Why I am opting to play for Nigeria — Real Madrid star.

Spain youth international defender Derik Osede Prieto has revealed that he is dumping the opportunity of playing for the Spanish senior team for his fatherland, Nigeria.
Derik, who has played at all youth levels for Spain including two appearances for the Under-21 team, in an interview with BBC Sport stated that he is ready to represent Nigeria.
The 22-year-old centre-back, who is known simply as Derik, a regular for European giants Real Madrid’s B side, is eligible to play for the Super Eagles because his father is Nigerian.
And under Fifa rules he is free to switch because he has not yet played for a country’s senior national team.

Despite possessing the talent to potentially make the step up to Spain’s senior side, Derik has issued what appears to be effectively a come-and-get-me plea to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
“I have lived in Spain all my life and I am not sure the people in Nigeria are aware that I have Nigerian blood,” Derik told BBC Sport.

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“But I crave for something special with Nigeria because it will give me a chance to properly connect with the ancestral home of my father.
“My father is from Benin City [southern Nigeria] and even though I have never been there I always follow events in Nigeria.

“I celebrated when the country won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013 and I was cheering the team at the last World Cup in Brazil.”
“Playing for Spain was the foundation to where I am today and I can never take that for granted,” he said.

“You can’t throw away your education or outgrow it, Spain gave me what I have now and my hard work got me to where I am.
“But somehow I feel one half of my life has always been left untouched and I need to fix that.”
Derik has rejected suggestions he could be using Nigeria as a bargaining chip in his push for a call-up from the Spanish U-23 or senior selectors.

He insists: “Even if it’s difficult for some people to understand, I have made my decision [to represent Nigeria] and am going to stick to it.
“My father has not influenced my decision in any way. I respect him and adore his outlook on life but it’s my personal desire to play for Nigeria.
“When you look around Europe there are several Nigerian players playing at the top level and the future looks bright for the team.
“With that in mind I want to be a part of that group. I do not need favours from anyone, I only need an opportunity.

“I eat Nigeria’s wheat meal, listen to Nigerian music and play as Taribo West [former Nigeria central defender] on video games online.
“If I get a chance with Nigeria, I believe my versatility as a player will make me stand out.”

He also want to play for the senior team of Real Madrid
“I would like to play in the Real Madrid first team someday, knowing if I did that maybe the chance would be there to play for Nigeria,” he explained.
“But if I am not playing at the top level week in, week out, I wouldn’t expect to receive a call from anyone because that would be daydreaming.

“The immediate plan now is to go out on loan elsewhere, because at this age I need stability and regular football to fulfil my dream.
“Training alongside big players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Modric, Sergio Ramos and Pepe gives you a taste of what you can be as a footballer.
“The hard truth is that there is no available shortcut to reaching that level and staying there. I need to work extremely hard wherever I go and play first team football regularly. “

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“I was directed to the ‘baby factory’ by my aunty- victim says in Enugu.

Some residents in Enugu State and its environs have expressed dismay over the return of ‘baby factories’ in the state.
This came as the operatives of the 9th Mile Division of Enugu Police command, through intelligence operation, raided a baby factory located at Etiti, Amankwo-Ngwo Udi Local Government Area where they rescued nine pregnant girls.
The baby factory, allegedly operated by Obinna(not real name) of Etiti,Amakwo-Ngwo was discovered on June 13, during a raid at the private house of the owner.

Police Spokesperson,Mr.Ebere Amaraizu confirmed the arrest in a statement to newsmen revealing that nine pregnant girls were rescued during the raid.
Amaraizu said,”we had strong intelligence report about his activities. We had to put a tab on him for some time which eventually paid off. “Nine pregnant girls at various stages of pregnancy were rescued.

Continuing,the Police Spokesperson however noted that the operator claimed he got a provisional approval in October 2007 from Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development Enugu State to admit and shelter pregnant women in his home.


OPERATOR CONFESSES
The operator had revealed during police interrogation that he operated a hospital/maternity(name withheld) which is no longer functional.
The Operator said,”I decided to run the maternity from my house. I am supposed to inform the Social Development and Women Affairs Ministry within 24 hours of admitting any pregnant women. I called the Ministry on phone instead of writing them. The people I admitted came without referral.”
VICTIM NARRATES ORDEAL
Ugwu Christabel, one of the pregnant girls revealed that she was allegedly raped as she was returning from school.
She said,”I could not report the incident to my parents until it resulted to pregnancy. I was forced to marry an old man or leave the family which made me seek assistance through one of my aunties.
“She was the one that directed me to the home. At the home, all we do is to eat. We were asked to list what we want with the agreement that after delivery,we will leave our babies and go.”
CLO LAMENTS
Member governing board,Civil Liberties Organisation,CLO,Mr. Gambo Danjuma tasked the police to unravel who contracted the operator to get the babies.
Danjuma said,”most of them who claim that they are doctors are responsible for impregnating the girls. When the girls deliver,they sell the babies to their buyers.

