Policeman shoots self dead in Aba

Tragedy struck at the Aba Central Police Station (CPS) in Abia State, when a police inspector attached to the Patrol and Guard (P&G) Unit, allegedly shot himself dead accidentally.* This was even as the police in Aba arrested a man for attempting to commit suicide. It was gathered that the incident occurred on Sunday at about 10 p..m.. after the police officer identified as Inspector Sunday Mefo had booked and collected an AK 47 rifle, which he was to use for night duty. Although information about the incident was not detailed as at press time, the tragedy was said to have occurred when after booking the rifle Mefo tried to check its working condition. Sources said as he allegedly pulled the trigger of the gun, one of the bullets in the cache accidentally went off and hit him in the leg and he fell. The inspector was reportedly rushed to a nearby hospital, where he received treatment till yesterday morning when he died.* In another development, a man identified simply as Kenneth has been arrested and detained at the Ogbor Hill Police station in Aba for alleged attempt to commit suicide.* It was gathered that the man, who was a regular customer of an undisclosed hotel at the Federal Housing Estate, Ogbor Hill, had gone to the hotel to drink and after helping himself to some bottles of beer, he was given the bill of what he consumed. Thereafter, he excused himself and dashed to the middle of the major road opposite the hotel, waiting for any oncoming vehicle to kill him.* It was learnt that people around the hotel that saw him lying on the road, rushed to drag him out and invited policemen who later whisked him away. When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Geoffrey Ogbonna, said he was yet to be informed about the incidents.

Nicki Minaj Reveals The Artwork For Her New Single, “Anaconda”

Nicki Minaj alerted her fans via Twitter last night that something big was coming today, but, well, we had no idea. Today, the “Pills ‘N’ Potions” rapper revealed the cover art to her new single, “Anaconda”, which will be released to iTunes on July 28th. Nick whet appetites last week when she released her verse to the “No Flex Zone” remix, and on Monday she’ll come through with the follow-up to “Pills ‘N’ Potions”. Her third album,The Pinkprint, will be out sometime this year, but no word on exactly when we can expect that.

Nigeria's no1 in the world in rate of ‘terrorism’ fatalities

Nigeria suffers from the world’s deadliest terror attacks, with an average of 24 deaths per incident out of 146 recorded between January and June, according to risk consultancy Maplecroft.* The global average is two deaths per attack, the Bath, United Kingdom (U.K)-based group said in a report released yesterday titled: The Maplecroft Terrorism and Security Dashboard. Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy, recorded 3,477 deaths in those attacks as violence by the Boko Haram Islamist militants grew in scale and sophistication, it said. “The increased capacity of Boko Haram is likely to lead to a further loss of investor confidence,” Maplecroft said in the report. The latest figures represent a doubling of the 1,735 deaths recorded in the previous year through June 2013, it said. Boko Haram, whose name means “western education is a sin,” is waging a violent campaign that has killed thousands, to impose Shariah, or Islamic law on the country.* The group drew global outrage with its April 15 abduction of 276 schoolgirls from their dormitories in Chibok. The militant group claimed three bomb attacks this year in Abuja that killed no fewer than 120 people.* Maplecroft ranks Nigeria fifth in its list of “extreme risk” countries topped by Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia. While more people have died in those countries due to more frequent attacks, the average death toll per attack has been lower than Nigeria’s, according to Maplecroft.* “We will do everything to stop the menace of Boko Haram on Nigerian citizens,” Major-General Chris Olukolade, defense headquarters spokesman, said yesterday on telephone. The Nigerian army says it is acquiring new military equipment and retraining its soldiers to deal with the insurgency.

