Google sells Motorola unit to Lenovo for $2.9B

PC maker Lenovo, which has struggled for smartphone success outside China, gets an established global brand, while Google unloads a burden on its balance sheet and a source of tension.

The Droid Ultra is one of Motorola's key franchises in the US.

(Credit: CNET)

Google is unloading Motorola Mobility onto Chinese PC maker Lenovo.
Google confirmed on its site that it has sold Motorola for $2.91 billion, consisting of $660 million in cash and $750 million in Lenovo shares, with the remaining $1.5 billion paid in the form of a three-year promissory note. Reuters earlier reported on the deal.
Lenovo gets the Motorola brand, as well as its portfolio of devices, including the Moto X and Moto G. In addition, it will also receive more than 2,000 patent assets, while Google will retain control of a majority of the patents it originally obtained when it acquired Motorola several years ago.
A deal instantly gives Lenovo, which has a thriving smartphone business in China but few other places, an established global brand. Google, meanwhile, will shed a business that has continually dragged down its profits.
The deal marks one of the worst investments in Google's history. In 2012, Google completed its acquisition of Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion. At the time, it was thought that the primary reason for the acquisition was the treasure trove of Motorola patents that would help Google defend it and its partners against Apple.
The patents, however, have proven to be less than effective in warding off lawsuits, and much of the legal fighting as gone on between Apple and Samsung, with Google only tangentially related. Google and Samsung recently signed their own cross-licensing pact.
Troubled handset business
The handset side of Motorola, however, has always been a stress point between Google and its partners. While Google said it maintained a division between its Android group and the Motorola unit, other vendors have privately expressed irritation that a partner was also a competitor.
Google did legitimately try to revive the once vaunted Motorola brand with unique products, including the Moto X, which was built in the US and could be tweaked with different colors and covers, as well as the ultra-low-cost Moto G, geared toward emerging markets and lower-income consumers looking for a competitive smartphone.

The custom back of the Moto X.

(Credit: Motorola)

Throughout the last year or so, Motorola has continually posted losses. In the most recent quarter, Motorola posted an operating loss of $248 million, wider than the year-earlier period. Google reports its latest results Thursday.
Still, the move is a surprising one, given that Google has been moving toward becoming more of a hardware company. Beyond smartphones, the company is pushing its Google Glass headset and its Chromecast media dongle. It just purchased Nest for $3.2 billion to get into the smart thermostats and smoke detectors.
"This would be at odds with its recent push to hardware," said NPD analyst Stephen Baker. "Everybody was thinking they would get more hardware-oriented. This may signal a reversal."
Gaining a global brand
Lenovo, meanwhile, could conceivably jump-start its smartphone ambitions with the purchase of Motorola. As the inventor of the cell phone, Motorola has a rich legacy and a still well-known brand that Lenovo could exploit.
"The acquisition of such an iconic brand, innovative product portfolio and incredibly talented global team will immediately make Lenovo a strong global competitor in smartphones," Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing said in a statement.
Indeed, Lenovo actually has a strong smartphone business itself, but one that is largely limited to China. Still, the market is big enough that it ranked No. 5 among global smartphone vendors in the fourth quarter, seeing its share rise to 4.7 percent from 4.2 percent a year ago, according to Strategy Analytics.

Lenovo's CEO said in May 2013 that it would bring its smartphones to the US within a year, but it hasn't updated its timing since then.
By buying Motorola from Google, Lenovo is repeating the same play is successfully pulled off in 2005, when it entered the global PC business by acquiring IBM's PC business. The deal instantly made Lenovo a major player with PCs, building on the business-centric ThinkPad with the consumer-facing IdeaPad.
"Lenovo intends to keep Motorola's distinct brand identity--just as they did when they acquired ThinkPad from IBM in 2005," Google CEO Larry Page said in a statement.
Lenovo reportedly attempted to purchase BlackBerry, but a deal was supposedly squashed by regulators sensitive to a Chinese company owning phones widely used by government agencies.
The Chinese computer giant is the world's biggest PC vendor, with about 17 percent share of the market, according to IDC.
Lenovo said earlier this month that it will buy IBM's server business for $2.3 billion.
With Motorola, Lenovo could use the company's established track record and contacts in the wireless industry to push its phones around the phone. And it doesn't have to build its own brand from scratch.
"We tend to think of the Chinese companies as rigid, but Lenovo has been adaptable in a lot of brands and geographies," Baker said.