“We had cried out over the activities of baby factory operators in Enugu State. The police should conduct serious interrogation on who is responsible for the pregnancy, who gave them the contact to the home,who is the buyer and how they share the booty. “The price of the baby varies depending on the sex. Most times,these babies are used for rituals. The police should reveal how the buyers are linked to the facility.

“The public should always go through the appropriate channels whenever they intend to adopt babies. Most of these babies go for N500,000 to N750,000 depending on sex.”

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Unpaid Salaries Hit N110bn in States

No less than 12 of the 36 states of the federation are facing difficult times as the salaries they owe their workers are approximately well over N110bn. This represents the salaries being owed by government of 10 of the states of the federation. They are Osun, Rivers, Oyo, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Ondo, Plateau, Benue, and Bauchi states.
The 36 state governors, who met during the week in Abuja under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for the second time after the May 29 inauguration of the new government, expressed their concern over the issue. The situation, according to investigations, has been giving some of the governors’ aides serious concern as they are also being owed salaries and allowances.
The governors had resolved to meet with the President to demand the refund of the money spent on executing Federal Government projects in their respective states to enable them to pay their workers. Rivers State, for example, which has a monthly wage bill of about N7bn, has not paid its workers for three months, putting the total amount of salaries the state owes its workers at N21bn. It was learnt that while some workers in the state are owed 10 months’ salaries, the core civil servants have not been paid their salaries for the past three months. Drivers, gardeners, cleaners and some office assistants are some of the workers being owed salaries for 10 months. These workers are always paid from government overhead or imp rest.
A reliable source in the state Ministry of Finance, who craved anonymity, told one of our correspondents that “Every month, the government gives out imp rest from which drivers, cleaners and some office assistants are paid. This set of workers has not been paid for the past 10 months, while the core civil servants have not received their March, April and May salaries.” The wage bill of Oyo State rose from N4.9bn to N5.3bn towards the end of 2014 after the promotion of workers and review of salaries by Governor Abiola Ajimobi. Therefore, the total sum of the three months’ salaries the state owes its workers is N15.9bn. It will be recalled that after the workers went on a two-week strike recently, the government reached an agreement with labour leaders that the payment of March salaries would resume anytime in June.
There are conflicting figures on the actual work force in the state but a reliable source in the state civil service commission put the figure between 35,000 and 40,000 with local government workers and teachers in the majority.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, Waheed Olojede, told one of our correspondents that the Memorandum of Understanding the union signed with the state government, which was the basis for the suspension of the strike was still in force. In spite of its status as an oil producing state, the Ondo State Government still owes its workers two months salaries – April and May. Investigation revealed that the monthly wage bill for the state’s 56,000 workers was N5bn. So the two month’s salaries being owed amount to N10bn. Of the amount, it was gathered that core civil servants collect N1.6bn, secondary school teachers, N1.3bn, while local government workers and primary school teachers collect N2.1bn.
The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, described the development as unfortunate. He also said that Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s aides and other political office holders in the state were being owed as well.
“All political appointees are affected, including me. We’re being paid at the same time with the civil servants. So, all of us are affected. But I’m very sure that by next week, the salaries will be paid.” Akinmade, however, urged political office holders who might be threatening to resign as a result of non-payment of their salaries to shun such an idea. “It will be unfair for any appointee to resign due to the development. When it was rosy, we all enjoyed it and we should be able to endure now,” he said.
A source at the Office of the Head of Service, Abia State, put the state’s work force at 22, 000. But there have been conflicting reports on the number of months workers in the state are being owed salaries. While the state government has consistently maintained that no civil servant in its core civil service is being owed any entitlement, workers in various parastatals in the state have complained of non-payment of salaries for five months.

