The Four Romantic Archetypes Men Are Drawn to

Men are drawn to women (and vice-a-versa) for numerous reasons. But some things stand out in a woman's personality that make the attraction especially strong. There are four categories — or archetypes — that seem to be important in drawing out the best in a man.

When used together, these four archetypes give you an irresistible confidence and energy that invites the pursuit of high-caliber men and inspires his loving, long-termcommitment. 

Every woman has all four within her, but usually only one is the most dominant. Which one is your dominant archetype?

1. The Femina

"The Femina" is stylish, sophisticated, and loves luxury. The epitome of femininity, she has the power to ignite deep attraction through her sensual nature. Men find her capacity to be strong, yet open, vulnerable, and self-supportive — simply irresistible. Famous femina women include Princess Grace of Monaco and Halle Berry.

Why Men Are Drawn To Femina Women

She's stylish and beautiful. She's not shy about accentuating her physical beauty and being admired for it. We all know that men are visual creatures. However, she doesn't dress this way solely to please a man; she does it first and foremost for herself.

How to uncover your femina magnetism: Tastefully accentuate your beauty. Don't be afraid to draw attention to that gorgeous neck or those shapely legs of yours. It sends a message that you are confident (even if you don't always feel like it) and that you love your looks.



2. The Islander

Warm, colorful and energetic, "The Islander" instantly enchants and wins over men with her smile. Boredom is not in her vocabulary — "fun" and "adventure" define her. She stands out from the crowd and doesn't care what others think about her non-conformist style and way of life. Famous islander women include Josephine Baker and Shakira.

Why Men Are Drawn To Islander Women

She's spontaneous and adventurous. She is the living definition of Carpe Diem (seize the day). The way she mixes things up and keeps it spicy makes her a breath of fresh air to men. Men (and women) can become bored and lose interest when a relationship becomes predictable. The Islander's chameleon-like ways keeps a man on his toes. Life with her is full of pleasant surprises.

How to unleash your islander magnetism: Be open for anything. Seizing the moment is something most women just can't seem to do. When you're the woman who can:

Take an impromptu swim in the ocean (fully clothed), instead of saying, "I can't; I just got my hair done."

Pack your bags and head to St. Bart's for a weekend of fun and sun with a day's notice, instead of saying, "I need weeks to prepare!"

You're like a "triple oasis" (shade, food and water) to a man who is lost in the desert. While you may not free to say "Yes!" every time, be open to doing things impromptu.

3. The Regal

Selective, poised and reserved, "The Regal" knows her power and exercises it. It takes a very strong Alpha male to be her partner. People think she's too picky, but once you get invited to her inner circle, she's a jewel. She knows what she wants and she's going to get it.

Why Men Are Drawn to Regal Women

She's mysterious and reserved. She opens up slowly. You won't find her blabbering on and on. This adds an air of mystery that men find desirable. Famous regal women include Cleopatra and Beyoncé.

How to unveil your regal magnetism: Listen 80 percent, talk 20 percent. Be interested and ask questions. It's a win-win situation when you let him do most of the talking. The more you listen, the faster you discover whether he is (or isn't) right for you. It saves you both precious time.  Besides, men want to feel heard and listened to – just as much as women do.

Of course you don't want this to be an interrogation; with practice, you can achieve a graceful balance.

4. The Entrepreneur

The Entrepreneur is intelligent, independent, and focused on her work. She desires a man with whom she can build an empire; someone who takes initiative. She needs a very strong alpha male to win her heart. Famous entrepreneur women include Oprah Winfrey and Anna Wintour (editor-in-chief of Vogue).

Why Men Are Drawn to Entrepreneur Women

She is intelligent and stimulating. The common belief that men don't like strong, successful women is B.S. A high-caliber man needs an intelligent woman who can stimulate him intellectually. There are few things sexier than a woman who continues to grow consistently and has something new to share.

How to demonstrate your entrepreneur magnetism: Consistently invest in your self-growth by creating a spending plan for your education.  A few ideas: take a foreign language, start a new hobby, take self-growth programs, and/or hire a mentor and travel abroad.

Don't take these archetypes too seriously, but sometimes it's fun to see which category you best fit into!

1.3 tonnes of cocaine seized in Paris

Police at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport have seized 1.3 tonnes of pure cocaine on board an Air France flight from Venezuela, French officials say.

The drugs were found packed inside 30 suitcases on 11 September, but the operation was revealed on Saturday.

France's Interior minister, Manuel Valls, said it was the biggest drug haul ever made in the Paris area.

Six people were arrested, accused of being members of an international drug smuggling ring, Mr Valls said.

Officials say they believe the drugs were meant for sale in France and had a street value of 200m euros (£169m; $270m).

The Air France flight came from Caracas.

The suitcases with the cocaine reportedly were not registered to any of the passengers.

Huge cocaine haul seized on Air France plane in Paris

Police at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport have seized 1.3 tonnes of pure cocaine on board an Air France flight from Venezuela, French officials say.

The drugs were found packed inside 30 suitcases on 11 September, but the operation was revealed on Saturday.

France's Interior minister, Manuel Valls, said it was the biggest drug haul ever made in the Paris area.

Six people were arrested, accused of being members of an international drug smuggling ring, Mr Valls said.

Officials say they believe the drugs were meant for sale in France and had a street value of 200m euros (£169m; $270m).

The Air France flight came from Caracas.

The suitcases with the cocaine reportedly were not registered to any of the passengers.

Rihanna poses with protected primate in Thailand

BANGKOK (AP) — Pop star Rihanna spent a weekend at the beach in Thailand, leaving behind a trail of racy tweets and incriminating Instagram photographs that led police to arrest two people for allegedly peddling protected primates.

On a break from her Diamonds World Tour, Rihanna stopped in Thailand to visit the island of Phuket, where she befriended some local wildlife.

She posted a link on Twitter to an Instagram photo that showed her in sunglasses snuggling up to a furry primate called the slow loris, and tweeted Friday: "Look who was talkin dirty to me!"

The slow loris, a squirrel-like animal with big eyes, is native to Southeast Asia and is listed as a protected species.

"Phuket authorities were alerted to the picture (of Rihanna), and last night police arrested the two individuals who brought out the loris as a photo opportunity for tourists," a Phuket district chief, Weera Kerdsirimongkon, said by telephone Sunday.

Police confiscated two lorises from the pair — a 20-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy — who could face charges of possession of protected animals. The charge carries a penalty of up to four years in prison and a 40,000 baht ($1,300) fine.

Weera said authorities have tried for years to crack down on the problem of vendors exploiting wildlife, particularly in popular tourist areas where people pay to pose for pictures with elephants, orangutans and other animals.

"It's like a cat-and-mouse game. But this time it's bigger because a celebrity like Rihanna posted the picture, and there were more than 200,000 'likes' from around the world," he said.

Rihanna also posted pictures of herself playing with a herd of elephants in the street Friday night, after which she tweeted: "They all hail Empress when She walk by."

On the same night, she tweeted a few unprintable comments about what she apparently witnessed at an adult show in one of Phuket's red-light districts.

Saturday's tweets were devoted to the beach and photographs of the singer in a black bikini on a boat surrounded by turquoise water with limestone cliffs in the distance.

Before leaving Thailand on Sunday, she tweeted from the airport: "Gave the immigration guy my passport and he handed me this in return without a word. Lol." It was a picture of the singer that said "I love Rihanna."

Her next stop was Singapore before heading to Australia and New Zealand.

Hongkong Braced For 'Strongest Storm On Earth' As 180mph Monster Super-Typhoon Usagi Gains Strength Over The Pacific

A monster Super Typhoon has intensified explosively in the last 24 hours and remains on track to wreak havoc in Taiwan, the Philippines and potentially Hong Kong over the weekend.

Over the last day Super Typhoon Usagi, which is now the strongest storm to form on earth this year, has seen winds increase from 75mph on Tuesday to over 160 mph today. The cyclone is now classified now as a Super Typhoon and is considered the equivalent of a category 5 hurricane.

