President Obama wins 2012 Election!

United States President Barack Obama has been re-elected, after picking 275 electoral college votes to his opponent, Mitt Romney’s 203. In one of America’s most keenly contested presidential elections, the Democratic president picked key states and completed the victory run with Ohio.

Watch the video of his Complete Victory Speech below:

Instagram Finally Lets Users Have Functional Web Profiles

A little over two years after its iOS-only launch, eight months after its acquisition, five months after designer Cole Reinke leaked an image of Instagram’s efforts to bridge mobile and web, and one week after the company hit its most photographed event ever, Instagram has finally bulked up its web presence.

Citing overwhelming user demand as the motivation, the fourteen-person team behind Instagram has built a simplified web interface for User Profiles, viewable at http://www.instagram.com/tolulope (or whatever your username is). While it’s currently launched to a whitelist, the web functionality should roll out to all 100 million registered users by the end of this week.

“This allows you to have a single destination to point people at to see all your photos,” Instagram founder Kevin Systrom said earlier today. “It’s hard to have a service like this without being able to view images online, and we didn't want to limit Instagram behind a log-in.”

The web profile functionality is still extremely stripped down and simple. You can Like and Comment on other users’ photos as in the past, in addition to being able to browse your own and other users’ photos, which is what the Instagram team wanted to focus on with this launch. You can also change your name, bio and profile photo via the web, but not the random assortment of photos in your Facebook Timeline-esque header. Photos beneath the header are sorted chronologically.

While Systrom wouldn't reveal other future web functionality, or whether or not users will eventually be able to view a stream of photos from Instagram users they follow online, he did hint at more stuff in the works. “It’s not the last thing you’re seeing from us on the web.”

Via Techcrunch

Airtel hosts ‘Night of Influence’ with Fareed Zakaria

Airtel Nigeria has announced plans to host select influential personalities at a high profile event that will feature Fareed Zakaria, renowned journalist, internationally acclaimed author and host of popular Fareed Zakaria’s GPS on CNN.

The event tagged, Airtel’s Night of Influence, is a distinct platform that will provide a networking opportunity to prominent international personalities, successful Nigerians and the Airtel brand. It will hold on Sunday, November 18, at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

Fareed Zakaria, who has confirmed to speak on the theme: Africa’s Political Economy: The Challenge of Leadership, will bring on hand rich insights into the continent’s economy and its interactions with the global socio-economic and political landscape.

About 500 men and women drawn from both the private and public sectors within and outside the country as well as top politicians and government officials will be attending the event.

Fareed Rafiq Zakaria is an Indian-American journalist and author. From 2000 to 2010, he was a columnist for Newsweek and editor of Newsweek International. In 2010, he became Editor-at-large of Time Magazine. He is the host of CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS. He is also a frequent commentator and author on issues related to international relations, trade and American foreign policy.

Via YNaija

CAF unveils 10-Man Shortlist for African Footballer of the Year Award

CAF has published the shortlist for the 2012 African Footballer of the Year award composed of 10 players, including current holder, Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure. The five nominees for the domestic-based African on the continent were also released alongside other categories for which winners will be announced at the Awards Gala scheduled to take place in Ghana on December 20.

Three Ivorians including Yaya Toure, Gervinho of Arsenal and two-time winner Didier Drogba feature on the list after their contributions to their country's run to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations final.

The former Chelsea striker also starred in the Blues' Champions League triumph, having scored the equalsing goal and the winning penalty in the showpiece against Bayern Munich.

Ghana’s Andre Ayew, who was in the final trio last year, had a worthwhile 2011-12 season, scoring 16 goals for Marseille, also starred in Afcon as the Black Stars made the semi-final stage.

As widely expected, Zambia captain Christopher Katongo made the list, for leading his side to their first Continental title and for his role in the Chipolopolo's recent qualification for the 2013 tournament.

Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Newcastle’s Demba Ba of Senegal and Moroccan star Younes Belhanda were included for their efforts at club and national team levels, while Barcelona's Alex Song was picked for contributing to Arsenal’s impressive end to the Premier League last season.

Nigeria’s John Obi Mikel was vital to Chelsea’s success in winning the Champions League and FA Cup double last season.

Shortlist for the 2012 African Footballer of the Year award in alphabetical order

1. Alexandre Song, Cameroon
2. Andre Ayew, Ghana
3. Christopher Katongo, Zambia
4. Demba Ba, Senegal
5. Didier Drogba, Cote D’Ivoire
6. Gervinho, Cote D’Ivoire
7. John Obi Mikel, Nigeria
8. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabon
9. Yaya Toure, Cote D’Ivoire
10. Younes Belhanda, Morocco

Shortlist for African Player of the Year based in Africa

1. Mohamed Aboutreika, Egypt
2. Rainford Kalaba, Zambia
3. Stoppila Sunzu, Zambia
4. Yannick N’Djeng, Cameroon
5. Youssef Msakni, Tunisia

Other Awards categories

1. National Team of the Year

2. Women’s Footballer of the Year

3. Women’s National Team of the Year

4. Club of the Year

5. Most Promising Talent of the Year

6. Coach of the Year

7. Referee of the Year

8. Legend Award

9. Fair Play Award

10. Platinum Award

11. Africa Finest XI

The above shortlists, which were decided by Caf’s technical, football and media committees, will now be passed on to head coaches and technical directors from Caf member associations who will vote to decide the eventual winners. 

Via Goal

Police arrest 500 as Group declares Biafra Republic

Policemen in Enugu arrested over 500 persons yesterday for allegedly being part of the purported re-declaration of  Biafra as a sovereign state. The  group under the aegis  of Biafra Zionist Movement had  converged on an open field in Coal Camp area of Enugu where the leader, Mr. Ben Onwuka, addressed them.

However,  after   Onwuka’s address, policemen led by the  Enugu Central Police Station Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Ike Mba, arrested him and other  members of the group, who displayed Biafran, American and Israeli flags. The suspects were  arraigned before a court  and remanded in police custody afterwards.

Police Public Relations Officer in Enugu State, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the arrests. He said, “No fewer than 500 persons believed to be members of BZM, which is also believed to be a faction of the Movement for the Actualisation of  Sovereign State of Biafra, have been arrested by the police.

The group was led by one Ben Onwuka and the members were arrested at Akwata, off Agbani Road, Enugu. They were arrested with 61 Biafran flags, 13 berets, three bands and eight BZM forms. While addressing the crowd, Onwuka  said, “It is clear that the security of lives  and property of Biafran people is  no longer  guaranteed in the entity called Nigeria. Therefore, we  have resolved to re-declare our independence today based on the mandate given to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu on May 30,  1967 to provide our people security according to international law."

“It is clear that our people’s right to worship, according to our Christian faith, is no longer guaranteed. Therefore, we Biafra people have resolved to opt out of Nigeria. Today, the re-birth of the Republic of Biafra is finally actualised. On the international arena, the Republic of Biafra would establish and maintain a very pro-Israel international relations. Biafra would consider an attack on Israel and the Jewish people as an attack on Biafra.”

Via Punch

Bidding: Abdusalami’s company to get biggest electricity firms

Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Limited, a firm in which the former Head of State, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar, is the chairman, is in the lead to acquire three of the juiciest electricity distribution companies in the country.

The electricity distribution companies are Eko, Ikeja and Ibadan.

Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing was prequalified to take control of the companies at the opening of bids submitted by 20 firms jostling for controlling stakes in 10 electricity distribution companies put up for privatisation by the Federal Government on Tuesday in Abuja.

Although frontline bidders for the companies emerged, clear winners of the bids had yet to emerge, as the rules for the bidding employed by the Bureau of Public Enterprises prescribed that the bidders would still be subjected to further tests.

