Doping: Usain Bolt Maintains He's Clean

Usain will aim to restore sprinting’s battered reputation when the Jamaican star returns to London’s Olympic Stadium for the Anniversary Games.

Six-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt insisted on Thursday that he was a clean athlete and fans could trust him despite recent failed drugs test by the Jamaican’s sprint rivals Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay.

“I was made to inspire people,” Bolt told a London news conference ahead of his return to the Olympic track on Friday, when he will run in the 100-metres at the Diamond League Anniversary Games.

“I was given a gift, I know I’m clean. For me it happens [failed dope tests], I’m not going to stress about it,” added Bolt, the 100m and 200m world record holder.

Bolt’s compatriot Powell, the former 100m world record holder, tested positive for the banned stimulant oxilofrine at Jamaica’s national trials last month and is still waiting to discover if his ‘B’ sample confirms the original finding.

United States sprinter Gay tested positive for the same stimulant in May.

Bolt, 27 next month, refused to condemn either of his rivals. “There’s a lot of details to be discussed, I’m just waiting to see what’s going on,” he said.

“I spoke to Asafa, it’s tough, it’s hard. I told him to stay strong,” said Bolt, who in London last year repeated his Beijing Games feat of winning the 100m, 200m and 4x100m Olympic gold medals.

“In life you learn anything is possible. You have to be very careful as an athlete, there are a lot of things on the banned list.”

Asked how dejected athletics fans could ‘trust’ him, Bolt replied: “How long have you been following Usain Bolt?

“2008? If you’ve been following me since 2002 you know I’ve been doing phenomenal things since I was 15. I’ve broken every record there is to break. I’m living out my dream. I’ve shown throughout the years I’ve always been great.”

As for British athletics great Sebastian Coe’s call to increase standard doping bans from two years to four years, which would see athletes who failed a drugs test miss the next Olympic Games, Bolt said: “I don’t make the rules, I can’t determine how hard things should be.

“That’s whey we have the IAAF [International Association of Athletics Federations] and Wada [the World Anti-Doping Agency].”

Another Jamaican athlete, Sherone Simpson, has also tested positive for the same stimulant as Powell.

"I Want to Export Gay Marriage Around the World" British Prime Minister

British prime minister, David Cameron today vowed to ‘export’ gay marriage around the world as he held a party to celebrate the passage of legislation in Britain.

The Prime Minister told a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender reception in Downing Street of his personal pride at legalizing gay marriage.

Mr Cameron told guests at the same reception one year on that Britain was now “the best place to be gay, lesbian or transgender anywhere in Europe”.

He added, “that is a great achievement. That’s not my measure; that is an internationally recognised measure. But there’s still a lot more work to be done.”

Thanking the ministers and civil servants who helped to pass the legislation into law despite objections from the Tory Right, he said, "It’s been a real pleasure to work with you and to deliver this landmark social change for our country, which to me still comes back to the simple word of commitment.”

He added that he wanted to "export" same sex marriage around the world so other countries could follow suit.

But he risked controversy by suggesting that his ministers should now fan out across the globe to spread gay marriage around the world.

‘I’m personally proud of this,’ he said. ‘I think it’s a really good step. I’ve told the Bill team I’m now going to reassign them because, of course, all over the world people would have been watching this and we’ve set something of an example of how to pass good legislation in good time.

‘Many countries are going to want to copy this. I talk about how we’ve got to export more, so I’m going to export the Bill team. 

'I think they can take it around the world.’ 

Mr Cameron signaled that he wants to go further in pressing gay rights. He told the gathering: ‘There’s still a lot more work to be done. 

'There’s work to be done talking to our Commonwealth partners about decriminalising homosexuality in various countries.

Marriage: 10 Signs She Aint a Wifey Material

The fun you can have is automatically decreased tenfold and it’s only going to get worse, the deeper you get into a relationship.

There comes a point a man reaches when he has a stable job and is comfortable with the woman he has been in a relationship with for the past few years. 

Through thick and thin, she has been there for him and he begins to think that she may be the one.

So, you are really considering marrying this woman and settling down with her for the rest of your life. But before you make one of the most important decisions of your life, it is important you know you have found the one. Here are the red flags that she may not be wifey material:

1. She’s selfish and wants all the attention on her at all times.

2. She’s really jealous and picky about whom you associate yourself with.

3. She doesn’t get along with your friends.

4. She tries too hard to change you.

5. She can’t cook your favorite dishes.

6. Complaining is one of the few things she does well.

7. She is happier with the new Giuseppe Zanotti shoes than your love and affection.

8. You stole her from her previous man that she said she was ‘in love’ with.

9. She’s jobless, but keeps insisting that she’s trying to find herself.

Arsenal Bid £40m plus £1 for Luis Suárez

Arsenal have reinforced their determination to sign Luis Suárez with a club-record bid of £40m plus £1 for the Liverpool striker. The offer was rejected out of hand by Liverpool but Suárez could push for talks over a sensational move to the Emirates Stadium, if he so desires.

