Ripples of Hurricane Sandy may hit Lagos within a week - Govt

The Lagos State Government on Tuesday warned residents of the state to prepare for the ripple effect of Hurricane Sandy in the state.

The Commissioner for Waterfront Development and Infrastructure, Mr. Adesegun Oniru, said the government was projecting that within seven to 14 days, the state would experience the ripple effect of the hurricane in its coast lines.

 He explained that the government based its projection on, “experience, records and study of past happenings” and had started taking precautionary measures.

Oniru said, “This warning is not to cause panic in Lagos, but to place us all on alert that if we notice anything unusual in our coast lines, we should not go near the waters but rather call government attention.

“This storm has hit the Caribbean and is now in USA. We always get a ripple effect of such happening in Lagos.

“This wind started in Africa, went west gathering more wind and later turning to hurricane. We expect a splash back effect. It could be on our coast lines and shore lines, it could be more than that. And it may not happen at all. Everybody must be vigilant. Let us be careful around our oceans and lagoons.”

The commissioner said the government was planning to protect Kuramo, Oniru, Majidun, Alpha beach and other areas affected by the last ocean surge in the state.

The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on the Environment, Dr. Taofeek Folami, urged the residents of the state to avoid flooding effect of the storm by refraining from dumping their refuse into drainage channels.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, urged the  state residents not to  panic, saying the alert was for them to know what to do to prepare for such occurence.

 Source: Punch

Finally, Venus and Serena Williams Land in Lagos

History was made again in Lagos on Tuesday as one of the Williams’ sisters and tennis icon, Venus Williams, finally arrived in Lagos, as widely reported in the local and international media. 

Venus, the older of the two world's renowned tennis icons, arrived in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital about 3:35pm, aboard a Delta Airline flight. She was welcomed to the hands of officials of Connect Marketing Services Ltd and scores of journalists, who had waited anxiously outside of the arrival lounge of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja.

Her sister, Serena, who has just clinched the WTA title which just ended in Istanbul, Turkey, arrived in Lagos at 9pm local time, on Tuesday.

From the airport, Venus was led straight to a waiting convoy of vehicles and driven to Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island where another group of Journalists had also assembled to receive the tennis queen.

Looking visibly excited about her coming to Lagos, she was accompanied by her managers, who however, did not allow her to entertain any questions from the journalists saying, Venus and Serena will speak to the media elaborately on the purpose of their visit during a Media Conference scheduled to hold on Wednesday 31, October 2012 in Lagos. 

Both Serena and Venus Williams are in Lagos as part of the Nigerian leg of a planned tour of two African countries, namely Nigeria and South Africa.

They are here on the platform of Breaking The Mould (BTM) campaign, a women's empowerment programme put together by Octagon and its West Africa affiliate, Connect Marketing Services Ltd.

While in Lagos, they will participate in a number of supporting initiatives such as a tennis clinic, school visit, exhibition match and gala dinner among others.

Through these initiatives, they will be motivating, inspiring and mentoring diverse audiences in particular women and young persons as well as other categories of people to be the best they can be, regardless of obstacles on their way.

Serena and Venus Williams are considered fit as “Mould Breakers” as the story of their lives exemplifies how determination, passion, hard work and self-belief can turn dreams into reality, despite obstacles.

Aki and Paw Paw visit flood victims in Delta State

The popular Nollywood actors visited flood victims in Delta State over the weekend. The governor of the state, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan explained to newsmen why he invited the actors to meet with flood victims.

"I went to the flood victims camp one day and as I walked in, half of the population were watching TV. I tried to attract their attention. Some looked at me and greeted me, but they turned to continue watching the television. When I looked at the television, I saw it was Aki, Paw Paw and Ibu that they were watching. You see, because they were watching Aki, Paw Paw and Ibu, they forgot their pains. For them, these Nollywood actors were helping them to ease their pains. That was why I invited them to go to the different camps as motivational speakers because the victims require a lot of motivation, while they are preparing to go back home.”

6million people without power, 13 dead as Superstorm Sandy sweeps through the US

 












America has never seen a storm like this. Over $15 billion in damages. At least 13 people killed. Homes destroyed. High-rise apartment buildings now islands. 6.5 million people in 13 states without power. Major airports in Northeast closed. Federal government offices closed. Three feet of heavy snow like concrete, storm surge 14 feet high, buildings on fire, transport in chaos. Mass transit system, schools, stock exchange, all shut down as Super Storm Sandy wrecks havoc in the US.

The New York City subway system which is 108 years old has never faced a disaster as devastating as what was experienced last night. Atlantic City in New Jersey has become an extension of the Atlantic Ocean as water pressed into the city from three sides, flooding rail yards, subway tracks, tunnels and roads. 
more photos......

 


 


 


 

Hurricane Sandy hits United States

 


 At least 50 million people are bracing for the worst storm forecasters say could be the largest ever to hit the United States. 

Hurricane Sandy is expected to hit the East Coast at 8:50 this evening, and will bring that part of the country to a standstill in the next few days with battering winds, flooding and lengthy power outages.

State of emergency has been declared in NYC, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Boston, Baltimore, Pennsylvania, and there's mandatory evacuation in all these cities. Public transportation, subways, bridges schools, tunnels, businesses, have all been closed.

Much of the East Coat is on lock down right now as they are expecting a storm surge of 6 to 11 feet above normal high tide. The hurricane is expected to merge with winter storm and they say it has the potential to cause "unprecedented damage."

Thousands of flights into and out of the US east-coast have been canceled and president Obama has also canceled his presidential campaign to monitor the storm, which could cost the US billions of dollars in damages.

Benin Republic president's doctor and niece try to poison him

 




Benin Republic president’s doctor, Dr. Ibrahim Mama Cisse, his niece, Zouberatou Kora, and Benin's former Minister of Trade Moudjaidou Soumanou were a part of a failed plot to poison the president by changing his medicine with something toxic.

The doctor and the niece were said to have been promised payment of almost $2million if they succeed in killing the president. It later emerged that Benin multimillionaire businessman, Patrice Talon, was the one who hired their services. Fortunately they didn't succeed. The plot to poison the president failed after his niece told her sister about their plan. The sister then told the president.



The state prosecutor said the president's niece picked up drugs at the Cotonou airport on Friday Oct.19, and gave them to Dr. Cisse. He said the drugs from Soumanou are “drugs that the head of state usually takes but were this time substituted and replaced by toxic ingredients.” But before they could administer the drugs, they were arrested.

The doctor, niece and ex-minister have been charged with attempted murder and are currently locked up in a prison in Cotonou while there's an arrest warrant for Mr Talon

Kim K and Kanye West make 2nd red carpet appearance as a couple

 loving kim 's dress