The storm, which is expected to maintain its current strength for at least the next 24 hours, is on course to dump 1000mm of rain (three times the annual London rainfall) on Taiwan over the next three days. The storm is set to roar between the Philippines and Taiwan before hammering the southern Chinese coast, and possibly Hong Kong, later in the weekend.

Experts have said that due to the lack of 'hurricane hunter' aircraft in the Pacific they can't accurately measure how strong the storm is, and that it may be even stronger.

According to Quartz one satellite-based estimate ranks the storm as the most powerful on the planet since 1984, having a minimum central pressure of 882 millibars.

Typhoon Usagi will first batter coastal Taiwan bringing with it damaging winds, a significant storm surge and heavy and persistent rain, before heading towards Hong Kong.

Peak winds are at that time predicted to have weakened to around 100mph.

The storm is currently estimated to be creating waves as high as about 15 meters (50 feet) as it passes through the Luzon Strait which separates Taiwan and the Philippines.

Usagi is a very large tropical typhoon with a diameter of 1,100 kilometers (680 miles). Its outer rain bands were extending across the main northern Philippine island of Luzon and southern Taiwan and strong winds outward up to 220 kilometers (135 miles).

It is packing the 24-hour rainfall accumulation of 500 millimeters (nearly 20 inches) near the center of the typhoon. Philippine weather bureau forecaster Alvin Pura said that the typhoon had gathered strength and speed with gusts of 240 kph (150 mph).

The Batanes Islands, population 16,000, were placed under the highest storm alert, while lower warnings were raised in at least 15 northern provinces where officials warned of flash floods, landslides and storm surges.

5 Cognitive-Behavioural Strategies For Loosing Weight Tha Works

When we think of weight loss, we often think about what we eat. The questions we ask ourselves tend to revolve around how much fat, protein and carbs to eat, or whether beets help take off the pounds. 

Diets touted in the media as optimal for weight loss abound, yet we remain a nation with an obesity problem.

What we tend to ignore, when we think of weight loss, is how we are approaching and managing the process of change. As important as it is to focus on what you eat to lose weight and keep it off, it is equally crucial to consider physical activity and maintaining lifestyle changes over time.

How to make behavioral changes, what strategies we use to adhere to new ways of eating and increasing physical activity cannot be ignored.

The problem is that making changes to your lifestyle is hard.  If it weren't, we wouldn't have an obesity epidemic in this country, nor would estimated health care costs for physical inactivity have been $76.6 billion in 2000 (admittedly an older statistic, but unlikely to have improved significantly in recent years).

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on changing how you think about yourself, how you act, and circumstances that surround how you act, is an effective treatment for a wide range of problems, including weight loss.  Key to it is its focus on making changes and sticking to them.

So, what CBT strategies help people to lose weight and change lifestyle behavior?

1. Goal setting.

If you want to meet the goals you set, consider the following three factors:

the more specific a goal, the more likely you are to achieve it;

ambitious goals are good, but overly ambitious goals can be discouraging;

regular feedback on progress improves outcomes.

When it comes to weight loss, then, a goal to eat fruit for dessert, rather than cake, is specific and can be clearly tracked.  Specific goals around exercise or types of food you will eat — behaviors you have control over — are better than goals to improve cholesterol or glucose levels, which may fluctuate for reasons outside your immediate control.

2. Self-monitoring.

Self-monitoring requires that rather than beating yourself up for not attaining a goal, you attend to your own individual experiences.  When you self-monitor, you begin to notice barriers, pay attention to physical cues and identify challenges to changing your behavior.  Too often we rely on negative self-judgment to stay motivated and, in so doing, fail to recognize and plan for real barriers.

You can think of yourself as a scientist when you self-monitor. You may want to keep a log of your food intake or exercise routines, for example.  Doing so will help you to problem-solve when life has gotten busy or you get off track.  With greater awareness of your own experience, you are better able to find ways to maintain new behaviors when initial motivation is waning.

3. Feedback and reinforcement.

It can be helpful to get feedback from outside sources.  Having a health care provider regularly check in with you can provide an external measuring stick.  Feedback about your diet or exercise routine can provide motivation or help you adjust your behavior.  Outside feedback also can help you keep your expectations ambitious but realistic.

4. Boosting the belief that you can do it.

When you go into any situation with the attitude that you will surely fail, you greatly reduce your odds of succeeding.  It is essential to focus not just on behavior, but also on your perception of your ability to make the changes you want.

The best way to improve your belief in your ability to succeed is actually to have some success.  Setting concrete and achievable goals, such as eating fruit at breakfast or replacing an after-dinner TV show with a walk, can build your confidence to set more ambitious goals.

If you're looking to improve your sense that you can do it, it also can help to look for people in similar circumstances who have made the difficult changes you are trying to make and to surround yourself with people who will encourage your efforts.

5. Incentives.

The use of incentives to support change in behavior has been extensively studied and the concept is now being applied to regaining and maintaining physical health.  Examples include companies that offer lower-priced onsite fitness facilities as an incentive to exercise, offering cash incentives and gift cards, providing free health coaching and offering insurance premium discounts to those who meet certain standards.

Adopting a healthier lifestyle isn't simply a matter of changing the foods in your cupboards. Lifestyle changes take sustained efforts over time and whether we achieve our goals depends on how we make them, our mindset and what we put in place to maintain motivation.

Olamide 'Bado' Care Less Of 6 Pacs

⁠September 16, 2013   ⁠News   ⁠No comments

OLAMIDE CARE LESS OF 6 PACS







Who says without six pacs a guy is not sexy, and with a protruding stomach, girls give you the red light?
Olamide, in his current video 'Kodurosoke', has defiled the believe that a man without six packs is not sexy with his protruding stomach, showing it off all through in an unbuttoned shirt he wore in the video. He's no doubt loved by his female fans and don't think they will no longer love him for not having six pacs.

Six pacs versus protruding stomach, reminds me of Rick Ross who confidently shows off his protruding stomach, telling whoever cares to listen; six packs or not, he's still super fly and cool with what he got.

A new song by Jahbless had him say six packs is for boys, while protruding stomach is for men, cause men with it spend more than boys with six pacs.

Guys, the question is, 6 pacs versus protruded stomach which one is better?

Video: Robin Van persie Speaks Of Psquare

Psquare has a fan in no less a footballer than Manchester United's striker Robin Van Persie. In a chat with Manchester United legend, Paddy Crerand, Van Persie lists Psquare as one of the music acts he listens to.

Jude Engees, Psquare's manager posted a video of the exchange on twitter:

 

Manchester Unite Robin Van Persie is a PSQUARE fan. http://t.co/xuu0ZXyfFG Cc… http://t.co/EPE4tfnEoe

Justin Bieber Set To Play ROBIN In New Batman Film

Justin Bieber has posted a picture to social media of a copy of the script for the new Batman movie, watermarked with his name, sparking rumours he could be in line to play Robin.

The image, posted on his Instagram account, shows the script for the new Batman vs. Superman film bearing a large imprint of his surname implying it was meant specifically for him.

Ben Affleck was announced as the new Batman last month to a hostile reception from comic book fans. British actor Henry Cavill has been confirmed to play Superman, after appearing as the character in this year's film Man of Steel.

Bieber has previously expressed his love of the superhero, going as far as having a custom-built Batmobile made for him.

Explaining the customisation of the black cadillac, he said: "I just liked the idea. I just liked the idea that it could look like that. I am [a Batman fan]. But I just liked the car."

However, shortly after posting the picture, Bieber tweeted "Off to do something funny or...die :)", apparently making reference to Will Ferrell's comedy site and implying the script could be a prop in a spoof video

FG Orders 53 Gold Plated Iphones To Celebrate Independence

Gold and Co iPhone

British luxury products company, Gold and Co, has revealed that it has an order from the federal government to deliver 53 customised gold iphones for the celebration of the 53rd independence anniversary on October 1.

The founder of Gold and Co, Amjad Ali, was quoted as telling  the United Kingdom's Independent Newspaper that the Nigerian government had made an order of "53 gold iPhones to mark the country's 53rd year of independence from Britain next month."