Liverpool were angered by Arsenal's second bid for the 26-year-old when it arrived on Tuesday and remain adamant it will not trigger the release of their prized asset. The Arsenal chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, was informed by his Anfield counterpart, Ian Ayre, that Liverpool would not consider a sum of £40m for Suárez when he lodged an opening offer of £30m plus £5m in add-ons.

But that has not deterred Arsenal from returning, a fortnight later, with an offer that activates a clause in Suárez's contract by one pound. Under the terms of a contract signed in August, Liverpool must inform last season's leading goalscorer of a club's interest once they receive a bid of more than £40m.

Anfield officials were due to fulfil that obligation to the Uruguay international following Liverpool's pre-season friendly against Melbourne Victory . It will then be up to Suárez to decide whether he wishes to agitate for a move to Arsenal, having blamed vilification by the British media and the Football Association as the root of his disillusionment in England.

Liverpool are adamant that the £40m clause is not a fixed sale price and that they remain free to negotiate their own transfer fee for Suárez. As reported earlier this summer, Liverpool rate Suárez as a better player than Fernando Torres when he was sold to Chelsea in January 2011 and would demand in excess of the £50m received for the Spain international. Brendan Rodgers confirmed that position last week when he placed Suárez in the same price bracket as Uruguay team-mate Edinson Cavani, who recently joined Paris Saint-Germain from Napoli for £55.6m.

"When you consider that Cavani has gone for £55m you know … Luis is up there in that bracket of top talent," the Liverpool manager said. "Obviously it [Arsenal's first bid] was an offer we didn't deem worthy of the talent and even if they came back with that kind of amount [£55m] there's no guarantee he would be sold even for that because we are trying to build something here."

Rodgers has repeatedly stated that Suárez is not for sale and it would require "something drastic" to alter Liverpool's stance on a player they supported throughout the racism controversy with Patrice Evra and again when he received a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanoviclast season. The former Ajax captain has six games left to serve of the Ivanovic suspension next term and his appearance against Melbourne Victory will be his first since April's incident.

Nevertheless, Arsenal's strategic move will apply pressure on Liverpool should Suárez ask to open negotiations with Arsène Wenger and push for Champions League football at the Emirates. Arsenal have evidently been encouraged to believe that £40m-plus is a sale clause and a legal dispute over the wording of Suárez's contract cannot be discounted, having been linked with several transfers this summer without breaking the £15m club-record fee paid for Andrey Arshavin in 2009.

Wenger had hoped to sign Gonzalo Higuaín from Real Madrid but the Argentina international is mulling over a move to Napoli for a fee of around £30m. Higuaín's departure from the Bernabéu would increase the prospect of Real joining the pursuit of Suárez but, despite the Uruguayan professing his admiration for Real on several occasions this summer, Real have made no contact with Liverpool.

Suárez, who received a warm reception from a 15,000 crowd that watched Liverpool train in Melbourne on Tuesday, has three years remaining on his contract and Rodgers has insisted the club will not be dictated to by the player over any transfer.

Nigeria Government: Under Pressure to Legalize Gay Marriage

The Federal Government has said it is under pressure from the international community to sign the Gay Rights Bill into law in Nigeria.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, stated this in Abuja on Friday at an interactive session with the diplomatic corps, even as he accused the international community of hypocrisy.

He insisted that Nigeria would not sign the Gay Rights bill or abolish the death penalty without reviewing the constitution.

The minister said that Nigeria does not impose its culture on other countries and as such it was wrong for anyone to attempt to impose a foreign culture on the nation. He said, “This thing must be understood because we have been under pressure about this issue of Gay Rights. It is not part of our own culture, you need to understand that. It needs to evolve. Let us get to that stage of understanding that two men can marry, then we will get to the bridge and cross it. But please let foreign diplomats educate their various governments that you cannot come overnight and impose values that are not part of our tradition on us. Don’t impose it on us that we must allow it in our constitution. If we are talking about democracy, democracy is about free choice, free association you don’t force values on others.

“For those who have Gay Rights, even when I look at the population of those countries, those opposing are high in number. In some countries, the churches are against it, why put pressure on Nigeria and other African countries that we must put it (in our laws). Respect for human rights of a minute minority cannot be at the expense of the larger societal values, well-being and orientation of the people. Even laws are rooted in culture which must be upheld for the good of the society. I therefore appeal to the international community to show a greater understanding of the culture and traditions of our people.