A foreigner’s thoughts on Nigeria

Nicholas Rolley, a Ph.D student of the University of California in Berkley, United States(U.S), is in Nigeria to research into West African languages at the University of Ibadan (UI). He shares his views about the country with STANLEY IBEKU.* It is his second visit to Nigeria – Africa’s most populous nation. Nicholas Rolley, a doctoral research student from the University of California in Berkley, United States (U.S), first visited in 2009 when he came for a research into Ishan Language of Edo State at the Department of Linguistics and African Languages, University of Ibadan (UI). His stay was boring and basically spent on research work.* If his first visit was boring, Rolley fell in love with African languages in his second visit. He is undertaking a special research on dialects in West Africa, especially on syntax and phonology. He came at the instance of Prof Francis Egbokhare whose research interest is similar to Nicholas’.* Did he just find love in Africa? Nicholas said: “I became very interested in West African languages during my first degree programme at the University of Toronto, where I took a course called Field Methods. It was a course in which all linguistic students basically dissect a language from the basics and study the language without being a native speaker.”* Since then, his interest in African languages started to grow. According to him, Nigeria is a linguistic goldmine because of its vast number of different cultures, languages and people. He said negative stories about Nigeria may have prevented foreign researchers from exploring the country’s goldmine.* He said: “It is incredible the number of linguistic and cultural wealth that found in Nigeria.* There is so much to be done and I think it is the negative stories and perceptions which hold researchers back. In the 1970s, there were so many foreigners who came to Ibadan not just to study but to live here. They also studied there. My supervisor was a visiting scholar to the University of Ibadan. There were people that did their research on Igala, Kalabari, Itsekiri, Hausa and Kanuri. But right now, because of security and power situation, there are fewer people coming here.” Rolley said it won’t be fair to compare Nigeria with the US in terms of the teaching facilities, noting that Nigeria’s status as a developing country should not be an excuse for the poor conditions of the facilities in higher institutions.* On what he perceived about Nigeria, he said: “There is lots of news about the country, which are mostly negative. There are amazing people; there are also terrible people just like in America. But there is a thin line between anthropology and stereotyping. Generally, Nigerians are highly social. The country has cultures reflected in the linguistic diversity.” Rolley said his research work is mainly for the academommunity and for the promotion and preservation of Ishan language.* Worried by the state of Nigerian universities, the foreign student urged the government to set its priority.* “The most important thing in my mind is where the priority should be. Where specific Nigerian interest should be and also what students should pay more attention to.* Electricity is still the problem in Nigeria but universities are in the business of developing knowledge and impacting it. It does not create wealth.* Because universities are knowledge centres, it is important that we develop knowledge and use it to solve societal challenges,” he said.* He wants Nigerians abroad to come back and use their expertise to develop the country while also advocating for more exchange programmes.* He said: “It is good for Nigerians professionals to go abroad but they must return to their country to set the pace for its development. They must discourage brain drain. We should have ambitious, brilliant and smart Nigerians coming back to the country to help.* Despite reports of kidnapping and terrorism, Rolley said he could settle in Nigeria but that has to be subject to his wife’s consent.* He quipped: “I don’t know if my wife would want it because of kidnapping, armed robbery and Boko Haram challenges.* Personally, these problems don’t worry me. My worry is the state of roads. Every time I am on the roads, I always hope to return back to my base alive. Now, I understand why Nigeria is very religious; why people pray to God 10 times a day. The roads are terrible. That, to me, will be one of the things pulling me back; that fear that I will be on the road and may never come back alive is always in the mind.”* According to him, Nigeria is a country America should pay attention to. “It has cities bigger than anyone dreamt of. Some Americans don’t even understand that Nigeria is highly urbanised. They think Africa is a bush. They don’t understand ‘everyday Lagos’. They don’t understand traffic jams which involve 10,000 vehicles. They don’t understand how urban Nigeria is becoming and many other African cities and countries,” he said.

