Onpointsales blog

- 04:15:00

Super Bowl Winner Will Smith Shot, Killed in New Orleans; Suspect Arrested

A man was arrested on Sunday in the shooting death of former New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith, who helped the team win ...

Dr Jonathan, who was represented by a former Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye apologised for Jonathan’s inability to be present for the award.

Adeyeye said “he is unable to come and personally receive this award because as many of you may know, today is the burial of Dr Alamiyeseigha, the former governor of Baylesa State, who was at one time, his boss. Therefore, he sent his unreserved apology particularly to Uncle Sam and to the management of Vanguard newspapers.” Speaking further, he said: “He has asked to me also congratulate his fellow recipients particularly President Muhammadu Buhari and other recipients. President Ebele Goodluck Jonathan is a man of history and I believe that whatever we are celebrating now, is not the final verdict, we will leave that to history because all these emotional things that we display, when a man is in office or after leaving office, are better judged by history. I believe Jonathan will be given a better verdict by history. “He says I should tell everybody that he is not yet finished with his good works in Nigeria, he has left office but he is not tired and therefore, he said I should announce to this audience that very soon, he will be launching his foundation. That foundation will enable him render services, not only to the people of Nigeria but to humanity. His view concerning this award, to those who are his friends on Facebook, he has a message.” Reading Jonathan’s Facebook message, he said “I thank the editorial board of Vanguard newspapers for honoring me as their Personality of the Year 2015. I believe that the people of Nigeria are more deserving of the honour than me. I am thus dedicating this award to my country men and women, may God bless Nigeria.” National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Aiswaju Bola Tinubu, represented by Mr Dele Alake expressed gratitude for the award bestowed on him but expressed optimism that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

His words: “first of all, I must express my gratitude to Vanguard for choosing to recognise him for this award. He has asked me to express apologies and extend all courtesies to those who deserved them, for his inability to be physical present here for circumstances beyond his control because he is not in Nigeria at the moment. He actually sent a message to me saying that he knew that he should be here as a member of the Vanguard family and as an associate of Uncle Sam himself, who is one of our icons in the journalism profession.” Alake, a former Commissioner for Information in Lagos State, said Tinubu saw the award as a challenge for him. Jonathan, a national hero–Amuka Chairman of Vanguard Media Limited, Mr. Sam Amuka commended President Jonathan for conceding the 2015 presidential election describing him a national hero. Amuka said “This is an interesting occasion. This award is special in the sense that it represents one singular action which has changed a man’s state. Whatever one may say of Dr Goodluck Jonathan, that moment during the elections, when he decided to call President Buhari and congratulate him conceding defeat, made him a national hero.” Recalling the tension that preceded the 2015 general elections, Amuka commended Jonathan for helping to avert crisis. He said: “Many of us would have forgotten the tension that this country was in during the elections, we have also forgotten the bitterness of the election but before the election itself, this country was almost in turmoil.

A slight fight could have ignited fire and blood-letting but for many of us, it was divine intervention that caused President Goodluck Jonathan to do what he did and that is what we are recognizing here tonight for a man who deserves to be acknowledged by Nigerians as a national hero. That has made him a statesman.”

news credit:http://www.vanguardngr.com

- 03:08:00

I’m not finished with my work for Nigeria

Dr Jonathan, who was represented by a former Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye apologised for Jonathan’s inability to be ...

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Melissa McCarthy’s star power lifted “The Boss” to an estimated $23.5 million opening weekend despite bad reviews and rough word-of-mouth for the R-rated comedy.

If those projections hold, it will be enough to narrowly topple “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” from first place at the weekend box office. As it stands, the superhero match-up fell just short of retaining the top slot, earning $23.4 million and bringing its total after three weeks to $296.7 million. Given that this is essentially a statistical dead heat, it is possible that those positions could shift once final numbers roll in on Monday morning.

With “Spy,” “Identity Thief” and now “The Boss,” McCarthy has become one of the most reliable comic draws in the movie business.

“She has a hot streak going like no other comedian, male or female, working today,” said Jeff Bock, an analyst with Exhibitor Relations. “You have to consider the lineage of Eddie Murphy in the ’80s, Jim Carrey in the ’90s and Adam Sandler in the aughts. She is their heir apparent.”

