Idris Elba given Sierra Leone citizenship on first visit

The British film star landed in the capital Freetown on Wednesday for his first visit to the country. Elba said that citizenship was “the biggest honour I could get from my country”.

“I’m no stranger to Africa: I’ve been in Africa, I’ve made films in Africa, I’ve championed Africa,” he said. “But Sierra Leone, it’s a very different feeling because it’s my parent’s home.”

An anonymous official from the Sierra Leonean government told AFP news agency the actor would be visiting Sherbro Island, renowned for its pristine beaches, before spending Christmas with President Julius Maada Bio.

He is also expected to go to the premiere of a movie about chimpanzees – Sierra Leone’s national animal – and to visit a chimpanzee sanctuary.

Also read: How my foundation ‘ll tackle malaria in Africa —Nwoko

The government has said he also plans to invest in Bonthe Island, a tourist destination.

Elba was born in London in September 1972. His late father grew up in Sierra Leone, and his mother is from Ghana.

He is best known for his work in Marvel films, including the Avengers, as well as for his roles in Mandela and Sometimes in April.

He was also named People magazine’s “sexiest man alive” in 2018.

The passport, Elba told the BBC, would allow him to “come back home as a son of the soil” Vanguard.

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How my foundation ‘ll tackle malaria in Africa – Nwoko

ABUJA- BILLIONAIRE businessman and politician,Ned Nwoko and his celebrity wife, Regina Daniels,have launched a project aimed at tackling malaria in Africa.

This came just as the couple said plans were on top gear to initiate a bill at the National Assembly with a view to setting aside a day to be recognised as “National Fumigation Day” in Nigeria.

Also read: Newly impeached Trump to deliver State of Union February 4

Unveiling the project at a press conference in Abuja,Prince Ned Nwoko explained that the initiative to establish the foundation was borne out of his “inclination to empathize, assist and care.”

“I must confess that it is my inclination to empathize, assist and care that made me and my wife, Regina Daniels Nwoko to embark on what we are unveiling today which is mosquito elimination and malaria eradication programme,” he said.

He explained that the “cardinal goal of this project is to accelerate towards the attainment of malaria free Nigeria and adopt the same model in other African countries.”

According to him,the foundation would launch collaborative platform for malaria eradication in Africa,establish an academic research rrant for malaria vaccine as well as encourage communities and individuals to take ownership of the programme and its activities in their spheres.

Nwoko,who said,”The short-term delivery plan shall be National mobilization for the fumigation of Nigeria and other African countries.”,revealed that he “plans to sponsor a Bill at the National Assembly, Abuja for there to be a National Fumigation Day in Nigeria.”

Explaining that the Malaria Eradication Programme In Africa was a project of Prince Ned Nwoko Foundation,he added that the programme was aimed at making Nigeria and Africa malaria free

Hear him:”Today, my foundation formally begins an audacious journey towards a malaria-free Nigeria and Africa.

In this project, we will work with national and multilateral organizations.

“We will equally collaborate with governments, private organizations and civil society towards achieving our core objective of extending malaria intervention programmes beyond the threshold of control and palliatives.

We have our eyes fixed on permanent solution to the age-long scourge.

“Prince Ned Nwoko Foundation is committed to rendering support and services to the needy, the society and humanity at large.”

According to him,”In the course of our various interventions, we discovered that malaria scourge constitutes one of the greatest impediments to the general wellbeing and development of Africans and their societies.

“He explained that,”Most health challenges suffered by Africans including death, organ damage and other physical and mental impairments are directly or indirectly traceable to malaria.” 

“Also, the parasitic disease causes huge economic loss by draining considerable funds that could have been used for support growth and general societal development.

“Malaria does not only cause loss of life but also interferes with athleticism, socio-economical activities and general way of life of the people over sustained period.

“My foundation is of the firm conviction that Africa must permanently overcome the recurring yearly tragedy of hundreds of thousands of avoidable health complications and deaths as a result of malaria attacks,” he further explained.

