President Buhari to participate in Africa 2016 Business Forum in Egypt

President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja on Friday for Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt to participate in the Business for Africa, Egypt and the World Forum.

The forum, which opens in the Egyptian resort town on Saturday, February 18, 2016, is being organized by the Egyptian government under the auspices of the African Union Commission.

The forum's objective is to accelerate private sector engagement and investment within Africa and promote the development of African ties and partnerships.

President Buhari, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt and the Presidents of Togo, Sudan, Kenya, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia are among confirmed speakers at the forum.

Other confirmed speakers include the President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and the President/CEO of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote.

The President will be accompanied on the trip by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelama.

He will return to Abuja at the conclusion of the forum.President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja on Friday for Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt to participate in the Business for Africa, Egypt and the World Forum.

The forum, which opens in the Egyptian resort town on Saturday, February 18, 2016, is being organized by the Egyptian government under the auspices of the African Union Commission.

The forum's objective is to accelerate private sector engagement and investment within Africa and promote the development of African ties and partnerships.

President Buhari, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt and the Presidents of Togo, Sudan, Kenya, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia are among confirmed speakers at the forum.

Other confirmed speakers include the President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and the President/CEO of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote.

The President will be accompanied on the trip by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelama.

He will return to Abuja at the conclusion of the forum.

President Buhari condoles victims of Kano market fire

President Muhammadu Buhari conveys heartfelt commiserations to victims of the fire outbreak in the popular Singa Market, Kano.

President Buhari is deeply saddened by the destruction of very valuable goods and properties in the inferno.

The President shares in the pain and anguish of all hardworking Nigerians who lost their wares and belongings in the unfortunate fire incident.

He assures those who suffered losses from the fire incident that the Federal Government will do all within its powers to support the efforts of the Kano State government to ameliorate their plight.

Buhari names Ogunlesi as New Media aide

Ogunlesi

President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday appointed Mr. Tolu Ogunlesi as his Special Assistant on Digital/New Media.

Ogunlesi, who is a renowned blogger and journalist, graduated from the University of Ibadan in 2004, and obtained an MA in Creative Writing from University of East Anglia, UK, in 2011.

Before his appointment, Ogunlesi had worked as a Features Editor and Editorial Board member of NEXT Newspaper. He also worked as a West Africa Editor for The Africa Report magazine from 2014 to 2015.

Ogunlesi is a two-time winner of the CNN Multichoice African Journalism Awards, and a 2015 New Media Fellow of the U.S. State Department's International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP).

Ogunlesi will be assisted by Bashir Ahmad, who is a Personal Assistant to the President on New Media.

Pope Francis hit at Donald Trump declares him ‘not Christian’ because of his plan to put a wall on Mexican border

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Pope Francis said Thursday in Mexico that Donald Trump is “not Christian.”

Donald Trump was declared “not Christian” Thursday by the world’s foremost expert on the topic — Pope Francis.

Speaking to reporters in Mexico, the pious pope said the GOP presidential candidate’s proposal to build a wall along the U.S. border was an affront to Christian values.

“A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian,” Francis said.

“This is not in the gospel. As far as what you said about whether I would advise to vote or not to vote, I am not going to get involved in that. I say only that this man is not Christian if he said things like that. We must see if he said things in that way and in this I give the benefit of the doubt,” the pope added.

Francis waded into the political fray as he concluded his visit to Mexico, which included a public mass at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Trump, speaking Thursday at a campaign rally in South Carolina, fired back, noting that “If and when the Vatican is attacked by ISIS,” the pope will wish he was President, according to media reports.

                                                                                                          MATT ROURKE/AP

Trump’s plan to put a wall on the Mexican border is an affront to Christian values, the Pope said.

The Republican front-runner — hoping to build on his strong showing in the New Hampshire primary — said it was “disgraceful” of the pope to doubt the sincerity of his Christian comittment.

Earlier, at the start of the Pope’s trip to Mexico, Trump questioned Francis’ decision to visit the Spanish-speaking country, calling him a “very political person.”

“I don't think he understands the danger of the open border we have with Mexico,” Trump said.

On Thursday, the Pope addressed that allegation as well as throwing shade at the bombastic billionaire’s moral fiber.

“Thank God he said I was a politician, because Aristotle defined the human person as ‘animal politicus.’ So at least I am a human person. As to whether I am a pawn — well, maybe, I don't know. I'll leave that up to your judgment and that of the people,” Pope Francis said. 

Prostitute found dead in Britain had hidden her secret life as a sex worker from her family

A prostitute found dead in Britain had hidden her life as a sex worker from her family.

Jessica McGraa, 37, was found dead in an apartment in Aberdeen, Scotland, after telling her husband she was travelling from her home in London to sell hair extensions.

Her devastated husband Gareth had no idea of her secret double life, Mirror Online reported.

He said his Nigerian-born partner was a devout Christian and he was convinced she was making money by selling hair extensions.

“I honestly believed that she was making her money from hair extensions,” the 56-year-old said.

“She was a very pious girl – she dragged me to church even and that’s not easy.

“I thought I knew her and it hurts.”

The couple, who have a 6-year-old son, split when the child was 1, but have had several reunions and he hoped they would end up back together permanently.

McGraa used aliases including “Ebony Bianca” and “Kelly West” on escort sites to sell sex for $300 an hour.

She described herself as “classic, stylish, naughty, horny, sexy” and promised the “ultimate girlfriend experience” to potential clients.

Bala Chinda, 25, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court accused of murder and has been remanded in custody.