Mariam Chindo confessions

I ran my business in Dubai for 10 years –Mariam Chindo

From afar, she looks like an international model or actress, but this brain-and-beauty is a businesswoman. She  talks loud in business. Mariam Chindo,  runs a real estate business , a public relations outfit and a contracting company. Recently, she launched her all-gloss magazine at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. The occasion, witnessed by top executives of  companies, and dignitaries from all walks of life, was  impressive and colourful.  Speaking to CHRISTY ANYANWU in Lagos, she talked about what makes her tick in business.
Could you please give us an insight into your person and background 
I grew up in Nigeria and studied Media and Communication Studies at Middlesex University.  Immediately after graduation, I pursued my interest in running my own business and have been doing so ever since.
Tell us about your real estate business
The first business I started was a real estate company which I operated for close to 10 years in Dubai and two years in Nigeria. I’m proud to say that it has grown over the years and very soon, would be moving to another phase of expansion.
Why did you diversify into other businesses?
I am usually led by my passions. Apart from the fact that I invest in businesses where I see viable opportunities, all my businesses are interwoven and thrive on the benchmark of my interests. This way, I enjoy what I do and it doesn’t seem like work.
How do you define success as an entrepreneur?
For me, defining my success has been about what I have been able to create out of nothing and how far I have come. Each year, I look back and assess what I have been able to accomplish in the previous year. I continually set goals for my businesses and celebrate each milestone as a sign of where each venture is going.
What kind of clientele do you cater for?
It depends on the business you are referring to. In my PR company, we deal mainly with corporate individuals and organisations by helping them build, maintain and manage their reputation. However, Maktoub Magazine and my Interior Decoration outfit cater for a broader range of clients spread across various social and ethnic backgrounds.
Could you tell us about Maktoub magazine?
Maktoub magazine is a unique monthly business and lifestyle publication set to be one of Nigeria’s finest initiatives towards bringing on a global pedestal the rich and strong heritage of the Nigerian people. The magazine contains a rich blend of lifestyle features and articles as well as the latest news and analysis relating to banking, finance, business development and technology.
Maktoub is a brain child of The Best Strategic Public Relations Limited, owned by my humble self. The Best Strategic Public Relations Limited is a public relations development agency established with a brief to professionalize the public relations industry in Nigeria. At the launch, we are set not only to introduce the magazine to a wider audience, but to launch a charity project that would transform the lives of several underprivileged people in our society. Ten per cent of the donations at the event would be given to GI Plc, a charity  organisation that sponsors individuals in dire need of financial help for serious medical conditions.
Why did you go into public relations and how has it been doing professionally?
I wanted to provide a service for both individuals and brands that can give the platform to build their business within their margin. There are millions of start-up companies with small budgets but they are unable to find the resources they need to help them build their brand. That demand has to be met; I started The Best Strategic PR to target these markets and business has been fine.
As a shrewd entrepreneur, how do you cope with male folk in your line of business? 
There are always competitors in business. They could be male or female. I don’t think there is anything to worry about them and I have never felt intimidated by the male folk. I actually see them as a healthy competition and we share resources and ideas whenever we can.
What lessons has life taught you in business?
Focus. Don’t try to do too much. Entrepreneurs are always thinking of the next thing to do. It’s great, but we only have so much time and brain power to focus on the right areas.
How was growing up days like? Any memorable experience?
I grew up in a very loving and disciplined home. My parents provided everything I needed, but not to the extent of spoiling me or my siblings. They taught us to be independent and uphold good moral values. I have fond memories of times spent with my immediate family and grandparents.
What do you do to keep in shape and trendy?
I am lucky to have a naturally trim figure. So, I don’t really have to do too much to keep it this way. However, I eat right and drink much water.
How do you spend your day?
My day usually starts with planning. I re-confirm my appointments or meetings with clients if I have any and get prepared for them. In between these, I also liaise with my staff, respond to emails and make important phone calls. Most times, I work into the evening because the demands of my job require that.
How do you unwind?
When the hectic demands of the day wear me out, I relax on my couch and watch cartoons.
What is style to you? 
Style, to me, means having the creativity and confidence to choose specific items of clothing/accessories from various genres to create a look that suits you. I have a personal style and I’ve always been known for it. Knowing what suits you is important. There’s a huge difference between someone who’s dressed ‘fashionably’ and then dressed ‘stylishly’.
When I’m dressed up, I feel wonderful. I think being true to yourself and not wearing things that are ‘on trend’ just to fit in, is extremely empowering.
Which is your most expensive accessory?
I don’t really attach much importance to the price of a fashion piece because that does not determine its worth to me. I don’t bother much about price tags.
What is the fashion item you cannot do without?
I don’t have any particular fashion item I am attached to. Every fashion item I consider important, I usually get the best of it.
Are you married? 
No I’m not. The lucky man would soon reveal himself, but in the meantime, I’m single and mingling.

all these,are examples of acidic fruits that you should not eat after meal

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND FEEL BETTER

protecting your teeth from acidic fruits

Steps

1. 
   1
   Be aware of the causes. Instigators of acid wear on teeth include:
   • Regular and prolonged consumption of wine, fruit juices, soft/pop drinks and vinegar-based salad dressings.
   • Frequent grazing through the day on veggies and fruit
   • Imbalanced eating patterns, for example, not eating something that counterbalances the acidity of fruit, such as nuts, at the time of eating the fruit
   • Snack foods – many of them are acidic.
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   2
   Cut down on acidic beverages. Reduce or eliminate your consumption of soda pops and soft drinks, fruit juices and wine. Large amounts of these beverages are not healthy for you for many reasons, so not only your teeth will benefit from reduced consumption, but also your nutrition status and your body's overall health. So-called "sports drinks" in particular contain large amounts of citric acid.
2. 
   3
   Avoid grazing through the day. If you enjoy nibbling on food all day long, you may be endangering your teeth. The best solution is to ensure that the foods that you consume are either low in acidity or are combined with foods able to counteract the acidity and reduce your need for the acidic food. For example, consuming nuts with fruit or cheese with carrots may be one way to reduce the effects of acid wear. Nuts and dairy foods are considered helpful balancers to acidic foods.^[3]
3. 
   4
   Avoid brushing your teeth for one hour after consuming acidic food and drink. While this may seem counter-intuitive, acidic foods and drink soften the tooth enamel and leave it prone to damage from brushing. Wait an hour before brushing.^[4] It is also very important not to over brush your teeth any time; too much brushing is abrasive and wears down your teeth. Rely on dental floss and toothpicks in between morning and evening brushing.
4. 
   5
   Rinse your mouth with baking soda. To reduce the acidity in your mouth, rinse thoroughly and gargle with a spoonful of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) in water.
5. 
   6
   Use a straw. Reduce the contact of juice and soda drinks with your teeth by drinking through a straw. This is only a minor help, so don't rely on it as a major solution! The best approach is to reduce your overall consumption of fruit juice and soda drinks.
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Tips

• Other sources of tooth erosion include those suffering from bulimia; constant vomiting or reflux causes acidic contents to be in frequent contact with the teeth.
• Flavored waters should also be treated with care; those containing sugar or other additives may be as acidic as a soft drink.
• Most of us know the feeling of fuzziness on our teeth after consuming cola
• Baby teeth are very vulnerable to acid erosion because the teeth have softer enamel than adult teeth.^[5]

incredible dreams of man

My music will enter Guinness Book of Records– Idahosa Bazuaye

Nigerian musician, Idahosa Bazuaye, (aka Mighty ID) is set to make record in the Guinness Book of World Record as having produced the highest number of tracks in an album.  Mighty ID, is set to launch his album entitled; Hundred Trackman/Mental Torture very soon which is the first of its kind in the history of the entertainment industry.
Some of the tracks include; No Need to Fight; My City; Fly High; Cross Road; Shut Down and Government. 
Born to the popular and illustrious Bazuaye family of Benin Kingdom, Mighty ID left the shores of Nigeria at a tender age of 11 for the United States of America, where he lived for several decades.
Determined to bridge the gap between the Blacks and White in the music industry in Los Angeles, California, USA, Mighty ID developed a self-conscious music in 1998 to compete with American musicians.
He returned to Nigeria in 2007 and he established Deswab Entertainment Record Label, that is into music and film production.
“My kind of music is self-conscious. That style could become popular tomorrow. When I was in America, I did music to encourage Black Americans to be able to compete with the Whites.
According to the musician, his initial plan of a 50-track album was truncated when he discovered from online search that another musician has already achieved that feat. This, he said, fired his determination to do the 100-track album as a benchmark.
Following this, he wrote to the Guinness Book of World Record, intimating them with his project and his desire for recognition. In their acknowledgement and reply, he was encouraged to go ahead with his project, with a promise to receive him after the album lunch.
Of the 100 tracks, Mighty ID produced 61, while other artistes on the Deswab Label produced the remaining 39 tracks.