Ali said the order from the federal government was that the iPhones "will be engraved with Nigeria's coat of arms, a shield and two horses."

Ali's Gold and Co. clients include royal families, governments and wealthy individuals from across the world.

A gold-plated device costs between £3,000 and £50,000 (N750,000 to N12.5 million).

The order from the government with its customised coat of arm is believed to be among the constant premium orders the company gets.

The London-based company recently received an order from the Saudi Arabia royal family for "a gold iPhone studded with hundreds of diamonds, including a giant piece that served as the device's 'home' button."

Asuu Strike: Jobberman Tasks Student's On Website Training.

Jobberman.com, a popular job website in Nigeria and one of the top 10 Tech Startups in Africa has called on students of tertiary institutions to use the occasion of the ongoing strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), to learn new and profitable skills in website design and development.

"ASUU strike need not be a negative phenomenon for Nigerian undergraduates. During an industrial strike in August 2009, three young students used the opportunity of the strike to start online jobs after the acquisition of website skills," Jobberman founders said in a statement.
The founders of jobs portal known as Jobberman, shared the story of how they started as undergraduates in the country.

According to the Jobberman story, it all started with three young men: Opeyemi Awoyemi, Olalekan Olude and Ayodeji Adewunmi who were all university students. They shared the same interest in the Internet space and started Jobberman from the Obafemi Awolowo University campus during the Industrial Strike Action by ASUU in August 2009.

They agreed to work on the job space for a number of reasons including: a low capital requirement (considering that they were students at that time), huge market opportunity and superior product differentiation.

Jobberman at inception was financed from a pool of funds created from their stipends. To kick off their business, they needed to get a company registered and they approached a leading legal luminary, and incorporated the business as a Limited Liability Company. And that was the beginning of Jobberman.

According to Jobberman CEO, Ayodeji Adewunmi, "The Ongoing ASUU strike has presented itself again, an opportunity for Nigerian students to hone skills early enough in the workplace and gain competitive advantage in the labour market."

Today Jobberman has grown to become one of the biggest job websites in West Africa with over 800,000 users and 14,000 companies providing the latest jobs in Nigeria.

Iphone 5s And Iphone 5c Released.

Phone 55

Apple will be releasing the new iPhone this month; we're days away from Apple's announcement of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. When it comes to smartphones, the first few months of 2013 moved the proverbial goalposts. Android handsets flourished with Full HD screens, aluminium or glass unibodies and every feature under the sun.


Apple's iPhone 5 has been on the scene for a while now but its thunder is in danger of being stolen by the Android Army.
The new iPhone is expected to come in more than two colours as did the older models of slate-black and silver-white colors.  Yes, at long last, it looks like Apple is finally kowtowing to the consumers who have been begging for a cheaper iPhone for years. The rumored iPhone 5S specs, except for the possibility of an integrated fingerprint scanner, aren't all that exciting, however.
Let's dive straight into what we know (and don't know) about the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C.


Its expected Apple will use the A6X chip currently found in the latest iPad. However, the latest rumours suggest Apple could be working on an A7 chip for the forthcoming iPad 5.

In years gone by, Apple has previously worked with Samsung to produce processors for it's iPhone range. But, given the recent legal tussles between the two companies, many speculate that Apple will want to distance itself from the Korean company. Some rumours have hinted at an Intel chip being included in the next iteration of the iPhone.


The best leaks currently peg the iPhone 5S's hardware as a somewhat incremental upgrade of the iPhone 5. There will the same dual-core CPU but clocked or rated a bit higher, an upgraded quad-core SGX544MP4 GPU, 2GB of RAM, and an IGZO screen which helps for increased brightness and/or reduced power consumption invariably prolonging the battery life. The camera should be bumped up to 12 or 13 -megapixels, and there should be a dual-LED flash. Perhaps most significantly, it currently looks like there will be a champagne light gold and graphite variant of the iPhone 5S.


In terms of storage, there is the strong possibility of Apple launching a new phone with 128GB storage – similar to the latest iPad upgrade.


Meanwhile Jeffries analyst Peter Misek told Business Insider that he believes the iPhone 5S will feature a "Super HD screen" along with a range of colours similar to the iPod Touch range. Considering all the top Android handsets feature Full HD displays, we reckon its unlikely Apple will launch the iPhone 5S with anything less than a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution.


In terms of new features, the iPhone 5S will seemingly have NFC and a fingerprint reader. NFC functionality isn't all that surprising, considering many Android phones have supported it for two years or more. The fingerprint reader is an interesting rumor that hasn't gone away since Apple acquired Authentec, which has lots of fingerprint scanning-related IP. A recent rumor suggests that the Apple will use a sapphire glass Home button, with a fingerprint reader underneath it. Sapphire glass is very durable, which is one of the selling point —sapphire glass is probably a bit overkil

Pope Francis Assures Atheist: You Don't Need To Believe In God To Make Heaven

In comments likely to enhance his progressive reputation, Pope Francis has written a long, open letter to the founder of La Repubblica newspaper, Eugenio Scalfari, stating that non-believers would be forgiven by God if they followed their consciences.

Responding to a list of questions published in the paper by Mr Scalfari, who is not a Roman Catholic, Francis wrote: "You ask me if the God of the Christians forgives those who don't believe and who don't seek the faith. I start by saying – and this is the fundamental thing – that God's mercy has no limits if you go to him with a sincere and contrite heart. The issue for those who do not believe in God is to obey their conscience.

"Sin, even for those who have no faith, exists when people disobey their conscience." 

Robert Mickens, the Vatican correspondent for the Catholic journal The Tablet, said the pontiff's comments were further evidence of his attempts to shake off the Catholic Church's fusty image, reinforced by his extremely conservative predecessor Benedict XVI. "Francis is a still a conservative," said Mr Mickens. "But what this is all about is him seeking to have a more meaningful dialogue with the world." 

In a welcoming response to the letter, Mr Scalfari said the Pope's comments were "further evidence of his ability and desire to overcome barriers in dialogue with all".

In July, Francis signalled a more progressive attitude on sexuality, asking: "If someone is gay and is looking for the Lord, who am I to judge him?"

Jonathan Sacks 9 Cabinet Leaders

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked nine cabinet ministers in what is somewhat of a shocking move. It is his first major reshuffling since he was elected 2 years ago.

Just over 2 weeks ago, seven of the country's powerful state governors and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar formed a splinter-group in the PDP, and this has caused major tensions in the ruling political party, and you get the sense that this reshuffling is an effect of that move.

Among those sacked are the ministers of foreign affairs, education, science and technology, housing and urban development, national planning, and environment. The ministers of state – the junior minister for each office – for power, agriculture and defence have also been sacked.

A spokeman told reporters that the sacked ministers will be replaced soon.

You Can Help Save A Life..... But Not Today!

Today, you just need to understand that we all know someone touched by mental illness. A family member, a close friend. Someone close to you is probably in pain and hurting, but you just don't realize it.

One of those people might be someone suffering from depression. Depression that isn't being treated. Or that's being treated, but not well treated.

If a person is battling severe depression that is untreated or badly treated, they may also be suffering from thoughts of death. Of wanting to die.

And that's where you come in. Because you can help.

Whether we realize it or not, we may know someone who is thinking of killing themselves. Too often, we only hear about someone's suicide after-the-fact; few run through a checklist of obvious warning signs ahead of time. And virtually nobody comes right out and says, "I want to kill myself," or, "I've been thinking of ending it all."

More often than not, if there are any signs, the signs are going to be subtle. A friend who withdraws more and declines to hang out with you, or begs off going out time and time again.

A family member who talks about feeling trapped in their job, or their family life, or just in life in general.

Someone who seems down and hopeless for weeks on end, but then suddenly one day is talking about happier things and is seemingly out of their funk.

"Oh, and by the way, do you remember that time we went to the amusement park and we both tried to hit the bell with the mallet? I won that big bear? Well, here, I want you to have it, I don't need it any more."

People who are severely depressed see no future for themselves. But once they've made the decision to take their own lives, they experience a new peacefulness. A calm acceptance. They've made their decision, and now all that's left to do is to tie up a few loose ends. Like giving away a few things that mean something to them to their friends and loved ones.

