Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill into Law Signed by President Jonathan

“I certify that this Bill has been carefully compared by me with the decision reached by the National Assembly and found by me to be true and correct decision of the Houses and is in accordance with the provisions of the Acts Authentication Act Cap. A2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. I assent,” The assent note read.
“The President has signed the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill into law. This has foreclosed any pressure on President Jonathan not to assent to the bill.
“We received inquiries from some foreign embassies on why the bill was signed into law. But we told them that our cultural values do not tolerate same sex marriage.
“Also, we made it clear that since most Nigerians were opposed to the bill, the parliament acted in line with the wish of the majority. We are in a democratic setting, the President has no choice than to bow to the wish of the people.
“These embassies were shocked but there is no going back. We hope they will also abide by the decision of Nigerians,” a source close the President revealed.

According to some abstracts, obtained by The Nation, the Act reads:

“A marriage contract or civil union entered into between persons of same sex: (a) is prohibited in Nigeria; and (b) shall not be recognized as entitled to the benefits of a valid marriage.
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The Act also stipulates the volume of the sanctions awaiting the violators of the new law.

“A person who enters into a same sex marriage contract or civil union commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 14 years imprisonment.
“A person who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organizations directly or indirectly makes public show of dame sex amorous relationship in Nigeria commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment.
“A person or group of persons who administers, witnesses, abets or aids the solemnization of a same sex marriage or civil union of supports the registration, operation and sustenance of gay clubs, societies, organizations, processions or meetings in Nigeria commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment.
“The High Court of a State or of the Federal Capital Territory shall have jurisdiction to entertain matters raiding from the breach of the provisions of this Act.”

Rasaq Okoya's Daughter Marries Alao-Akala's Son

Culled: Naij

Former Oyo governor Adebayo Alao-Akala's son Olamiju Alao-Akala and billionaire businessman, Rasaq Okoya's daughter Hadiza Okoya, had their introduction over the weekend at the bride's father's compound at Eleganza Estate, Ajah.
Their wedding will hold later in the year.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/56513.html

Report Shows Gonorrhea, Syphilis Increasing In The US.

More and more people are developing gonorrhea and syphilis in the U.S., according to a new government report examining cases of three sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The report, released Wednesday (Jan. 8) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shows that there were 334,826 cases of gonorrhea reported in 2012, which is a 4.1 percent increase from 2011. Gonorrhea is caused by a bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhea, which grows in warm and moist parts of the body (including in a woman's reproductive tract). Gonorrhea is treated with antibiotics, though the CDC noted that antibiotic resistance is becoming a growing concern. "With increased resistance to the fluoroquinolones and the declining susceptibility to cefixime, dual therapy with ceftriaxone and either azithromycin or doxycycline is now the only CDC recommended treatment for gonorrhea," according to the report. "Continued monitoring of susceptibility patterns to these antibiotics is critical." There were 15,667 cases of primary and secondary syphilis (the first two stages of syphilis) in 2012. The rate of primary and secondary syphilis increased 11.1 percent since 2011, with most cases accounting for the increase occurring in gay and bisexual men. Syphilis is also caused by a bacteria, called Treponema palladium. Fortunately, the rate of congenital congenital syphilis (when an infected mother passes the disease on to her offspring) decreased from 2011 to 2012 by 10 percent. Meanwhile, the chlamydia rate remained largely the same between 2011 and 2012, increasing by only 0.7 percent. There were 1,422,976 cases of chlamydia reported in 2012. Chlamydia is caused by the Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria.

Huffington

PHOTO: Man Caught Trying To Smuggle Woman Into The US In Suitcase

A man tried to smuggle a Thai woman in his suitcase at the Port of Nogales in Arizona. A photo released by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows the woman inside a suitcase in a smuggling attempt at the US-Mexico border.

Customs and Border Protection agents discovered the 48-year-old woman while inspecting a Honda SUV entering the United States on 30 December in Nogales.

She was hidden under clothing in the large suitcase in the back of the vehicle driven by the 56-year-old man from Phoenix.

Their names were not released as the man faces smuggling charges.

 

LazyWrita

Diabetes: New Drug Approved By FDA To Reduce Blood Sugar.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved a new diabetes drug from Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca that uses a novel approach to reduce blood sugar.
Farxiga is a once-a-day tablet designed to help diabetes patients eliminate excess sugar via their urine. That differs from older drugs that decrease the amount of sugar absorbed from food and stored in the liver.
The drug is the second product approved in the U.S. from the new class of medicines known as SGLT2 drugs. In March the FDA approved Johnson & Johnson's Invokana, which also works by eliminating excess sugar through patients' urine.
The agency cleared Farxiga tablets for patients with type 2 diabetes, which affects about 24 million people in the U.S. The approval marks a comeback for the drug, which was previously rejected last year after studies raised concerns about links to bladder cancer and liver toxicity.
Ten cases of bladder cancer were found in patients taking the drug in clinical trials, so Farxiga's label warns against using it in patients with the disease. A panel of FDA advisers last month said that the uptick in cancers was likely a statistical fluke, and not related to the drug. But the FDA is requiring Bristol and AstraZeneca to track rates of bladder cancer in patients enrolled in a long-term follow up study. The companies will also monitor rates of heart disease, a frequent safety issue with newer diabetes medications.
The most common side effects associated with Farxiga included fungal and urinary tract infections. The drug can be used as a stand-alone drug or in combination with other common diabetes treatments, such as insulin and metformin.
People with type 2 diabetes are unable to properly break down carbohydrates, either because their bodies do not produce enough insulin or have become resistant to the hormone, which controls blood sugar levels. Diabetics often require multiple drugs with different mechanisms of action to control their blood sugar levels.
New York-based Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and London-based AstraZeneca PLC already co-market the diabetes drug Onglyza, which increases insulin production while reducing glucose production.