former chairman of pdp

My trial meant to cripple PDP in S’West –Bode George

By CHINELO OBOGO
Former national deputy chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George has said his trial and eventual conviction were political conspiracies aimed to cripple the PDP in the South-West and to get him out of political activities in the country.
George, who spoke after a thanksgiving church service to celebrate the Supreme Court judgement that set aside the lower court’s verdict over his alleged contracts splitting case, said all that transpired under his leadership as the chairman of the board of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), were guided by the long standing administrative circular which he said was still in use by the authority.
He said the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, once acknowledged that his trial and conviction were politically motivated, adding that “Even Nuhu Ribadu in his heydays at the EFCC boldly stated that whatever problem was at the NPA was a systemic issue and not fraud.”
While affirming that George’s victory would help PDP to win the South-West during the next general elections, President Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented by the Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, said Nigeria would not allow any other Nigerian to suffer what George suffered by going to jail without committing any offence.
The president said: “He did not commit any crime known to law. But God was with him. He has been vindicated and people should celebrate with him. He is not tired and he will contribute to building the nation. Please celebrate with him and members of his family because he is finally free. With Bode, PDP will take over South-West.”
George, however, appealed to the aggrieved PDP governors who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) last year to return to the party, adding that members of the APC were selfish people who were not interested in good governance.
His words: “I want to appeal to our aggrieved governors; please come back home. You don’t know these APC characters. I know them. I know what their leader has turned Lagos into. They are not interested in any good governance. Their pursuit is about selfish mercenary interest.”
He also urged the PDP leaders across the country to unite and help in rebuilding the nation,

this is serious

Christ Embassy’s Pastor, Chris Oyakhilome has presented a 650-capacity auditorium and a 100 KVA generator  to the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma,  Edo State.

Oyakhilome, an alumnus of the university handed over the building to Governor  Adams Oshiomhole on Monday.

Chris Oyakhilome donates 600-seat auditorium to Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma

kuti looses grammy awards

Nigerian frontline Afrobeat singer, Femi Kuti, has lost out at the Grammy Awards for the fourth time, as French group, Gipsy Kings and South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo tie for the World Music category prize.
The winner for the category and some others were announced at a pre-telecast Sunday evening.
The critically acclaimed singer who did not attend the awards ceremony received the news graciously and sent out a congratulatory message to the winners.
The Afrobeat king, who was nominated for his latest album, No Place for My Dream,’ also lost out at the Grammys in 2003, 2010 and 2011.
Two unconventional acts, French electronic music DJs Daft Punk and New Zealand teen Lorde, took home the top Grammy awards.
The quirky robotic duo, Daft Punk, scored the double win of ‘Album of the year’ for “Random Access Memories,” and ‘Record of the year’ with the summer dance hit “Get Lucky,” featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers.
Rodgers praised the French DJ duo for creating their electronic music album using live music recorded on to analog tape, calling it “a labour of love.”
“The fact that they decided to put this much effort into the music and bringing in musicians, they had this incredible vision and they believed they achieved something greater by doing that,” Rodgers said backstage.
 See the full list of the 2014 Grammy Awards winners

WHAT DO YOU TAKE GOD FOR

;>devil was sometimes against this mans ministry. I have a story to tell about a man many years ago: For many yrs of his ministry,he never prospered and always asked God why his was different. One monday morning a missionary said to him"Micheal,do u need this shirt?"My friend replied positive and it was given to him. It happened that the shirt belongs to a white dead missionary that needed to be remembered and it was shared among relatives. The missionary gave micheal the beautiful shirt and advised him to write a letter of appreciation to the deads man's window in canada.when the woman got the letter she was excited by it and sent 17000 canadian dollars to micheal.My friend was scared at Gods intervention in his situation of financial distess. YOU CAN ALSO TELL GOD YOURS TOO.:D

WHAT DO YOU TAKE GOD FOR

;>devil was sometimes against this mans ministry. I have a story to tell about a man many years ago: For many yrs of his ministry,he never prospered and always asked God why his was different. One monday morning a missionary said to him"Micheal,do u need this shirt?"My friend replied positive and it was given to him. It happened that the shirt belongs to a white dead missionary that needed to be remembered and it was shared among relatives. The missionary gave micheal the beautiful shirt and advised him to write a letter of appreciation to the deads man's window in canada.when the woman got the letter she was excited by it and sent 17000 canadian dollars to micheal.My friend was scared at Gods intervention in his situation of financial distess. YOU CAN ALSO TELL GOD YOURS TOO.:D

semester exam time table for olabisi onabanjo university

2012/2013 FIRST SEMESTER EXAMINATION TIMETABLE

Please find below the examination timetable breakdown of each faculty for the 2012/2013 harmattan semester.

General Studies

Faculty of Science

Faculty of Engineering and Environmental Studies

Social and Management Sciences

Faculty of Arts

Faculty of Education

Children Who Lose Close Relative at Risk of Mental Problems

Latest Healthy Kids News

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Children who experience the death of a family member are at slightly increased risk for psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia later in life, a large new study reveals.
The risk is highest among children who had a sibling or parent commit suicide, according to the findings published Jan. 21 in the online edition of the BMJ.
Researchers analyzed data from nearly 947,000 children born in Sweden between 1973 and 1985. Of those children, 33 percent experienced the death of a family member before they reached age 13. More than 11,000 children were exposed to death from suicide, more than 15,000 to death from accidents and more than 280,000 to death from natural causes.
Among those who experienced the death of a family member as a child, 0.4 percent developed a non-affective psychosis (not related to emotions or mood) such as schizophrenia. In addition, 0.17 percent developed a so-called affective psychosis, such as bipolar disorder with psychosis and depression with psychosis, according to a BMJ news release.
Overall, there was an increased risk of psychosis among people who suffered a death in the family during childhood and the risk increased the earlier in childhood the death occurred, the news release said. The greatest risk was seen in those who experienced the death of a family member when they were aged newborn to 3 years old.
The researchers said the increase was small but "significant."
In terms of type of death, the risk of psychosis was highest among those exposed to suicide in the immediate family, followed by those exposed to death from accidents, and then those exposed to deaths from natural causes.
"Our research shows childhood exposure to death of a parent or sibling is associated with excess risk of developing a psychotic illness later in life," Kathryn Abel, a professor from the Center for Women's Mental Health at the University of Manchester, in England, said in the news release.
"This is particularly associated with early childhood exposure," Abel said. "Further investigation is now required and future studies should consider the broader contexts of parental suicide and parental loss in non-Western, ethnically diverse populations."
While the study found a slight increase in the risk of developing a psychotic illness among children exposed to death of a family member, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

Nigeria begins arrests after anti-gay law passed

Nigeria's parliament and president quietly approved the legislation, making the country the 38th in Africa to have laws persecuting gay people

Nigerian authorities today began arresting gay men after legislation was quietly approved criminalising homosexpluality and imposing prison terms up to 14 years for breaking the new law.

