28 Apr 2013

ITALY GETS FIRST BLACK MINISTER FROM CONGO

Dr. Cecile Kyenge, first Italian black minister from Congo. 


Cecile Kyenge, a doctor who was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is set to become Italy’s first black minister after being named in premier designate Enrico Letta’s new cabinet. Kyenge, a 48-year-old MP for the Centre-left Democratic Party, will be sworn in as Integration minister on Sunday.
She was elected to Parliament last February on the Democratic Party ticket. For years, Ms. Kyenge has been fighting for rights of immigrants in Italy as one of the officials of the Democratic Party’s Immigration Forum.

Immediately she was elected to Parliament, Ms. Kyenge said she’ll seek to focus Parliament’s attention on the values they have been sharing at the Democratic Party’s Immigration Forum.
The former Provincial Councillor in Modena is a committed fighter for the full political participation of all and citizenship rights. She also strongly believes the Bossi-Fini Immigration Law must be abolished and a new just immigration law approved. She believes that Italy needs to guarantee fundamental rights to all, including immigrants.

Ms. Kyenge has in the past warned that depriving part of the society of their rights would take the entire society backwards, and eventually lead to a society where nobody’s rights are guaranteed.
Explaining the importance of citizenship law reform, Ms. Kyenge said a new law was necessary as a recognition of the change that has already taken place in the country.

There are almost a million minor children of immigrants who represent the future of the country, Ms. Kyenge said. Out of these, more than 570,000 were born in Italy and more than 600,000 go to Italian schools.
She noted that the social security contributions of immigrant workers amount to 8 billion Euros while they pay at the same time taxes amounting to 4 billion Euros.

Ms. Kyenge said new citizens should have the right to fully participate in the society’s affairs and be granted the right to vote in local elections.
Her long experience in fighting for immigrants’ rights will be handy to her in heading the government’s Integration Department.

<http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/nations/italy/2013/04/27/, http://www.africa-news.eu/immigration-news/italy/5338-


13 Apr 2013

TOP CHARACTERISTICS OF POPE FRANCIS WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH OF HIS PONTIFICATE




The election of Pope Francis came as a surprise to many. His papal style became quite obvious, the moment he stepped out on St. Peter’s Balcony. Those who know him closely say that to truly understand what he says, one must first understand what he does. According to Msgr. Eduardo Garcia, Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires (Argentina): He is very receptive to what is happening. You've noticed these past few days that he prepares what he says, but if something happens, or if he sees something that strikes him, he will stop and mention it.
Even though it has only been a month since he was elected, there have been a set of gestures that come up time and time again. 


  • Simplicity: He introduced himself to the world wearing plain papal vestments, without the red so called mozzetta shoulder cover, that was worn by his predecessors.  
  • Approachability: For now, he has chosen to stay at the Casa Santa Marta, instead of the Apostolic Palace to be more readily available. He celebrates Mass for small groups of people, and continues calling friends over the phone. 
  • Continuity and Fidelity to the Magisterium of his Predecessors: Visually speaking, the meeting between Pope Francis and Benedict XVI is what struck people the most. It happened just weeks after the Jesuit Pope was elected. 
  • Tenderness: Pope Francis has shown that he wants to represent his closeness towards others, especially towards the needy and sick. 
  • Service: In fact during his first Mass, he said the true power of a Pope, comes in service. The image of him washing the feet of young prisoners on Holy Thursday, was seen throughout the world. Surely in the future, the spontaneous Pope will give many more surprises.


Msgr. Eduardo Garcia, Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires (Argentina) further says that: In addition to shock and surprise, I think his election was providential and that will be a lot more clear with time. I'm convinced that in the future, Pope Francis, will surprise us even more through power of the Holy Spirit.
What is quite clear is that the language Pope Francis speaks best is that of gestures and actions.
> April 13, 2013. (Romereports.com) 

MSGR. GODFREY I. ONAH APPOINTED AS BISHOP-ELECT OF NSUKKA DIOCESE, NIGERIA.



Today April 13, 2013, His Holiness Pope Francis appointed Msgr. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah as Bishop elect of Nsukka Diocese, Nigeria.


Born in Imilike Ani, Enugu -Nigeria in 1956, Msgr. G. I. Onah was ordained a priest in 1984. He is an alumnus of Bigard Memorial Seminary Enugu, where he obtained a Bachelor of Philosophy and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree respectively, both with First Class Honour. He did his doctorate degree in Philosophy in the Pontifical Urban University Rome, Italy. He defended his thesis in 1992 with First Class Honour, on the topic: “Self-transcendence and Human History in Wolfhart Pannenberg”. After his defense, he was appointed a lecturer of Philosophical Anthropology, and later succeeded Prof. Batista Mondin who was his moderator, and was occupying the chair of Philosophical Anthropology.



