Elephant Rescued from Tortured Captivity in India, Cries Tears of Joy

As we've learned in the past, it doesn't get much sadder than seeing an elephant cry.

Unless that elephant just got set free after 50 years of painful captivity.

Such is the case for Raju, an animal who had been held in spiked chains, often beaten or otherwise abused until the organization Wildlife SOS conducted a midnight rescue mission to save the elephant from the Uttar Pradesh area in India.

In darkness on July 4, a group of veterinarians and wildlife experts freed Raju from his horrible existence, watching in awe and heartbreak as the creature cried tears of joy at the scene.

Raju the Elephant

Raju is now free. This poor elephant was held captive and tortured for over five decades.

"Raju has spent the past 50 years living a pitiful existence in chains 24 hours a day, an act of intolerable cruelty," Wildlife SOS spokesperson Pooja Binepal said. "The team were astounded to see tears roll down his face during the rescue. It was so incredibly emotional for all of us. We knew in our hearts he realized he was being freed."

Binepal believes Raju had been poached as a young calf and sold as a tourist attraction.

He lived without regular shelter, only eating what pedestrians passing by would give him.

"The chains around his legs had spikes which were cutting into his flesh - and each time he moved pus would ooze out of wounds. Pain and brutality were all he knew. His cruel handler even tore out the hair from his tail to sell as good luck charms," Binepal says. "The exploitation and abuse just had to stop."

Wildlife SOS brought Raju 350 miles away to the charity's Elephant Conservation and Care Centre at Mathura.

He was fed there, given a bath and he now “knows what freedom is,” Pooja says. “He will learn what kindness feels like and what it's like to not suffer any more."

Once Raju is rehabilitated, he will join two other elephants the charity has saved, living out his days in peace and happiness.

Says Binepal: "We all had tears in our eyes as the last rope, which held the final spike, was cut - and Raju took his first steps of freedom."

Ms Sahhara to represent Nigeria at World Transgender Pageant Holding in the Philippines.

Ms Sahhara shared these photos of herself on her facebook page to announce she'll be representing Nigeria at the Super Sireyna of Eat Bulaga competition, a transgender pageant  holding in the Philippines.

Ms Sahhara says if she wins, her legacy would be to campaign for the acceptance of transgenders

"I will do all my best to teach people more about transgender issues, who we are and where we come from because there is this huge misconception around the issues that surrounds transgender people. We are not to be afraid of. We are not immoral. We are human beings, we have blood running in our vein and we pray you give us the chance and understanding and love that you give your fellow human beings because we are one of you" 

she said on who her role model is....

"I think my role model is my mum. My mum is a single parent and she brought myself and my younger sister up. She gave us the best education. My mum is very intelligent and she always tells us to go back to school, lets study, lets get all our degrees" she said

Bank manager commits suicide in Ogun

Policemen attached to the Ibafo Police Division of Ogun State, on Saturday recovered the decomposed body of the manager of a commercial bank, Mr. Habeeb Olatunde, at an uncompleted building at Arepo.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Olatunde, who had been declared missing since June 18, allegedly committed suicide.

The policemen, led by the Divisional Police Officer, Salawu Jimoh, a Chief Superintendent of Police, were said to have concluded that the matter was suicide based on what they found on ground.

The state’s Police Public Relations officer, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, explained that the decomposed body was found hanged in the building when the police detectives arrived at the scene.

Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, added that preliminary investigation revealed that Olatunde committed suicide by hanging himself.

He said, “Since Olatunde was declared missing on June 19, 2014, the police have intensified efforts to find him. However, his remains were discovered after a thorough search with the help of members of the community.”

Adejobi said the police were investigating the circumstances leading to the incident. He added that initial findings showed that the deceased complained of stress in the office and was permitted to have a rest.

“He committed suicide while he was on casual leave,” he said.

He said his corpse had been released to his family for burial according to Islamic rites as no mark of violence was seen on the body and no foul play was suspected.

Pistorius trial adjourned until August

The defence in the Oscar Pistorius murder case rested Tuesday, bringing to an end the latest phase of a trial which has lasted longer than the athlete’s relationship with Reeva Steenkamp, the girlfriend he killed.

Closing arguments will begin August 7, the judge ordered.

The long delay may be because of the length of time it will take the legal teams on both sides to review the transcript of the case, CNN legal analyst Kelly Phelps said.

It’s thought to be as much as 4,000 pages long, covering a case that ran for 39 days between March 3 and July 8.

Pistorius, 27, admits firing the bullets that killed Steenkamp, but he says he mistakenly thought he was defending himself from an intruder. Prosecutors say the two had an argument and he deliberately murdered the model and law school graduate, who was 29.

Following closing arguments, the judge will have to decide whether Pistorius genuinely made a mistake or deliberately murdered his girlfriend.

If Judge Thokozile Masipa does not believe the athlete thought there was an intruder, she will find him guilty of murder and sentence him to a prison term ranging from 15 years to life. South Africa does not have the death penalty.

If Masipa accepts that Pistorius did not know that Steenkamp was the person he was shooting at, she could find him guilty of culpable homicide, a lesser charge than murder, or acquit him, according to Phelps, the CNN legal analyst.

A verdict of culpable homicide would leave the sentence at Masipa’s discretion.

Awwww! Beyonce and Jay Z: Snuggling and Singing on Stage!