He gave insight into his organisation thus:”The Prince Ned Nwoko Foundation which I am privileged to conceive and chair is a non-governmental organization.

“The foundation is the vehicle for driving this anti-malaria project with the expected support of stakeholders.

The core areas of intervention by the foundation are Health, Environment, Education, Tourism, Sports and Culture.

“By the grace of God, the foundation has been an organ for bridging gaps in delivery of essential services through support for the needy including the sick, the handicapped, the elderly, the poor, widows, students and the vulnerable segments of society generally.

“The foundation is also involved in talents discovery and development across many areas such as sports, music, drama and some other aspects of entertainment”. Vanguard.

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Newly impeached Trump to deliver State of Union February 4

United States President Donald Trump has accepted the invitation from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to deliver his state of the union speech on February 4, the White House said Friday.
The invite for the annual presidential speech to Congress comes at a charged political moment, with Trump freshly impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, and facing a trial in a US Senate that is almost certain to acquit him.

It sets up a potentially explosive encounter between Trump and Pelosi, his chief Democratic nemesis in Congress and the woman who launched the formal impeachment inquiry. Pelosi is now at odds with the Senate’s Republican leadership about the parameters of the impeachment trial.

“In the spirit of respecting our Constitution, I invite you to deliver your State of the Union address before a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, February 4, 2020,” Pelosi wrote to the president in a letter.
Trump “has accepted the Speaker’s invitation,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said.

Pelosi’s three-paragraph letter also highlighted the system of separation of powers that was created by the framers of the US Constitution: “three co-equal branches acting as checks on each other.”
The reference is notable, given that Democrats accuse Trump of seeking to block Congress’ powers to oversee the executive branch by refusing to cooperate with the impeachment probe.

The speech will take place in the US House of Representatives, the very chamber that impeached him on Wednesday.
During the 2019 state of the union, the speaker appeared to mock Trump with an exaggerated clap that was quickly interpreted online as sarcasm.

She stood up during a round of applause and pointed her outstretched hands directly at the president, pursing her lips and looking right at him as she clapped.

On the eve of his impeachment, Trump wrote a furious six-page letter to the speaker, wildly accusing her of “declaring open war on American Democracy.”

Pelosi, launching the impeachment debate Wednesday, said Trump posed an “ongoing threat” to the country’s security that left Democrats “no choice” but to impeach him. Vanguard

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France fines Google 150 million euros for using unclear rules related to advertising

France’s Competition Authority, on Friday, fined U.S. tech giant Google 150 million euros ($167 million) for using unclear rules related to advertising.

According to the French regulator, Google has abused its dominant position in the search advertising market by adopting opaque and difficult to understand operating rules for its advertising platform Google Ads, by applying them in an unfair/random manner.
The French Competition Authority, therefore, imposed a penalty of 150 million euros and demands Google that clarify the operating rules for Google Ads, as well as the procedure for suspending the accounts.

In September, Google agreed to pay 965 million euros ($1.068 billion) to settle disputes with the French tax authorities that began four years ago. Vanguard

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Marc Anthony’s 120-foot yacht destroyed by fire

Source: page six
A yacht owned by singer Marc Anthony was destroyed Wednesday night when it erupted in flames at a Miami marina, a report said.
The two-time Grammy winner was not aboard the 120-foot vessel — but several crew members were when it caught fire and capsized at the Island Gardens Marina off Watson Island, according to WSVN.
All those aboard made it off safely, the report said.Footage shot by the news outlet shows roaring flames shooting from the yacht.

“It’s sad,” a family member of the marina’s owner told the network, “for us, as the marina, and for the boat.”
“Right now everything is under control,” he said.

Last April, Anthony was spotted on a yacht in Miami partying with over a dozen models in their 20s while docked next to Seaspice Brasserie & Lounge, an insider had told Page Six.
The 50-year-old superstar ordered bottles of champagne and dined on oysters, ribeye and a sizable seafood spread on the vessel.
It’s unclear if the yacht he was celebrating on in April was the one that caught fire Wednesday night. Vanguard
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