George W. Bush exhibits his portraits of US war veterans

http://ift.tt/2mOKiHZ

Former US President George W. Bush speaks at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library as he promotes his upcoming book "Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief's Tribute to America's Warriors" in Simi Valley, California on March 1, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON

After putting down his executive pen former US President George W. Bush picked up a paint brush — and the hobby has become something of a career.

An exhibition of his oil paintings depicting US military veterans will open Thursday at the former president’s library in Dallas.

The collection, on display at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Texas until October 1, features 66 portraits and a four-panel mural.

Bush’s paintings pay tribute to the nearly 100 wounded or traumatized personnel who he has known personally since leaving the White House in 2009.

As the 43rd US president Bush had commanded the US military members, who all served in the wars he launched in Iraq and Afghanistan following the attacks on September 11, 2001.

The former commander-in-chief released on Tuesday a book titled “Portraits in Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors,” which includes images of the portraits and the veterans’ personal stories.

Bush said he wanted to use the paintings and book to highlight the veterans’ struggles with post-traumatic stress and the transition to civilian life.

“They’re stories of courage, injury, recovery, willingness to help others,” Bush said during a Wednesday forum at the Reagan presidential library near Los Angeles, as part of his book promotion tour.

“And I also wanted to highlight the invisible wounds. That’s my biggest concern.”

– ‘Incredibly meaningful’ –
Bush’s book has already shot to the top of Amazon’s best-seller list, and the former president plans to donate profits from its sale to his presidential center’s work aiding veterans.

He said the paintings would not be sold in his lifetime, but would be endowed to his foundation.

Matt Amidon, deputy director of the Military Service Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute, said the veterans have found it “incredibly meaningful… to have a former commander-in-chief to take the personal time to paint each one of them.”

All-but-retired from public life, the 70-year-old Bush spends most of his time at his Texas ranch, where he first started painting in 2012.

He was inspired to explore his artistic side by famed former British prime minister Winston Churchill, who also painted in retirement.

“I basically said, what the hell, this guy can paint, I can paint,” Bush told a laughing audience at the forum, adding that it helped him stay active in retirement.

He kept his hobby a secret at first, but in 2014 unveiled 30 stylized portraits of heads of state he knew as president — all painted from photographs.

The distorted and sometimes only vaguely recognizable faces of people such as former British prime minister Tony Blair, Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, attracted some withering criticism, panned as “naive” or “clumsy.”

Others praised what they saw as the “high amateur” work of someone who, although not formally trained, had clearly studied some art history and painting techniques.

– ‘Changed my life’ –
Bush admitted during the forum that those earlier efforts lacked confidence.

“There’s not much expression in it,” he said, adding that he believes he has since evolved as a painter.

His new portraits — clearly more accomplished works — show greater mastery over the art.

The former president, who referenced impressionism in describing his work, said he was originally not very interested in art.

But since taking up painting he said he has come to see the world in a new light.

“I see colors and shadows that I never did before. I see the sky differently,” Bush said.

“It has changed my life to the better.”

Bush’s idea to paint a portrait series of veterans came after his art teacher saw his collection of world leaders and suggested the former president next paint people outside the spotlight.

As with the world leaders portraits, Bush worked with photographs and spent a year on the artworks.

While other US presidents have taken up painting in retirement, Bush is thought to be the first to paint portraits.

He said his current project is a six-foot tall self-portrait.

“It’s a fascinating experience,” he said.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lw5MYZ

Nigeria imports 189.5 metric tonnes of tomato paste in 12 months

http://ift.tt/2m1Q7Bh

Tomato paste. PHOTO: ALIMENCO

Nigeria imports not less than 189.5 metric tons of tomato paste and sauce in the last 12 months, an expert has said.

The expert, Mr Duro Kuteyi, food manufacturer at Betamark Consulting, made the disclosure on Friday in Lagos, while reacting to issues of post-harvest waste of fresh tomatoes in major farms across the country.

Kuteyi, food technologist, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos that there was a lot of waste of fresh tomatoes and pepper in Nigeria.

He attributed the reasons to post harvest losses and lack of processing techniques which had made Nigerians to rely on imported tomato products.

Kuteyi said: “in spite of being identified as the 14th largest producer of tomatoes, it is sad to note that Nigeria imports various processed tomato products for the consumption of its nationals.

“The imported tomato products include, canned tomato paste, tomato ketchup and various sauces, canned tomato fruit, etc.

