption. Up to 100,000 people have been ordered to evacuate the vicinity.

Pakistani police say they have arrested ten people for killing a newly-wed couple who entered into a free-will marriage in the southern port city of Karachi. Officer Qasim Hameed said on Monday that Abdul Hadi, 24, and Hasina Bibi, 19, were killed by relatives last week for marrying without permission from their elders earlier this month.
Qasim said Hadi’s father and nine other relatives were arrested after the couple’s bodies were found in a local graveyard on Sunday. He said Bibi’s father has absconded. He added that the men confessed to murdering the couple with knives upon the orders of a “Jirga,” or tribal council, for dishonouring their Pashtun culture.

Cotton buds should not be used to clean ears, health officials say. Inserting a bud could damage the ear canal and eardrum and push wax further down, according to the health watchdog. The draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) also says that ear syringing, in which a large metal syringe is used to pump water manually into the ear to clear out wax, is potentially harmful and should no longer be used. Its committee agreed that buds may be a ‘hazard’ that can cause infections or push wax further into the ear canal.
The guideline says the ear canal is ‘self-cleaning’, with excess wax falling out on its own, and that the entrance to the ears can be cleaned with a damp flannel.

General Zhang Yang

A top Chinese general hanged himself after coming under investigation for corruption charges, China's state-run news agency Xinhua reported Tuesday. General Zhang Yang, the former head of the Chinese military's political work department, was found dead at his home on November 23, the news agency said. Military investigators had launched an investigation into Zhang's ties to two former Central Military Commission vice chairmen -- Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou -- who fell prey to President Xi Jinping's massive anti-corruption campaign.

A North Carolina store clerk said she was fired after she attacked a burglar with a baseball bat on Tuesday — a move her employer said violated company policy. The clerk, Juwan Harris, said a man entered the Circle K convenience store in Raleigh where she works, told her that he had a gun and robbed the store. The suspect, later identified as 51-year-old William Winston, according to police, allegedly attempted to flee the scene, but, Harris said, she went after him with a baseball bat.
"I feared for my life. He held customers hostage and was pushing and harassing my customers. That was my thing," she told ABC affiliate WTVD on Tuesday. "He could've come back and did it again."She said she hit the alleged robber and held him until police arrived.

Former Coronation Street star Bruno Langley has pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault in court this morning. The grim-faced actor, 34, admitted both counts of sexual assault at Manchester Magistrates Court. He was dressed in a smart charcoal grey suit and a pale grey tie as he left his home earlier this morning. He was flanked by female family members as he made his way into the courthouse. He was charged with two counts of sexual assault after allegations were raised by two separate women following a night at a Manchester music venue.

A cruel dog owner deliberately froze his loyal pet to death by pouring cold water over the animal and putting it outside in the minus 32C cold in Russia. Rescuers reached the whimpering animal while it was still alive, but encased in ice, in its outdoor kennel in Yakutsk, the coldest city in the world. Heartbreaking images show the female white dog, eyes still open and frightened, pathetically waving its paw pleading for release. The rest of the pet's body was frozen solid to the iced ground on the coldest night of the Russian winter.

The Argentinian submarine that disappeared over a fortnight ago vanished after water got into its snorkel and made the battery short-circuit, the navy has today revealed. The ARA San Juan and its 44 crew members were last traced on November 15, when they were believed to have a maximum seven-day oxygen supply. A loud bang was heard by Navy staff monitoring the ship, which they claim could have been the vessel imploding. Before it went missing, the submarine had been ordered back to its Mar del Plata base after it reported water had entered through the snorkel, causing a battery short circuit, navy spokesman Enrique Balbi told a news conference today.

Britain has been shamed as the obesity capital of the EU. This country has the highest rates in the bloc with nearly 30 per cent of women and just under 27 per cent of men overweight. Other health figures are also worrying, showing we are second worst at exercising and have one of the highest rates of heavy drinkers. Britons are also near the top of an international table for having dangerously high cholesterol levels. The statistics follow a warning that it has become normal to be vastly overweight, with this country following the lead of the US, the world’s most obese nation.
The latest analysis comes from the European Society of Cardiology, which ranks British men as the most obese in 47 countries including the 28 in the EU.

Woman raises $160k for homeless man who gave her his last $20

A New Jersey woman has raised more than $160,000 for the homeless man who used his last $20 for gas while she was stranded on the side of the road. The woman and her boyfriend are now looking to find the good Samaritan a home and help him get back on his feet. Kate McClure, 27, had to pull over on I-95 in Philadelphia during a trip to see her friend. According to NY Daily News, he spotted the man identified as Johnny Bobbitt on the side of the road, who seemed to tell she had a problem as she nudged the car to the side of the road.

Whatever the Duchess of Cambridge wears turns to gold and it seems that Meghan Markle is already having the same effect on the retail world since joining the royal family. After stepping out in a white belted coat by Canadian brand, Line the Label, the retailer's website completely crashed. Fashion aficionados rushed to the style portal in an attempt to get their hands on the jacket - even though it's not being sold online.
In a nod to her previous home of Toronto, Meghan chose to wear a coat from the Canadian brand. While the exact price of the piece isn't known, a similar style is retailing for £450. Founded in 2000 by friends John Muscat And Jennifer Wells, the brand is known for its stylish knitwear and use of sumptuous materials and counts actresses Sarah Jessica Parker and Kate Bosworth among its A-list fans.

Thursday, 30 November 2017

Wednesday, 29 November 2017

Tuesday, 28 November 2017

Monday, 27 November 2017