Woman arrested with dead 5 year old child

Policemen in Lagos, yesterday, foiled attempt by a mob to lynch a middle-aged woman who was in possession of a dead child at Mile-Two, along Oshodi/Apapa expressway.* Though the woman, who gave her name as Florence, claimed that the dead child was hers, the mob said she could have kidnapped and killed the child for money ritual.* WhenVanguardarrived the the scene yesterday, the dead child was seen lying by the side of the expressway, with Florence by his side.* Two Ghanamust gobags were found by her side.* Inside the bags were beverages, detergents and assorted clothes. Though news making the round earlier had it that the child’s eyes were plucked, butVanguarddiscovered that the eyeballs were only popped.* Information gathered revealed that the woman had been sighted in the area with the child strapped at her back for three days.* An onlooker said: “One man in a commercial bus alerted us yesterday that the child strapped at the back was motionless. This attracted some curious passengers of commercial buses that were trapped in this unending gridlock.* One of the passengers went close to the woman and shook the baby. Before you knew it, people had gathered around the woman, wanting to set her ablaze. But for the timely arrival of policemen attached to the Rapid Response Squad she would have been dead by now.” WhenVanguardapproached the woman , she said: “I am from Umo in Kwale area of Delta State. I was born in Lagos and I have three children.* Nothing is wrong with me. This child (pointing to the dead child) is my son. He is the last of my three children. I have a boy and a girl who are in the village. His name is Chidi and he is five years old.* “He has been very sick. In fact, he had fever and needed blood transfusion but I couldn’t afford the money for it. He died three days ago. Before he died, we wanted to travel back to the village. My husband stays in Port Harcourt.” When asked to give his husband’s telephone number she said: “The paper where I wrote his number has been destroyed by rain. I don’t have any relative in Lagos. I was living under a staircase in one of the shops located in Alaba market. A security man allowed my son and I to sleep there at night. I didn’t steal any baby neither did I kill any child. “I was carrying Chidi on my back after he died, only for people to gather around me this morning and started beating me. What have I done to deserve this kind of beating? If not for these policemen, they would have beaten me to death.” Asked what her mission in Lagos was, she said she came to take care of him here. Some people were of the opinion that she was insane but the Police said that would be ascertained in the course of investigation.D-Sam Igho's Blog

"It's a blessing for me to cut my Pennis", U.S rapper Christ Bearer

Andre Johnson, 41, who is known asChrist Bearerwith theWu-Tangaffiliated groupNorthstar, chopped off his own penis on April 16 in a drug-fueled frenzy. The Northstar rapper jumped off the second-story balcony of his condo in North Hollywood. But yet, insisted he wasn’t trying to commit suicide.* “I was lucky I was only on the second floor. If I was any higher, it would have been a tragedy. The height didn’t make any difference to me. I wasn’t aware of the height,” he said. “I was so happy to wake up in the hospital,” he told The Daily NewsMonday.* At the time, Johnson was studying literature about monks and vasectomies and was extremely high when he took the knife to cut off his genitals. “I was under the influence of PCP. It’s a drug that I had stopped doing for years, but I just got back from Ohio and got back into that lifestyle for a few days. It definitely was not wise.”* The Northstar rapper was hospitalized at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. But unfortunately, doctors could not reattach his genitals. Doctors didn’t reattach it, but I definitely have some penis left. I always say a penis is a penis. And the sensation is still there. I definitely still get extremely aroused if I see a beautiful woman. That being said, I definitely believe sex is for mortals, and I am god. So this is a blessing, not a curse.* Two weeks after the incident, Johnson welcomed a new daughter named Kennedy.He also has two older daughters, Lana, 2, and Lauren, 8. “I’m very optimistic about the future,” he told The News. “I just had a daughter, and I plan to be part of her life for a long time.”

The most amazing plant, Aloe Vera. What can it do?

