Steve Jobs' yacht impounded over pay dispute

Late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' yacht was unveiled in a Dutch shipyard in October and christened "Venus."

The megayacht that Steve Jobs commissioned in the final years of his life has been impounded in Amsterdam after a payment dispute involving the designer, Philippe Starck.

Monopoly moves to Africa with Lagos edition

Lagos has become the first African city to have its own customized edition. Banana Island is the most expensive property in the game, while the floating shantytown of Makoko is the cheapest piece of real estate.

Some 80 years after its first launch, the iconic board game of Monopoly has finally released its first African city edition.

A Lagos-themed version of the popular real estate game was unveiled earlier this week, making Nigeria's bustling economic capital the first city in the continent to have a dedicated Monopoly edition.

'Give African women a voice,' say activists

 

Rainatou Sow, Marie-Claire Faray and Betty Makoni are advocates for equal rights who through their organizations aim to empower and inspire all African women. In 2010 the African Union launched the African Women's Decade. The initiative promotes female empowerment and gender equality and put female rights at the heart of development in the billion-strong continent.

India gang-rape victim in Singapore for treatment

Demonstrators shout slogans and wave placards as they move toward India Gate in New Delhi on Thursday, December 27. Authorities erected security barriers throughout New Delhi's key government district after two days of street battles following a woman's gang rape on a bus on December 16. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has appealed for calm and pledged safety for women and children.

The victim of a brutal gang rape that sparked massive protests in India arrived in Singapore for treatment Thursday morning.

"The patient condition remains extremely critical as before," said Dr. Kelvin Loh, CEO of Mount Elizabeth Hospital. "Prior to coming to Singapore, she had three abdominal surgeries and cardiac arrests in India.

Benazir Bhutto son Bilawal gives Pakistan political vow

The son of Pakistan's murdered ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has promised to fight militancy to maintain democracy, in his first major political speech.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari told party supporters marking five years since his mother's death that she "sacrificed her life to uphold democracy".
Ms Bhutto died in a gun and bomb attack during her 2007 election campaign.

Iran sacks sole female minister Dastjerdi from health post

Ms Dastjerdi was the first woman minister in the 30-year history of the Islamic republic

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has sacked Health Minister Marziyeh Vahid Dastjerdi, the sole woman in his cabinet, state television reports.

Ms Dastjerdi was also the first woman minister in the 30-year history of the Islamic republic.
While no reason has been given, the dismissal is being linked to her call for drug price rises to fight shortages caused by international sanctions.

Goal-scoring Without Trophies Means Nothing, Says Messi

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi has insisted his own goal-scoring exploits mean nothing unless Barcelona are able to win matches. The striker has enjoyed a remarkable 12 months in front of goal, scoring 91 times to break Gerd Muller's long-standing record of 85 strikes in a calendar year, but he has stressed that the team's results will always take precedence over his personal triumphs.

He told Mundo Deportivo: "I'm happy about the goals I've scored and the records I've broken, but this year could have been better in terms of silverware. I've always said that if the team isn't winning things my goals are meaningless."

Runsewe Urges Keshi, Odemwingie to Ceasefire

Chief Olusegun Runsewe

Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Keshi and West Brom striker, Osaze Odemwingie should end their war of words over the national team list to next month’s African Cup of Nations in South Africa in the interest of the team, Chief Olusegun Runsewe cautioned Wednesday.

Runsewe, a patron of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) spoke Wednesday in a statement while reviewing the Eagles programme for Africa’s top soccer competition.

“There is no need for any distraction at the time when all hands should be on deck to ensure total victory for Nigeria in South Africa,” observed Runsewe who is the director general of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).

Fireworks Explosion: 20 Arrested for Looting

Scene from the Warehouse Explosion

By Gboyega Akinsanmi and Chiemelie Ezeobi and Onyebuchi Ezigbo

A yet-to-be identified female teenager was Wednesday feared dead in the explosion that rocked a fireworks’ warehouse at Jankara Market, Isale-Eko, Lagos Island, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

It was learnt that the victim was killed in one of the buildings razed by the inferno that lasted for hours despite efforts to put out the blaze.

The fire had started with an explosion, causing panic among Lagos residents as many had thought a bomb had been detonated in the nation’s commercial capital city.

Christmas: A Brand Violated

Picture a child walking up to you and looking somewhat perplexed. The little fellow unsure, whether to ask you the question you can see lingering on the young lips or not. Then it pops out: “Please is this the real Christmas, or shall we wait for the other one?” By the other Christmas the child has in mind the Christmas during which people are said to talk about Jesus Christ, man’s spiritual salvation, going to heaven, remembering the good things that Christ taught mankind, etc.

This image of a perplexed child asking about Christmas may seem an unlikely scenario to many, but it is not. The real message of Christmas does not exist in what is masquerading under that umbrella everywhere today. That is why any child or adult for that matter, who sets out to find the Christmas in these events, celebrations and parties will be appalled and scandalised. The symbols under which Christmas is now celebrated, like bags of sweet, silly toys and Father Christmas, have nothing whatsoever to do with the real thing. There are no genuine reminders about the meaning of Christianity, no mementoes or artworks of the birth scene with the Star of Bethlehem shining over it.