“Between 2015 and 2016, a total of 189,510.11 metric tons of tomato paste was imported into Nigeria.

“This is equivalent to 1,042,305.68 metric tons of fresh tomatoes.

“A lot of the tomatoes grown in Nigeria suffer post harvest losses incurred from transporting harvest from the farms in the northern part of the country where they are grown, to the southern markets where they are consumed.

“These no doubt prevent sizeable proportion of the harvested tomatoes from getting to the consumer and end in garbage heaps nation-wide.

“However, post-harvest losses can be minimized or completely eliminated if food processing techniques are put to practice.”

To minimize post-harvest losses, Kuteyi said that his organisation had partnered Bank of Industry (BoI) to sponsor the training of Nigerians on tomato and pepper processing in 12 states in the federation.

He said the training would also include fruit processing.

According to Kuteyi the training will create not less than 500,000 jobs for youths, retirees and other interested people willing to go into food processing.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2le8yDA

Mourinho scolds unfocused Man United

http://ift.tt/2lSt4gf

Manchester United's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho waves to the fans following the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 first-leg football match between Manchester United and Saint-Etienne at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on February 16, 2017. Manchester United won the match 3-0. / AFP PHOTO / Oli SCARFF

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho accused his players of not showing an appropriate level of mental preparation during their 3-0 Europa League victory over Saint-Etienne.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s hat-trick earned United a handsome win in Thursday’s last 32 first-leg match at Old Trafford, but the scoreline did not tell the full story.

Saint-Etienne finished the first half strongly and substitute Nolan Roux spurned a glorious chance to level two minutes before Ibrahimovic netted United’s second goal in the 75th minute.

Mourinho said United’s first half had been “so bad” and when asked why, he said it had been down to a “lack of concentration”.

“I had the feeling immediately in the dressing room: too noisy, too funny, too relaxed,” he told reporters.

“Then my assistants had the feeling in the warm-up, with some of the guys not really focused on getting the right adrenaline in their bodies.

“The game started and the first thing we did was a back-pass (by Eric Bailly) to the striker to be face-to-face with Sergio (Romero, the United goalkeeper).

“Lack of concentration. When you don’t have it, it’s difficult to recover it. In the first half it was hard.

“Even myself on the touchline, it was difficult, the communication. I needed half-time. We were lucky to be winning 1-0. After that, different story, different result.”

Mourinho has made no secret of the fact he would rather be playing in the Champions League than its sister competition, but he said that was no excuse for United’s lack of focus.

“I know the Champions League is the competition everyone wants to play, everyone wants to win,” he said.

“But we don’t play the Champions League, we play the Europa League. We had the group phase a little bit like this. When we needed to win, we did it.

“When the focus is there, we answered. Tonight in the first half, it was too relaxed.”

Ibrahimovic, 35, took his tally of goals against Saint-Etienne to 17 in 14 games, but the 17th hat-trick of his career was also probably the most scruffy.

– Galtier ‘angry’ –
He opened the scoring with a 15th-minute free-kick that was awarded for a seemingly non-existent foul on him by Jordan Veretout and his shot trickled past Stephane Ruffier via a deflection off Vincent Pajot.

His second goal was a tap-in created by substitute Marcus Rashford and his third, with two minutes to play, came from the spot after he crumpled following a challenge by Kevin Theophile-Catherine.

Ibrahimovic has scored more goals against Saint-Etienne than any other club and despite United’s healthy advantage, he hopes to feature in Wednesday’s return leg.

“Every time I’ve played against Saint-Etienne, with hard work there has been a couple of goals,” said the former Paris Saint-Germain striker.

“I’ve scored a couple of goals tonight and hopefully I can do the same next week.”

Saint-Etienne coach Christophe Galtier was unable to disguise his disappointment with Czech referee Pavel Kralovec.

“The scoreline is very harsh,” he said.

“I’m disappointed by the appreciation of the game and the errors by the officials, in particular the first free-kick and the penalty.

“So I’m angry and disappointed for my players. They put so much into this game and they deserved to have more to play for in the second leg.

“It will be very, very complicated to turn this tie around. But we have to respect the competition and the people who will come to the stadium.”

Saint-Etienne captain Loic Perrin was allowed to play on despite appearing to be left dazed following a clash of heads with his United counterpart Chris Smalling early in the second half.