There's no plant in this world to be compared like the Aloe Vera, maybe garlic should be second. The most amazing plant, that's what I call it. There is nothing on this planet that offers the amazing variety of healing benefits granted by aloe vera. In a single plant, aloe vera offers potent, natural medicine that: • Halts the growth of cancer tumors. • Lowers high cholesterol. • Repairs "sludge blood" and reverses "sticky blood". • Boosts the oxygenation of your blood. • Eases inflammation and soothes arthritis pain. • Protects the body from oxidative stress. • Prevents kidney stones and protects the body from oxalates in coffee and tea. • Alkalizes the body, helping to balance overly acidic dietary habits. • Cures ulcers, IBS, Crohn's disease and other digestive disorders. • Reduces high blood pressure natural, by treating the cause, not just the symptoms. • Nourishes the body with minerals, vitamins, enzymes and glyconutrients. • Accelerates healing from physical burns and radiation burns. • Replaces dozens of first aid products, makes bandages and antibacterial sprays obsolete. • Halts colon cancer, heals the intestines and lubricates the digestive tract. • Ends constipation. • Stabilizes blood sugar and reduces triglycerides in diabetics. • Prevents and treats candida infections. • Protects the kidneys from disease. • Functions as nature's own "sports drink" for electrolyte balance, making common sports drinks obsolete. • Boosts cardiovascular performance and physical endurance. • Speeds recovery from injury or physical exertion. • Hydrates the skin, accelerates skin repair.

Mother sells a Day old baby girl for N20,000

A commercial sex worker in Bayelsa State, weekend, gave birth to a baby girl and sold the child for N20,000 at the Ovom suburb of Yenagoa.* According to a Police source, the child, a day old, was sold to a family in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. It was learnt that the commercial sex worker operates around the popular red light zone of Ovom along the D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha area, in the state capital.* Spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, when contacted, confirmed the incident, saying investigation into the incident traced the family involved in the unholy sale to Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Akhigbe said: “Though the details of the investigation are sketchy, the special unit of the police is on its way to effect the recovery of the baby and arrest the family that bought the child.”

3-Year Old Girl Resurrects During Her Funeral

Yes, For real* In the Phillipines, the unthinkable, and almost unbelievable, has happened. A 3-year old girl, who was suffering from what was called “severe fever”, suddenly moved and had a pulse while in her coffin during her funeral in Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur, according to reports from The Philipine Star. Aurora’s police chief validated the incident upon arrival.* Heidil Teelan, the police chief, confirmed that medics had pronounced the girl dead at 9 am the previous Saturday, after doctors were unable to locate a pulse. However, during her funeral service, after someone claimed they saw her head move, a funeral attendee checked her neck for a pulse, and sure enough, found one. The girl was immediately fed water and taken home, where, according to Teelan, she remains in a comatose state.

Nigerian Soldiers Burn BRT Buses, Beat Up BRT Workers in Lagos

Soldiers in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, on Friday unleashed mayhem on the Palmgroove part of the city, in protest of injuries to a fellow soldier who was hit by the driver of a Bus Rapid Transit (bus). An eyewitness who spoke with SaharaReporters on phone confirmed that the accident occurred some minutes before 9am, when a soldier riding a motorcycle was knocked down by the DRT bus.* “Everyone around the area begged the driver but he refused to listen. I didn’t see the soldier close enough to be able to ascertain the extent of his injury, but someone who could make a call to his colleagues in the military surely was not injured to a level where he could not forgive the driver”, he said.* He added that minutes after the call, soldiers in their dozens arrived at the scene and began vandalising all BRT buses on sight.