Until his appointment as bishop-elect of the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, Prof. Onah was holding the chair of Philosophical Anthropology, and at the same time serving his second tenure as the first African Vice Rector of his alma mater, the Pontifical Urban University Rome, Italy. He was also a consultor of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.


Msgr. G. I. Onah would succeed Bishop Francis E. O. Okobo, who is retiring from the pastoral care of the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka having reached the age limit.

Deede Uche’s World wishes to congratulate the Bishop-elect, Msgr. Prof. G. I. Onah on this appointment, and wishes him a successful episcopal ministry.

< http://visnews-en.blogspot.it/

12 Apr 2013

SOME SECRETS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL WOMEN



“Don’t take ‘no’ as an answer. You’re going to fail. Failing is very natural, and it’s all part of getting a decent job,” Williams said. “Don’t stop doing it. If you work hard and you’re really nice to people, it’ll happen.”
These talented young women were recognized by the iconic magazine for their outstanding achievements and goals at Barnard College in New York City.
In addition to the awards ceremony hosted by Editor-in-Chief Cindi Leive, a panel discussion took place examining the topic of “How to Build Your Personal Brand and Land Your Dream Job.” Moderated by MSNBC’s Alex Wagner, Chief Digital Officer for the City of New York Rachel Sterne Haot, the panelists included “Veep” actress Anna Chlumsky, Teach For America founder Wendy Kopp, “Covert Affairs” star Piper Perabo and the hilarious “Daily Show” correspondent Jessica Williams.
These empowering ladies spilled their secrets to success and shared some of the best lessons they learned along the way. Check out the seven most inspiring pieces of advice we took away from the panel — and prepare to feel ready to take on the world.

1. Take a Risk.
Before she snagged the leading role in the hit USA show “Covert Affairs,”
Piper Perabo got her big break when she crashed her boyfriend’s audition. While waiting for him, a casting director approached her and said, “You look like one of the parts.” She asked Perabo if she could be ready to audition in 10 minutes. Perabo grabbed her boyfriend, went into a stairwell and quickly learned her lines. Although she didn’t nab the part that day, she did find a manager, proving that sometimes taking a leap of faith is worth it.
For Grace Young, a budding engineer and award recipient, she lives by Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer’s mantra: “Do something that you’re not ready to do. Worst case, you’ll discover your limitations.” Young said, “That advice that I read has really encouraged me to do a lot of the things that I thought I’d never have the courage to do, like drop out of high school to go to MIT or work alone in Geneva one summer programming.” Next on Young’s list? Running a marathon in May.
2. Don’t take Things Personally.
As an actor, rejection can become an all too familiar feeling — but that doesn’t mean you’re not good at what you do. Anna Chlumsky said, “You could be a great actor, but not right for the role.” She recalled a time where she went to an audition and wasn’t sure if she wanted to work with the director. “I’m auditioning them as much as they’re auditioning for me. Not every project is going to be exactly right.” In the meantime, try not to sweat the small stuff — better opportunities will come along.

3. You Only Need One “Yes.”
For Wendy Kopp, founder of Teach For America, the idea of recruiting recent college graduates to teach in low-income areas across the country came in the form of her senior thesis proposal at Princeton University. “I was obsessed with this idea. I was convinced that this had to happen,” Kopp said. The problem was finding someone to fund it. After drafting dozens of letters to CEOs, Mobil Corporation agreed to give her$26,000 as a seed grant towards Teach For America.
“I tell people all the time. there are lots and lots of ‘no’s,’” said Kopp. “Keep on asking. You only need one or two ‘yeses.’ It’s just about the search for allies.”

4. Believe in Yourself.
Even at a young age, Jessica Williams always knew she wanted to be a comedian. She convinced her parents to let her go to Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre if she took part-time classes. Throughout college, she balanced doing schoolwork, commuting to L.A. to take Citizens classes and then trying to be seen by as many people as possible. Williams was on the quad meeting her best friend at Panda Express when she got a call from her manager to audition for “The Daily Show.” Wearing a T.J. Maxx suit for her big day, she left knowing she got the gig. “I walked into the audition and I could feel that they weren’t trying to intimidate me. I knew I got it when I left. I knew it was mine.” Lesson learned: Hard work pays off.