But Galtier said he was satisfied with how his medical staff had handled the issue.

“There was a big clash of heads. But he didn’t lose consciousness,” Galtier said.

“If he had, the doctor would have taken precautions. The doctor said we could keep him on.”

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lSqozf

Burkina Faso’s ex-leader expected to be tried in March

http://ift.tt/2kBlJNe

PHOTO:AFP

Ousted Burkina Faso president Blaise Compaore will likely go on trial in March for his part in the violent crackdown on the 2014 popular uprising that overthrew him, the supreme court prosecutor told AFP Wednesday.

Other members of his former government will also face justice including the ex-prime minister Luc Adolphe Tiao, prosecutor Armand Ouedraogo said.

Compaore, who lives in Ivory Coast, was defence minister as well as president at the time of the insurrection but is only being prosecuted for his role as the former.

“Of the 34 members of (Compaore’s) government, seven will be tried in absentia,” Ouedraogo added.

Compaore lost power after 27 years following a popular uprising in October 2014 against his attempts to change the constitution to remain in office.

Thirty-three people were killed during the crackdown on the demonstration, according to official sources. However the Compaore regime is being prosecuted for just 7 deaths and the wounding of 82 people in the capital.

“They are not being prosecuted for all the deaths related to the popular uprising because not all protesters died from bullet wounds and they were not all in Ouagadougou,” Ouedraogo said.

Only Tiao was jailed for a couple of months before being freed. The other ministers have been banned from leaving the country.

All of those on trial face the death penalty and should they be found guilty Burkina Faso will call for the extradition of those outside the country to face their sentences at home.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lROKWu

FG to launch $300m loan project for young farmers

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), says it will establish a 300 million dollar agribusiness loan project for young farmers across the country.

NIRSAL is an arm of the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) that provides agribusiness investments credit risk guarantees to help drive economic development through agriculture. The organisation also helps to reduce credit risk in agricultural lending.

Mr Babajide Arowosafe, the Executive Director of NISRAL, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Wednesday that the project would be funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Arowosafe said that the project known as ‘Youth Enable’, would commence within the next few weeks to create a successive farmers generation to replace the ageing ones.

He said that the project would be implemented in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Arowosafe explained that the project would boost economic diversification and create business opportunities and employable skills for young men and women across priority agriculture value chains.

He listed some of the value chains to include aquaculture, crops farming, marketing, processing among others.

According to him, it will drive youths into looking for values, opportunities within the agricultural value chain and develop business models that will be sustainable over the years.

“NIRSAL is going to come up in full force on the initiative but what we look forward to is to have youths within some certain age bracket of 18 and 35 years.

“We need youths that are secondary and university graduates that are willing to go into green business, fresh food business, agri-commodities where Nigeria has comparative advantage.

“We can use those productions as fillers for the import substitution agenda of the Federal Government.

“This is purely a commercial venture; you must have a business model that can convince a financial institution.

“NIRSAL is bringing on board its risk sharing facility, its technical assistance, cutting edge technology to make sure that we monitor activities of those youths using technology,’’ he said.

The executive director disclosed that the organisation would support the farmers with its risk sharing facilities like guarantee, interest draw back and facilitate insurance for their businesses.

He assured youth farmers of low interest rates that would facilitate good business development.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lgNVZX

The Pogbas, brothers turned sibling rivals

http://ift.tt/2kSnatX

St Etienne's French forward Florentin Pogba. AFP PHOTO/PHILIPPE DESMAZES

A family football story born on the pitches of Paris’s eastern suburbs arrives at Old Trafford on Thursday as brothers Paul and Florentin Pogba face off in the Europa League.

“The day has come,” says elder brother Florentin, a defender with Saint-Etienne. “We’re going to face each other on the pitch, rather than on our neighbourhood mini-pitch.”

The two Pogbas’ lives have veered in different directions since their childhood scraps on a synthetic pitch in Roissy-en-Brie, 24 kilometres (15 miles) from the centre of the French capital.

Paul, 23 and capped 44 times by France, is the world’s most expensive footballer following his return to Manchester United from Juventus for a fee of £89.3 million ($111 million, 105.2 million euros).

Florentin, 26, opted to represent Guinea at international level and has an estimated transfer value of three million euros according to the respected Transfermarkt website.

United are the richest club in the world. Saint-Etienne are not even the richest club in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, where Lyon are the local powerhouse.