“We don’t tell other countries how to live their lives. We don’t impose values on any country. Other countries too should not come and impose their own values on us. We don’t oppose any country that has put in its constitution the Gay Rights to allow two men or two women to marry themselves. But for Nigeria and a number of other African countries; it is not part of our culture yet.’’

He said it was hypocrisy for the United States to be championing Gay Rights and while criminalising polygamy which is part of Africa’s culture and tradition.

“At times you see hypocrisy in some of these things. I must be frank. If we talk about human rights, how do we apply them? It seems they are being applied to favour some certain groups and not of wider application. There is hypocrisy in this issue of Gay Rights and polygamy,” he added.

Also at the meeting, the minister said the Federal Government had barred foreign ambassadors and diplomats representing their countries in Nigeria from commenting on political issues in the country.

The minister said the action constituted an undue interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs.

He explained that the meeting was necessary to maintain the excellent relationship between Nigeria and the international community, and to remove any potential irritant or misunderstanding in their interactions.

He said the government was aware of the activities of some embassies that had been funding human rights groups’ activities in the country.

He said, “We know in Nigeria we have some of the strongest human rights groups. We also know that foreign missions have been freely supporting them with funding. It is okay. We have no objection.

“But we object when ambassadors conduct activities that are incompatible with their status as diplomats. If ambassadors want to join the human rights groups, they may as well resign to join them, but they cannot use the platform of being a diplomatic agent to interfere in our domestic activities. The Vienna convention states clearly the activities that are incompatible with your functions as an envoy.

“I will want ambassadors to please confine themselves to their traditional duties. If you feel strongly about any issue, come to the foreign ministry, I will receive you. When there are things you want to take up with the government, come to the ministry. Even if you come as a regional body, I will receive you. But for you to go to the media and start talking is incompatible with the status of your office.”

Child Marriage: Nigerians to Protest in Lagos, Abuja and other States

Following the adoption by the Senate, of the controversial child bride, aggrieved citizens have planned to stage protests in different states today.

Some of the states include; Lagos, Abuja, Ondo, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Ogun States, amongst others.

The protest was designed to get people to sign a petition, with the estimate of two million people, that would be submitted to the State Houses of Assembly, chronicling the grouses of the aggrieved persons on the proposed law which many have termed as bad.

In a statement made available to THISDAY by one of the organosers, Japheth Omojuwa, he said the protest would be more of petition signing to register their grouse against the law which seeks to permit female minors to be married off to older males.

Tagged "ChildNotBride", the rally will hold at the state Civic Center, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt between 10am and 2pm and on Sunday at CIWA Catholic Church, House on the Rock and Heritage House by 10am.

In Abuja, he said the rally will hold at Unity Fountain, Near Transcorp Hilton, Maitama, while in Lagos, between about 9am and 12pm, different rallies would be held at

Ojeez Restaurant, National Stadium Surulere, Alausa Park, opposite Lagos State Governor’s Office, Ikeja.

Others are the Palms Shopping Mall, Lekki, New African Shrine, Agidingbi, Ikeja and

Union Bank, Alaba Junction. Oja-Alaba axis.

In Ibadan, the rally was billed for 9am to 12pm at Mokola behind Group medical hospital, Press correspondent building, while in Akure, it was billed for 12pm at Adegbemile Cultural Centre, Akure.

Also, in Kaduna, between the hours of 9am to 12pm, people are expected to throng the Lugard Hall Front Gate, to sign the petition.

Also speaking, the CEO of Rise Networks, Toyosi Akerele, said it was very unfortunate that the Senate had okayed underage women for marriage in Nigeria

She said, "This is the most absurd thing any sane government could ever do. With the teeming number of teenage pregnancies and the social and health hazards that we are already battling with, one wonders if our law makers are really thinking at all. Have they heard about obstructed labour due to small pelvis of the “child” mother?

"Have they heard about Obstetric fistula that results from prolonged obstructed labour that makes the girl leak urine continuously and makes her a social outcast? Do they know that many of these “children” are divorced and driven out of their husbands’ homes because of this malady?

Breaking News: Boko Haram Begs Nigerians for Forgiveness, Ready to Sign Ceasefire Deal

“WE are seeking forgiveness from the people over the number of people killed in the country.

I appeal to those who lost their loved ones to our activities to forgive us and on our side we have forgiven all those who committed atrocities against us. I want to state clearly that we have no hands in the unfortunate attack on the secondary school (Government Secondary School, Mamudo, Yobe State).”

With these words, Imam Muhammadu Marwana, an influential member of the Abubakar Shekau-led Boko Haram sect, yesterday, confirmed a ceasefire agreement with the Federal Government to end their deadly activities across most states of Northern Nigeria, which have claimed about 4,000 lives and destroyed properties worth billions of Naira since 2009.

The agreement came exactly 82 days after the Federal Government raised a 25-man committee to work out modalities for granting the amnesty to the sect.