5. Own It.
Confidence is key in getting what you want. Perabo shared the story of being on the set on her second movie with the legendary Robert DeNiro and how his words inspired her. “We’d have coffee and talk and stuff. I was like, ‘I’m so nervous,’” remembered Parabo. “And he [DeNiro] said, ‘I love auditioning. When I would go in, this is my 10 minutes to show them. If I was gonna do it, this is what you’d get.’ It was a revelation.”
6. It’s OK to Fail.
Even when we’re excited about something, we all know that little voice that pops up in our head and asks, “WHAT are you doing?” Williams says, “Acknowledge that voice, but do it anyway.”
“Don’t take ‘no’ as an answer. You’re going to fail. Failing is very natural, and it’s all part of getting a decent job,” Williams said. “Don’t stop doing it. If you work hard and you’re really nice to people, it’ll happen.”
As you make your way to the top, Williams advises to remember to appreciate those who have helped you along the way. “I try to thank people and look them in the eye and remember who helped me,” said Williams. “It is making sure that it’s clear because no matter what, people aren’t going to like you. You just have to know that you are true to yourself. You have to know what you are and what that means to you.”
7. Trust Yourself.
“Trust yourself. I remember as a teen, you worry about everything. ‘My hair doesn’t look right’ and ‘I wish I had that thing.’” remembered Perabo. “Or ‘he didn’t talk to me, maybe he doesn’t like me.’ Or ‘if I fail this class, my grade point average is gonna be this’ and you’re worried about all this crazy sh*t. Trust yourself that you are doing the right thing to become who you want to be. And keep listening to your own inner-voice about who you are and what you feel and try and make decisions from that place. Teenagers worry so much and it’s all OK. You can take a deep breath. I didn’t know that then, and I was so worried.”
Say it with us: InhaleExhale. You’ve got this.
Cf http://www.weddingdigestnaija.com/7-piece-of-advice-from-highly-successful-women-to-you/

10 Apr 2013

MOST THINGS WOMEN SECRETLY CHERISH IN MEN


Men do a lot of things to try and attract women. Some of them work, and well, some of them crash and burn. The problem is that most men really have no idea what women find attractive about men. This is what leads them to shooting in the dark and hoping for the best.
To really get your attraction levels soaring you have to know what women actually find attractive about men, all the time, not some time. Take the guess work out of attraction.



1. DominanceWomen absolute love dominance in a man. Now this doesn't mean you walk around like the best thing since sliced bread and chain your woman to the stove, but it does mean you are in control. You take control, you command control and your control is incredibly attractive to females.

2. ConfidenceSimilar to dominance, confidence will make women swoon over you. They adore the alpha male that stands in front of the line. You can’t be the little puppy that just falls in line. Be sure and proud of who you are, confidence in yourself and what you do is what will reel women in like the catch of the day.

3. RelaxationWomen really like it when you seem calm and relaxed. Now this doesn't mean you need to pop a Valium before talking to a woman but it does mean you need to take a few deep breaths and just cool it. When you appear relaxed women will take notice at how cool calm and collected you are.

4. HygieneAn incredibly important and yet overlooked part of attracting women is hygiene. Yes, appearances are important, they are what shows the world how you care for yourself. Poor hygiene shows that you don’t respect yourself and that DOES NOT attract women. It’s also important because I don’t know a single time when two people met eyes across a crowded room and said “Wow he looks smart.”

5. Being Funny/HumorousWhen you are the “life of the party” everyone INCLUDING women want to be around you. They see fun people and automatically assume they will have fun being around them. Now being fun can be anything from being a social butterfly to always having a good time no matter where you go. No matter which suits you BE FUN and women will respond.

6. Being PositiveBeing happy will really attract great attention. No one wants to hang out with a gloomy Gus, so if you’re moping around you are not going to attract women, in fact it will be the antithesis of attraction. You will push people away. You will find them turning and walking the opposite direction rather than engaging you.

7.  GenerosityBeing giving is a good way to get female attention and it will be very positive attention. This doesn't mean kill your bank account trying to be the cool guy that gives everything anyone asks for, but it does mean you shouldn't shy away from offering drinks, food or something that will help them at that moment. Giving will make you appear to be the care taker and women love when men take care of them.

8. Being ChivalrousAs much as people say “Chivalry is dead” it doesn't mean it can’t be revived. And trust me women will eat it up like the last box of Chunk Munky ice cream. Open doors for them, pull chairs out and be all around a knight in shining armor. Chivalry is NOT dead and it will win women over time and time again.

9. SpontaneitySpontaneity shows excitement and women don’t want to be a part of a humdrum life. Women love spontaneous acts of passion and romance. They love it when they are surprised and when you keep things interesting no woman will be able to resist.

