Military Locates 260 Women, Children In Adamawa

Nigerian troops have located 260 woman and children in the outskirts of Chalawa village in Adamawa State where they had been held up while trying to escape from terrorists.


Some of them told the military that they had to abandon their homes to escape from the terrorists when Madagali came under attack, while others were abducted, but left in the area by fleeing terrorists.

In a statement on Sunday, the military said: “They have now been conveyed back to their various communities in Madagali after undergoing the normal security profiling.

Military spokesman, Major General Chris Olukolade, confirmed the development. He said they were located on Saturday.

According to him, a number of terrorists died in an encounter with troops who caught up with them as they fled prior to the recovery of the women and children.

“Some of the terrorists still managed to escape with varying degrees of gunshot wounds. Others who were captured are now being interrogated by intelligence officers.

“A machine gun, some rounds of ammunition, as well as some motorcycles and bicycles were also captured from the terrorists. A member of the vigilante group serving as ģuide to the troops was however wounded,” the military said in a statement.

The Boko Haram terrorists were sacked from Madagali recently.

Meanwhile the operation in Sambisa forest is continuing as troops are searching every aspect of the expansive terrain.

The Military had earlier released a video of the counter-terrorism aerial operations in Sambisa Forest, with terrorists seen fleeing the forest.

Learnt from channelstvnews

The heartwarming moment a female soldier returned from Afghanistan to surprise her veteran mom at college graduation

A soldier returning from Afghanistan surprised her veteran mother this weekend, as the woman celebrated both her birthday and graduated from college.

Debra Cooper was graduating from Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia on Saturday when she got an unexpected visit from her 28-year-old daughter, Staff Sgt Markita James.

The school helped hatch the special moment between mother and daughter as a way to honor all military veterans at the university.


Surprise: Army veteran Debra Cooper was attending her college graduation ceremony on Saturday when her daughter, Staff Sgt Markita James, surprised her after returning from active duty in Afghanistan


Hiding: James sneaked up behind her mother as she was sitting for for the ceremony and came bearing roses

'Brenau is proud of its active military students, its veterans and the families of both,' the university's President Ed Schrader said during the commencement ceremony on Saturday. 'We have lots of folks who are here today who are veterans or are even on active duty, but I'd like to especially recognize Debra Cooper.'

Cooper was taken aback by the mention of her name in the president's speech.

'Debra didn’t know this, but her daughter has returned from active duty in Afghanistan,' Schrader continued.
That's when Cooper turned around to find her daughter in her military uniform, holding a bouquet of flowers.
Cooper started saying 'Oh my god' over and over as she got up to embrace her daughter, who she hadn't seen in a year.

'I'm so proud of you,' James said in return.

After the reunion, Cooper sat back down and the ceremony proceeded.

In an interview with the Gainesville Times, James said she initially wasn't going to surprise her mother.

'When I first found out I was going to be able to come to her graduation, I had just planned on letting her know that I was going to be there. But I was talking with someone about it, and they said maybe I should contact Brenau about it. So, I called, and they were excited about this whole idea,' James said.

James said her mother also served in the Army, from the 1990s until around 2000, and has been an inspiration to both herself and her brother Michael Hall, 26.

'Getting this degree is a huge accomplishment for her,' James said. 'She’s been through a lot. She’s a single mother of two, but she is so strong. I’m so proud of her.'


Learnt from Dailymail

It's Becoming Clear 'Game of Thrones' Will End At Season Seven

Viewers of HBO’s Game of Thrones may assume that it’s the kind of show that can last forever. The show has gone through three kings of the seven kingdoms already, and it seems like the cycle could pretty much continue on indefinitely. Many characters have died, but new ones rise up and take their place, and there never seems to be any shortage of storylines to go around.

But readers of the original book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, know that thereis a timeline in place. A beginning, and an end, even if that end is still years away from being written. As such, what’s been happening in season five so far is a fascinating insight into the schedule that HBO’s showrunners have in their own heads, and it’s moving at a much more brisk pace than anyone could have possibility anticipated. What does that mean? We may see Game of Thrones end at seven seasons, even if to this point that’s seemed extremely unlikely.

Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have previously hinted that seven seasons is their dream length for the series. Though they certainly love working on the show, they don’t want it to last forever and go on so long that people are begging it to stop. This is in contrast to HBO itself, which has thrived having Thrones as its flagship prestige program the past half-decade so far, and they’ve said they would love to see at least 10 years out of the show.My idea was somewhere in the middle, ending the show at a supersized eighth season of about 13-15 episodes.

Given the events of season five so far, it’s becoming clear that seven seasons is the most realistic option, as the show is now flying through two books simultaneously.

To this point, it’s taken Game of Thrones four seasons to get through three books, splitting A Storm of Swords in half across seasons three and four. After that, getting through four books (two unwritten) in three years seemed impossible and overly ambitious.



Now I’m not so sure, as Benioff and Weiss are tearing through the plot with a hacksaw, and I don’t think they’ll stop until the series fits their schedule. What’s happening is that even though A Storm of Swords was a 1200 page book that was split into two seasons, they’re taking A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons, 1100 pages each, and turning them into essentially one season-long collection of storylines.

Impossible? No, not when you’re master editors like the pair of them. Though I said they’re taking a “hacksaw” to the plot, that’s probably an aggressive choice of words, and rather they’ve been performing rather extensive, but clean, surgery on the plot. (light spoilers only ahead).

Five of the most significant plotlines which were spread out through both books seem on track to reach the end of their book content by the end of the year based on how fast they’re moving. That includes Cersei sparring with the Sparrows, Arya training to be a Faceless Man, Jon assuming command of the Night’s Watch, Tyrion traveling to Mereen, and Daenerys having trouble keeping hold of the city. It remains to be seen just how much will be cut from each storyline in order to fit them all into a single season, but so far, all are moving at a brisk pace and will likely leave out details from the books. Fans may protest that, but the showrunners have made that work before.

I’ve been most impressed with the plotlines Benioff and Weiss are outrightcombining. Jaime has been moved from messing about in the Riverlands doing nothing of note in the books to taking over Aerys Oakheart’s Dorne plotline which will be assuredly made more interesting by his presence (and he’s bringing Bronn along for good measure). But the crowning editing “jewel” comes in the form of Sansa/Littlefinger/Roose/Ramsay/Theon/Brienne/Pod all coming together in single storyline that combines three disparate sets of the characters who never met up in the books. Brienne and Pod will try to save Sansa from the Boltons after she’s promised to Ramsay, while Littlefinger uses the union to acquire more allies and power. Sansa will have to fend off Ramsay when he inevitably turns hostile, and may have to rely on old frienemy Theon for help with that. It’s a fascinating dance that takes seven characters and stiches them all together in a way that makes a surprising amount of sense. This is a prime example of how this “four books in three seasons” idea is even possible. The showrunners have done a great job editing the books to date, but now they’re taking things to a new level.



All of this is to say that yes, it does seem likely that by the end of season five, we will see 2200 pages of two books on screen, in some form or another. This will come with causalities, of course. I predict we will never see Stoneheart or Penny the Dwarf, and I have a hunch the Iron Islands plotline will be cut, and so might Old and Young Griff’s appearance. Though some of these are major items, they seem like the kinds of things Benioff and Weiss will edit out or integrate into the show in a reduced capacity at best.

After that, the show has more freedom. George RR Martin will almost assuredly not release The Winds of Winter by the time season six has been written, and his seventh book will not be out for years after that. That means the showrunners don’t even have to cut fat anymore. They just consult with Martin for the broad strokes, and do their own “books” as seasons six and seven, and then end the show while it’s assuredly still soaring in the ratings.

As sad as that makes me (and HBO), I understand what they mean about not wanting Game of Thrones to be some eternal experience. I think it could go on forever, as lord knows the universe is rich enough to spawn stories from it forever, but I also get that it doesn’t necessarily want to be The Walking Dead either. It is working toward very specific goals, and dragging its feet is only going to hurt the story. The Walking Dead can shamble on for ten years probably and no one will bat an eyelash, but I don’t know if Game of Thrones has that luxury given that it’s an elaborate puzzle that’s been constructed from the start that does have a solid ending in mind.