Woman faces life in prison for stopping car to help ducks and causing crash that kills two

A Montreal jury ruled Friday against a 25-year-old Quebec woman who was on trial for stopping her car on a busy highway to rescue some ducklings and causing a crash that killed a motorcyclist and his teenage daughter. Emma Czornobaj faces a maximum sentence of life in prison after she was found guilty on two counts of criminal negligence causing death and two counts of dangerous driving causing death.* Defense attorney Marc Labelle said Czornobaj was shocked by the verdict. He wondered how she could be found guilty of criminal negligence in the absence of other contributing factors. "This was not a race. This was not a person who took a chance and drove drunk," Labelle told the Montre al Gazetteafter the verdict. "This is not about someone who was speeding and took a risky maneuver."* Andre Roy, 50, and his daughter Jessie, 16, were killed when Roy’s Harley-Davidson chopper slammed into the rear of Czornobaj's Honda Civic on June 27, 2010. Seconds earlier Czornobaj, a financial analyst, had stopped her car in the left lane of a provincial highway in Candiac, south of Montreal, after she spotted a group of ducklings on the median, CTV News reporte d.She got out of her car and tired to herd the ducks into her car.* Roy’s wife Pauline Volikakis was injured when her Yamaha motorcycle also slammed into Czornobaj’s car.* Volikakis said Friday she did not blame Czornobaj. “My feelings are that it’s time that we go on,” she said, according to CTV. “I have no expectations but I don’t wish any ill will to anyone.”* Prosecutors wondered what Czornobaj was thinking when she stopped her car in a traffic lane, saying that it was not normal.* Czornobaj testified in her own defense. She said if the same thing were to happen today “I would not have stopped.”

Confab recommends death penalty for rapists of minors

THE National Conference has recommend death sentence to those found to have raped minors just as it recommended a life sentence to other rapists.* Delegates at Thursday’s plenary, while considering the report of the Conference Committee on Civil Society, Labour, Youths and Sports,chaired by Bola Ogunrinade,unanimously adopted the committee’s recommendation that death penalty be meted out to anyone found guilty of raping a minor.* They also unanimously agreed that any government official found guilty of embezzling public funds or monies meant for settling Pensioners be given life imprisonment.* The conference also proposed 50 years imprisonment for any judicial officer found guilty of corruption or abuse of office and to be stripped of all official entitlements.

'Why I named my twins Nollywood & Hollywood' - Ogedengbe reveals

Lanky actor and movie producer Femi Ogedengbe who welcomed a set of twins with his wife in May and named them Nollywood and Hollywood is still talking about why he chose the names for his son and daughter. Speaking with Encomium magazine this week, Femi explains; "The names are my own way of appreciating the industry that gave me a chance, that is Nollywood and the industry I aspire to breakthrough, Hollywood. I will simply say thank you to the people who criticized me for giving me attention. It shows they noticed me. Also it shows they left their own problems to respond to a guy with a very humble background from Dagbale Akoko Edo who grew up in the slums of Mushin. Furthermore, to those who say I am an attention seeker, I say thanks to them for granting me and my wife undue attention. Sadly it did not come with money"

Mystery solved: How much referees and players are set to earn during the World Cup

A paycheck at the end of the week is something all employees look forward to, but what can players and referees—who will have all eyes on them on the world’s biggest stage—expect to see on their checks? Well, one might be surprised.* Referees can make up to $50,000 for the month-long tournament, but only about ten official are expected to make this amount. In reality, the figure is relatively smaller (in 2006, most were paid $35,000) for each referee based on experience and fitness as well as which games they are in charge of officiating.* When it comes to players however, the variation is more significant, dependent on the type of player and what team he plays for.* However, each team is guaranteed $8 million dollars just for making it to Brazil -- a number decided by FIFA, and the same amount that teams received for making it to the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. So what is the average salary for everyone else? It was reported that the U.S.players would each be looking at getting at least $76,000. The Aussiesare each set to make $150,000 total when you take into account the match fees and prize money for being in the competition, regardless of results. Cameroonianplayers didn’t seem to be satisfied with the amount they were being paid, delaying their flight to Brazil and forcing their federation to take out a loan that increased their salaries by $12,000.* Of course, each team’s salary choice is their decision considering FIFA allows individual salary caps for each nation. The same goes for the amount that each nation will pay its players for the amount of matches they play, whether or not they advance to the next round or if they actually win the tournament (the English Federation is set to pay their players almost $700,000 if they lift up the cup). The bottom line: it depends.* Needless to say, there won’t be a single player or official involved in the tournament who will be going home empty-handed (you know… money-wise).