After causing an Internet raucous by changing up some some lyrics in concert last week, implying that Jay Z cheated on her, Beyonce was all smiles during a show in Philadelphia over the weekend.
She and her very famous husband sang multiple songs together as part of their ongoing tour, often with a slideshow of daughter Blue Ivy playing in the background.

Based on the following photos of this recent concert, does this really look like a couple in trouble?

While Jay Z cheating rumors have been circulating for months, the latest chatter centered around an inappropriate relationship with Mya.
But that artist has come out and strongly denied the allegation, while Beyonce has posted a sweet family photo of her, Jay and Blue checking out some art work.
Case closed? Marriage saved? For the sake of our believe in all that is well and good in the world... let's hope so.

Stoichkov warns Barcelona over Suarez

Luis Suarez’s biting antics would not be forgotten should he join Barcelona which could be problematic for the player and the club, believes former Camp Nou forward Hristo Stoichkov, Goal reports.

Suarez was handed a four-month ban from all football-related activity after he was found guilty by FIFA of biting Giorgio Chiellini when Uruguay faced Italy in the World Cup group stage last month.

Stoichkov, who was known for his temper during his playing days, has warned the Liverpool forward – who has been heavily linked with a move to Barca this summer – that he will now be a marked man due to his continued biting antics.

“The biting will be a problem… Because he is now marked for life,” the Bulgarian, 48, told Univision TV. “Playing at Barca with what he has done is a problem.

“All opponents, referees and the media are going to make life difficult.”

Punch...

Yvonne Nelson Looking Cute and Sweet; Goes Topless

Actress Yvonne Nelson is a beauty to behold any day, with her sweet body. 
See her aww....topless pix below… 

#Flawless

Actress Yvonne Nelson is a beauty to behold any day, with her banging body. See her topless pix below… #Flawless

Read more at: http://ghanavibes.com/see-yvonne-nelson-looking-cute-sweet-goes-topless/ | GhanaVibes.com

Rwanda president welcomes Davido at the Rwanda airport.

The people of Rwanda celebrated their annual Liberation Day celebrations at Amahoro National Stadium in Kigali on July 4th and guess who came to light up the event? Davido ! Do you know that the President of Rwanda , Paul Kagame, with his wife and kids welcomed Davido at the airport? He’s currently Africa’s best artiste so it’s allowed! At the stadium, he performed to 60, 000 people! Other Presidents present were Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. The Aye crooner was also told to perform his Aye song at the presidential villa but no cameras were allowed. Kudos to him! 

More Photos below:

Solange Knowles (Sort Of) Addresses Jay Z Elevator Beatdown: It's All Good!

It appears as if things are now all good between Beyonce and Jay Z.
And the same can seemingly be said between Beyonce, Jay Z and Solange Knowles, even after the latter went bonkers and attacked her brother-in-law inside a New York City elevator this spring.
Solange covers the latest issue of Lucky, addressing the well-publicized confrontation for the first time and referring to it as “that thing.”

"What's important is that my family and I are all good," Solange tells the magazine. "What we had to say collectively was in the statement that we put out, and we all feel at peace with that."
The statement in question was released in May, just a few days after security footage leaked depicting Solange attacking her Jay Z in the elevator of New York City's Standard Hotel.

It read:
As a result of the public release of the elevator security footage from Monday, May 5th, there has been a great deal of speculation about what triggered the unfortunate incident," the statement at the time read. "But the most important thing is that our family has worked through it.
Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility for what has occurred. They both acknowledge their role in this private matter that has played out in the public. They both have apologized to each other and we have moved forward as a united family.

While the family never talked about what sparked the fight, an insider said it "was over something so small and stupid."
The tabloid adds that Solange was being a “loudmouth,” with both Bey and Jay trying to “handle the situation" because "Solange has been that way before, and Jay and Bey just wanted to get her out of there home before she really caused a ruckus."

In other words: it could have been far worse.
 Many have pointed out that the fight took place at the end of a very long night of partying, and Solange may have been drunk at the time of the event. Reactions from those around her suggest this sort of thing happens often.

Meet The World’s Fattest Woman Who Claims She ‘Has S*x 7 Times A Day To Keep Fit’ (PHOTOS)

Pauline Potter pictured with her husband

You have to admire Pauline Potter’s sheer will and determination. First, she set out to set the Guinness World Record for fattest female on the planet, which she achieved by reaching a weight of 700 pound. Once having accomplished her goal, she set another — drop some of the pounds. Again she succeeded, shedding 100. But perhaps most compelling is her secret for losing weight: having s.e’x with her husband seven times a day! The website Closer notes that Potter’s appearance makes her “an unlikely spokesperson for the health benefits of s.e’x.” One might add that it makes her an even stranger advocate for weight loss.  

More Photos Below:


Her husband Alex, who himself tips the scale at 200 pounds (which is less than one of his wife’s legs), insists that the s.e’x is anything but normal: It’s hard to position her and find her pleasure spots as she has a lot of fat in the pelvic area. But it turns me on knowing she’s satisfied. Although once, when she got on top, I couldn’t breathe. But slowly but surely, Potter is continuing to trim down. She claims to burn 500 calories in a single love-making session. WebMD places the average for calorie expenditure for 30 minutes of s’e.x at 85, but Potter doesn’t specify how long one of her sexathons lasts, so it’s possible her estimate may hold some water.