TEAR GAS SET OFF IN KOSOVAN PARLIAMENT

A tear gas canister has been set off in the Kosovan parliament for the fourth time, disrupting proceedings, in what has quickly become a common protest tactic against proposed deals with Serbia and Montenegro.

Opposition politicians have vowed they will not allow parliamentary sessions to go forward until the government overturns agreements with Serbia which give more power to ethnic Serbian groups in Kosovo and on the frontier with Montenegro.

The use of tear gas, pepper spray, water and whistles has become commonplace in the legislative chamber over the past three months. In the pandemonium, guards were directed to the upper floors of the parliament building to track down the perpetrators.

One MP was arrested before making it inside the building when he was stopped by police and found to be carrying two tear gas canisters.

Associated Press quoted opposition politician Glauk Konjufca as saying: "There will be confrontation. We shall not allow holding of the assembly sessions." He added that his Self-Determination Movement Party would not allow sessions to be held in any other locations around the building either.

Two Kosovan members of parliament have been arrested amid the growing pandemonium and arrest warrants have been issued for two more.

These politicians are upgrading o. Very soon now they will be shooting gun and stabbing themselves. It is becoming a Circus. 

WELCOME TO DECEMBER FOLKS - Thank you for being there

Happy new month and welcome to the beautiful month of Christmas.

May this season bring you joy, peace and may love find a permanent dwelling in your home.

As you celebrate with your family and friends, may you find that constant reminder of the beauty that is life.

Thank you for being there for martinschikespeaks. I love you all very much.

have the best month ever ..........

TURKEY challenges Russia over Islamic State Oil Trade claim

Turkey has challenged Russia to prove its claim that Ankara shot down a Russian plane in order to protect its oil trade with Islamic State (IS).

"If you allege something you should prove it," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

He was responding to the accusation by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who also said last week's downing of the plane was a "huge mistake".

The Turkish government has refused to apologise for the incident.

One Russian pilot was killed and the other rescued after Russia's Su-24 bomber was shot down by a Turkish F-16 fighter on the Syrian border on 24 November.

15 YEAR OLD SUES OBAMA OVER CLIMATE CHANGE

Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh became a climate change activist at age 6 when he saw an environmental documentary. He asked his mom to find a way for him to speak at a rally.

Met this guy the other day in Paris. Now 15 and suing the Obama Administration over climate change.

Now 15, the long-haired, hip-hop-savvy Coloradan is one of 21 young activists joining climate scientist James Hansen in suing the Obama administration for failing to ditch fossil fuels.

"It's basically a bunch of kids saying you're not doing your job," he told me here at the U.N. COP21 climate change summit in Paris.

"You're failing, you know. F-minus. We're holding you accountable for your lack of action."

UPS 40% DISCOUNT ON ALL INTERNATIONAL SHIPMENTS

Is there a better time to have great discounts on purchases and shipments than this season of celebration.

United Parcel Services is letting you keep 40% of your money when you send packages to anywhere in the world and an opportunity to walk away with exquisite Mobile phones. Wow right?

This amazing mouth-watering offer will last till the end of December 2015. I wish you a very merry-ups Christmas. Lol.

Promo runs while offer lasts.

MOURINHO DISMIISES DROGBA'S COMMENT ON CHELSEA LACK OF LEADERSHIP

The Ivorian had suggested there was a lack of "big characters" in the dressing room at Stamford Bridge but his former coach has accused him of stoking up controversy
Jose Mourinho has dismissed comments from Didier Drogba suggesting Chelsea lack leadership, accusing his former striker of making controversial statements in order to sell books.

Drogba, who is promoting his autobiography, said in an interview that the Chelsea dressing room was full of "big names, big players and big characters" during his time at the club.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi & Neymar on Ballon d'Or shortlist

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar make up the three-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or - the award given to the world footballer of the year.

It is the eighth consecutive year that Real Madrid's Ronaldo and Barcelona's Messi have been on the shortlist.

Mark Sampson is in contention for Fifa's women's football world coach of the year after guiding England to third place at the World Cup.

The winners will be announced at a gala in Zurich on 11 January.

Ronaldo has been named the world's best footballer for the past two years, ending Messi's four-year hold on an award regarded as the game's most prestigious individual accolade. The three contenders were chosen from a 23-man list that also included Wales and Real Madrid attacker Gareth Bale

I KNOW RAPPERS, AND ... YOU'RE NO RAPPER - Erykah Badu to Iggy Azalea!