Although some bidders emerged top contenders in a number of companies, one of the rules states that no company can be allowed to win more than two bids.

In addition, no company will be allowed to win both the Ikeja and Eko Electricity Distribution Companies, which collectively generate about 45 per cent of the total revenue of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria.

Based on the rules, the National Council on Privatisation, led by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, will still subject the top contenders to scrutiny before announcing the eventual winners.

The Chairman, Technical Committee, NCP, Mr. Atedo Peterside, said successful bidders were contractually bound to deliver on the Average Technical, Commercial and Collection loss reduction levels they had submitted.

Peterside said, “The bidder offering the highest ATC&C loss reduction is in a leading position subject to the ground rules.

“The regulator will not adjust tariffs upwards to accommodate the inability of a Disco operator to deliver on the ATC&C levels that they commit to; rather tariffs will be adjusted downward annually to reflect the agreed ATC&C loss levels irrespective of the operator’s ability to meet its contractual obligation.”

However, going by the strategy adopted, the Federal Government will realise N197.25bn at the end of the sale of the 10 companies, whose bids were opened on Tuesday.

Instead of allowing the bidders to compete based on their financial strengths, they were evaluated based on ATC&C loss reduction proposals.

The eventual winners will have to pay 60 per cent of the asset worth of the companies as determined earlier by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.

A breakdown shows that N25.79bn will be realised from the sale of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company; N20.23bn from the Benin Electricity Distribution Company; N21.19bn from Eko Electricity Distribution Company; and N19.81bn from the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company.

Via Punch

Police arrest Debtor who set up UNIPORT Students

The Police yesterday announced a major breakthrough in their investigation into the lynching of four University of Port Harcourt students. The videotaped lynching of the students sparked outrage nationwide and the clip of the killings went viral on the Internet.

The IG disclosed the arrest during a security meeting with Chief Executive Officers and security officers of banks at the Force Headquarters, Abuja. “I want to announce that we have made a breakthrough in the Aluu killings. The two main suspects in the case have been arrested and they will be prosecuted,” he said. The arrest brings the number of suspects arrested by the police to 23.

The students were set upon by a mob in Aluu, a community close to the university, and lynched. They were later identified as 19-year-old Lloyd Toku ( 200 level Civil Engineering); 18-year-old Ugonna Obuzor (200 level  Geology student); 20-year-old Chiadika Biringa, (200 level Theatre Arts student); and Tekena Erikena, a 20-year-old  a diploma (Technical) student by the management of the university.

The police, on Monday, had named Coxson Lucky, alias Bright, as the mastermind of the lynching. Lucky, who was said to owe one of the students an undisclosed sum of money, reportedly raised the alarm that the students were robbers when they went to his house to demand for the money. The mob, which converged on the venue of the altercation, then beat and burn the students to death.

While the IGP was speaking in Abuja, the Rivers State Police Command was parading some of the suspects. The State Police Commissioner, Mr. Mohammed Ndabawa, gave the names of the suspects as Segun Lawal, Felemo Solomon, Cynthia Chinwo, Ozioma Abajuo, Ikechukwu Louis and Chigozie Samuel Evans. He accused the suspects of playing major roles in the killings.

“It is not the philosophy of the Inspector General of Police to parade suspects. Nonetheless, the gruesome manner in which the crime was committed coupled with the direct and glaring involvement of some of these suspects, and the interest generated by the heinous crime, left the police with no option than to parade them,” Ndabawa said.

He said that an investigation aimed at arresting others involved in the killing of the four students and bringing them to book was  ongoing.

However, two of the suspects, who admitted taking part in the mob action, claimed that their involvement was “minimal”. While the first suspect, David Chinasa Ugbaje, said he only hit the students twice, another suspect, Ikechukwu Loius Amadi, claimed that he only beat the students once with a small stick.

Via Punch