I still hold out hope that HBO will throw money at Benioff, Weiss and the cast to get them to stick around until at least season eight, but right now, judging by what we’ve seen in season five, they’re absolutely on track for their “ideal” seven season run.

Learnt from Forbes

Bow Wow on His Wedding Plans: 'We're Really Spontaneous'

Bow Wow (born Shad Moss) and Love & Hip Hop New York star Erica Mena got engaged last September but still they aren't revealing their wedding date.


Why? Well, it could be today or tomorrow or next year.
"We might just do it after the fight," Bow Wow, 28, told PEOPLE while attending the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao boxing match in Las Vegas on Saturday. "We're really spontaneous. That's what's great about us. We break rules. We have our own rules."
The couple's relationship was anything but conventional, but it works for them. They got engaged after just six months of dating; and although they knew each other for years, an on-camera kiss set the romance in motion.


The young couple seemed to be on cloud nine as they held hands on the pre-fight red carpet. And to hear the rapper and CSI: Cyber star talk about it, they are.

"I feel like relationships are healthy with communication," he said. "If things are understood then it's understood. We have our little thing. We can leave right now and go get married. Our thing works."





Learnt from people.com

Tim Cook wears a unique Apple Watch that nobody else can buy

Apple CEO Tim Cook wears his Apple Watch everywhere (even in the shower). But if you look closely at photos of his watch, you can see that it's a totally unique model that is not available to the public.

Take a look at the photo of Cook holding an Apple Watch at the top of this article. Notice anything weird about the one he's wearing on his left wrist?


Let's take a closer look:




Cook wears a stainless steel Apple Watch with a white sport band. That's not the unusual bit. What's different about Cook's watch is the digital crown (the circular button that sticks out). Cook's crown is capped with a section that's coloured red.

You can't buy the stainless steel Apple Watch with the red crown like Cook's — Apple simply doesn't sell that type of watch. Instead, only the gold Apple Watch Edition watches come with coloured crowns — and they start at £8,000 ($12,269).


AppleThe gold Apple Watch features a red crown.

So it looks like Cook is wearing a custom model of Apple Watch with a unique digital crown, possibly an early test model that he has decided to stick with.





Learnt from BI

Brooklyn Decker Pregnant, Expecting First Child with Andy Roddick

This is going to be one good-looking kid!

Model-turned-actress Brooklyn Decker and tennis star hubby Andy Roddick are expecting their first child together, with Decker announcing her pregnancy over the weekend on Instagram.

The 28-year-old shared the photo above on Saturday, showing her cradling her teeny tiny baby bump in a floral maxi dress. "So this happened ... #the3ofus," she captioned the pic.

The baby is due in the fall, a rep for the couple tells PEOPLE.



Hours after announcing the news, Decker stepped out to the iHeartRadio Country Festival in Austin, Texas with her baby daddy by her side. The two live in the Texas capital.

Brooklyn looked gorgeous (as usual) in a loose-fitting glitterly striped dress that kept her growing belly concealed.

The good news comes just after the couple's sixth wedding anniversary. Decker and Roddick tied the knot in Austin on April 2009, after two years of dating.

Congrats!

Learnt from toofab

Spice Girls Reunite for David Beckham's 40th Birthday Party: Photos

Spicing up his life! David Beckham was surrounded by several gorgeous ladies while celebrating his 40th birthday on Saturday, May 2 -- including the Spice Girls! The athlete's wife Victoria Beckham invited her former bandmates to the Morocco bash that lasted well into the evening.

PHOTOS: Best girl groups of all time

"Great to see these shy and retiring ladies. Never a dull moment," the birthday boy teased via Instagram. "Thanks to my beautiful wife for such an amazing day x."

PHOTOS: Stars reunited

Victoria, Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, and Geri Halliwellappeared to gab with actress Eva Longoria for most of the night.Melanie Brown, aka Scary Spice, wasn't in attendance.

PHOTOS: Hot Brits

"Spice Girls in Marrakech!" the fashion designer host, 41, gushed via Instagram. In another pic, Longoria joked: "I'm the new Spice Girl! #LatinaSpice."