Just when Iggy Azalea thought it was safe to leave home ... Erykah Badu hit her with a ton of shade while hosting the Soul Train Awards.

Erykah opened the show by taking a slight shot at herself -- pointing out that hip-hop fans give her crap for making rappers "change gods and wear crochet hats" (see Andre 3000) ... but it was all a setup for this shot at Iggy.

Badu threw some shade at Iggy Azalea that drew a loud reaction (mostly stunned laughter) from the audience. Speaking on the phone, she pretends to turn away André 3000 and Young Thug from the ceremony, saying she's "banning all rap this year." When Azalea calls, though, Badu makes an exception: "No no no, you can come, 'cause what you're doing is definitely not rap." Watch it below. (Note: Audio gets interrupted 40 seconds in; wait a few seconds before it returns.) Scroll down for more clips from Badu's takeover.

FACEBOOK PARENTAL LEAVE POLICY IS A GLOBAL BENEFIT

Less than a week after Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said he would take two months of paternity leave, the social media company announced it is extending its parental leave policy to full-time employees outside the United States.

The policy, which provides four months of paid time off, will be provided to all newparents regardless of gender or location, starting 1 January. Employees may take leave at any point up to a year after the birth of their child, Lori Matloff Goler, the company’s head of human resources, said in a Facebook post late Wednesday.

Facebook currently offers four months of paid parental leave to US-based full-time workers. Outside the United States, Facebook now offers a minimum of four months of paid leave to full-time employees who are new mothers and primary caregivers. Fathers and non-primary caregivers outside the United States get four weeks of paid leave.

“We want to be there for our people at all stages of life, and in particular we strive to be a leading place to work for families,” she added. “An important part of this is offering paid parental or ‘baby’ leave.”

Goler said the new policy will primarily help new fathers and employees in same-sex relationships outside the United States, noting that it will not change maternity leave already available to employees worldwide.

I recall a few years ago when i was serving as a Corper at a very prestigious Audit firm, my salary was 25k until the Account partner's daughter joined us as a corper, it was then doubled and my salary became 50k. I remember going to her at the Cafeteria and shaking her hand. I bet she doesn't know why i did that till today. 

The Facebook boss is having a child so he is taking a leave from work and this decision is made a policy for staffs globally. It is a beautiful and welcomed development. I hope all you Nigerian bosses are seeing it.  

Adele announces 2016 live concert tour, first in four years

Adele, whose latest album 25 has smashed sales records in its first week of release, announced on Thursday she would begin a 15-week concert tour of Britain, Ireland and continental Europe in February.

Fans applauded the tour, Adele's first in four years, on Twitter while media sites noted that the 27-year-old singer appeared to have overcome her self-professed fear of performing before large crowds.

Adele, announcing the tour in a brief video on her website, said the reports of her fear of performing had been exaggerated.

"Hello it's me," she says in the clip, standing in front of a map of Europe and the British Isles.

"I have been bluffing this whole time and I'm so relieved to finally tell you I am of course coming on tour and I can't wait to see all of you there."

The tour will open on 29 February at the SSE Arena in Belfast and will end at the Sportpaleis in Antwerp, Belgium, a notice sent to subscribers to her website said.

Other concerts will be elsewhere in Britain and in Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and France, the notice said.

Fans were jubilant, with one tweet saying: "Omg. Next year Adele is gonna sing in Verona on 28-29 May! Can you imagine all the Arena singing #HELLO?! Italia's waiting for the queen!"

Adele broke the single-week US album sales record in just four days with 25, Nielsen Music said on Tuesday, with sales at 2,430,000 since its release on Friday.

PASTOR TB JOSHUA FAILED TO APPEAR IN COURT - CASE ADJOURNED TO DEC 11

According to Eye Witness News:

LAGOS – Pastor TB Joshua and trustees of the ‎Synagogue Church of All Nations are expected to appear before a Lagos state High Court in Ikeja over the collapse of a six-story building in the church on 12 September 2014, which led to the death of 116 persons, most of them South African.

The decision by the Lagos state government to prosecute 'Prophet' TB Joshua and his church a year after the building collapse and coroner’s inquest will be a welcome relief to those who thought Joshua may never be prosecuted.