Some workers in the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board told one of our correspondents that they were being owed for five months, while their counterparts in the Secondary Education Management Board complained that they have not been paid salaries for four months. Similarly, staff members of the state’s Hospital Management Board, Abia Line Transport Network and tertiary institutions, have also complained of non-payment of six months’ salaries. A source in the state Ministry of Finance said that the state’s wage bill “fluctuates between N2bn and N2.5bn.” It was, however, learnt that Abia State was getting between N3bn and N3.5bn monthly before the drop in the federal allocation.
A Senior Special Assistant on Media to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Mr. Ugochukwu Emezue, appealed to the affected workers to be patient with the government, assuring that they would be paid their salaries as soon as the state’s revenue improved. He also urged political office holders in the state to exercise patience, adding that Ikpeazu’s administration was new and needed some time to settle down to deal with the problems.
Like its counterparts, Kwara State also owes local government workers a total of N3.4bn as salaries for four months. Although the state’s monthly wage bill was said to be fluctuating between N2.7bn and N2.8bn, one of our correspondents learnt that the monthly salaries of local government workers in the state are about N849m. This amounted to N3.4bn in four months.
Daily Marshal also gathered that Kogi State Government has 17, 750 core civil servants and owes N3.1bn in salaries. According to the state Commissioner for Information, Zainab Okino, the number did not include local government workers, primary school teachers, and staff of the state judiciary, legislature and tertiary institutions. She said the monthly wage bill of the state government is about N3.1bn.
A source in the state Ministry of Finance said civil servants and political appointees had received their salaries up to April 2015 and that May salaries would be paid before June 30. But another source said that not the full salaries were paid. The source said that local government workers in the state were only paid certain percentage of their salaries, adding that it had been the trend for over six months. According to him, only Okehi and Okene local government areas pay 60 per cent, Adavi pays 45 per cent while other local government areas pay less.
The Ekiti State Government has yet to pay May salaries to its workers while those still undergoing verification exercise have not received April and May salaries. According to Governor Ayodele Fayose’s Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, there are about 48,977 workers in the state public service. A source in the Office of the Accountant General of the state, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, quoted the state’s monthly wage bill as N1.4bn.
The new Benue State Governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom, alleged that he inherited a debt profile of N90bn out of which N12bn was for five months’ salary arrears. Ortom had therefore initiated moves to borrow money to pay one month’s salary across the board to the workers. He said the development was necessitated by the concern over the plight of the workers and the need to persuade striking state university lecturers to call off their strike.
The governor, however, said he had received offers from some banks and would soon approach the state House of Assembly for approval to obtain a loan. According to him, all his efforts to persuade the state university lecturers to call off their strike had failed and that they had insisted that they must be paid at least one month’s salary.
By the end of June, the Osun State Government will owe its workers N25.2bn for seven months’ salaries. The wage bill of civil servants in the state was put at N3.6bn by Governor Rauf Aregbesola. The state workforce was also put at around 40,000 by the governor who said the population of the workers was next to that of Lagos State. Aregbesola has yet to constitute his cabinet since he dissolved it on the eve of his inauguration into second term in office in 2014. However, the governor appointed the Chief of Staff and the Secretary to the State Government.
The governor’s media aide, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said though he, alongside others, had not been paid since November 2014, he was not considering resigning. It was further learnt that the administration of former Governor Jonah Jang owed Plateau State workers six months’ salaries before he vacated office on May 29, 2015.
According to the former Commissioner for Finance in the state, Mr. Davou Mang, the new governor, Mr. Simon Lalong, will require about N10.2bn to clear the salary arrears going by the state’s monthly wage bill of N1.7bn. The state’s civil servants recently called off their six-week industrial action. Jang was said to have left a debt profile of N104bn while pension arrears owed retired civil servants were put at over N11bn.
The Chairman of the Plateau State chapter of the NLC, Mr. Jibrin Bancir, told Saturday PUNCH that the workers decided to resume work as a gesture of goodwill to the new administration, adding that the government agreed to pay two months’ salaries within the next two weeks.
The new Bauchi State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar, is battling to raise N8.4bn to pay the state’s workers their three months’ salaries. Abubakar, who recently claimed that he met an almost empty treasury in the state, said he also inherited two months’ arrears from his predecessor, Mallam Isa Yuguda.

As of the time of filing this report, Daily Marshal had yet to get details of salaries being owed workers in Imo, Jigawa and Zamfara states. But available reports indicated that Akwa-Ibom, Cross-River, Ogun, Enugu and Kano states that hitherto owed their workers had paid.
According to one of our correspondents, the Kano State Government does not owe any of its 143,000 workers. The state government, which monthly wage bill is about N8.5bn, pays the state government N3.6bn; local government, N1.6bn; SUBEB, N2.5bn; judiciary/ North-West University/ Kano University of Science and Technology, N3.30bn. Political appointees in the state are said to be earning about N8.5bn.

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13 tech jobs that pay at least $130,000

There’s no question that technology related jobs, whether building software or managing a network, are in demand and pay well.But most salary lists of the best-paying tech jobs use average salaries.