Despite McCarthy’s popularity, “The Boss” could have trouble showing endurance. The film’s middling C+ CinemaScore signals that audiences agree with critics that the picture is flawed. The film is a collaboration between McCarthy and her husband, the director and co-writer Ben Falcone, who previously teamed on 2014’s “Tammy.” It centers on a business icon who is brought low after she is convicted of insider trading. Universal distributed the $29 million production across 3,480 theaters.

McCarthy is the film’s big draw, with 76% of ticket buyers surveyed reporting that they turned out to see the comedian. Women comprised 67% of the audience, with 51% of the opening crowd clocking in over the age of 35.

“She is absolutely a bankable movie star,” said Nick Carpou, president of domestic distribution at Universal. “It’s another number one opening for her.”

The weekend’s other new release, STX Entertainment’s “Hardcore Henry,” struggled to break through, earning a feeble $5.1 million from 3,015 theaters for a fifth place finish. The studio acquired the point-of-view thriller in a bidding war at last year’s Toronto Film Festival, paying a reported $10 million for the rights. The opening weekend crowd drew heavily from the gamer set, with 72% of ticket buyers saying they played first-person shooter video games such as “Call of Duty” and “Halo.”

Disney’s “Zootopia” scored a third place finish with roughly $14.5 million, bringing its total to $296.2 million after six weeks in theaters, while Universal’s “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” nabbed fourth place with $6.4 million, taking its total to $46.7 million after three weeks of release.

“Batman v Superman” has been something of a disappointment, given that it is likely to fall short of hitting $1 billion globally — the line that truly elite blockbusters have to cross to join a rarefied club. However, it has done better than some major comic-book movies. This weekend, it eclipsed “Man of Steel” ($291 million) on a domestic basis and it should pass $300 million stateside at some point this week.

“We’re on track to win the week three weeks in a row,” said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros. distribution executive vice president.

Whatever the final outcome, neither “The Boss” nor “Batman v Superman” seem likely to extend their rule into next weekend. That’s when Disney releases a live-action version of “The Jungle Book.” Bolstered by good notices and Disney’s marketing prowess, the fresh spin on Rudyard Kipling’s story of the man cub, should hum “The Bear Necessities” all the way to the bank.

news credit : http://www.reuters.com

- 01:43:00

Box Office: Melissa McCarthy and ‘The Boss’ Narrowly Beat ‘Batman v Superman’

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Melissa McCarthy’s star power lifted “The Boss” to an estimated $23.5 million opening weekend despite bad r...

Nigeria has announced plans to send an astronaut into space by 2030, as part of its drive to develop a world-class space industry.

"The space program is very important," said Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology, during a speech in the capital city Abuja. "Space is a major asset that Nigeria must be involved in for the purpose of protecting national interests."

A Nigerian Space Agency delegation will visit partners in China this month to discuss logistics and investment for a manned space mission, which would be the first by an African nation.

The case for space

Dr. Onu's announcement has been greeted with skepticism, partly as it came soon after a scam email demanding $3 million for a lost Nigerian astronaut went viral, and as policy announcements from the new government have been scoring poorly on the Buharimeter, a Nigerian civil society website assessing policy commitments. Onu also recently announced plans to start a pencil manufacturing industry that would create 400,000 jobs.

But Nigeria's space program is no joke, and it is making steady progress. The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has launched five satellites since 2003, with three still in orbit delivering vital services. The most recent - NigeriaSat-X -- was the first to be designed and constructed by NASRDA engineers, and more advanced models are in development.

The space agency has made extensive and creative use of the satellites, from analyzing climate data to improve farming practices, to retrieving hostages from Boko Haram, and officials argue this proves space exploration is essential for Nigeria.

"We contribute to various sectors that benefit the nation," says Felix Ale, NASRDA communications chief. "Space applications are key to development."

Capacity has improved through greater investment in infrastructure and skills, says Ale, adding that NASRDA has now trained over 300 staff to PhD or BsC level.

Crucially, the industry also benefits from political will at the highest level.

"The president is committed to the program," says Ale. "To ensure that dreams transfer to reality."

Grand ambition

Launching an astronaut into orbit represents a greater challenge than Nigeria's previous missions, but leading figures from the space industry are optimistic.