Indeed, the Federal Government, yesterday, said that it had signed a ceasefire agreement with the militant group. Minister of Special Duties and Chairman of the Peace and Dialogue Committee in the North, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki announced the ceasefire agreement on the Hausa service of Radio France International monitored in Kano.

The announcement came on the eve of the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan expected to commence today throughout the world and also coincided with a vehement denial by the insurgents that they had no hands in the murder of 30 boarding students of a secondary school in Yobe weekend.

Although details of the peace deal were scanty, Turaki who spoke in Hausa further said that the Boko Haram insurgents had agreed to lay down their arms.

“We have sat down and agreed that Jama’atu Ahlul Sunnah Lidda’awati wal Jihad, known as Boko Haram will lay down their arms as part of the agreement so as to end the insurgency. Government agreed with ceasefire and will look into ways to ensure that the troops relax their activities till the final take off of the ceasefire,” Turaki told his interviewers.

Confirming the truce, Imam Muhammadu Marwana said: “This ceasefire, in sha’Allahu, from the time I am talking to you (Radio France Hausa Service) we have ceasefire because of the discussion held so as to have peace over this struggle.”

The Boko Haram stalwart added that “we are seeking forgiveness from the people over the number of people killed in the country.

Sounding apologetic during the Radio news, Imam Marwana declared that “I appeal to those who lost their loved ones to our activities to forgive us and on our side we have forgiven all those who committed atrocities against us”

He added that “I want to state clearly that we have no hands in the unfortunate attack on the secondary school.”

How the agreement was reached

A member of the presidential committee, which President Godluck Jonathan gave 90 days to hammer out a solution to the problem told Vanguard how the agreement was brokered. He said “Shekau’s leadership came out through several fronts and set traps for us. The government gave them confidence, the confidence led to trust and they said they will call their men to cease-fire and they have done so.”

Mixed reactions trail move

Meanwhile, Nigerians have received news of the truce with cautious optimism

MTN NG: MTN Nigeria Launches NextApps Store

MTN Nigeria has launched an app store to its customers powered by U.S. based appstore developer, neXva. Dubbed the MTN Nigeria NextApps store, the store consists of free and premium applications such as Efiko, Nigerian Constitution, aHausa and NewsBasket and is initially available to Android smartphone users.

The store features one click billing for MTN customers which bills the purchase price from customers’ MTN prepaid accounts or adds the cost to their phone bill.

Speaking on the launch, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Marketing Officer, Larry Annetts said:

“We are very pleased to partner with neXva on this app store initiative. Our choice of neXva to deploy the MTN Nigeria NextApps Store was informed by neXva’s robust technology platform and their internal team that is able to customize and localize the offering of the applications to suit our customers in Nigeria. This, for us is a key success factor for the NextApps Store.”

Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of neXva, Brian J. Friedman, said:

“Bringing neXva’s app store platform to MTN Nigeria is a great opportunity for neXva. We are particularly pleased that deploying our app store technology was done with a highly curated selection of content that will, for the first time, bring apps to many of MTN’s customers in Nigeria.”

Co-founder and COO of neXva, Shaun Zelber, added:

“We know that app store customers are looking for a localized experience in the depth and breadth of the apps offered. “This informs why our content team is always on the lookout for the newest, best and most relevant apps that can bring MTN’s customers in Nigeria a very personalized catalogue of apps that is very relevant to their day-to-day lives. The NextApps Store delivers a rich selection of the best Nigerian and global apps.”

The MTN Nigeria app store is available at nextapps.mtnonline.com

How Alcohol Affects the Body: How You Get Drunk

Kenya National Gay Plan Support for Nigeria Gay Community

The Kenya Human Rights Commission and the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission last year launched the first African gay and lesbian awards to honour lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transsexual and intersex people for their contributions to Kenyan society.

Strong indications have now emerged that the event might be hosted in Nigeria this year as human right groups look to show support for the Nigerian gay community.

The event, which was held at Charter Hall in Nairobi, saw politicians, employers and journalists awarded for their commitment to advancing equality and social acceptance for same-sex relationships in Kenya.

The aim was to encourage inclusion, tolerance and a respect for sexual diversity, one of the event’s organisers, Erick Gitari, told reporters. 

Extending equal rights to people in same-sex relationships is a source of contention in Kenya. 

Sodomy is punishable under Kenyan law with a penalty of five to 14 years imprisonment and homosexuality is a taboo for many in a country where religion is strong. 

In November 2010 supporters and members of the gay and lesbian community blasted Prime Minister Raila Odinga for saying anyone engaging in homosexual activity should be arrested.

In February the same year an armed group raided a government health centre that provides HIV/Aids services to the community.

The group insisted they were trying to "flush out the gays”’, according to a Human Rights Watch report.