Several gay coues were taken into custody in the country’s majority-Muslim north, and rights groups feared that others would be targeted across the West African country.

Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s president, signed the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act into law on January 7, but there was no public report of the new law until journalists obtained a copy of the act on Monday.

It prohibits homosexuals from even meeting in groups of two or more, bans marriage or civil unions between people of the same sex, and criminalises gay clubs and events.

Reuben Abati, the presidential spokesman, said Nigerians were happy with the new law. It makes Nigeria the 38th African nation to enact legislation persecuting gay people.

boko haram kills at least 29 in nothern Nigerian city of Maiduguri after exploding in busy marketplace on a holiday to celebrate birth of Prophet Mohammed

People run from the scene of the explosion in Maiduguri, Nigeria Photo: ABDULKAREEM HARUNA/AP

By Agencies

7:39PM GMT 14 Jan 2014

Nigeria's military on Tuesday blamed Boko Haram militants for a deadly bomb attack that killed at least 29 in a crowded market in Maiduguri, in the latest violence to hit the country's restive north.

Army spokesman Muhammad Dole said a Honda car laden with explosives detonated near the post office in the northeastern city, which was packed with people marking the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed.

"Members of the frustrated Boko Haram terrorists are suspected to be behind the bomb explosion," he said in an emailed statement, adding that there were "scores of deaths and injuries" and one arrest.

The police commissioner of Borno state, of which Maiduguri is the capital, earlier told AFP that there were at least 17 dead and five injured.

"These figures are likely to change by the time we get full reports from our men in the field," added Lawan Tanko.

A source at the Borno State Specialist Hospital said meanwhile that more than 30 bodies had been brought to the facility but there was no immediate corroboration of the claim.
"Emergency workers are attending to some of the people that sustained injuries," the health official added.
Dole said that 10 vehicles and five three-wheel motorised rickshaws were destroyed in the blast, which happened in the early afternoon on the annual Islamic festival, which is a public holiday in Nigeria.
Maiduguri, like the rest of northern Nigeria, is majority Muslim.
It is considered the spiritual home of Boko Haram, the Islamist militant group deemed an international terrorist organisation by the United States, that has been waging a bloody insurgency since 2009.
Among the dead were said to be a police traffic warden, passing motorists as well as roadside vendors selling suya, a spiced grilled meat popular across Nigeria.
Dole said the attack came "after a long period of relative peace in Maiduguri and environs".
The last bomb blast in the heart of Maiduguri exploded in March last year, also at a market, but militants launched an audacious attack on military installations near the city's airport in December.
The December 2 strike saw the insurgents burn aircraft, seize weapons and raze buildings at an air force base, indicating they were still able to bypass a heavy military presence in the state.
Suspected Boko Haram gunmen also killed five at a village market some 22 kilometres from Maiduguri on Sunday, burning cars, shops and tents storing grain in a deadly rampage.
By late afternoon, smoke was still seen billowing from the scene of the latest blast, while roads were closed off causing lengthy tailbacks across the city.
The explosion, which one police officer said could be heard up to three kilometres (nearly two miles) away, caused panic in the city, with eye witnesses describing the scene as "pandemonium".
The army said extra security would be in place to prevent further attacks, vowing that "any individual or groups found to be behind these heinous and dastardly acts will be decisively dealt with".
But the strike and regular deadly violence will raise fears that Boko Haram is far from weakened, despite ongoing efforts to flush out the militants from urban centres to more remote rural areas.
Borno, neighbouring Yobe and Adamawa states have been subject to emergency rule since May last year, which has seen the area flooded with troops and aircraft on counter-insurgency operations.
Mobile phone networks have been largely switched off in Maiduguri to disruput people

LadyGaGa desperate to save career

 

Pop queen Lady Gaga has filed a motion to seal portions of the proceedings on the on-going court battle between her producer/ex-boyfriend Rob Fusari  and another lady, Wendy Starland who are claiming royalties over her millions and fame. Gaga is obviously afraid of what documents the back and forth discovery phases between the two, could possibly expose; but why?

According to RadarOnline, the superstar is scared that documents that contain sensitive financial information regarding a settlement she entered into with her ex, Rob Fusari years ago, could show up causing her more than just losing some cash.
Reports claim that in 2010 Fusari filed a $30.5 million lawsuit against Gaga claiming he was denied a 20 percent share of her song royalties for hits he claimed he co-wrote like Paparazzi, Beautiful, Dirty, and Rich — also claiming he helped transformed Stefani Germanotta (her legal name) into Lady Gaga. But now Fusari is fighting off a lawsuit himself filed by Wendy Starland, who claims she helped him discover the pop star and wants her commission.
Afraid of what the above battle could bring out, Gaga has filed another document - filed on her behalf by attorney Sandra A. Crawshaw-Sparks in New Jersey – stating that details involved in the settlement agreement she made with Fusari are not to be revealed.
According to RadarOnline, "Gaga claims in the court papers that the strictly confidential agreement contains information that if exposed, would damage her career. Crawshaw-Sparks asked the records be sealed before they are filed and the judge has yet to respond with a ruling."
What do you guys think Gaga is truly afraid of??

‘He doused my poor child in petrol

’

---

Cape Town - “My poor child. He doused her in petrol.”

The father of the Delft girl who was raped and set alight said this as he wept outside the courtroom where his daughter’s attacker was to appear on charges of rape and attempted murder.

The girl’s father, who cannot be named to protect the girl’s identity, and her aunt were among the dozens of Delft community members who lined the benches of Room G at the Bellville Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Prosecutor Sarah Dowries said the case was postponed for “bail information”. The 27-year-old accused would remain in custody until his next appearance on January 28.

Dowries said the man would face charges of rape, sexual assault, abduction and attempted murder.

The National Prosecuting Authority said the man could not be identified as he had not yet pleaded.

Against all odds this 9-year-old girl survived being raped and set alight. Picture: Supplied

CAPE ARGUS

Earlier while waiting for the magistrate, the father, overwhelmed by emotion left the courtroom. Outside, in the foyer, he propped his head against the wall and wept.

“It is terrible,” he said, repeating the phrase through his tears.

“I have not eaten since yesterday, I have no appetite. My poor child. He doused her in petrol.”

The girl’s father is originally from Mozambique. He moved to Cape Town in 2003 to look for work. His daughter was born in the city, but apart from her, he has no blood relatives in South Africa, he said.

However, the Delft community have rallied to support the girl’s parents, “as though they are family,” said Gadigha Francis, co-ordinator of Delft’s Child Rapid Response Unit, an organisation that is on 24-hour standby to assist with the search for missing children.