Man defiles 4 year old girl, bags four years jail term

An Enugu High Court presided over by Justice Pearl Enejere on Wednesday sentenced one Emmanuel Nkemakolam to three years imprisonment for defiling a four-year old girl.* Enejere sentenced the accused after he admitted guilt to the charge and pleaded for leniency.* The state prosecutor, Mrs Ngozi Avah, told the court that the matter was reported to the police on July 29, 2012.* According to her, Nkemakolam, a resident of No. 7, Chief Nwotokwo Street, Emene, lured the little girl to his room on July 29 and defiled her.* “The little girl began crying and told her mother that her private part was paining her. She later pointed at the accused person for wounding her.* “The incident led to threats by his neighbours who later handed him over to the police after he accepted responsibility,” she said.* “During police investigation, it was discovered that Nkemakolam had defiled six little girls within the area which the accused did not denied.* “It was the recent one which happened on July 29 that brought him before the court,” Avah said.* The counsel to the accused, Mr Charles Umahi, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy as he showed remorse for his actions.* The accused, however, told the court that he had engaged in the act for years now but had repented.* “I have regretted my action. My reason for confessing to the act is for the court to forgive me. From today onward, I promise to turn a new leaf,” he said.* The court sentenced the accused to three years imprisonment and recommended that he should be rehabilitated in a psychiatric hospital. (NAN)

Cameroon players fighting among themselves as they crash out of World Cup

It was a very sad game for the Cameroon players as the first African team exits the world cup. The Cameroonian team had a hefty defect in the hands of the Croatians who came with a hard game against them after they lost to host Brazil. The Cameroonian players couldn't stand it as they involved in silly blunders against their opponents and had they fought among themselves during the end of the game. It's now clear Cameroon is set to exit the world cup even as their last game result against Brazil won't count.

BIG SHOCK as defending champions Spain crash out of world cup losing to Chile 2-0

There's a BIG SHOCK in the footballing world as defending champions Spain who won the FIFA World Cup in South Africa in 2010 crash out of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in a shocking and unexpected defeat to Chile whom many around the world have predicted Spain to win with ease.* There've been several shocking and suprising results in the group stage of the world cup. It's now certain that the world is waiting for a new champions as the former couldn't defend it for long as they crash out of the tournament in the group stage.* There has been other suprises like the case of Costa Rica beating the star team of Uruguay whom many also predicted to dominate and win the game. It has been a world cup of suprises. Are we still up for more? It's certain!

Another prominents demise: Arisekola Alao is dead

Billionaire businessman, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola-Alao, is dead.* He died on Wednesday in a London hospital after a long battle with prostate cancer.* He was 69.* His death, which came as a shock to most sympathizers, immediately threw Ibadan, the Oyo State capital into mourning. Arisekola-Alao was born on February 14, 1945 to the families of Alhaji Abdur Raheem Olatunbosun Olaniyan Alao and Alhaja Rabiatu Olatutu Abegbe Alao.* The parents were peasant farmers who hailed from Ajia in Ona – Ara Local government of Oyo State.* He attended St. Lukes School, Adigun, Ibadan and later ICC Primary School, Igosun, Ibadan, due to the persistent persuasion of one school teacher, Mr. J. O. Oladejo. This was because he never wanted to go to a secular school. The reason for this was because of his love for Islamic education, which he had been attending with absolute dedication since he was three years old.* He completed his primary school education in 1960 and applied to further his education in the secondary school. He applied to Christ School, Ado – Ekiti and Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan. He defeated all-comers at Christ School and emerged third best candidate for Lagelu Grammar School. Unfortunately the economic impoverishment of the parents created an impediment for his pursuit of an academic career. However, whatever Arisekola lacks in formal education, he had abundantly in business: intelligence and honest pursuit of economic goals. Arisekola’s love for education led to the establishment of “Pa Raheem Alao scholarship foundation for indigent students of tertiary institutions.” The beneficiaries of this scholarship are paid monthly, per semester or annually.