Tech recruiting specialist Mondo recently published a report on the highest paid tech jobs with a salary ranges, reflecting regional differences in pay, with areas like NYC/San Francisco on the high end and areas like Florida/Dallas on the low end.

13. IS Security Manager: $130,000-$169,000



An information systems security manager is responsible for making sure that networks, servers and apps are safe from hackers. This may be the top security position in a smaller company or, in a larger one, this person may report to a Chief Security Officer.

12. BI Developer: $130,000-$171,000



A “business intelligence” developer is a computer programmer that specializes in writing database apps that help business analyze data. This field has exploded with the big data craze. There are now a lot of methods to cheaply collect and store vast amounts of data. But that does no good unless there are “business intelligence” apps that use all that data.

11. UI/UX Designer: $110,000-$172,000



A “user interface” or “user experience” designer is the person that designs how people use a product. Is it easy to figure out? Can people find all the features? This designer is also often responsible for the aesthetic look of an app or product.

10. Android Developer: $131,000-$173,000



An Android developer writes mobile apps for Android devices. Nearly all companies, from your health club to Fortune 500 companies, are writing their own mobile apps.

9. VP, Infrastructure: $134,000-$173,000



A vice president of infrastructure runs the team of people that handle a company’s computer hardware: servers, network, storage, and other data center tech.

8. iOS developer: $133,000-$174,000



An iOS developer writes mobile apps for Apple devices, the iPhone and iPad. Every company in the world these days is looking to reach iPhone and iPad users.

7. Application Architect: $131,00 -$175,000



An application architect is someone who engineers large, complex software programs with lots of moving parts.

6. Scala Developer: $115,000- $177,000



A computer programmer that is an expert with the language Scala is a hot commodity these days. Scala is a web development language that is an alternative to the popular (but old) language Java.

5. Director, PMO: $123,000-$177,000



A director of project management or a director of program management is the person in charge of a particular tech project or an ongoing program. This may involve managing an interdisciplinary team of engineers, marketeers, business people.

4. VP, Engineering: $136,000 -$177,000



This person would run the teams of software or hardware engineers that develop products. Often a title used at tech companies, but many enterprises develop custom IT projects and this person could also be leading those efforts.

3. VP, Information Technology: $137,000 – $178,000



This person is the boss of the internal tech team and may report to a Chief Information Officer, or maybe the top IT exec at the company.

2. Chief Data Officer: $143,000 – $200,000



Collecting, storing and analyzing loads of data is the rage these days in companies big and small. This person would lead a team of data scientists that could span across IT, marketing, and business functions.

1. Chief Security Officer: $146,000 – $214,000



This person is responsible for protecting a company from hackers, which can include buying and installing computer security products, ensuring corporate apps don’t have holes, doing forensics if a problem does occur, and so on. They’re paid well because millions of dollars can be at stake.

What do you think?

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US church shooting suspect confesses, says he ”wanted to start a race war”

The 21-year-old white man suspected of gunning down nine people at a historic black church in South Carolina has confessed to the crime, US media reported Friday, citing unnamed officials.
One law enforcement official said that the alleged shooter Dylann Roof told investigators that he “wanted to start a race war” when he walked into the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston on Wednesday night and opened fire on a Bible study class.
All of the victims were black.

Roof — who was arrested in North Carolina on Thursday and brought back to South Carolina after he opted not to fight extradition — was due in court later Friday for a bond hearing.
“We are getting cooperation at this point,” another official told local ABC affiliate WCIV.

Two sources also confirmed that Roof — whose Facebook page includes a picture of him wearing the flags of defunct white supremacist regimes in South Africa and Rhodesia — has confessed.
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said Friday she believed Roof should face the death penalty if convicted. Capital punishment is legal in the southern state.

“This is an absolute hate crime,” she told NBC’s “Today” show.
“We will absolutely will want him to have the death penalty. This is the worst hate that I’ve seen and the country has seen in a long time,” she said.
“We will fight this and we will fight this as hard as we can.”

The carnage was the worst at a US place of worship in decades and recalled the darkest periods of US history, in a church once burned to the ground after a failed slave revolt.
The young white man , Dylann Roof has been charged with nine murders, city police said Friday.
Charleston Police said on Twitter that 21-year-old Dylann Roof would face a bond hearing at 2:00 pm (1800 GMT). He has been charged with the killings as well as possession of a firearm during a violent crime.

Several US media outlets have reported that Roof confessed to investigators that he walked into the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston on Wednesday night and opened fire on a Bible study class.
The carnage was the worst at a US place of worship in decades. All of the victims were black.