“What happened over the weekend has upset and disturbed the entire community,” Francis said.

“We are here to protest against this terrible act and to ensure that the rapist is not granted bail.”

Asked how he felt about the suspect in the rape and attempted murder of his daughter, her father said: “I do not care about him, my thoughts are only with my daughter.”

On Monday morning he travelled to court from the city hospital where his daughter is still fighting for her life. Asked what doctors had said about his daughter’s condition, the man choked up and started weeping, and was unable to continue speaking.

Police and medical authorities have wrapped the 9-year-old rape and burns victim in a cordon of tight security and care, as she continues to fight for her life.

From as early as Monday, media were requested to keep secret the name of the hospital, in order to protect the child.

A spokesperson for the hospital, who could not be named either, told the Cape Argus: “Police have made an arrest, but until they have finished their investigation, he’s innocent until proven guilty – the real culprit could still be out there.

“So police have instructed us not to say a word, for now, in order to keep her safe.

“Due to the sensitivity around this case, and to protect her identity, we have increased security at the hospital and are allowing no media on to the premises.

“The family that are here do not want to speak out – they are here only to support her in her fight for her life,” the spokesperson explained.

Outside the hospital’s gates on Monday morning, there was no presence of wellwishers or community members as the hospital's identity remained protected.

A delegation from the ANC Women’s League, led by regional secretary Connie Croats, filed into court to show their support for the girl’s family.

“We are touched as women, many of us with children of our own, by this horrific crime,” said Croats. “It appears that we have lost a sense of ubuntu, and a mutual responsibility for the well-being of our women and children in this country.

“We cannot afford to look away when these things happen. The responsibility lies as much with us as with the police and the justice system to ensure that these perpetrators are brought to book.

Why anti-gay crackdown is a catastrophe for Nigeria

A protest takes place against Nigeria's anti-gay marriage law at Cape Town Stadium on January 19, 2014 in South Africa.

Editor's note: Olumide Femi Makanjuola is Executive Director at The Initiative for Equal Rights (TIER), which ensure human rights protection and promotion regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Nigeria is second only to South Africa as the country with the highest number of HIV/AIDS sufferers; one would have thought a better gift for the New Year from the government to its people would be to urge the national legislature to pass the anti HIV-discrimination bill that has been with them for a while.

But alas, what the people received was a bill that further exposes them to violence and discrimination. While the signing of the bill has generated much reaction on both sides, most of its supporters have based their arguments on religion and African values, forgetting that what binds the nation together is not the divergence of religions but the respect for humanity that is enshrined in the 1999 constitution.

Olumide Femi Makanjuola

What the same-sex marriage (prohibition) bill in fact does is negate the principle of fundamental human rights of association, expression and dignity. When a law does this, it runs the risk of breeding anarchy, an experience that people who are or are merely perceived to be gay know all too much about in the form of blackmail, extortion and fear of arrest.

The law also acts against the principle of public health. With rates of HIV infection and AIDS running at 3.7% for the general population, and 17.2% among gay men, criminalizing organizations providing intervention for this population puts all Nigerians in jeopardy.

Another thing to note is about the public perception of the law: while many perceive there's casual acceptance by many Nigerians of the bill, in fact many of those who have commented on the bill have not even read it.

Nigeria's anti-gay law called 'draconian'

Aside from the fact that sections of this law are in direct violation of our fundamental human rights -- freedom of expression and assembly, freedom to have a private and family life -- and set back the provision of healthcare services, they effectively signify that it is open season to attack the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and mainstream society in general.

Already 10 people have been arrested for their perceived sexual orientation by law enforcement agencies across Nigeria, a human rights group said. The witch hunt to arrest many more by forcing names out of those arrested is also gathering momentum. The disturbing factor here is on what basis these individuals were arrested; we believe most have been detained due to anonymous tips that are inaccurate in most cases.

Many more of these violations of human rights will take place if this law is not repealed; blackmail and extortion will become commonplace against LGBT people and the Nigerians at large and little will be done to ensure that organizations providing healthcare service for this population are able to carry out their work in responding to the HIV/AIDs epidemic in the country.

We therefore implore the Nigerian President and his good government to repeal this law, which, we fear, could blow into an unbearable catastrophe for Nigeria and its citizens.

Court restrains APC from taking over House leadership

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is to maintain its leadership of the House of Representatives, as an Abuja High Court yesterday barred the All Progressive Congress, APC, members from taking over leadership of the house, pending the determination of a suit before it.
In the suit that named the House of Representatives, its Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, other principal officers of the House and its former members who defected to the APC as defendants, the trial Judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola directed parties in the suit to maintain status quo.
Justice Ademola ordered the consolidation of the said objections with the originating summons, warning that none of the parties should attempt to change the leadership of the House during the pendency of the suit which was adjourned to February 3, 2014 for hearing.
He said that since parties had joined issues, they should wait for the outcome of the suit and advised them not to do anything that would destroy the res (subject matter) of the case.
In a pre-emptive bid, PDP had prayed the court in Abuja to restrain the House of Representatives from altering the composition of its leadership.
The ruling party, in a suit it filed on January 7 asked the court to among others, restrain Tambuwal, other principal officers of the House and its defecting members in the House from taking any step “to alter or change the leadership of the 1st defendant (PDP).”
An officer of the PDP, Nanchang Ndam, stated in a supporting affidavit that while the defection of some of the defendants was still a subject of litigation before Justice Mohammed, the defendants, particularly the Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, had issued threats to change the leadership of the House.
The plaintiff in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2/2014 raised two questions for the court’s determination and sought four reliefs.
The PDP wants the court to determine whether, in view of the mandatory provision of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution, and in view of the pendency of an earlier suit by the defecting lawmakers, they (the defecting legislators) can participate in any proceedings to remove the House principal officers.