Two engineers who constructed the collapsed building had approached the court seeking for an order restraining the police from inviting, arresting or prosecuting them over the victims’ death which was dismissed by the court.

The coroner inquest set up by the Lagos state government had indicted the engineers and recommended them for investigation and prosecution for criminal negligence.

Counsel to the Engineers, Oluwaseun Abimbola, told the court that they were absent because they were not served with court papers. Reacting to this position, the Lagos State's Attorney General, Adeniji Kazeem said no valid physical addresses were found for the contractors, which he said was reason that the Ministry of Justice could not locate or serve the court papers.

The presiding judge ordered that proper court notices be served to the engineers within 72 hours, and advised their counsel to inform them to take the court proceedings seriously as their trial is of a criminal case. 117 people, mostly Nigerians and South Africans, died in the Church building collapse

POPE FRANCIS VISITS MOSQUE UNDER SIEGE - THE BIGGEST RISK OF HIS PAPACY

According to the Guardians report some hours ago:

Pope Francis has taken the biggest security risk of his papacy to visit a mosque under siege from armed Christian militias in Bangui, the capital of Central African Republic, delivering a message of peace and reconciliation in a show of solidarity.

Under heavy UN and Vatican protection, Francis travelled in his open popemobile into the heart of PK5, where 15,000 Muslims are surrounded by Christian militias. Before the civil war erupted in March 2013, the Muslim population of the capital was about 122,000 but most have fled. Thousands of people gathered at the roadside, cheering as the papal entourage drove down red dirt roads.

The 26-hour visit to Bangui was the first time the pope has visited an active war zone. CAR has been embroiled in civil war since President François Bozizé was ousted in a coup by Muslim rebels.

After removing his shoes on entering the Koudoukou mosque and bowing towards the holy Muslim city of Mecca, the pope told several hundred men inside that “Christians and Muslims are brothers and sisters”.

“Together, we must say no to hatred, to revenge and to violence, particularly that violence which is perpetrated in the name of a religion or of God himself. God is peace. Salaam,” he added, using the Arabic word for peace.

Francis said his visit to CAR “would not be complete if it did not include this encounter with the Muslim community”.

The chief imam at the mosque, Tidiani Moussa Naibi, thanked Francis for his visit, which he said was “a symbol which we all understand”.

7 KILLED AND 21 INJURED AS FIRE BURNS DOWN A FEMALE DORMITORY IN KANO

At least seven female students have died after a fire at a boarding school hostel near the northern Nigerian city of Kano on Sunday night, officials say.

Most of the deaths resulted from a stampede as hundreds of students rushed to escape the blaze through two exits, the Kano state officials said.

Twenty-five others were injured in the fire which broke out as students were sleeping at the government-run girls school in Jogana village, they added.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

Fire-fighters spent seven hours trying to put out the blaze, an eyewitness told the BBC's Hausa service.

The government has closed the boarding school and ordered full investigation into the fire.

BEN MURRAY BRUCE HITS BUHARI ON TWITTER (pics)

I couldn't have said it any better. APC was right about something, things have indeed CHANGED. It was our fault, we failed to ask them if it was positive change or negative change.

EUTHOPIAN MAN BUILDS PLAN USING YOUTUBE - Amazing

After an aborted attempt earlier this year, he is taking to the skies in K-570, his handcrafted light aeroplane.

On November 28 the intrepid Ethiopian will fire his engine at an airstrip near Addis Ababa, and if all goes well, marry his fiance Seble Bekele the moment he lands.

What makes it truly remarkable? The fact that Zeferu has never, ever flown before.
Back with a bang

The Ethiopian's second attempt comes five months after he first taxied to a runway 40 kilometers from the capital. That time a broken propeller -- sculpted from laminated wood -- scuppered his chances, but now he's back and more confident than ever.

His engine has been upgraded to a model salvaged from a Volkswagen Transporter, doubling his power to 78 horsepower. Moreover, he's sought professional advice to help him in the air.

Captain Solomon Gizaw of Abyssinia Flight Services and Captain Abera Lemi of the National Aviation College both confirmed to CNN that they had been helping out the budding pilot. Their mentorship sits alongside that of Rene Bubberman, chairman of the NVAV, the Dutch Experimental Aircraft Association -- part of an international cohort backing Zeferu's endeavor.