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said Friday she believed Roof should face the death penalty if convicted. Capital punishment is legal in the southern state.
Quiet loner or racist monster — who is Charleston suspect?
A week ago, Dylann Roof is said to have bragged that he wanted to kill a bunch of people.

But the skinny 21-year-old high school dropout with a boyish bowl-style haircut — and a menacing, dead-eyed scowl, at least in a photo on Facebook — apparently has a dry wit. So no one paid attention.
In the end, Roof — middle name Storm — seems to have been very, very serious.
The South Carolina man was to appear in court Friday, charged with nine counts of murder in a shooting rampage in an historic African American church in Charleston. Roof is white; the victims were all black.

Conflicting descriptions are emerging of the latest protagonist in a mass shooting in racially tense, gun-crazed America.
Roof was quiet and introverted — a soft-spoken loner, one narrative says.
No, he was a bomb waiting to go off, bristling with hatred — a calculating believer in racial segregation. Indeed, he wanted to kill blacks to stir up another war, says the opposing one.

An uncle of Roof, Carson Cowles, is quoted as saying Roof’s paroxysm of violence at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church came out of the blue.
Cowles said he got word to turn on the television Thursday when Roof was identified in surveillance footage from outside the church as the suspect in the shooting.

Roof allegedly sat in on a Bible study class for an hour before opening fire on the worshippers around him, and left some alive to tell about it afterwards.
“I watched it for 10 minutes, trying to convince myself this is just a nightmare, and I need to wake up,” Cowles was quoted as saying in the Los Angeles Times.

“None of us saw it coming, but here we are, and there’s no turning back,” said Cowles.
But Roof himself told investigators he wanted to start a race war, one law enforcement official told CNN Friday.
— ‘Flat out’ warning of plan —
Friends of Roof say he had in fact talked of killing — and even said when and where.

Christon Scriven, who is black, says Roof warned last week that on Wednesday — the exact day of the shooting, in the end — he wanted to kill people at a local college.
“He flat out told us he was going to do this stuff,” Scriven told the New York Daily News. “He’s weird. You don’t know when to take him seriously and when not to.”
Only the location of the killing turned out to be different.

Roof’s roommate at the trailer park where they lived in the city of Lexington — outside the state capital Columbia — said he had been planning something awful.
“He was big into segregation and other stuff,” Dalton Tyler said.
“He said he wanted to start a civil war. He said he was going to do something like that and then kill himself.”

But Joey Meek, a childhood friend of Roof, said he had black friends and was not in the habit of disparaging African Americans.
“He never said the n-word, he never made racial slurs, he never targeted a specific black person,” Meek told ABC News. “He never did any of that, so it was just pretty much a shock.”

But the time prior to Roof’s alleged murder spree does suggest he was a troubled, biased person.
In a picture on his Facebook page, he is seen wearing a patch with the flag of apartheid-era South Africa and another of the flag of Rhodesia, the white-ruled country that eventually became Zimbabwe.
Roof dropped out of high school and was once arrested for possessing a drug used to treat addiction to opiates, news reports said.

His uncle was quoted as saying that in April, Roof got a .45 Glock gun from his father as a birthday present.
Two weeks ago, Roof went on a drunken rant about segregation and killing people, Meek said.
Meek took the gun away from Roof but gave it back the next day, he told the Daily News.
“I only took it away because he was drunk. I didn’t take him seriously,” Meek said. “I do feel a little guilty because I could have let someone know.”

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UNICEF Confirms 129 Children Raped, Castrated And Killed, In Sudan.

United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF), on Friday June 19, said horrific details have emerged that 129 children were killed in the the three weeks of violence in South Sudan.
UNICEF Chief, Anthony Lake, said this during the fund’s update on the situation in South Sudan in New York. He said children in Northern Unity State have been thrown into burning buildings, raped and castrated and called for an end to the “unspeakable violence in the name of humanity.”
“Civilians have been terrorized and forced to flee for their lives in Greater Upper Nile region,” he said.
He noted that the gruesome details of violence against youngsters, including girls as young as eight, have emerged. Lake said abuses against boys and girls across the war-torn country has also reached a “new level of brutality.’’ He added that the situation in South Sudan has caused humanitarian crisis that left an estimated 4.6 million people food insecure and more than two million displaced.
Meanwhile, he said, there has been attacks on UN bases in the country in the past months, where more than 140,000 people are sheltering for safety and protection.