10. Showing CommitmentBefore you freak out and have a heart attack this doesn’t mean you should get down on one knee and ask the girl to marry you. It just means you need to show her you are capable of commitment and you don’t shy away from it like most men. Women love when men can commit and showing her you can, will lock in your position at the top of her list.
 < http://www.naijaonpoint.org/10-things-women-love-about-men-but-will-never-say/

8 Apr 2013

MARGARET THATCHER DIES OF STROKE AT 87


The children of Baroness Thatcher have announced with great sadness that their mother died peacefully this morning following a stroke.
Born October 13, 1925 in Grantham, Lincolnshire, Margaret Hilda Thatcher (née Roberts) was a British politician, the longest-serving and the only woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of the 20th century. She held the post between 1979 and 1990, and has been credited with transforming Britain in one decade, restoring her among the world’s leading industrial nations.
She was an alumna of Oxford University, a research chemist and later, a barrister in 1954. She got married to Denis Thatcher 1951, and they were blessed with two children: Mark and Carol Thatcher. Due to her personal and political toughness, she was nicknamed the Iron Lady and the name Margaret Thatcher became synonymous with the concept of toughness and authoritativeness in women.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT  MARGARET THATCHER
Early Political Career
Thatcher became a Conservative member of parliament for Finchley in North London in 1959, serving as its MP until 1992. Her first parliamentary post was junior minister for pensions in Harold Macmillan'sgovernment. From 1964 to 1970, when Labour were in power, she served in a number of positions in Edward Heath's shadow cabinet. Heath became prime minister in 1970 and Thatcher was appointed secretary for education.
Leadership
After the Conservatives were defeated in 1974, Thatcher challenged Heath for the leadership of the party and, to the surprise of many, won. In the 1979 general election, the Conservatives came to power and Thatcher became prime minister.
She was an advocate of privatising state-owned industries and utilities, reforming trade unions, lowering taxes and reducing social expenditure across the board. Thatcher's policies succeeded in reducing inflation, but unemployment dramatically increased during her years in power.
The Eighties
Victory in the Falklands War in 1982 and a divided opposition helped Thatcher win a landslide victory in the 1983 general election. In 1984, she narrowly escaped death when the IRA planted a bomb at the Conservative party conference in Brighton.
In foreign affairs, Thatcher cultivated a close political and personal relationship with US president Ronald Reagan, based on a common mistrust of communism, combined with free-market economic ideology. Thatcher was nicknamed the 'Iron Lady' by the Soviets. She warmly welcomed the rise of reformist Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
In the 1987 general election, Thatcher won an unprecedented third term in office. But controversial policies, including the poll tax and her opposition to any closer integration with Europe, produced divisions within the Conservative Party which led to a leadership challenge. In November 1990, she agreed to resign and was succeeded as party leader and prime minister by John Major.
The End of an Era
In 1992, Thatcher left the House of Commons. She was appointed a peeress in the House of Lords with the title of Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven and continued giving speeches and lectures across the world. She also founded the Thatcher Foundation, which aimed to advance the cause of political and economic freedom, particularly in the newly liberated countries of central and eastern Europe. In 1995 she became a member of the Order of the Garter, the highest order of knighthood in England.
After a series of minor strokes, Baroness Thatcher retired from public speaking in 2002. 





7 Apr 2013

POPE FRANCIS OFFICIALLY TAKES POSSESSION OF HIS CATHEDRAL, THE ARCHBASILICA OF ST. JOHN LATERAN.

Pope Francis officially takes possession of his cathedral, the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran.

Pope Francis today Sunday April 7, 2013 officially takes possession of his Cathedral, the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran. 

The Archbasilica of St. John Lateran was founded in Rome by the two Apostles Peter and Paul, and sanctified by the blood of many martyrs. It is the first and oldest of the four major papal basilicas of Rome, and the cathedra (seat) of the bishop of Rome. The other three are St. Peter’s Basilica (located in Vatican City), St. Paul Outside the Walls, and St. Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) - located in Rome, Italy. The archpriest of the basilica is Cardinal A. Vallini, cardinal vicar of the Diocese of Rome.

The prime title of the Pope is Bishop of Rome, and St. John Lateran is the seat of the head of the local Church. According to Fr. James F. Puglisi, Minister General of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, … this title is a very important ecclesiastical title because it is a sacramental title...

The celebration was shifted to the Second Sunday of Easter, also known as Divine Mercy Sunday, says Fr. F. Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, so as not to coincide with the Lenten season.