It's been a long and remarkable journey, and for the Ethiopian a successful flight will be a moment over 10 years in the making.
Refusing to take no for an answeR, Zeferu, 35 says that ever since childhood he'd wanted to become a pilot. He was on the right track, but when the time came, Zeferu was denied for the most arbitrary of reasons.

Leaving Alemaya University with a Bachelor's degree in Public Health, he tried to enroll at the Dire Dawa branch of the Ethiopian Airlines Aviation Academy.

"I couldn't fulfill the air school height requirements," he explains. Zeferu was a centimeter too short.

Despite this setback, Zeferu was unperturbed. "I decided to build my own aircraft if I couldn't be a pilot," he reasons, "then I'd be able to fly high in the sky."

BOKO HARAM REPORTEDLY ADOPTS MORE GIRLS IN BORNO

A resident of Bam village, Ali Bam told The Nigerian Tribune that the sect members arrived their village in the early hours of yesterday November 29th, shooting and setting the place on fire. Four people were killed while an unspecified number of girls were abducted.

An unspecified number of girls have reportedly been abducted by Boko Haram members after an attack in Bam Village which is about 7 kilometres away from Buratai village, the hometown of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai in Borno state.

Our President is busy traveling, and Boko Haram is busy kidnapping. Ok o.

WOMAN SURVIVES CAR CRASH AND WAS KILLED BY ANOTHER CAR IN JUST FIVE MINUTES

A 25-year-old mother-of-one who survived a car crash on Sunday morning has died after going back to the vehicle to grab her purse, police claim.

Brittany Leith, mother of a three-year-old girl, was left completely uninjured when her Nissan hit the center median and flipped over onto its roof on Long Island's Southern State Parkway at 3.54am.

However, after clambering out of the wreckage through a cracked window and being helped to the roadside by other drivers, Leith went back to her car to collect her belongings.

As she walked back, she was hit and instantly killed by another car on the highway.



This woman was definitely fated to die. How can you survive a car crash, enjoy the miracle for just 5 minutes and then get hit by another car. They must have called her from her village. Lol.

900 WOMEN RUN FOR OFFICE IN SAUDI ARABIA

(CNN) More than 900 women are campaigning for public office in Saudi Arabia -- a first in the kingdom's history.

The December 12 municipal election will be the first opportunity for Saudi women to exercise their vote since a 2011 order by the now deceased King Abdullah that granted women some opportunities for political participation in the ultra-conservative kingdom.

According to the State Department, Abdullah issued a royal decree in 2013 mandating the Consultative Council, a royally appointed body that advises the King, be at least 20% women.

Critics have described the change as anywhere from modest to inconsequential. Women will only participate in elections at the municipal level.

At least two women's rights activists announced on Twitter that they had been disqualified as candidates.

Loujain Hathloul and Nassima al-Saada said their names had been left off the final candidates list, and that they plan to appeal.

Just three months ago, Saudi women were allowed to register to vote for the first time.

Amazing things are happening these days o. Both positive and negative changes. This is definitely a positive one. Kudos to women that are making things happen.

PRINCESS CHARLOTTE LOOKS JUST LIKE HER FATHER (pics)

Do you see the resemblance. No DNA test needed.

LUPITA NYONG'O LOOKING AMAZING THESE DAYS (pics)

Sometimes i forget she is an actor. I think she would also have an amazing career in modelling.

NO CHILLS: SOMEONE CALLED KIM A FAT BITCH ON TWITTER

Some people have no chills at all. In the name of seeking attention, people would say anything.

Kim's response to the lady surprised me. I think she is finally growing up.

Good one Kim. I am beginning to see the other side of you. At least you are not just a pretty face with a money making body. There is a really good brain up there.

A MAN IN LOUISIANA KILLS HIS ENTIRE FAMILY

An 18-year-old girl made the gruesome discovery of finding her two young half-brothers, her mother and step-father dead in an apparent murder-suicide in the family's Louisiana home. Kelli Mata, 40, and her husband David, 46, (pictured together left) were found dead in their living room inside of their Marrero, Louisiana, home Sunday morning by her daughter who was returning home from a hunting trip. She then discovered the bodies of two-year-old Liam Mata and brother four-year-old Caden Mata (center) in separate bedrooms of the home. Police say the woman's daughter, who has not been named, fled the property and called 911 when she found the bodies. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said that David Mata fatally stabbed his wife and their sons sometime before 11am. According to police, there had been no history of violence as the address located in a quiet suburb just outside of New Orleans. The family (pictured inset) had only lived in the middle-class neighbourhood for six months.