paypal finally in nigeria

LONDON, June 16 (Reuters) - PayPal is entering 10 new countries this week, including Nigeria, providing online payment alternatives for consumers via mobile phones or PCs in markets often blighted by financial fraud. Rupert Keeley, the executive in charge of the EMEA region of PayPal, the payments unit of eBay Inc, said in an interview on Monday the expansion would bring the number of countries it serves to 203. Starting on Tuesday, consumers in Nigeria, which has 60 million users and has Africa's largest population, along with nine other markets in sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America will be able to make payments through PayPal. "PayPal has been going through a period of reinvention, refreshing many of its services to make them easier to use on mobile (phones), allowing us to expand into fast-developing markets," Keeley said. Once the services go live, customers in the 10 countries with access to the Web and a bank card authorised for Internet transactions will be able to register for a PayPal account and make payments to millions of sites worldwide. Initially, PayPal is only offering "send money" services for consumers to pay for goods and services at PayPal-enabled merchant sites while safeguarding their financial details. This is free to consumers and covered by fees it charges merchants. "We think we can give our sellers selling into this market a great deal of reassurance," said Keeley, a former regional banking executive with Standard Chartered Plc and senior executive with payment card company Visa Inc. PayPal does not yet cover peer-to-peer transactions, which allow consumers to send money to other consumers. It has not yet enabled local merchants in the new markets to receive payments, nor is it offering other forms of banking services, he said. A 2013 survey of 200 UK ecommerce sites by Visa's CyberSource unit estimated that 1.26 percent of online orders are fraudulent and that 85 percent of merchants expected fraud to increase or remain static last year. CyberSource also estimated that suspicion of fraudulent transactions result in 8.2 percent of online orders in Latin America being rejected by merchants, compared with 5.5 percent in Europe and 2.7 percent in the United States and Canada.*Such fraud can include ID theft, social engineering, phishing and automated harvesting of customer financial data via botnets, or networks of computers controlled by hackers. A total of 80 million Internet users stand to gain access to PayPal global services this week, including those in five European markets - Belarus, Macedonia, Moldova, Monaco and Montenegro, four in the African nations of Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Zimbabwe, as well as Paraguay. Internet usage figures are based on research by Euromonitor International. PayPal counts 148 million active accounts worldwide. Last week, MasterCard Inc, the world's second-largest debit and credit card company, and a PayPal rival in payment processing, said it was working with the Nigerian government on a pilot to overlay payment technology on a new national identity card. PayPal has operated in 190 markets since 2007 and added three countries - Egypt, Georgia and Serbia last year. Roughly a quarter of the $52 billion in payment volumes PayPal reported in the first quarter of 2014 were for cross-border transactions. PayPal reported $1.8 billion in revenue during the period. (Reporting by Eric Auchard; editing by Jason Neely)

34 year old man charged to court for biting woman’s breast

A 34-year-old man, Uche Afokaigbo, who allegedly bit a woman’s breast, was on Monday brought before an Itire Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.* Afokaigbo, who resides at No. 20, Enoma St., Ago-Palace Way, Ago-Okota, Lagos is facing a one-count charge of assault.* The prosecutor, Insp. Olakunle Shonibare, told the court that the accused had on May 12, attacked one Kemi Oluwaja of the same address by viciously biting her on the breast.* He added that a fight broke out between the wife of the accused and the complainant, Oluwaja, over a stove burner, which consequently led to the intervention of the accused.* Shonibare said the accused bit the complainant on her breast, after which he snatched the stove burner from her. The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.* The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.* The Magistrate, Mrs A.O. Gbajumo, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.* She adjourned the case till June 23, for trial. (NAN)