Huffington

Ex University Registrar's Wife Commits Suicide

THE University town of Ekpoma, in Edo State was thrown into mourning yesterday, when the wife of the former registrar of the Ambrose Alli Unversity, Mrs. Kate Edokpayi, was found dead after committing suicide.
Her dangling body was discovered by her husband, Mr. Larry Edokpayi, in one of the rooms in their boy’s quarters.
Although she did not leave any suicide note, it was, however, learnt that she might have been frustrated over her health challenges.
It was gathered that she had repeatedly expressed frustration over her inability to get cure for her diabetic condition.
Vanguard learnt that the husband, who recently retired from the service of the university, had suspected kidnapping after a long search before he was advised to check the boy’s quarters.
On getting to the quarters, he was said to have observed that the door was bolted from behind and forced  it  open. He was shocked to see the dangling body of his wife at the ceiling.
She was an Assistant Director with the Edo State Ministry of Education, overseeing the ministry’s office in the Ekpoma before her death.

Vanguard

Tortured Ejigbo Women: N1.25Million placed for Perpetrators Arrest-Lagos House Of Assembly

In a stakeholders' meeting in Lagos Nigeria, Ikeja Lateef Jande Auditorium Alausa secretariat,  the Chairman of the five-man ad hoc committee incharge of the investigation, Mr Ajibayo Adeyeye said N1.25 Million has been set aside to help fish out the Hoodlums. In a statement he released thus: “Anybody that gives information that leads to the arrest of the perpetrators of the heinous act shall be given N1 million. And I will add the sum of 250,000 from my private account to increase the sum N1.25million.”

The President of Women Arise Initiative, Dr. Joe  Odumakin, who had initiatly led a protest to the House on the matter, said that she saw the video for the first time on December 7, 2013.
Odumakin said in a plead that the greatest gift anyone could give the women was to get justice for them.

N50Million Demanded For The Release Of Ex-Commissioner's 6year Old Son.

Ex-Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development in Bayelsa State, Mr. Godknows Powell whose six year old son was kidnapped on Jan 1, 2014 from a Church service he attended with his Mother, have been demanded by the Kidnappers for the sum of N50million naira for his son's release.
 
Reports gathered that the Kidnappers warned his family not to involve security personals during the course of negotiations. A source from the family said

“We know the kidnappers will reduce their ransom. It is their normal practice. They always place high amount of money on their victims only to reduce it later through negotiation,” he said.

However, efforts are being made to rescue the boy as soon as possible by Authorities. 

Rivers State Government Points Finger For Ahoada High Court's Bombing!

Rivers State Government has indicated that the Supervising Education Minister Nyesom Wike, along with the leader of the opposition lawmakers in the state House of Assembly, Evans Bipi, might be the ones behind today's bombing of the State High Court at Ahoada, in Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state.
According to eyewitnesses, the first explosion occured at about 2 a.m. with a shattering sound. Upon resuming work, the registrar of the Court saw two suspicious objects and alerted the police. However, one of the bombs went off at the block where the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) is located before experts arrived.
The building was badly damaged.
Experts from the Bomb Disposal Unit then proceeded to diffuse the second bomb also within the premises of the High Court.
Commissioner of Information and Communication, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, stated that the bombing of the Ahoada High Court was sanctioned by the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), the political platform of Minister Nyesom Wike.
In a similar develpment, a State High Court in Okehi was also razed down by fire in the early hours of Monday. There was no clue as to what caused the fire.
"We don't know what the intensions of the arsonists are, but it may not be unconnected with the on-going court cases in both courts which are related to the current political crisis in the state," Mrs. Semenitari said.
"The bombing and arson looks like the handiwork of people who are close to the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, and the member of the House of Assembly, representing Ogo-Bolu Constituency, Evans Bipi," she continued.
"Members of the GDI and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as it is currently constituted, are those likely to be behind these sought of violence. You will recall that there was an explosion at the office of the Deputy Governor, Engr. Tele Ikuru towards the end of the year. You know also that there was an explosion at the Abonema Wharf last year."
Reacting to both incidents, the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Worgu Boms, lamented that the actions were designed to instill fear in the judiciary.

Najj