MAN KILLED 3 CHILDREN AND WOUNDED 9 OTHERS AT A PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLINIC IN COLORADO

What moved a man to kill three people and wound nine others at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado has not been disclosed. But the suspect accused of carrying out the shooting spree, Robert Lewis Dear, made remarks about "baby parts" to investigators after his surrender, a law enforcement official told CNN.

Dear, 57, told them he has anti-abortion and anti-government views, but that doesn't mean those opinions were his motive for allegedly shooting up the Colorado Springs clinic on Friday, the official said. It's too early to tell, as investigators are still processing evidence.

After a nearly six-hour bloody standoff that left three people dead and nine others wounded, the accused shooter dropped his gun when a SWAT team drove up in an armored police vehicle, a BearCat, and cornered him, the official said.
Robert Dear is the suspect in the Planned Parenthood shootings.

Law enforcement officers found propane tanks in the area of Dear's car in the parking lot and believe he was trying to shoot them to cause an explosion, the official said.

I know God said he created everything to be perfect, but some people should have perhaps said extra 3 months in their mother's womb so that they will incubate wella. Just saying.

PREGNANCY LOOKS GOOD ON ANNE HATHAWAY

Anne Hathaway looked great as she showed off her subtly pregnant self during a walk in L.A.

Anne and hubby Adam Shulman strolled along Saturday after breakfast. It will be their first child ... they married in 2012.

Congrats.

SINEAD O' CONNOR ANGRY SUICIDE NOTE - My family Betrayed me

Law enforcement sources confirm Sinead has been found "safe and sound" somewhere in Dublin, and she's getting medical attention.Sinead O'Connor has taken an overdose of pills in response to a "horrific set of betrayals" ... at least according to an emotional message she posted blasting her family and blaming them for her suicide.

The note, posted Sunday morning, alleges "appalling cruelty" on the part of her husband, her children and even her son's girlfriend -- and she says it all started when she had a hysterectomy in August. Sinead claims they've been keeping her babies from her, and she just couldn't take it anymore.

The 48-year-old singer wrote, "I have taken an overdose. There is no other way to get respect. I am not at home. I'm at a hotel, somewhere in Ireland, under another name."

She adds she's been, "Howling crying for weeks. And been told by them all to go f*** myself. I'm invisible. I don't matter a shred to anyone."


Sinead has four children, ranging in age from 9 to 28. She's currently married to Barry Herridge -- the therapist she married in Las Vegas after meeting on the Internet.

It's unclear if family or friends have begun searching for Sinead. We've reached out to her reps, but no word back yet.

I told you this guys don't have it all together. Just like John Legend said, "No body has it easy". The rich also cry.

ICT T, COCO AND BABY CHANEL NICOLE

Ice T and CoCo welcome their beautiful daughter Chanel Nicole. This picture was taken just five minutes after birth.

She look so calm you know. She makes it so easy. I used to think this stuff was scary.

KOBE BRYANT ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

This will be Kobe Bryant's final season in the NBA ... he just made it official by penning a love letter to basketball.

Kobe says the 2015-16 season will be his last in the Lakers purple and gold -- and any other uniform. In the letter, posted on The Players' Tribune, Kobe writes ... "Dear Basketball, From the moment I started rolling my dad's tube sock and shooting imaginary game-winning shots ... I fell in love with you."

He also said, "This season is all I have left to give. My heart can take the pounding, my mind can handle the grind, but my body knows it's time to say goodbye. And that's OK. I'm ready to let you go."

The letter's pretty extraordinary, and kind of emotional.

37-year-old Kobe closed with -- "I'll always be that kid with the rolled up socks. Garbage can in the corner, :05 on the clock, ball in my hands. 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1. Love you always, Kobe."

ANOTHER TRAILER FALLS IN LAGOS (pics)

This happened yesterday at Alapere in Lagos. I am so scared of this container carrying trucks. God help us especially this season.

CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS AT THE WHITE HOUSE

The first lady is looking so Christmasy. Menh! Marry right and be happy. Obama's biggest move was to marry this woman. Period.