If a person has children or a partner, they will also often make sure their loved ones are taken care of before leaving. It could be a casual conversation with someone else in the family…

"Hey, if anything were ever to happen to me, you'd make sure Jill and the kids were looked after, right?"

"Is everything alright?"

"Oh sure, I just wanted to make sure, you know… I mean, people can get into accidents and stuff all the time."

Someone who is suicidal won't necessarily hit you over the head with signs and symptoms. They may be as subtle as some of these things, which are quickly denied if the person is confronted with them.

A single person's life can be saved. But it is most often — and most helpfully — saved by a loved one (not a stranger at the end of a crisis helpline). A loved one who makes the gut-wrenching and terrifying decision to reach out to another… And doesn't take "no" for an answer.

You can help save a life

Must Read:The Misery Behind Sleep

We know we need it. If we don't get it, we're cranky, have trouble concentrating, tend to overeat and are more likely to make mistakes.  Yet, with the crush of demanding schedules, bad habits, or sleep disturbances, we don't always get enough.

So what is happening during those precious hours when we're asleep?  Is it really a time of restoration for our brains?  And is it possible that it's more than that?

What happens in our brains while we're asleep is a question neuroscientist Penelope Lewis is trying to answer.

Lewis directs the Sleep and Memory Lab at the University of Manchester in England. In her new book, The Secret World of Sleep: The Surprising Science of the Mind at Rest, she discusses how sleep makes memory stronger, provides what she terms "spring cleaning" for the brain, and plays a role in depression.

How Sleep Strengthens Memory

Have you ever had an experience in which you're practicing a particular skill, say playing the piano, a golf swing or a new language? You go to bed tired and wake up to find you seem to have improved. You're able to play the piano piece more smoothly, your golf swing has straightened out or the words in the new language come more easily.

What happens when we sleep, Lewis says in an interview on National Public Radio, is that "the neural responses in your brain that are associated with things you've recently experienced are spontaneously replayed, or, we say, 'reactivated' while you're asleep."

And it is this reactivation that occurs during sleep that strengthens our memory.  Our brains are, in effect, practicing while we sleep.  Take playing the piano, for example. If during the day you moved your fingers to play a particular piece, the associated motor areas of your brain would become active while you sleep.

According to Lewis, neuroscientific inquiry is beginning to determine which skills improve with sleep and how such consolidation occurs in the brain.

What is "Spring Cleaning" for the Brain?

During our waking hours, we encounter a huge array of sensory information. We are constantly hearing, seeing, smelling, feeling and tasting.  And we have thoughts and feelings about this wide range of sensory experiences. For example, on any given day, by breakfast you may have heard your alarm and thought to yourself that it's too loud; felt the warmth of the shower and noted a need to buy more soap; scrubbed the tiles or fixed a dripping faucet.  You may have noted the feel of certain clothing and had any number of thoughts about your closet and the clothes available to you, all while listening to the radio, taking in news stories, noting a favorite song and mentally rehearsing for what the day ahead entails.

The point is that we are bombarded with sensory information all day long. According to Lewis in the interview on National Public Radio, "while we're busy doing things, experiencing things, seeing things, hearing things, learning things, processing different kinds of information, the connections between neurons in the brain get strengthened because they're trying to retain all of this information. And an awful lot of it is garbage; it's stuff you don't want to remember or don't care about — what you had for breakfast, or the color of a stain on the cover of a book or something. It's really not useful or interesting."

If we don't filter out some of this information, our brains become overloaded.  We must have a way to sort through the information we receive during the day, storing and consolidating what is important and letting the rest go.  That process, Lewis says, happens during sleep.  During the deep stage of what is called slow-wave sleep, synapses get downscaled again, according to Lewis.  This allows us to recall the salient aspects of our day, without being overwhelmed by unimportant details.

Sleep and Depression

Sleep, specifically REM sleep when we dream, has recently been connected to depressive episodes.  REM sleep is associated with strengthening emotional memories.  When someone is depressed, their emotional experiences during the day tend to be sad, miserable and depressed.

According to Hornung and colleagues, people who are depressed show drastic increases in REM. These depressed people also are biased toward negative memories. Recent research on antidepressant drugs has found that antidepressants correct the imbalance of REM sleep, while at the same time improving mood.  The correlation between improved mood and suppression of REM sleep suggests that negative memories strengthened during REM sleep may play a role in maintaining depression.

We spend as much as a third of our lives asleep.  Understanding what happens during sleep, how our brain processes information during sleep and how it serves a restorative function can help us to improve how we learn and determine how to treat emotional and cognitive problems that may be related to sleep.

Must Read:The Misteries Behind Sleep

We know we need it. If we don't get it, we're cranky, have trouble concentrating, tend to overeat and are more likely to make mistakes.  Yet, with the crush of demanding schedules, bad habits, or sleep disturbances, we don't always get enough.

So what is happening during those precious hours when we're asleep?  Is it really a time of restoration for our brains?  And is it possible that it's more than that?

What happens in our brains while we're asleep is a question neuroscientist Penelope Lewis is trying to answer.

Lewis directs the Sleep and Memory Lab at the University of Manchester in England. In her new book, The Secret World of Sleep: The Surprising Science of the Mind at Rest, she discusses how sleep makes memory stronger, provides what she terms "spring cleaning" for the brain, and plays a role in depression.

How Sleep Strengthens Memory

Have you ever had an experience in which you're practicing a particular skill, say playing the piano, a golf swing or a new language? You go to bed tired and wake up to find you seem to have improved. You're able to play the piano piece more smoothly, your golf swing has straightened out or the words in the new language come more easily.

What happens when we sleep, Lewis says in an interview on National Public Radio, is that "the neural responses in your brain that are associated with things you've recently experienced are spontaneously replayed, or, we say, 'reactivated' while you're asleep."

And it is this reactivation that occurs during sleep that strengthens our memory.  Our brains are, in effect, practicing while we sleep.  Take playing the piano, for example. If during the day you moved your fingers to play a particular piece, the associated motor areas of your brain would become active while you sleep.

According to Lewis, neuroscientific inquiry is beginning to determine which skills improve with sleep and how such consolidation occurs in the brain.

What is "Spring Cleaning" for the Brain?

During our waking hours, we encounter a huge array of sensory information. We are constantly hearing, seeing, smelling, feeling and tasting.  And we have thoughts and feelings about this wide range of sensory experiences. For example, on any given day, by breakfast you may have heard your alarm and thought to yourself that it's too loud; felt the warmth of the shower and noted a need to buy more soap; scrubbed the tiles or fixed a dripping faucet.  You may have noted the feel of certain clothing and had any number of thoughts about your closet and the clothes available to you, all while listening to the radio, taking in news stories, noting a favorite song and mentally rehearsing for what the day ahead entails.

The point is that we are bombarded with sensory information all day long. According to Lewis in the interview on National Public Radio, "while we're busy doing things, experiencing things, seeing things, hearing things, learning things, processing different kinds of information, the connections between neurons in the brain get strengthened because they're trying to retain all of this information. And an awful lot of it is garbage; it's stuff you don't want to remember or don't care about — what you had for breakfast, or the color of a stain on the cover of a book or something. It's really not useful or interesting."

If we don't filter out some of this information, our brains become overloaded.  We must have a way to sort through the information we receive during the day, storing and consolidating what is important and letting the rest go.  That process, Lewis says, happens during sleep.  During the deep stage of what is called slow-wave sleep, synapses get downscaled again, according to Lewis.  This allows us to recall the salient aspects of our day, without being overwhelmed by unimportant details.

Sleep and Depression

Sleep, specifically REM sleep when we dream, has recently been connected to depressive episodes.  REM sleep is associated with strengthening emotional memories.  When someone is depressed, their emotional experiences during the day tend to be sad, miserable and depressed.

According to Hornung and colleagues, people who are depressed show drastic increases in REM. These depressed people also are biased toward negative memories. Recent research on antidepressant drugs has found that antidepressants correct the imbalance of REM sleep, while at the same time improving mood.  The correlation between improved mood and suppression of REM sleep suggests that negative memories strengthened during REM sleep may play a role in maintaining depression.