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20 Most Peaceful Countries in the World Right Now

Do you know which are the most peaceful countries in the world? Since 2007 each year, the Global Peace Index has been issued by the IEP (Institute for Economics and Peace) and is a measurement of nations’ and regions’ peacefulness based on external and internal measures. Although it seems like the world is becoming more cruel, according to the Global Peace Index there are still peaceful countries around the world.

Below, you’ll find a comprehensive list of our current 20 most peaceful countries in the world right now . .

20. MAURITIUS



According to the GPI Report 2013, Mauritius is one of the most peaceful nations on Earth and it was also ranked the most peaceful country in Africa. The strong score of this island country in the GPI highlights the relative stability of the region and thus further promotes it as a trusted platform for wealth management services and estate planning.

19. QATAR



According to the Global Peace Index, Qatar is the most peaceful country in the Middle East and one of the most peaceful countries in the world. Violent incidents are very rare in this country and the crime rates are relatively low compared to other industrialized nations. Qatar is one of the most flexible and liberal countries in the Middle East where women have many rights, including working, driving and voting rights. The country is undergoing transformation under the National Vision 2030 to achieve a diversified, sustainable and advanced economy.

18. PORTUGAL



You might be surprised to know that Portugal is one of the most peaceful countries in the world, but it’s true. The country has been a member of the EU for roughly 26 years and it forms a part of the European Monetary System and use the single European currency. Portugal is the world’s 43rd largest economy according to the World Bank and it has one of the highest GDP growth rates among the OECD countries. The country has the low crime rates, great standards of living and a stable government. Plus, fascinating sandy beaches, golden plains and impressive mountains, a millennial heritage and vibrant cities make Portugal one of the best places to live in.

17. AUSTRALIA



Australia is a beautiful and peaceful country that offers cultural diversity, spectacular beaches, loads of breathtaking natural beauty, wonderful fauna and friendly people with an amazing sense of humor. Although Australia is a large country, approximately the same size as the USA, it has a small population of about 20 million, so there’s a lot of uninhabited space worth visiting. Australia’s low crime rate, stable political system, high standards of health care and well-maintained roads make it a safe and comparatively easy country to live in or just to explore.

16. BHUTAN



According to the 2013 Global Peace Index (GPI), Bhutan is also among the 20 most peaceful countries on Earth. The point is, Bhutan has remained unchanged in international and domestic conflict in the last 6 years with a GPI score of 1.6 out of 5, 1 being really low. The report uses 22 indicators to measure internal peace, including number of police per 100,000 people, levels of perceived criminality, level of organized crime, and external peace indicators that include military expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product and nuclear and heavy weapons capabilities. I personally think Bhutanese people are peace loving and they are well cultured. Plus, Bhutan boasts plenty of spectacular attractions for everyone.

15. AUSTRIA



Austria is a small landlocked South Central European country which gains a place on the list of the most peaceful countries in the world for its stance on international politics. Since World War I and the break-up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and World War II, Austria has been content to embrace a life of peace and serenity. Many people claim that Austria is a great country to live in and I personally agree with them. After all, with its world-famous resorts in the breathtaking Alps, and magnificent cultural centers like Vienna, I think it’s not surprising to see Austria on this list.

14. CANADA



Having one of the best standards of living in the world, Canada is also one of the most peaceful countries on Earth. It has a population of approximately 33 million people, yet it’s the second largest country in the world by area. With clean and safe cities, spectacular scenery and extremely friendly people, Canada is a wonderful and peaceful country to live in. The largest strike against the peace score of Canada is that it has a comparatively high military capability, though it currently is not involved in any conflict.

13. NEW ZEALAND



Each year since 2007, the Institute for Economics and Peace has ranked New Zealand as one of the most peaceful countries in the world. With a small percentage of its population in prison, limited military capability, strong relations with Australia and down-to-earth hospitality, New Zealand is a wonderful country to live in. This is a country of natural beauty, diverse scenery and quirky natives. Visitors from all over the world come to New Zealand to experience rugged landscape, breathtaking alpine glaciers, awesome beaches and fantastic geothermal and volcanic activity. The country is also renowned for its fine wines and there are a great number of grape varieties planted throughout New Zealand. So if you are a great wine lover, you should definitely visit New Zealand at least once in life.

12. FINLAND



Finland is considered one of the most peaceful and livable countries, which is not renowned for its combative nature. Finland is still a country that embraces mandatory civil and military service for young people, and the country’s only participation in fighting has been as a part of joint United Nations peacekeeping forces. When speaking about Finland, I want to say about its education. Finland places education at the heart of literally everything. Finland’s education system is ranked fifth best in the world.