The Spice Girls have reunited on several occasions since the golden "Wannabe" days. In 2012, they performed at the London Olympics and for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee concert.

Nicki Minaj shows off her engagement bling and her fiance Meek Mill

All eyes were on the ring as Floyd Mayweather Jr. took on Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas on Saturday.

But Nicki Minaj nearly stole the spotlight as she arrived for the Fight Of The Century in a tiny turquoise dress, hand in hand with new fiance Meek Mill.

While the figure-hugging number showed off her famous curves, the Anaconda singer also flashed her huge engagement ring as she strutted into the MGM Grand Garden Arena.



She's a knockout: Nicki Minaj arrived for the Fight Of The Century in Las Vegas on Saturday in a tiny turquoise dress and hand in hand with new fiance Meek Mill
Nicki joined a star-studded crowd for the hugely anticipated fight, with Justin Bieber, Beyonce and Jay Z all in the crowd.

The singer made quite the entrance though thanks to her knockout fight night outfit.

Showing off her famous curves, the star slipped into a bodycon bright blue dress.

In the spotlight: The singer wowed in a curve-hugging turquoise dress and matching shoes






Feeling blue: Nicki's famous curves were centre stage in the strappy dress as she made her way to her seat in the MGM Grand Garden Arena

The stappy number featured a super low cut neckline, with Nicki drawing even more attention to her assets with a silver chain necklace.

She added a pair of matching turquoise heels and left her long dark locks loose and super sleek.

Nicki's other big accessory was her new engagement ring, with the singer flashing a glimpse of the hard-to-miss bling as she walked hand in hand with her fiance Meek Mill.

Nicki and the rapper became engaged last month, with the singer first showing off her stunning heart-shaped ring in an Instagram post, simply captioned with a series of emojis.

Diamond expert, Lewis Malka, estimates the dazzling sparkler could be worth in the region of $750,000.

He told MailOnline: 'It seems Nicki is following the trend set by fellow pop superstar Lady Gaga by having an epic heart-shaped engagement ring.

'Nicki has an eight carat fancy yellow heart-shape central diamond, set in the increasingly-popular double halo design, with white diamonds in platinum.’

The couples' romance began after her less than amicable split from her ex-fiance Safaree Samuels in November.

Exciting time: Nicki and the rapper became engaged last month, with the singer first showing off her stunning heart-shaped ring in an Instagram post

Fight night: Nicki left her long hair loose and sleek and carried a colourful chain strap bag 

Star-studded crowd: Nicki and Meek joined a celeb audience for the hugely anticipated fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao

Meek has previously said that when he served jail time in a Philadelphia correctional facility from July to December on charges of violating probation, he and Nicki would talk frequently over the phone.

Nicki has enlisted her fiance as an opening act on her The Pinkprint Tour, while the rapper also features on two of her songs - more than any guest artist - for her third studio album The Pinkprint.

Meek cosied up to Nicki's superstar pals at Saturday night's fight, posing for an Instagram snap with Beyonce and Jay Z, with the rapper showing off his own sense of style in silver trousers and statement shades.

After Mayweather's victory, Nicki and her man continued the party at Chateau in Sin City, with the singer making a quick change into an abs-baring crop top and white jeans.

Superstar friends: Nicki shared a photo on her Instagram page as she and Meek mingled with Beyonce and Jay Z at the fight


There's the ring: The Anaconda singer looked in great spirits as she flashed her bling just weeks after her surprise engagement

Curves: Nicki's incredible body was on full display in her racy dress and matching shoes

All nighter: After Mayweather's victory Nicki continued the party at Chateau in Sin City, hitting the DJ booth with Funkmaster Flex

Quick change: Nicki swapped her turquoise dress for an abs-baring crop top and white jeans

Learnt from Dailymail

Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace: Blues clinch Premier League title as Eden Hazard heads home after seeing initial penalty saved

By the end of the day, all those in Chelsea blue had what they came for and Roman Abramovich was waving and smiling down from his executive seat.

When you see Abramovich crack his surly Russian visage and display such emotion, you are witnessing a special moment, and here was his fourth Barclays Premier League title in 12 years since buying the club.