The party equally wants the court to determine whether, in view of the provision of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution and the pending suit by the defecting legislators, they (the defecting lawmakers) can lawfully alter the composition or constitution of the House leadership.
In urging the court to dismiss PDP’s suit as lacking in merit, the defendants, in their eighteen paragraphed counter-affidavit deposed to by one Mr. Mike Msenge, told the court that from prolonged practice of the House of Reps (1st defendant), the political party with majority of members in the House forms its core leadership.
According to them, “The Plaintiff/Applicant is not a human being but is one of the registered political parties in Nigeria. The leadership seats in question are being occupied by the 2nd -8th defendants, who are human beings.
“That I have perused the Constitution of Nigeria and have not seen anywhere the Plaintiff/Applicant has voting rights with respect to the enthronement or removal from office of any or all of the 2nd -8th defendants.
“That before the defection of the 12th – 53rd defendants from the plaintiff to the APC, the plaintiff had majority membership in the 1st defendant; hence the 2nd-8th defendants, being members of the plaintiff, were elected into those leadership positions they are currently occupying in the 1st defendant.
“But with the defection of the 12th -53rd defendants from the plaintiff to the APC on December 18, 2013, the plaintiff has lost its majority status, which has switched to the APC.”
The lawmakers further challenged the locus-standi of the PDP to seek an interim injunction against them, noting that, “the plaintiff has decided to fight the battles of the 2nd -8th defendants while they are still alive and not complaining, without disclosing any sufficient interest in the legal tussle. We boldly submit that the plaintiff lacks locus-standi to do so.
“Supposing, for the sake of argument, that the 2nd defendant is removed today as the Speaker of the 1st defendant, will the plaintiff, which is not a member of the 1st defendant, be elected to replace the 2nd defendant? The answer is a resounding NO! The same goes with the 3rd to 8th defendants.”
They further argued that the plaintiff’s suit is not justiciable; saying the election and removal of the Speaker is an internal affair of the House which no political party has the jurisdiction to dabble into.

Beijing air pollution at dangerously high levels

Monitors installed at the US Embassy in Beijing registered an air-quality reading of 430 at 1 pm on Wednesday. A reading of 500 indicates maximum danger.

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BEIJING: Beijing's skyscrapers receded into a dense gray smog on Thursday as the capital saw the season's first wave of extremely dangerous pollution, with the concentration of toxic small particles registering more than two dozen times the level considered safe.
The air took on an acrid odor, and many of the city's commuters wore industrial strength face masks as they hurried to work.
"I couldn't see the tall buildings across the street this morning," said a traffic coordinator at a busy Beijing intersection who gave only his surname, Zhang. "The smog has gotten worse in the last two to three years. I often cough, and my nose is always irritated. But what can you do? I drink more water to help my body discharge the toxins."
The city's air quality is often poor, especially in winter when stagnant weather patterns combine with an increase in coal-burning to exacerbate other forms of pollution and create periods of heavy smog for days at a time. But the readings early Thursday for particles of PM2.5 pollution marked the first ones of the season above 500 micrograms per cubic meter.
The density of PM2.5 was about 350 to 500 micrograms, and had reached as high as 671 at 4 a.m. at a monitoring post at the US Embassy in Beijing. That is about 26 times as high as the 25 micrograms considered safe by the World Health Organization, and was the highest reading since January 2013.
Serious air pollution plagues most major Chinese cities, where environmental protection has been long sacrificed for the sake of economic development. Coal burning and car emissions are major sources of pollution. In recent years, China has beefed up regulations and pledged financial resources to fight pollution.
In the far northeastern city of Harbin, some monitoring sites reported PM 2.5 rates of up to 1,000 micrograms in October, when the winter heating season kicked off. In December, dirty air gripped the coastal city of Shanghai and its neighboring provinces for days, with the density of PM 2.5 exceeding 600.
Beijing authorities said the haze on Thursday has reduced the visibility to several hundred meters (yards) and that the severe pollution is likely to continue through Friday.

Chimpanzees gesture for (and bond over) food

Photo by Toshihiro Gamo/Flickr

Chimpanzees not only know how to point each other in the direction of sources of food, they also build closer relationships through the act of sharing food, according to two new studies published last week.

 

The first study, published in the journal Nature Communications, finds that chimpanzees are capable of making intentional gestures to help other chimpanzees locate hidden food. The study was conducted at Georgia State University's Language Research Center, which is home to four research chimpanzees. The center's research focuses on "comparative cognition studies: spatial memory, delay of gratification, numerical cognition, analogical reasoning, and cooperation."

 

In this new study, the researchers hid a piece of food in an outdoor enclosure. Two chimpanzees witnessed the act. The researchers then sent a human who didn't know where the food was hidden in with the chimpanzees. The primates were able to point out the location of the hidden food to the human. Not only that, the chimpanzees adapted the speed of their gestures when the human got closer to the food. In a press release, senior research scientist Charles Menzel called this the "chimpanzee-as-director" study and said it illustrates "the high level of intentionality chimpanzees are capable of, including their use of directional gestures. This study adds to our understanding of how well chimpanzees can remember and communicate about their environment." Fellow researcher Anna Roberts, from the University of Chester, said gestures are "an important building block in the evolution of language."

 

Meanwhile, the second study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, found that the act of food sharing among chimpanzees is a bonding experience. The researchers, from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and other institutions, studied wild chimpanzees in Uganda during and after the relatively rare act of food sharing. The team studied the urine of the chimpanzees after they ate and found that the apes who shared their food had significantly higher levels of oxytocin, commonly known as the "love hormone," which is also typically released when mammals give birth and has been linked to maternal bonding.

 

In this case, the higher oxytocin levels weren't tied to familial bonds. The researchers found that any food-sharing experience increased the hormone levels. The well-known act of chimpanzee grooming also releases the hormone, but it does so in lower amounts than food sharing. As the researchers write in their paper, "food sharing in chimpanzees may play a key role in social bonding under the influence of oxytocin." Lead author Roman Wittig of the Max Planck Institute told the Associated Press, "We think food sharing can help spark new friendships, whereas grooming is more for confirmation of existing relationships."

Your grandpa uses his brain better than you

Your grandpa uses his brain better than you. (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

The brains of older people do not get weak as they age. On the contrary, they simply know more.

Debunking earlier theories that our brains go into a steady decline as we age, researchers have found that the human brain works slower in old age but only because it has stored more information over time.

"If you think linguistic skill involves something like being able to choose one word given another, younger adults seem to do better in this task," said professor Harald Baayen, who heads the Alexander von Humboldt Quantitative Linguistics research group.

According to him, proper understanding of language involves more than this.

"The fact that older adults find nonsense pairs - but not connected pairs - harder to learn than young adults simply demonstrates older adults' much better understanding of language," Baayen added.

The elderly have to make extra effort to learn unrelated word pairs because, unlike the youngsters, they know a lot about which words do not belong together, said the study published in the journal Topics in Cognitive Science.

"Technology now allows us to make quantitative estimates of the number of words an adult can be expected to learn across a lifetime," said Michael Ramscar of Tubingen University, Germany.

"Imagine someone who knows two people's birthdays and can recall them almost perfectly. Would you really want to say that person has a better memory than a person who knows the birthdays of 2,000 people, but can 'only' match the right person to the right birthday nine times out of ten?" asked Ramscar.

The answer appears to be 'no'.

Ramscar's team trained their computer models on huge linguistic datasets. They found that standardised vocabulary tests - used to take account of the growth of knowledge in studies of aging - massively underestimate the size of adult vocabularies.

The researchers found that to get their computers to replicate human performance in word recognition tests across adulthood, they had to keep their capacities the same.