"To train an astronaut from selection to flight takes about eight years," says Dr. Spenser Onuh, head of the Centre for Satellite Technology Development. "2030 is realistic in my opinion...Responses from the international collaborators are very supportive and encouraging."

Professor Calestous Juma, a specialist on space programs in developing countries at the Harvard Kennedy School, suggests the mission represents "lofty ambition" that "may or may not happen as planned."

But he believes that the vision is more important than the outcome.

"Scientific, technological and engineering capabilities would have direct economic benefits to Nigeria long before the decision of putting a person in space is made," says Juma. "Space walks are probably the least important. It is the scientific and technological infrastructure and its linkages to the rest of the economy that matters."

Inspiring a continent

The Nigerian space program has ambitions beyond its borders, and it is hoped that bold statements -- such as a manned mission -- will inspire stargazers across the continent.

"This would be a landmark achievement for Nigeria and Africa, which will encourage the rest of Africa to get involved," says Ale.

Nigeria already shares resources from its space assets, such as providing satellite imagery to Mali, and has supported the idea of an African Space Agency.

With an ever-increasing number of African states investing in space programs, while traditional powerhouses downsize, the continent could be the hotspot of exploration for years to come.
credit: cnn

- 06:04:00

Nigeria plans to send an astronaut to space by 2030

Nigeria has announced plans to send an astronaut into space by 2030, as part of its drive to develop a world-class space industry. ...

- 05:27:00

Actress Drew Barrymore to divorce

LOS ANGELES - Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore and her husband Will Kopelman are divorcing, according to a statement from the couple re...

- 09:29:00

ISIS captures hundreds of Syrian cement factory workers, state news reports

ISIS-affiliated militants captured more than 300 workers and contractors at a cement factory, state news reported Thursday, in what ...

Nigeria's army says 800 militants from the Islamist Boko Haram group who have surrendered and shown remorse will be rehabilitated into society.

They would be profiled, documented and offered training in new skills at several camps currently being set up, the army spokesman told the BBC.

Until now militants who surrender have been held in jail awaiting trial.

The army has been criticised in the past for its treatment of Boko Haram insurgents and suspects.

Last June, Amnesty International said that 7,000 young men and boys had died in military detention inNigeria since 2011.

The BBC's Abdullahi Kaura Abubakar in the capital, Abuja, says the programme, known as Operation Safe Corridor, hopes to persuade others who are yet to renounce their membership of the jihadi group to do so.

It is also an attempt by the army to show that human rights will be respected in future - a key promise made by President Muhammadu Buhari when he came to power last year.

The seven-year insurgency in north-eastern Nigeria has killed some 17,000 people and forced more than 2.6 million from their homes.

Difficult to forgive?

Army spokesman Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar said there would be two or three camps by the military - the locations of which would be made public when they were officially launched in the next few months.

"They will be very big and all facilities will put in place... to rehabilitate them to become good members of society," he told our correspondent.

Other government agencies would be involved in this new de-radicalisation programme, he added.

Asked if the repentant militants would be paid whilst they underwent training, Brig Gen Abubakar said: "I believe the government will definitely ask the relevant agencies to do what is needful."

On questions about whether those who surrendered would be tried or given amnesty, he said that things needed to be taken "pace by pace".

"The most important thing for us is to have them rehabilitated. Since they have shown remorse and come on board, I think it is our duty to ensure that we help them to become very productive members of this great country," the army spokesman said.

news credit : bbc.co.uk

- 09:10:00

Nigeria Boko Haram militants offered olive branch by army

Nigeria's army says 800 militants from the Islamist Boko Haram group who have surrendered and shown remorse will be rehabilitated into ...

Super Bowl Winner Will Smith Shot, Killed in New Orleans; Suspect Arrested

I’m not finished with my work for Nigeria

Box Office: Melissa McCarthy and ‘The Boss’ Narrowly Beat ‘Batman v Superman’

The case for space

Grand ambition

Inspiring a continent

Nigeria plans to send an astronaut to space by 2030

Actress Drew Barrymore to divorce

ISIS captures hundreds of Syrian cement factory workers, state news reports

Difficult to forgive?

Nigeria Boko Haram militants offered olive branch by army

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