We spend as much as a third of our lives asleep.  Understanding what happens during sleep, how our brain processes information during sleep and how it serves a restorative function can help us to improve how we learn and determine how to treat emotional and cognitive problems that may be related to sleep.

Chelsea Player Walks Out On National Team, Leaves Team Hotel After Disagreement.

New Chelsea signing Samuel Eto'o has walked out on the Cameroon national team after their 1-0 victory over Libya. The forward told his team mates that he was leaving the group and he didn't return to the hotel with the rest of the squad.

Their win over Libya today meant they clinched the final qualifying spot for the play offs for next year's World Cup in Brazil. French newspaper L'Equipe reported that Eto'o had told the team he was leaving the squad for personal reasons and he wouldn't be coming back with them. According to L'Equipe he wanted the national coach to select players he felt should be in the team but the manager didn't back down. The situation was so bad that they had to bring in the country's sports minister to solve the problem but to no avail.

It has been reported the player hasn't trained all week with Cameroon as they prepared for the crucial game against Libya. It's not known if this is the end for Eto'o and Cameroon but it's certainly not the first time he's had disagreements with those in charge of the national team.

He's even been quoted slating team mates. In October, Sky Sports found quotes of him reacting badly to being compared to Alex Song and suggestions there was a rivalry between the pair "We are not involved in a conflict between two star players.

"I am among the best players in the world and Song is not even among the best players in Cameroon."

If this is the end for Eto'o and Cameroon, and that would be unlikely with the World Cup on the horizon, then it could suit Chelsea. What could suit both is him only being available for matches he wishes to play in, dependent on what Cameroon would make of that. Whether they'll let him pick the team, as he seems to think he should be able to, is another matter entirely.

Mikel, Moses To Miss Burkina faso Friendly

John Mikel Obi and Victor Moses will not be part of Tuesday's friendly international against Burkina Faso in Kaduna.

Both players asked for permission and were excused by coach Stephen Keshi after Saturday's 2-0 win over Malawi.

The duo were not part of the squad that left Calabar on Sunday morning for Kaduna via Abuja.

It is unclear as yet if Keshi will call up any replacements or stick with the 21 players currently en route to Kaduna.

Moses recently joined Liverpool on loan from Chelsea

What Parent's Need To Know About Childhood Drepression

One of the biggest myths about childhood depression (also known as pediatric depression) is that it doesn't exist.

However, depression is a real illness that affects both adults and kids. In fact, kids as young as 3 years old can have depression.

Depression can even affect babies, who tend to exhibit symptoms such as unresponsiveness, lethargy, inconsolable crying and feeding problems, writes Deborah Serani, PsyD, a clinical psychologist who specializes in mood disorders, in her new book Depression and Your Child: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers.

Below, she revealed what pediatric depression looks like, along with what you can do if you spot these signs.

Signs & Symptoms of Pediatric Depression

Depression tends to manifest differently in kids than it does in adults. "For the most part, children and teens experience fatigue and irritability and other physical complaints," such as aches and pains, Serani said.

Kids also may seem bored and withdrawn and experience loss of interest. In her book Depression and Your Child, Serani writes, "This is called anhedonia, and children show this deflated disposition in play, with sports, friends, in school, and in other previously loved hobbies or activities."

Hopelessness and helplessness can manifest as negative self-talk with phrases such as "I am bad" and "I can't do anything right," she said.

Because depression distorts thinking, it can shrink a child's self-worth. Kids may "feel worthless or unlovable, useless or stupid," Serani writes in her book.

Another sign is behavior change, she said. A child who typically does well in school might start getting failing grades. They also might give away beloved toys or start sleeping more, said Serani, also author of the book Living with Depression.

In addition, kids might hide or sequester themselves, she said. "Young children who experience depression like to tuck themselves in their room when they're sad or to avoid family or social interactions."

When she was depressed as a child, Serani had a secret hiding place near the basement boiler that made her feel safe. "It was quiet and warm there, and I could just rest without anyone asking anything of me."

What Caregivers Can Do

If you notice the above signs, Serani suggested the following:

Pay attention to the duration of the symptoms.

"Is this just a bad day, or has it been a few bad days in a row?" For instance, your child might be struggling with something serious if their fatigue, irritability and sadness last longer than one or two weeks and permeate different parts of their lives, she said.

Take your child for a full medical checkup.

Many conditions can look like depression, Serani said. "For example, diabetes, anemia, mononucleosis or a simple streptococcus infection can mimic depressive symptoms." That's why ruling out medical conditions first is key.

Get a comprehensive evaluation from a mental health professional.

If there's no medical condition that accounts for the symptoms, take your child to a practitioner who specializes in mood disorders. An extensive assessment will help determine if your child has depression, and what treatments are best. It'll also let you know if your child is struggling with subclinical issues, which Serani calls "a low boil." This means that your child has symptoms of depression but doesn't meet the diagnostic criteria for the disorder. This is important to know because you "can learn what kinds of interventions can be used to prevent a full-blown disorder from developing."

Get effective treatment.

Depression doesn't go away on its own. "It's a chronic illness that can't be willed away or brushed aside with a change in attitude. It won't go away if a parent yells, gets extra strict or ignores the problem either." Play therapy and family therapy are helpful for toddlers and preschoolers. Individual talk therapy is helpful for teens. Medication also may be necessary for some kids.

"My best advice is for parents to become well read on the subject of pediatric depression and find an experienced professional team to work with."

Having a child who's depressed is challenging, Serani said. But there's also insight and growth that can come from managing this illness, she said.

"I was a child who had depression, and though I have to contend with taking medication for the rest of my life, there is so much more to who I am than my depression. And in fact, I'd say that what I've come to appreciate in life has happened not in spite of having depression, but, in truth, because of it."

PHOTO:'ZOE' The Zebra With a Golden Strip

This Zebra named ZOE was given birth to in 1998 with a golden strip on it's body instead of black and blue eyes instead of black.So Incredible!!

Realmadrid Boss 'Upset'After Players Revolt Over Mesut Ozil To Arsenal

lorentino Perez quite often appears to not to 'get' things, it would seem that he has trouble understanding others and showing empathy toward Real Madrid players. According to El Confidencial, well connected to Real Madrid, the club president is upset at the reaction of players to the departure of Mesut Ozil. The same newspaper looked like it had been used to do the groundwork for the transfer, Ozil was accused of acting up to get a huge pay rise and even fabricating interest from other clubs in order to pressure Perez.

It didn't work, much as it looked like Real Madrid were trying to turn people against Ozil, there was still a huge reaction to his exit. The situation has put Perez and new signing Gareth Bale under pressure. If the move doesn't work out then the discontent at losing Ozil and paying twice as much for Bale is only going to grow, and Perez doesn't like it. Arsenal are still in a state of delirium and it's no problem for Wenger, but it must be nice for fans of the London club to know how much Madrid misses Ozil.

El Confidencial insist that Real Madrid players knew all about the tactics being used by Ozil to try and get a big pay rise and therefore say that Perez has been shocked by the reaction of the dressing room. The plan from the boardroom at Real Madrid clearly didn't work and now they just want everyone to keep quiet and get on with things.

The better Ozil does at Arsenal then the worse it will be for Perez to insist he did the right thing, unless Bale is an instant success. 

Niggas In Paris:D'banj spotted At Henessy's Home

D'Banj is apparently in France on the invitation of Hennessy. The Nigerian pop star is the sole headliner for this year's Hennessy Artistry and he has already released the theme track for this year's project. He arrived France this morning from the US where he attended Davido's sister's wedding.

According to his people, he is already in Cognac (The home of Hennessy) where he's staying at the Chateau De Bangolet. Others on the visit are his manager Tony Nwakalor, Hennessy Brand manager Lere Awokoya, Marketing Manager Moet Hennessy Nigeria David Hourdry, Bolaji Kekere-Eku of 37th State and Ayeni Adekunle of BHM. D'Banj is staying in the same room where General Charles De Gaulle stayed when he visited the Hennessy mansion

Like Ferguson! Like 'Obj'

Readers might be wondering what former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo and former Manchester United supremo, Sir Alex Ferguson have in common?
Apart from both of them having the word "former" attached to their names, they both played big parts in choosing their successors.