“Even if United are a great club, anything is possible in football,” Florentin told the UEFA website this week. “The fact they’re better than us on paper doesn’t matter.”

Florentin has become accustomed to watching his little brother win from afar and the chances are he will have an opportunity to do so up close in Thursday’s last 32 first leg.

Saint-Etienne may be fifth in Ligue 1 and United sixth in the Premier League, but Jose Mourinho’s star-studded team have gone 16 league games without defeat.

It will be up to Florentin and his team-mates to try to prevent United settling into a rhythm that is often set by Paul’s driving runs and passes to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Florentin has not been a regular starter this season, but in recent weeks Saint-Etienne coach Christophe Galtier has found a place for him at left-back.

With Paul playing in central midfield, their paths may not cross too often, but with both players comfortably over six feet tall (183 centimetres), any clashes could be seismic.

– ‘He goes mad’ –
“If he arrives at full pelt and I have to tackle him, I will,” Florentin told French television show Telefoot.

“I’m not going to knock him out — he’s my brother — but if I have to commit a foul, I’ll do it.”

For Pogba Jnr., the game represents another opportunity to prove himself as a big-game player.

A guaranteed starter, he has played a leading role in United’s current resurgence, but remains without a league goal or assist in 2017.

“In terms of being the world’s most expensive player, I think he has put that to one side because it’s more an issue for the media,” says Florentin, whose twin brother, Mathias, plays for Sparta Rotterdam.

“He’s just playing his football, even though everything he does gets three or four times more attention, good or bad. He can handle all of that because of the mental strength he has had since his youth.

“He is quite irritable though. He doesn’t like to lose. His head starts buzzing when he loses. I learnt to lose and I would say that you’re not losing, but learning. But for him, when he loses, he goes mad.”

United’s other France international, Anthony Martial, knows defeat will be hard to take for whichever brother ends up on the losing side.

“They are well known for being big jokers and mickey-takers, but once they are on the field, it will be like two warriors who are going all-out to win the game,” Martial told the United website.

“If one beats the other, he’ll immediately start giving out loads of stick so they’ll be desperate to do all they can to win!”

Florentin adds: “My parents will have mixed feelings because whatever happens there will be one winner and one loser. However, there are two winners because this game will be an unforgettable occasion.”

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2l7Lpmg

State discovers non-existing schools, health centres on payroll

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Adamawa Government has discovered some non-existent schools and healthcare centres in the state, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

A member of the state Committee for the Payment of Outstanding Salary Liabilities, Mr Bala Sanga, disclosed this on Wednesday at a meeting of the committee.

Sanga, who is the state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, said that field intelligence being conducted on local government payroll indicated some schools and health centres in local government areas were non existent.

“There are lots of schools and health centres that do not exist,” Sanga said.

Sanga who did not give the number of such non existent schools and health centre so far discovered and ghost workers involved in the on-going exercise, said there were a lot of abnormalities regarding salaries that needed to be addressed for the state to sanitise the system and save money.

“Just for schools, we have about 500 names that should not be on payroll.”

Sanga also explained that 2,180 names inserted in the payrolls were also discovered in January payroll for local governments. The Auditor General of Local Government, Alhaji Usman Maiha, lamented that there were cases of dead workers still existing on the payroll.

“In one local government, I have report of 18 dead people in payroll and there are cases of people collecting double salaries,” Maiha said.

The Chairman of the committee for the payment of outstanding salary liabilities, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abba-Jimeta, said that the committee had so far received N4.8 billion out of which it had utilised N4.7 billion in settling some arrears owed local government workers, teachers, primary healthcare workers and political office holders.

The committee is responsible for settling salary arrears from the N12. 6 billion Paris Club refund being expected by the state government.

Abba-Jimeta said that the government also approved N32 million for arrears of Development Area Administrators while N1 billion was set aside as arrears of state and local government pensioners. The committee chairman also announced that the state government had resolved to use 50 per cent of N12. 6 billion of the refund for the state’s projects.

He explained that the Memorandum of Understanding between states and Federal Government regarding the refund was that 50 per cent would go for salary arrears and the remaining for projects.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lgDHZu

Prosecution counsel withdraws from Justice Ngwuta’s trial

Five suspects arrested with 4 fresh human heads in Ebonyi

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

By Peter Okutu
ABAKALIKI-REPORTS reaching Vanguard reveals that between 9 and 10am of wednesday that 5 suspects including a lady (names withheld) were arrested with 4 fresh human heads, when a commercial vehicle along the boundary between Ebonyi and Enugu States was intercepted.