"Forget about forgetting. If I wanted to get the computer to look like an older adult, I had to keep all the words it learned in memory and let them compete for attention," explained Tubingen researcher Peter Hendrix.

"We need different tests for the cognitive abilities of older people - taking into account the nature and amount of information our brains process," said the study.

Thailand imposes state of emergency over unrest

The Thai government has been contemplating a state of emergency for weeks

The Thai government has imposed a 60-day state of emergency in the capital, Bangkok, and the surrounding provinces, from Wednesday, to cope with unrest.

The decree gives the government wide-ranging powers to deal with disorder.
Anti-government protesters have been blocking parts of the capital to try to force PM Yingluck Shinawatra to resign.
They accuse the government of being run by exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, the brother of the current prime minister.
Ms Shinawatra has refused to resign and has called an election on 2 February to pacify the protesters.

Thailand's troubles

• Sep 2006: Army ousts Thaksin Shinawatra
• Dec 2007: Pro-Thaksin party wins election
• Aug 2008: Thaksin flees Thailand
• Dec 2008: Huge anti-Thaksin protests; court bans ruling party; Abhisit Vejjajiva comes to power
• Mar-May 2010: Huge pro-Thaksin protests; dozens killed in army crackdown
• Jul 2011: Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of Thaksin, elected PM
• Nov 2013: Anti-government protests
• Dec 2013: Ms Yingluck calls election

The state of emergency was announced after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday and comes after a spate of attacks with explosives and firearms on the anti-government protesters blockading central Bangkok for which the government and the protesters blame each other.

On Sunday, 28 people were injured when grenades were thrown at one of several protest sites set up at major road sections in the city.
"The cabinet decided to invoke the emergency decree to take care of the situation and to enforce the law," Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said.
The emergency decree gives the government power to censor the media, ban public gatherings and detain suspects without charge.
It also allows for curfews and for parts of Bangkok to be declared off-limits.
The Thai government has been contemplating a state of emergency for weeks, but in practice, it is not clear how many of those powers it will be able to use, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok.
Emergency rule is supposed to be administered by the police and the army, but the police have until now been told to avoid any confrontation with the protesters, and military commanders have made it clear they do not want to be drawn into the increasingly bitter conflict between the government and its opponents, our correspondent says.
The decree also extends past the date of the general election next month.
The official election commission has already expressed doubt over whether conditions are peaceful enough for the vote to go ahead.
Imposing emergency rule casts yet more doubt over the poll - yet the government, which is now acting in a caretaker capacity, insists there is no legal alternative, our correspondent adds.
The government says that as the Thai parliament has already been dissolved, only a new parliament can choose the next administration.

Live: 11 injured as AAP workers, police clash at Kejriwal's protest site

Delhi Police personnel used force as AAP workers broke barricades and moved towards the spot where Arvind Kejriwal is sitting on a dharna.

5.27 pm: Eleven people injured in clashes between AAP supporters and Delhi Police.

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5.18 pm: Rebel AAP MLA attacks Arvind Kejriwal, says the Chief Minister has taken to the streets only to "save his minister", and adds that he will make an important announcement at 12 noon on Wednesday.
5.15 pm: Congress slams AAP government, says Arvind Kejriwal is not behaving like a responsible Chief Minister. The Congress also says that a decision on continuing support to AAP will be taken at an "appropriate time".
4.54 pm: Delhi Police chief BS Bassi reaches North Block to meet Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde.
4.51 pm: ABP correspondent Ratna Shukla heckled by crowd at AAP protest site. AAP's Rakhi Birla and Sanjay Singh apologise for the targeting of journalists.