However, while we all know what became of Chief Obasanjo's own protégé, Ferguson's own is still a work in progress. But if what has transpired in the past few days is anything to go by, then United fans have a right to harbour fears over Fergie's choice of David Moyes to succeed him in the hot seat.

In the space of a few days the feel good factor that the 50-year-old had with his opening day win over Swansea and gritty performance against Chelsea has dissipated first with his defeat at Anfield and then United's quite frankly abject display in the summer transfer.

While Ferguson suffered his own share of setbacks at Liverpool many will question Moyes selection and tactics in arguably the biggest match of his pledging United reign.

For instance, why did he start Ryan Giggs for a match of such magnitude and then opt to leave him on and replace Ashley Young, who at the time of his replacement has been one of United's better players?

But if this was annoying, United's transfer dealing (or lack of it) is the one to set the alarm bells ringing. Is it that because of Moyes United has now lost the ability to attract players to Old Trafford?   

Whatever be the reason United fans are clearly unhappy and worried with the fact that marquee players have not brought into the club. Even Moyes' fixation with Belgian midfielder, Marouane Fellaini has raised some eyebrows with a number of experts questioning the rationale pointing out that the former Everton man is not what United needs right now. "Fellaini, while a fine player, does not appear to be the identikit of the sort of midfield player needed to reinvigorate a department of United's team that is in urgent need of repair.

"He will provide power, aerial threat and goals. Fellaini will also provide an element of enforcement but will he really provide the element of craft and creation United's midfield needs?" wrote BBC's Chief football writer, Phil McNulty in his column.

Only time will tell if Ferguson's hand will end up like Obasanjo's or if it will turn out to be the move of the century – but until then, I suspect that we (United fans) are in for a nerve wracking, nail-biting season!

Figo Visits Zimbabwe

Real Madrid and FC Barcelona legend Lius Figo quietly sneaked into Zimbabwe on Thursday and left the following day on a visit believed to be for mining interests.

The 40-year-old's cover was blown up by airport workers at Bulawayo's Joshua Nkomo Airport, with some posting pictures on social media sites after posing with him. This created media hype and the Portuguese former star could not escape the press on his departure on Friday.

He was in the company of South African mining magnate Gayton Mackenzie and he promised to return to Zimbabwe soon and set up a charity foundation.

"Zimbabwe is a nice country and I enjoyed my brief stay here," Figo told an army of journalists who swarmed him.

"If an opportunity arises I would love to invest here just like any other business man and also expand my charity foundation here."

Mackenzie, however, said Figo's visit was a test-run to bring more high profile footballers to Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe is well known for being rich in minerals like gold and diamonds, and Mackenzie ruled out any mining interests by the former World Footballer of the Year.

"I am planning to come with (Lionel) Messi, Cristiano (Ronaldo), (Zinedine) Zidane and Raul for a charity match against the Warriors legends. This is a pan at an advanced stage and am returning next week to try and talk to Zifa," Mackenzie said.

Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole used to run a charity organisation in Zimbabwe.

An Ethiopian Reporter Claims To Have Discovered The World's Oldest Living Man

Retired farmer Dhaqabo Ebba claims to have clear memories of Italy's 1895 invasion of the country. In an interview with regional Oromiya TV, he provided so much detail on the changes of power in his local area that reporter Mohammed Ademo has become convinced that Dhaqabo must be at least 160 - 46 years older than the oldest ever recorded man.

'When Italy invaded Ethiopia I had two wives, and my son was old enough to herd cattle,' he said at home near Dodola. He went on to recount his childhood eight-day horseback ride to Addis Ababa - a journey of a few hours today.

There is no way of verifying Mr Dhaqabo's age, but Mohammed Ademo notes that in an oral society like the Oromo, "every time an elder dies, a library is lost. Ebba is one such library from whom so much can still be preserved".

Kenya Says Nigeria's Dangote To Build $400m Cement Plant In Kenya

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Africa's richest man, Nigerian Aliko Dangote, plans to invest $400 million in a cement plant in Kenya, the east African nation's president's office said.

Dangote owns various businesses under the umbrella company of Dangote Group, among them, Dangote Cement (DANGCEM.LG), which said in May it was investing $5 billion to build cement plants on the African continent.

He was part of a business delegation that was visiting Kenya with Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan. The countries signed bilateral deals in sectors including tourism, agriculture and oil and gas.

"(President Uhuru Kenyatta) particularly cited the ... the decision by Nigerian tycoon Aliko Dangote to invest $400 million in a cement processing plant as an indicator that an "exciting journey has begun"," Kenyatta's office said in a statement late on Friday.

The statement did not give details on timelines, or the plant's capacity. There was no immediate comment from the company.

Dangote Cement, Africa's biggest, said earlier this year it would expand its pan-African production capacity to 55 million tons by 2016, without giving a comparable figure.

Other countries the cement company has previously said it planned to venture into include Cameroon, Ethiopia, Zambia, Tanzania, Senegal and South Africa.

Cement companies already operating in Kenya include Bamburi Cement (BAMB.NR), ARM Cement (ARM.NR) and East African Portland Cement (PORT.NR).

Kenya produced 412,529 tons of cement in July, up from 402,621 tons a month earlier, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Cement consumption stood at 332,009 tons, from 341,942 tons a month earlier.

UK's Richest Man ALISHER USMANOV Sell's His Facebook Share For $528M



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UK's richest man Alisher Usmanov sells his Facebook stake for $528m

6 September 2013 | By Shruti Tripathi



Britain's richest man Alisher Usmanov has sold his last 14.2m shares in Facebook for $528m after the stock price soared this year.

Usmanov sold his shares in July and August through his London-listed Mail.ru Group vehicle after the social network's stock increased 57% this year and returned to its initial public offering (IPO) price. The sale is reportedly equivalent to a 0.6% stake.

In 2009, Mail.ru spent $200m for an unknown stake in Mark Zukerberg's venture. At the time of the IPO, the group sold 20 million shares getting a $745m windfall. It then divested 23 million shares in October last year and reportedly netted around $460m.

Back in May, Usmanov saw more than £250m added to his £11.6bn fortune after Russian telecom Megafon announced dividend payouts.

Usmanov is also the richest man in Russia and owns a 30% stake in Arsenal Football Club. He owns a £48m London mansion as well as Sutton Place, the former Surrey home of the late oil baron J Paul Getty

WORLD OF PSYCHOLOGY:How To Refresh Your Relationship Today

Relationships — like everything we do in life — don't really operate as well as we think they do on auto-pilot. While everything may seem fine on the surface, dig a little deeper and you'll find two people who are unhappy, but just don't know how to broach the subject.

Let's face it, sometimes our romantic relationships can just become stagnant.

It's time to reignite the flame and restore the passion that you and your partner deserve.

How do you do it? Click through to find out!

Be social. Look for healthy couples to hang out with. Summer is almost over, but there's still time for barbecues, pool parties, camping, picnics in the park, and going to the beach. Socializing with other couples will bring about new adventures to add to your list.

Make your partner feel special. Let him or her know that your relationship is at the top of your priority list. Brainstorm different ways that you can show them daily.

Learn to be an effective communicator. Being a good communicator means being a good listener. Most couples listen with the intent to reply. Instead, listen with the intent to understand.

Play nice. It's not always going to be fun and games. There will be times that you and your partner don't get along. Watch your tone. No name-calling, no degrading, and no blaming. Before you speak, ask yourself, "is this helping or hurting the relationship?" If you slip up, don't forget to apologize.

Volunteering at a church, soup kitchen, women's shelter, animal shelter, Red Cross, or nursing home is a great way to give back to the community and will leave you and your partner with a sense of accomplishment.

Break up the routine from time to time to make things more exciting.

Learn to accept your partner for the things that you like and don't like. Respect each other's differences. Allow your partner to be themselves. If we mold our partner to be what we wish they were, then we only love the reflection of ourselves.