It ends a wait of five years and was clinched with three games to spare, thanks to a goal from Eden Hazard, who nodded in the rebound of a poor penalty he had seen saved, just before half-time.


Hazard directs the ball into net with his head after seeing his initially penalty saved by Crystal Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni


Hazard's initial effort was easily saved by Speroni but the Belgium international was quick to pounce to head home the rebound


Hazard goes down under the challenge of Crystal Palace midfielder James McArthur and referee Kevin Friend pointed to the spot


Hazard races away to celebrate as Palace players despair having put the Blues ahead in Sunday's vital Premier League encounter


Eden Hazard punches the air and is joined by Nemanja Matic (right) after putting Chelsea ahead against Crystal Palace on Sunday


Hazard is hoisted up by team-mate Matic as Chelsea took a huge step to securing the Barclays Premier League title at Stamford Bridge


Goalscorer Hazard and Matic were soon joined by the rest of the Chelsea squad as Cesar Azpilicueta (top) shouts after taking the lead


Speroni lies on the floor having been beaten as Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic collects the ball from the back of the net


Chelsea players celebrate their title success in the Stamford Bridge home dressing room after beating Crystal Palace


Terry (left), Oscar (centre) and Hazard pose for the cameras as the Chelsea trio celebrate on the pitch at full-time





Kurt Zouma and Loic Remy hold a Premier League champions flag (left), while Didier Drogba celebrates Chelsea's title triumph


Chelsea players celebrate at the full-time whistle after winning their fourth Premier League title with victory against Crystal Palace


Roman Abramovich celebrates after witnessing Chelsea's fourth Premier League title triumph since becoming owner in 2003



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Terry lets out a roar after the victory (left) and punches the air as the celebrations started at the full-time whistle






Learnt from Dailymail

Lindsey Vonn announces 'mutual' decision to split from Tiger Woods following three-year relationship

Lindsey Vonn has announced she has spilt from Tiger Woods after dating the American golfer for three years.

The 30-year-old alpine ski racer announced the news on her official Facebook page on Sunday.

Vonn said: 'After nearly three years together, Tiger and I have mutually decided to end our relationship. I will always cherish the memories that we've created together.

Lindsey Vonn has announced she has has split from Tiger Woods after a three-year relationship

'Unfortunately, we both lead incredibly hectic lives that force us to spend a majority of our time apart.

'I will always admire and respect Tiger. He and his beautiful family will always hold a special place in my heart.'

Vonn recently attended the Par 3 Contest ahead of the Masters alongside Woods' children from his previous relationship with Elin Nordegren.

Woods, who divorced Nordegren in August 2010 after hitting the headlines for cheating on his former wife on several occasions, is yet to comment on the split.

Learnt from Dailymail

Floyd Mayweather is given the viral treatment after defeating Manny Pacquiao

Twitter poked fun at Floyd Mayweather's display against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night with a host of memes and virals.

Many fans believe Mayweather was rather defensive in the bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with some jokingly comparing the American to Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

A number of amusing memes and tweets flooded in following the fight with some suggesting Mayweather prefers hugs than punches.

Floyd Mayweather was given the viral treatment on Saturday night with some comparing him to Jose Mourinho

A host of virals and memes poking fun at Mayweather flooded social media after his win over Manny Pacquiao

One amusing meme suggested Mayweather should have fought TV dinosaur 'Barney' as he 'likes hugging too'

Other virals depicted Mayweather as a dancer alongside American singer Bruno Mars while another compared him with pop star Ariana Grande.

Despite the ridicule on social media, Mayweather came out on top against Pacquiao, taking the unanimous decision with the judges scoring the fight 118-110, 116-112, 116-112.

After winning the Fight of the Century, Mayweather is now unbeaten in all 48 of his professional fights.

The 38-year-old confirmed he will retire following his 49th fight in the Autumn.

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Some fans believe Mayweather was quite defensive and 'hugged' Pacquiao rather than punching him 

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Another viral depicted the 38-year-old Americanv as a dancer alongside singer Bruno Mars and his band

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Mayweather stance during one moment of the bout was compared to that of pop star Ariana Grande

Learnt from Dailymail

Bosnia: Muslim businessman rebuilds Church

In a time when the relationship between Christians and Muslims is being tested all across the globe, this news is a welcome development that is worthy of emulation.