It was gathered that the suspects were arrested during a stop and search operation conducted by the security operatives who must have been on their trail after the beheading of the victims.

The location were the victims were beheaded has not yet been ascertained.

A reliable source at the scene of the arrest observed that the suspects may have taken off from Enugu heading towards Cross River state through Ebonyi state border.

It was discovered that when the suspects made attempt to runaway from the scene after the fresh human heads were discovered in a bag in their possession, the said security operatives shot them on their legs to restrain them from running away.

An eyewitness who did not want her name in print revealed the security agents maybe operatives from the Department State Security, DSS as they were seen in bullet proof vests while the inscription DSS were written on behind their vests.

According to the eyewitness, the human heads were displayed on the highway before the unsuspecting public and motorists who had crowded the scene discussing the incident.

The security operatives later whisked the suspects away to an undisclosed destination.

As at the time of this report, the Ebonyi state police command and state DSS command were yet to react to the development.

…More details later

The post Five suspects arrested with 4 fresh human heads in Ebonyi appeared first on Vanguard News.

Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2k7dzvs

Breaking: DSS questions CAN officials over fund-raising

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The Department of State Services (DSS) has commenced interrogation of leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria for foreign financial assistance to rebuild churches destroyed by Boko Haram terrorists and those destroyed in Southern Kaduna by herdsmen.

A CAN official confirmed to Vanguard in Abuja, this morning.

…Details later

The post Breaking: DSS questions CAN officials over fund-raising appeared first on Vanguard News.

Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2kSaS5B

Buhari returns on Saturday as Saraki speaks with him

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

All things being equal, President Muhammadu Buhari, may return to Nigeria from his vacation to the United Kingdom on Saturday.

This came as Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the Senate President has also confirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari is healthy and in high spirits.

Saraki on his tweeter handle @bukolasaraki giving the confirmation said that he spoke with the President on Wednesday night and that President Buhari was in high spirit.

“Happy to have spoken with President Buhari tonight tonight. He was in good spirits and joked about my working late into the night, as usual.

The Leadership newspaper quoting a source said on Thursday that except there would be any last minute change, all is set for Buhari’s return.

The newspaper relied on the source, a senior official in the presidency, who spoke in confidence.

“Barring any last minute change, we are expecting the president back this weekend, probably on Saturday,” it quoted the source.

Throwing more light on Buhari’s state of health, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, confirmed that President is healthy and in high spirits.

Saraki, through his twitter handle @bukolasaraki said that he spoke with the President on Wednesday night and he (President Buhari was in high spirit).

“Happy to have spoken with President Buhari tonight tonight. He was in good spirits and joked about my working late into the night, as usual.

Saraki has joined the list of many prominent Nigerians who have confirmed that they have spoke with President Buhari and found that he was healthy and in high spirit.

Meanwhile, Hajiya Rakiya, the only surviving elder sister of President Buhari, has appealed to Nigerians to continue to pray for the well being of the President, instead of spreading rumours about his health.

In an interview with a correspondent of the News agency of Nigeria in Daura, Katsina state, the 84-year-old said the president needed the prayers of every Nigerian for him to succeed in the task of addressing the problems facing the nation.

She said President Buhari being a mortal is bound to fall ill or even die “at any time his Creator wishes’’.

She said she speaks with the president every day since his departure to London on his annual leave and he is in high spirit.

“I just returned from the lesser Hajj and even while in Saudi Arabia I was communicating with him every day,” Rakiya popularly called Amadodo told NAN.

She said while in Saudi Arabia, she communicated with him every ten hours”

“We were 28 from our mother late Hajiya Zulaihatu who died in 1992,but Buhari was her last born” she said.
A cross section of the people in the ancient city, who spoke with NAN, said they were dismayed with some Nigerians , spreading unfounded rumours about the president’s health.

Alhaji Abdulman Daura, the Northwest organising secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), described the rumoured death and state of health of the president as baseless and unfounded.

Daura said Buhari is in good health and is only conducting a routine medical checkup in the United Kingdom.

He advised the opposition to always be constructive and avoid campaign of hate and calumny, adding that it is only God that gives health and takes life.