Everyone needs alone time. Take a personal day and enjoy being with yourself. Go for a walk, have a spa day, hit some balls on the golf course, or whatever else you find relaxing.

Surprise your partner. Try a card to let your partner know how much you appreciate him or her, a smiley face balloon to brighten a tough day at work, a bouquet of seasonal flowers, or a gourmet box of chocolates to share while watching a romantic movie. Surprises can also come in other forms. Straightening up the garage or cleaning up the kitchen can be a great gift.

Intimacy not only means physical affection, it also means emotional affection. Take time to talk to your partner about your emotional and physical needs. Discuss how you can improve in these areas and follow through.

Equally divide chores. Evenly distributed chores could equal more intimacy.

Experience something new.

Picture Of An Hungry 2face Eating

Innocent Idibia also known as 2baba, The singer of the popular song 'African queen' was busy eating his lunch after a stressful day with his homies at festac when he was secretly pictured by fans.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Man city, Realmadrid, Barcelona News.

Manchester City winger Jesus Navas believes Iker Casillas would fit in perfectly at the Etihad.

City's current No.1 Joe Hart has been inconsistent so far this season, and Navas has encouraged the club to move for the Real Madrid star.



Gary Cahill says there is no chance of John Terry returning to international duty for England.

The Chelsea captain would be welcomed back in to an England defence that's lacking experience, but Cahill confirmed Terry's international career is "done and dusted".

Marouane Fellaini has said that it felt like the right time to leave Everton after sealing a £27.5m move to Manchester United.

Fellaini handed in a transfer request in order to force a deadline day move to Old Trafford, insisting it's time he started winning trophies.

Arsene Wenger has found himself short of players after releasing a plethora of talent this summer.

Arsenal have only named 21 senior players in their Premier League squad despite being allowed to name up to 25.



Gareth Bale's parents were made millionaires overnight after their son completed his move to Real Madrid.

As co-directors of Bale's company Primesure Limited, Frank and Deborah Bale pocketed £2m of the world record fee.

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has finally settled his tax dispute with the Spanish authorities after agreeing a £4.2m 'corrective payment'.

The Argentinian was accused of hiding up to €4m by filing incomplete returns between the years 2006 and 2009, but has brought the issue to a close by paying the fine.

Iceprince Set To Drop New Single 'I SWEAR' Featuring French Montana## Postpones Album Release Date

Unfortunately Ice Prince will not be dropping his new album, Fire Of Zamani on saturday (7th of September 2013) anymore but not to worry, the fans will get something almost as good on the 9th.

He will be releasing one of the anticipated singles off the album, I Swear which features American artist, French Montana. The gist came out in July that the 2 were working on a track together and now we get to see and hear the product in a few days.

Produced by ChopStix, so you know the beat is fire.

Definitely cant wait for it to drop… I'm sure you guys cant either.

Strange:Baby Born With Ear Under Its Chin

Birth defects are quite common around the world, some more than others. Every once in a while we see one that just catches our attention and makes us think back to whether or not we've seen it before. In this case, it appears to be a rare deformity that caused a baby born with ears under its chin. The image, taken from the popular photo site Imgur shows a newborn baby who was born with a few cranial birth defects, such as a deformed mouth and jawline, but more prominently the placement of the ears stands out.

The placement of the ears in this case is somewhat reminiscent of where gills would be on an aquatic animal, or fish. Perhaps they simply failed to migrate to the side of the head after they were formed. In the first trimester of pregnancy, the ears form along the jaw line out of cartilage. At some point during the second trimester the ears typically migrate to their correct place on the side of the head. This is the normal process that appears to have failed during the second trimester, which resulted in the low placement of the ears as well as the deformed jaw line. The Mayo Clinic states that by 18 weeks of gestation, a fetus should be able to hear, as well as have fully formed ears.

In the case of the child in this picture, it is not known if the child was born prematurely or if it survived post-birth. Details about when and where this child were born are still unclear, as not much information appears to be public aside from this picture.

Lady Gaga's Monsters Beg Her For 'Sex Dreams'

Lady Gaga is going democratic for the release of her second single off of her upcoming ARTPOP album, asking fans to weigh in via Twitter and Facebook and choose which of four jams will be released to the masses next.

On Sunday (September 1), Lady Gaga unveiled seven songs from ARTPOP at the iTunes Festival in London, including her first single, "Applause," which the world has already heard and seen via the music video and her performance at the 2013 Video Music Awards.

Late last night (September 3), Gaga took to Twitter and Facebook to poll her fans post-iTunes fest, asking: "OK MONSTERS! Now that you've seen some of ARTPOP Live, what would be YOUR pick for 2nd Single?" Gaga is letting fans choose between "MANiCURE," a rock 'n' roll update of "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair"; "Sex Dreams," a sweaty, sultry jam about touching oneself; "Swine," Gaga's Nine Inch Nails-esque, industrial rocker; and "Aura," a growling, exotic, dark tune with an edge of violence.

On Twitter, Gaga asked fans to vote via RTs and favorites. Currently, "Sex Dreams" is in the lead with nearly 30,000 votes, followed by "Swine" with around 20,000, then "Aura" with around 19,000 and "MANiCURE" with nearly 17,000. On Facebook, Gaga's post about the songs has racked up almost 40,000 comments.

Although "Sex Dreams" is currently in the lead, some fans had concerns about the choice. @JudyTheUnicorn tweeted, "NO SEX DREAMS CANT BE A SINGLE NO RADIO WILL PLAY IT ITS TOO DIRTY."

Other Twitter users are quick to remind Gaga that "MANiCURE," although trailing in fan votes, has one big supporter: Adele. The Grammy-winning singer tweeted after the iTunes fest: "@ladygaga mermaids for life! Brilliant as always thank you for a wonderful night! #MANiCUREisthebest."

@ladygaga MANiCURE for the 2nd single! This song is amazing and will blow the radios! ADELE KNOWS THE SHIT! What more u need?

— . (@andrepoison) September 4, 2013

Naturally, some fans took the opportunity to riff on runner-up "Swine" — @Danarazzi tweeted: "@ladygaga you SWINE! That's my choice. ;p"

@ladygaga you SWINE! That's my choice. ;p

Samsung And Qualcomm Make Foray Into SmartWatch Market

By Harro Ten Wolde and Miyoung Kim

BERLIN/SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Qualcomm Inc unveiled smartwatches on Wednesday, tapping a potential "wearables" market worth an estimated $50 billion as the high-end mobile phone market becomes saturated.

The companies launched the devices at nearly simultaneous events in Berlin and San Diego, and some analysts immediately questioned whether the devices were too costly, with expected prices near $300.

Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatch works as an accessory to its market-leading Galaxy smartphone, with a small screen offering basic functions such as photos, hands-free calls and instant messaging.

Qualcomm's "Toq" smartwatch can play music and handle phone calls and messages. It will be the first smartwatch with a touch-enabled "Mirasol" color screen that can be viewed easily in bright sunlight.

The launch by Qualcomm, which dominates the global market for applications processors for smartphones and tablets, is seen not so much as a hot seller but as a "reference" design or device to show off the Mirasol screens, in hopes the display technology will be more widely adopted as wearables of all types take off.

Samsung, which is the world's top handset maker, hopes the Galaxy Gear will boost the appeal of its range of Android-powered smartphones, as it battles to maintain supremacy against arch rival Apple Inc.

Its launch, timed to coincide with the start of the IFA consumer electronics trade show in Berlin, also signals that the South Korean giant is more than just a fast follower in innovation behind Apple, which is preparing to release a new iPhone next week but has yet to go public with any wearable devices.

"I believe it will become a new fashion icon in the world," J.K. Shin, Samsung's co-chief executive and head of mobile business, said at its "Unpacked 2013 Episode 2" event.

The market potential for wearable devices is significant. Leveraging advances in voice technology, biometrics, communications, cloud storage and power consumption, smartwatches and other wearable devices could be a $50 billion market by 2017, according to Credit Suisse.