Husein Smajic, a Bosnian businessman said he found relics he believes were part of the Franciscan Church in the 13th century in his backyard while he was digging a lake.

He said he wants to preserve the old Christian heritage for posterity.

According to Radio Free Europe, the businessman says he wants to solely undertake the project of rebuilding the Church, so that Muslims and Christians in Bosnia will know that people of different religions can live in peace together.

Learnt from pulse.ng

Man loses wife, three children, two others to fire

Six people died when a storey building in which they were living caught fire in Jos, Plateau State in the early hours of Saturday.

The fire was said to have started around 2 am immediately after electricity was restored from the public electric supply.

The victims are 26-year old Habiba Ahmed, her three children, Dalhatu, aged 6, Maryam 4 and one-year-old Fawaz. Others are Habiba’s sister, Rukayat 12 and maid, named Maryam aged 13.

There was suspicion that the victims died of suffocation as they could not escape from the raging inferno.

The victims were given mass burial at the Zaria Road cemetery at about 12 noon on Saturday.

Our correspondent gathered the fire started from an electric surge and was aided by a gas cylinder, which exploded after the inferno began.

The man of the house, Ahmed, was said to have left his family at about 4 pm on Friday for a short trip to their home town of Lafia in Nasarawa State. However he was recalled by his landlord, Umar Dauda, immediately the incident occurred.

A distraught Ahmed rushed back to Jos oblivious of the fate that had befallen his family.

One of the witnesses, Yusuf, who shared a flat near that of the deceased, told our correspondent that he was alerted by the loud explosion of the gas cylinder. He said immediately the explosion occurred the electricity in his own apartment went off.

Yusuf said that the prompt intervention of men of the Plateau State fire service prevented the fire from spreading to other buildings.

He added, “I was told that the victims shouted for help, but nobody came to alert us until the sound of the explosion.”

Sobbing Ahmed who spoke at the burial site at the Zaria Road cemetery said, “I was playing with them till 4 am yesterday (Friday) before I left for Lafia. Now I have lost everything.”

Learnt from punchng

Nigerian Idol’s top 12 contestants unveiled

Franchise owner, Optima Media Group (OMG), has unveiled the top 12 contestants for the ongoing TV reality show, Nigerian Idol.
The contestants are Ogunmoyero Modolowamu (Dolu), Oyinkepreye Deborah Toun (Preye), Janet Ebiwari Ayoka (Ayoka), Godson Goodluck (Classic Tunez), Ogunrombi Kunle (K-Peace), Esther Aritheshoma Monday (Sther), Adigwe Brenda Ada (Brenda), Ekeoma Victor Chibuzor (Prime), Paul Manuwa (P.Scholes), Okemiri Uloma Margaret (Uloma), Omodele Diana Fatoki (Modele), and Ese-Amadasun Imuetiyan (Nex2).
With sponsorship from Etisalat Nigeria, any of the contestants that emerges winner will have a N7.5 million top spot cash reward with a recording deal with South Africa-based Universal Music label and a brand new SUV car.
Getting to the final stage was not easy for the contestants who were initially 30 and their performances scrutinized through judges’ decisions and public voting. Prime, Dolu and Preye were selected ahead of other seven contestants because of their outstanding performances, representing the brightest choices of both the judges and the viewing public.
The second batch tagged ‘group of death’ comprised contenders with talents and skills. While Brenda, Tama Nisa and Nex2 emerged from this group, the judges were displeased with Nex2’s qualification. Nex2 was seen as the ‘worst performer’ among the contenders. Classic Tunez who had to show his capability replaced Tama Nisa that left the competition on health grounds.
K-Peace, Ayoka and Uloma emerged in the third batch, though the judges and some members of the viewing public who were not impressed with their performances questioned their qualification. There was the Wild Card process that allows the judges call back any contestants among the 30 contenders, but voted out to have another round of performances. Sther, Modele and P.Scholes made it through this route.

Learnt from the Sun news