11. IRELAND



With its rich historical sites, amazing green pastures and friendly people, it’s not surprising that Ireland is one of the most peaceful countries on Earth! Ireland is an overall fabulous country with a plethora of reasons for tourism! Its rich literary history, castle-topped hills, spectacular coastline and legendary hospitality make Ireland a wonderful place to visit any time of the year.

10. JAPAN



One of the most enchanting countries culturally, Japan has the third largest economy in the world. Since the World War II, Japan has been really peaceful, with little internal conflict and low crime. The country settles on an internal security force in order to maintain the peace. Japan is a peaceful as well as breathtakingly beautiful country worth visiting.

9. SWITZERLAND



According to IEP, the Swiss maintain a well-functioning government and an open political culture. Illustrating the quality of government, Switzerland received the lowest score for political instability. It’s also among the world’s most peaceful countries that have low levels of violent crime. Although Switzerland is known for its neutrality in regional, international and global political issues, it maintains strong diplomatic relations with various countries around the world.

8. CZECH REPUBLIC



A relatively new country, the Czech Republic gained its independence from the Soviet Bloc in 1989 due to the Velvet Revolution and its subsequent split with Slovakia. After the division of Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic has largely concentrated on building a strong capitalist economy and creating a stable climate for investment. In 2009, the Human Development Index (HDI) ranked the Czech Republic as a country of ‘Very High Human Development.’ Renowned mostly for its magnificent capital city Prague and breathtaking natural beauty, the Czech Republic draws tourists from all over the world.

7. BELGIUM



According to the Global Peace Index, Belgium is one of the best and most peaceful places to live in Europe and on Earth. Situated in the heart of Europe, this small country holds a special place. Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is home to the European Union and NATO. Belgium boasts medieval cities, beautiful town halls, majestic castles, and captivating natural beauty. Homicide and imprisonment rates are low in this country, even though Belgium did experience a crisis within its government over the 2008-2011 period.

6. ICELAND



Iceland was also ranked as one of the most peaceful countries in the world, staying out of the main conflicts in the world. Iceland seldom or never hits the headlines and despite the collapse of the Icelandic banks several years ago, the country is remained as an amazing place of spectacular natural beauty. Tourists from all parts of the world come to Iceland to view its huge glaciers and raging volcanoes, as well as numerous unique natural and cultural attractions in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland.

5. SWEDEN



One of the most beautiful Scandinavian countries, Sweden is located in the far north of Europe. Although Sweden is one of the biggest weapon exporters in Europe, the country has a low level of robberies (only 9,000 a year) compared to the United States (about 350,000 a year)! According to the Global Peace Index, Sweden is one of the most peaceful countries in the world, in spite of the fact that it’s among the world’s top arms exporters. Besides, Sweden has not been to war and has not participated in any combats for the whole 2 centuries.

4. SLOVENIA



A beautiful European country, Slovenia is also among the most peaceful countries in the world. The country got its lowest marks in funding for the United Nations peacekeeping missions, number of police and security officers, level of perceived criminality in society, number of organized internal conflicts, violent protests, and number of internal and external wars fought. I agree with the Global Peace Index and believe that Slovenia deserves its place in the list of the most peaceful countries on Earth. Moreover, with its wonderful cities like Maribor and Ljubljana teeming with unique culture, Slovenia is a fantastic travel destination.

3. SINGAPORE


Aerial view of Gardens by the Bay and the Super Trees, Singapore City, Singapore

As an active member of the international community and, overall, a small nation, Singapore can never take its right to exist and security for granted. Since achieving its independence in 1965 as a sovereign Republic, Singapore has always concentrated on being a great neighbor, through establishing social, peaceful, economic, cordial political relations with all countries.

The country has worked with the United Nations and its supporting agencies on a great variety of efforts.
It also participates in various global, unilateral and multilateral organizations to promote international cooperation, including WTO (World Trade Organization). Singapore is among the most peaceful countries in the world as well as one of the world’s wealthiest countries. The homicide and violent crime rates are lower than the criminal rates.

2. NORWAY


Alesund Town Norway

Many people do not expect Norway to appear in the list of the most peaceful countries in the world. Perhaps, this is because of Anders Behring Breivik, mass murderer, who hit the pride of the country hard. Sure, it was an extraordinary incident, but according to the Global Peace Index Norway is one of the world’s most peaceful countries and friendly and safe place to live. Norway is the country with the highest level of human development in the globe, plus, the government of Oslo always places peace at the forefront of the priorities of the country.