Apple Inc and Google Inc are also widely believed to be working on "wearables" such as wrist-worn devices, in what analysts expect to be the next phase of the mobile communications boom. The exploration of such wearable-computing devices has accelerated in recent years as smartphone growth tapers off.

Samsung's smartwatch features a 1.63-inch (4.14-cm) screen as well as a basic camera, and will connect to Samsung's latest Galaxy Note 3 smartphone via wireless Bluetooth technology. It will make calls, display messages, record videos and snap photos, all while the user's phone stays in their pocket or handbag.

Clunky, earlier versions of Samsung's smartwatch in 1999 and 2009 didn't go down well with consumers. But the success of the company's latest release will be measured as much in how it affects sales of high-end Galaxy smartphones as in sales of the device itself.

"We had smartwatch-type products before, but they were mainly for making phone calls. What's different with the Gear is it's got far more useful functions. It's usability has increased significantly and design is not bulky," Shin said.

NOT REVOLUTIONARY

The Gear will go on sale later this month for $299 while Qualcomm's Toq will begin selling in the fourth quarter. Qualcomm did not specify a price. Tech blog Cnet reported it will sell for $300.

"The real question is, will this app enhancement make the purchase of yet another smart device worth it?" said Brian Proffitt, author of several books on mobile technology and an adjunct instructor of management in the University of Notre Dame.

"It's great to have hands-free capabilities to take notes or snap a picture, but is it $299 great? That's going to be the real test for the Galaxy Gear."

FASHION ITEM

Both devices don't have a flexible or curved display that some industry watchers had hoped to see on Samsung's newest products.

The Gear's OLED touch screen features half the picture quality of high-end smartphone displays and the camera nestling in the strap has only 1.9 megapixels - compared with a 13-megapixel rear camera on the Galaxy S4.

"People are really ready for flexible. As the smartphone market matures, brands are looking for something to break through new technology that will bring new opportunities to the market," said Sweta Dash, director Display Research and Strategy at IHS Electronics and Media.

"But the technology is not ready for the mass market because it is too expensive."

Samsung's smartwatch will not be a game changer, CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood predicts.

"Samsung will do a great job in raising the profile of this new category, but I don't think we will see a massive shift."

"I think it will only really come alive if Apple would push into it real hard, because they would then make it a fashionable item. Because a watch is a fashion item. It really is."

Usain Bolt To Retire After Rio Olympics

BRUSSELS (AP) — Usain Bolt plans to retire after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Bolt said Wednesday he wants to win more gold in Rio, set another world record in the 200 meters next year, and perhaps win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

"So far, (it) is after the Olympics in Rio," Bolt said of his retirement plans. "I think if I am in great shape, I'll go there and do what I have to do. I think it will be a good time to retire on top."

Winning another three golds in Moscow last month made him the most decorated athlete in world championship history with eight gold and two silvers. He has six gold medals from the Olympics.

"If I want to be among the greats of (Muhammad) Ali and Pele and all these guys, I have to continue dominating until I retire," Bolt said ahead of his final race this season in the 100 at Friday's Van Damme Memorial.

Bolt won the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and at last year's London Games. He won the same triple at the 2009 worlds before repeating that feat in Moscow last month.

At 27, Bolt has the experience to know that a lax season midway between Olympics can hurt him. In 2010, a soft entry into the year and subsequent injury cost him almost a full season.

"I kind of didn't do much in the offseason and then got injured and had to start from scratch. So this season, I will not make that mistake again," Bolt said.

Like 2010, next season has no major championships, but Bolt is thinking of new goals for 2014.

He already owns the 100 and 200 world records and shares the 4x100 with his Jamaican teammates. He acknowledges the 100 record of 9.58 seconds will be extremely tough to better, but he hopes to improve on the 19.19 he ran in the 200 in Berlin four years ago.

"I have learned, I have mastered the art of running the turn," Bolt said of the 200. "So if I can stay injury free and be in good shape, then it is possible for me to definitely go after the world record."

As a Jamaican, Bolt can compete in the Commonwealth Games, too, something he has yet to do. Next year, the event will be held in Glasgow, Scotland.

"I have never been to Commonwealths and so it is always good to add to your collection of gold medals," Bolt said.

Nicki Minaj Asserts 'Baddest Bitch' Status With Two New Music Videos

Nicki Minaj is everywhere. The Young Money cash queen has spent the summer lending her voice to tracks for Chris Brown, Busta Rhymes, Mario, Ciara and Nelly, blessing them all with stunning music video appearances to match.

Well, the rapping Barbie shows no signs of slowing down. On Tuesday (September 3), Minaj appeared as a guest in two new music videos: one from DJ Khaled and another from Wale.

Khaled's "I Wanna Be With You" is the first collaboration between the two since the charismatic DJ brought a 10-karat diamond ring up to MTV News and cooked up a marriage proposal for his YMCMB labelmate. There were no vows exchanged in the video, but Nicki managed to stand out in the Colin Tilley-directed clip, which also features Rick Ross and Future.

In the clip, which premiered on MTV Jams Tuesday, a blond-haired Nicki sits against a purple backdrop, wearing a white dress and rapping her rapid-fire rhymes. "Baddest bitch, I'm the catalyst/ Ain't never been done, bitch I added this," she rhymes. Throughout the clip Nicki keeps a serious tone about her, once again proving that she can hold her own when matched up against the boys.

Wale's "Clappers" takes on a drastically different tone, with Nicki sporting a drastically different look. The latest single from Wale's The Gifted is an ode to big butts that is set to a go-go-inspired instrumental. After the MMG standout and guest spitter Juicy J get their go, Nicki brings up the rear in the rump-shaking party, wearing a yellow tank top and pink tights. "Got ass for days, come activate/ This ass on fire, evacuate," she rhymes while she twerks for the camera.

While the Khaled video comes off as a more serious affair, Wale's Benny Boom-directed clip is light-hearted, fun and a lot more colorful. At the end of the day we get to see two sides of Nicki Minaj — literally.

Exclusive:Miley Citrus Breaks Silence Over VMA's Performance

"Me and Robin [Thicke,] the whole time said, 'You know we're about to make history right now.'"

In an exclusive clip provided to MTV News by a crew filming a previously announced documentary, Miley Cyrus has addressed, for the first time, reaction to her performance at last Sunday's Video Music Awards.

Cyrus had one goal in mind when she agreed to perform: to give folks something to talk about... not just now, but for years to come.

And so far, it looks like she's accomplished that goal. In the days since the VMAs, her daring performance of "We Can't Stop" has dominated discussion. It's been subject to criticisms and critiques, called "hyper-sexualized," "the nadir of American Civilization," "an exaggerated spectacle meant to subvert pop-culture sexism," and just about everything in between.

Yet, it also drew praise for embodying the signature style and swagger of the VMAs, and for boldly going to places pop has rarely dared. It was a polarizing performance, one that made parents nervous and had pundits' pulses pounding ... yet, also thrilled her fans, inspired no shortage of memorable memes and bested Beyonce's Super Bowl mark for most tweets per minute.

In short, it became a moment, one that instantly told you which side of the generational divide you stood on.

And because of that, "We Can't Stop" may very well be on its way to joining the ranks of other VMA performances that touched nerves, rankled reactionaries and have come to define a time and place in pop: Think Madonna's iconic "Like A Virgin" or Britney's "Oops ... I Did It Again," performances that were strident, defiant and certainly scandalous in context.

But while those stars learned there was a price that came with provocation, Miley isn't about to back down. She did what she came to do, nailed it, and feels great about it.

"What's amazing is I think now, we're three days later and people are still talking about it. They're over thinking it," she says. "You're thinking about it more than I thought about it when I did it. Like, I didn't even think about it 'cause that's just me."

And, to that point, Cyrus isn't going to let her detractors hold her back. She's doing things her way, defining her career on her own terms. After all, though she may be just 20 years old, she certainly knows a thing or two about pop history.

"I don't pay attention to the negative because I've seen this play out so many times," Miley asks, "How many times have we seen this play out in pop music?"

"Madonna's done it. Britney's done it. Every VMA performance, that's what you're looking for; you're wanting to make history."