Cameroon lawyer wins award for defending gay rights

Alice Nkom has spent a decade defending people accused of practising homosexuality.
Homosexual acts are illegal in Cameroon and carry a five-year prison term.

Ms Nkom described the award, which she received from the German branch of Amnesty International in Berlin on Tuesday, as a "prize of hope".

"Being gay in Cameroon is like being in hell," she said"
"Permanent jail, permanent harassment, permanent violence and discrimination. From your family to the workplace to everywhere."

The 69-year-old lawyer became the first black woman to be called to the bar in Cameroon in 1969.

She vowed to continue her work despite being sent death threats and warnings from government officials that she could face imprisonment.

The campaign for gay rights in Africa has been hit in recent weeks by a new law in Uganda which allows life imprisonment for acts of "aggravated homosexuality" and also criminalises the "promotion of homosexuality".
Africa remains the continent with the toughest anti-gay laws, with homosexual acts punishable by death in Mauritania and South Sudan and parts of Nigeria and Somalia.

Emmanuel Adebayor’s Luxurious Lifestyle As He Lives Like A King.

 The 29-year-old father of one is no doubt one of the Richest footballers in the world.
Emmanuel Adebayor who has every reason to be thankful was quoted in an interview as saying “My Family Once Called Me Rubbish Before I Became Successful”.

He has a private jet, LOTS of cars, including a porsche magnum, range rover revere, G-wagon Asma, Lincoln, Ford F350 etc and mansions in several countries including Togo, Ghana, UK and in the US.

He has thousands of sneakers – never repeats his sneakers, he wears them once and gives them out!
“Everything I do in life I put in the hands of God, my creator. He gave me the chance to be where I am today and He’s the one that can take it all away from me. There is nothing more important for me than God.” Adebayo says.

[HOW NICE] Cute Amokachi Twins Visit Super Eagles Camp In Atlanta

 Few people know that Former Super Eagles striker, Daniel Amokachi, who is now assistant to coach Stephen keshi, is a father of a grown up twins (two boys) who are mature enough to represent the country any time soon.

Tunisia lifts state of emergency

 Since the 2011 revolution in Tunisia, the state of emergency has been the order of the country , the cradle of the Arab Spring -- the grass-roots movement that toppled autocratic leaders and promoted freedom and democracy across the Arabic-speaking region in North Africa and the Middle East.

The order went into effect Wednesday, and the announcement was made Thursday on the president's official Facebook page The government in November extended the state of emergency to June, but Marzouki ended it earlier.

"It should be noted that lifting the state of emergency does not limit the ability of the various security agencies of law enforcement from seeking the assistance of military forces when appropriate ... including the related areas of military operations and along the border areas," the decree said.

There has been political turmoil and violence in Tunisia after the January 2011 ouster of former leader Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, instability that threatened to disrupt a democratic transition in a country once seen as a model of post-revolutionary stability in a still volatile region.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that he and his cabinet will take a pay cut to help bring down the government's wage bill.

President Kenyatta said that he and his deputy William Ruto would take a 20% cut while other ministers would have their pay reduced by 10%.
Foreign trips, he said, would be kept to a minimum.

Mr Kenyatta also urged Kenyan MPs, who are among the highest paid in Africa, to accept cuts.
Correspondents say the issue of politicians' pay is a highly sensitive issue in Kenya.
Mr Kenyatta said the government was spending close to $4.6bn (£2.7bn) in salaries, leaving only $2.3bn for development.

"We need to deal with this monster if we are to develop this nation otherwise sooner or later we will become a nation that only collects taxes to pay ourselves," President Kenyatta said.
He was speaking at the end of a cabinet retreat near Mount Kenya that was reviewing progress made one year since he was elected.

Mr Kenyatta announced a month after his election that he would make reducing Kenya's ballooning public sector wage bill a priority.

He said it was "unsustainable" and weighed on the national budget.

World Bank postpones $90m Uganda loan over anti-gay law

The World Bank has postponed a $90m (£54m) loan to Uganda over its tough anti-gay law, which has drawn criticism from around the world.

World Bank officials said they wanted to guarantee the projects the loan was destined to support were not going to be adversely affected by the law.
The loan was intended to boost Uganda's health services.
Ugandan government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said the World Bank "should not blackmail its members".

The law, enacted on Monday, strengthens already strict legislation relating to homosexuals.
It allows life imprisonment as the penalty for acts of "aggravated homosexuality" and also criminalises the "promotion of homosexuality"

 A spokesman for the World Bank said: "We have postponed the project for further review to ensure that the development objectives would not be adversely affected by the enactment of this new law." 

Ugandan authorities have defended the decision, saying President Museveni wanted "to demonstrate Uganda's independence in the face of Western pressure and provocation".

Uganda is a very conservative society, where many people oppose homosexuality.

Just how awesome lupita is.

 

 "12 Years A Slave," directed by Steve McQueen, was Nyong'o's first feature film.

 

 The actress delivers an emotional performance with her portrayal of Patsey.    An epitone of African beauty.We love her.