1. DENMARK



Denmark tops the list of the most peaceful countries on Earth since it’s really a safe place to live. Even while Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, was under occupation by the Nazis during the World War II, it still did not fight. The point is that people living in Denmark prefer to focus on economic matters, instead of involving themselves in various armed conflicts. Danish people are very friendly, open and helpful. Personally I have been to Copenhagen twice and I wish I lived in this country. I’m pretty sure that those who have been to Denmark at least once could say the same.

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4 Tips To help You Revive the Romance in Your Relationship

We all want to feel loved. Knowing that there’s someone out there that cares about you the same way you care about them is what makes us unique as humans. Over time, this feeling starts to fade away which leaves most couples with the option of either divorcing or going out there and looking for new partners who make them feel loved.
1. Creating a positive environment around the house. Most couples when reading this probably think that they have to go out and get some flowers and spread some roses on the bed so you can surprise the love of your life. This is not the case. What I really mean is to try and do the small things like: helping in the kitchen, having a warm conversation with your partner so to break the weird silence that develops when the love is fading or if by chance you happen to have kids, as a guy, you can help by dropping them to school or by parking the kids lunch. From experience, this things might sound small but they worked for me and my wife and with time, we were both to our old selves doing fun things together both in the house and even in any new places we visited.
2. Flirting. After years of being together, some couples think it’s not necessary to flirt as both the couples are already used to each other’s company. Ask yourself why you stopped to flirt? If it’s a lady, compliment her when she changes her hair style or when she buys a new dress. Make your partner feel loved. The small things are what counts.
3. Go out on a date. The best couples are those who spare some time so they can spend treat their lovers by taking them to a nice place. Remember finding the right partner is not easy especially with the current generation. Most couples today don’t think love is important as they would rather have multiple partners than be committed to one person. If you happen to be among the lucky few who found his/her match then doing a small things like setting a date night will rekindle your love. The date night will be your special day as both of you will be looking forward to this special day. Hire a house help to watch over the kids for a few hours so you can both have some fun.
4. Take a break. Taking a break from each other doesn’t mean that you necessary break up. There are many ways in which two couples can take a break without putting their long term relationship into a hold. For instance, you can both take separate vacations. The lady can go out with her girlfriends and the man with his buddy friends. These breaks according to a relationship specialist help both couples to realize that they need to work out their differences as both couples at the end of their vacations will realize that they both need each other.

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Worth $1,000,000,000 – World’s most expensive mega-yacht? [Exotic Photos]

Feast your eyes on what could be the world’s most expensive mega-yacht. The 465-foot Admiral X force 145 vessel takes luxury to eye-popping new heights.

Not only is the yet-to-be-built boat huge; its lavish interiors are punctuated by crystal chandeliers and solid marble floors.

Two pools, two movie theaters, two helipads, a garage, multiple gym facilities, and a bi-level pool area merely scratch the surface of what this incredible boat will offer.

Though the price is only available on request, The Daily Mail estimates it will cost over $1 billion. Would that make it the world’s most expensive yacht? Only if it gets built before spring 2018, when 4Yacht’s Triple Deuce, a 722-foot leviathan, is set to be completed.

The Italian Sea Group project was dreamed up by Dobroserdov Design in a partnership with Admiral Centro Stile. They provided us an artist’s rendering of what the ship will look like when it’s commissioned and completed. Guest bedrooms also have seating areas.
Surrounding the water feature is a sitting area for all the guests you could possibly bring aboard.
Feast your eyes on the Admiral X Force 145. It doesn’t get much more luxurious than this.
…which open up to their own in-suite balcony.
Other lounge areas dot the boat, some of which feature open-air balconies.
In addition to floor-to-ceiling windows, three skylights let in tons of sunshine.
Not a single corner was cut in the design of the bathrooms.
The guest suites are smaller than the master room, but not by much.
A full dining room sits on one of the lower decks.
A bi-level spa and bar at the back of the boat makes for a total party room. Another pool is located on the top deck.
Toward the front of the boat, the master bedroom is a sight to behold. This entire half deck is reserved for the owner.
Suite renderings present an eclectic décor, but that may change in the final ship.
With solid marble floors, the hallways are as grandiose as those of a five-star hotel.
Surrounded by a zen garden, the suite is certainly a place of utmost tranquility..
The X Force is longer than two jumbo jets or one-and-a-half football fields.

The glittering fixture hangs over an indoor pond accented by glass sculptures.
When the sun falls, a 360-degree ring of lights illuminates the yacht’s perimeter.
Inside, the yacht is packed with extravagant details. This main salon area is massive..
The centerpiece of the salon is a huge chandelier surrounded by a circular staircase.

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