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4.30 pm: Arun Jaitley to CNN-IBN: "There is total chaos in Delhi. Delhi is a city that needs governance. It aspires to be a global city. Governments are run by the rule of law, not anarchy."
4.25 pm: Joint Commissioner of Police Mukesh Meena says, "AAP supporters are pelting stones, they are breaking the barricading."
4.17 pm: AAP leader Sanjay Singh alleges that eight of his party activists have been injured in police lathicharge and adds that the police behaved with them in a high-handed manner.
4.15 pm: Delhi Police denies lathicharging AAP protesters. Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi tells CNN-IBN, "AAP is completely violating Section 144. Section 144 is already imposed in this area. AAP is continuously violating that. We are exploring all possibilities including detaining them under section 65 of Delhi Police Act."
4:02 pm: As fresh clashes broke out between AAP supporters and Delhi Police, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other senior party leaders are meeting inside Rail Bhawan.
3:50 pm: Delhi Police have lathicharged AAP protesters after they tried to break barricades at the dharna site.
3:29 pm: AAP member Captain Gopinath has come out against Kejriwal's dharna. "Kejriwal and ministers must return to Cabinet, instead just party workers must protest. The Cabinet must look at larger issues, not just of policemen suspension, Delhi Police should not come under the state," Captain Gopinath said.
He has also hit out at Somnath Bharti's comment against BJP leader Aruna Jaitley saying Bharti must apologise.
3:07 pm: Contractual teachers are protesting against Arvind Kejriwal at the same venue, saying they've been protesting for seven days and CM hasn't met them.
2:38 pm: BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain has tweeted, "How can any party oppose Republic Day? It is a festival of all Indians. It does not belong to any particular party or section of society."
2:25 pm: A scuffle has been reported between AAP protesters and police outside the Rail Bhawan. One policeman has also reportedly been injured. The police have cordoned off the area.
1:54 pm: A group of BJP workers led by Vijay Goel are also protesting at the same protest site against Kejriwal's dharna.
1:47 pm: Former Team Anna member Santosh Hegde has come out against Arvind Kejriwal's Delhi dharna. "I don't think what's happening in Delhi is either correct or lawful. The victims are the citizens of Delhi, this is unheard of for a government to do such a thing. Tomorrow Delhi people will stand outside secretariat and say they won't allow them to function," Hegde said.
1:34 pm: The Ministry of Defence is to be handed over the area where Republic Day Parade takes place by the evening of January 23.
1:25 pm: "If AAP is violating the Republic Day, it is violating the Constitution on which they took oath of office. If they disrupt, they will have to answer to the people," said Minister of State for I&B Manish Tewari.
1:05 pm: AAP supporters have once again tried to break barricades at Raisina Hill.
12:36 pm: The Delhi Police has sent a report on Kejriwal's protest to Home Ministry. Sources say that the Delhi Police feels that AAP supporters are provoking them, but the policemen have been advised to show restraint. Sources say the Delhi Police is monitoring the situation and no decision has been taken yet on forcible eviction. The MHA is willing to give Kejriwal time till Jan 24 after which the process of sanitising the parade areas begins, sources say.
12:18 pm: The BJP has accused the AAP of insulting Army soldiers by not letting them go ahead with Republic Day parade preparations. "AAP is insulting Army jawans by creating disturbance in Republic Day preparations," said BJP leader Prakash Javadekar. "The Congress is taking no steps to stop Kejriwal. This is a game plan by the Congress and Kejriwal," he added.
11:25: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a PIL filed against the dharna by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The PIL says Kejriwal has gone against the law while Section 144 is in place in Central Delhi.
The PIL also points out that Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti tried to take law in his own hands by conducting a midnight raid in Khirki village.
10:39 am: AAP minister Rakhi Birla says that the dharna will continue till the government gives in. "We'll continue protesting till the government gives in, we'll continue fighting for the people," she says.
10:23 am: Delhi Transport Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj has blamed the Congress for the inconvenience being caused to the people of Delhi. "Stopping the metro and blocking roads are a conspiracy of the Congress. People are facing inconvenience because of the Congress. Policemen are suspended for the slighest reasons, so why not now? The government should think that Republic Day is nearing and end this," Bhardwaj said.
9:59 am: It has now started raining in Delhi, but Arvind Kejriwal and his supporters are continuing to stay on dharna in Central Delhi.
9:45 am: The Bharatiya Janata Party has hot out at Kejriwal saying he is demeaning the Republic Day. "We condemn how the Delhi Chief Minister is demeaning the Republic Day celebration," said BJP leader Prakash Javadekar.
9:26 am: Arvind Kejriwal has said that the BJP, Congress and a section of the media are misleading people.
9:07 am: "I appeal to all the people from Delhi to take a day off from work and join the dharna, sit on dhrana wherever you are stopped," Kejriwal says. In a major problem for the police, people have managed to reach the protest site despite barricading.
9:01 am: Arvind Kejriwal has refused to move his dharna venue to Jantar Mantar saying he is the Delhi Chief Minister and he can sit on dharna wherever he wants to. "Shinde should not shut the metros. The whole area has been cordoned off, tiolets in the buildings are closed. Who is Shinde to decide where we will protest? I am the CM of Delhi," he said.
8:59 am: Delhi Traffic Police tweets, "Due to encompass by AAP workers Rajender Parsad road, Rafi Marg, Raisina Road and Red Cross road has been closed."
8:38 am: The AAP government is demanding two things - full control over the Delhi Police and the suspension of policemen who refused to bow down to Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti's diktats during the midnight raid in Khirki village.
8:13 am: The crowds at Arvind Kejriwal's protest site have started swelling.
7:43 am: Arvind Kejriwal tried to open the barricades at the Rail Bhawan forcefully. He then tried to get some supporters on his side of the barricade. Kejriwal is now sitting at Raisina Road.
7:31 am: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal spent the night sleeping on a pavement outside the Rail Bhawan as he continued his dharna against the Delhi Police. He has now threatened to go on an indefinite dharna if his demands are not met. "We'll continue the dharna till our demands are met. There can't be a better Republic Day than this," he said early on Tuesday morning.
He even said that if by January 26 his demands aren't met, he'll gather people at the Rajpath. "If our demands are not met then we will go for an indefinite protest. If by January 26, our demands are not met, then we will fill Rajpath with lakhs of people," he said.
In a scene unprecedented in the annals of democracy, Delhi's ruling AAP on Monday laid siege to an important arterial avenue of the capital as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in power for three weeks, declared he was an "anarchist" and vowed to continue protests till his government is given control over Delhi Police.
Directly confronting the federal government and unfazed by the criticism for resorting to activism, Kejriwal, sitting close to the seat of power in the Indian capital, thundered, "Yes, I am an anarchist.
Kejriwal even asked "honest" policemen to take leave and join him in his street protest at Rail Bhavan that, he warned, could extend to 10 long days in the bitter cold. He said he would run the city government from the protest site. The siege, happening five days before the Jan 26 Republic Day parade in which Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is the chief guest, put the central government in a quandary as the Congress party supports the AAP government from outside.
His action was roundly criticised by other political parties, including the main opposition BJP, whose leader Arun Jaitley wondered "did the AAP form the government to wreck the system from within."
Kejriwal and his largely young, white-cap wearing army of chanting and clapping supporters, appeared headed for a long stand-off with the authorities. There were scuffles between the AAP supporters and police personnel, who wanted Kejriwal and his men to move to Jantar Mantar area further downtown, where demonstrations normally take place.
The atmosphere was tense at times when AAP supporters shouted slogans against the police. Delhi Transport Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said he was detained by the police, a charge that was denied by officials.
In the morning, defying prohibitory orders, Kejriwal and his six cabinet colleagues tried to reach union Home Minister Sushilkumar Sinde's office in North Block to demand action against five policemen who did not heed his ministers. But a large posse of policemen and paramilitary stopped the 45-year-old chief minister, an activist-turned-politician, and his team midway.
The chief minister and his group then alighted from their cars and staged the sit-in near the Rail Bhavan, not far from Parliament House.
In no time, after he had addressed the supporters, Kejriwal and his ministers started official work at the protest site - studying and signing files.
Speaking to a news agency his secretary Rajendra Kumar said, "I have nothing to do with the protest. I am carrying out the instructions of the CM." He also said that a Delhi cabinet meeting is scheduled for Tuesday and it may be held at the protest site.
In his impromptu address to his supporters, Kejriwal squarely blamed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Shinde and the central government for the situation that has led to his protests and appealed people to join him. He said any crisis arising out of the situation, including disturbance in holding the Republic Day parade, will be the responsibility of the central government.
Home Minister Shinde, who supervises Delhi Police, rejected his demand of police control, saying police could not be put under the city government as Delhi was the national capital. He also asked Kejriwal to call off his protest keeping in mind the stature of the chief minister's office.
Shinde also announced that Delhi's Lt Governor Najeeb Jung had ordered a judicial inquiry into the matter. An angry Kejriwal rejected Shinde's plea.
By evening, many volunteers carrying durries and mats to spend the night on sat near the protest site in small groups, waved the Indian national flags and sang devotional songs.
The unprecedented protest forced Delhi Metro to shut four major stations, causing inconvenience to thousands of commuters. The Metro also announced that two metro stations that lead to Rail Bhavan will be closed on Tuesday too.
Slamming Kejriwal, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari charged the chief minister and his ministers with "constitutional anarchy" and "gimmickry".
The face-off between Delhi Police and the three-week-old Delhi government erupted after Delhi's Law Minister Somnath Bharti accused some officers of not taking action against an alleged sex-and-drug racket involving some Ugandan nationals.
The issue escalated into a near diplomatic row after a group of Ugandans and Nigerians accused Bharti and AAP volunteers of misbehaviour.
(With additional information from IANS)