Similarly, Alhaji Aminu Na-Dari, a close ally of President Muhammadu Buhari said he has also been in constant touch with the president since his departure and their conversation did not in anyway indicate that he is having any health challenge.

He said the current economic hardship was not caused by the present administration. On the contrary, the Buhari government has been working hard to remedy the situation.

A group of students of the School of Health Technology Daura described the rumour as unfortunate and asked the National Association of Nigerian Students to issue a statement condemning the rumour.

Aminu Mohammed, the spokesperson of the students, called on Nigerians to always think and act positive, stressing Buhari has started the reform of correcting the ills of this nation and corruption was now fighting back.

He urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the nation and safe return of Mr president.

Alhaji Salisu Haro, the information officer of Daura Local Government Area, also told our correspondent that the local council was conscious of the rumour ,stressing it was a mere political gimmick fabricated by enemies of progress.

He said the local government has collaborated with the Daura Emirate council to find out the true situation.

“Our findings revealed that Mr. president was doing very well and there is nothing to fear,” he said.

The President of the Senate Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has confirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari is healthy and in high spirits.

Saraki who too to his tweeter handle @bukolasaraki to give the confirmation said that he spoke with the President on Wednesday night and he (President Buhari was in high spirit.

“Happy to have spoken with President Buhari tonight tonight. He was in good spirits and joked about my working late into the night, as usual.

Saraki has joined the list of many prominent Nigerians who have confirmed that they have spoke with President Buhari and found that he was healthy and in high spirit.

Recall that on Wednesday, President Buhari’s only surviving sister, Hajiya Rakiya, said that she speaks with President Buhari everyday and that he is fine.

The 84 years old Hajiya Rakiya told our correspondent in Daura, Katsina state that the President was a mortal who could fall sick or die but stressed that he was fine.

She urged Nigerians to pray for their President rather than spreading rumours about his state of health.

“I just returned from the lesser Hajj and even while in Saudi Arabia I was communicating with him everyday,” Rakiya popularly called Amadodo told NAN. She said while in Saudi Arabia, she communicated with him every ten hours”

“We were 28 from our mother late Hajiya Zulaihatu who died in 1992,but Buhari was her last born” she said.

The post Buhari returns on Saturday as Saraki speaks with him appeared first on Vanguard News.

Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2k7abAZ

Sports stars, Rihanna help Puma sprint ahead in 2016

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Rihanna-designed shoes and French football stars helped boost German sports brand Puma’s results in 2016, the firm said Thursday, reporting a leap in profits and offering a higher dividend.

The Bavaria-based firm increased net profits by 68 percent to 62.4 million euros ($67 million), on a seven-percent increase in revenues to 3.6 billion euros.

Underlying, or operating profit stood at 127.6 million euros, up 32.6 percent over the 2015 figure, the company said.

“The year has confirmed that our strategy has been right,” chief executive Bjorn Gulden said in a statement.

With a series of high-profile global sporting events, 2016 was a showcase for Puma’s sponsored teams and athletes.

Sprint champion Usain Bolt bore the brand’s leaping cat logo at the Summer Olympics in Rio, while the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament saw French top scorer Antoine Griezmann and teammate Olivier Giroud sport its yellow boots, among the five teams it sponsored.

Puma also enlisted model Cara Delevingne and singer The Weeknd as celebrity ambassadors, while shoes designed by R&B star Rihanna “repeatedly sold out worldwide within mere hours of hitting the stores”.

Looking to different regions, Puma boasted double-digit growth in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in 2016, adding 13 percent to sales in currency-adjusted terms to reach 1.4 billion euros.

Sales in the Americas and Asia grew by 8.3 percent and 8.5 percent, reaching 1.3 billion and 904 million euros respectively, with double-digit growth in China.

Shoes remain Puma’s biggest business area, with sales growing 12.6 percent to 1.6 billion euros, while textiles brought in 1.3 billion euros, up 9.6 percent, and accessories added 4.7 percent to reach 666 million euros.

Looking ahead to 2017, the firm said “the operating result will improve significantly” on the back of a “high single-digit” revenue increase.

Upcoming events like the IAAF athletics world championship in London will add to the brand’s visibility, Puma predicted.

The firm plans to offer an increased dividend of 0.75 euros per share for 2016, up from 0.25 euros the previous year.

The post Sports stars, Rihanna help Puma sprint ahead in 2016 appeared first on Vanguard News.

Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2kS9akI