AJU GLOBAL LIMITED.: REFUGEE WITHOUT A COUNTRY TO COMPETE UNDER OLYMPIC FLAG IN LONDON

Sunday 22 July 2012

REFUGEE WITHOUT A COUNTRY TO COMPETE UNDER OLYMPIC FLAG IN LONDON

In this 2007 file photo, Guor Marial trains on the Iowa State campus where he was an All-American for the cross country team.

Yesterday, Guor Marial was a gifted athlete. Today, Marial is an Olympian with less than a week to prepare for his just confirmed trip to London.

The South-Sudanese refugee qualified for the Olympics last October after meeting the Olympic "A" standard with a run of 2 hours, 14 minutes and 32 seconds at the 2011 Twin Cities Marathon. All that was missing after that display of talent was a country to represent in the Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) requires athletes to be full citizens of the countries they represent. Though Marial has lived in the U.S. for 11 years, he has yet to gain full citizenship and his status as a permanent resident isn't enough to allow him to wear red, white and blue at the games.

"Technically, I was supposed to be a citizen last June, because I did everything, I did my citizen test, I did my interview, I did my fingerprints, and everything was all set. All I needed to do was to go to their office and get my passport and do the ceremony. That was in June 2011, but there has been a security background check...and that's what took everything longer," Marial said this week in an interview with Runner's World.

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AJU GETS REAL TV SHOW ON REALSTARS ON STARTIMES

AJU GETS REAL is a functional program that puts a woman’s personal experience into the framework of television. The show’s basic intent is to bring to fore all aspects of Nigerian life into a true television contents programming that share and participate in the lives of every Nigerian involved, either on the streets, in the club, working a blue collar job or sweating it out in the brisk sunlight, AJU GETS REAL offers the television audience a chance to experience and embrace the fun, the joy, the pains and gains of everyday Nigerians in first hand practical manner.

Obama signs order to cut travel, cellphones, swag

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the stroke of his pen, President Barack Obama has sacked souvenirs federal agencies buy with taxpayer money to promote their work. The ban he signed Wednesday is part of a broader executive order to cut some $4 billion of dollars in waste and make government more efficient. Some office equipment will simply be scarcer, and fewer cell phones and laptops will be issued. Obama has been using his executive powers on modest proposals — Wednesday's order targets trinkets like coffee cups, T-shirts and pens — to promote job creation, help homeowners or, in this case, redirect spending. With such orders, signed in Oval Office ceremonies, Obama is trying to demonstrate that he is engaged in measures large and small and to distinguish himself from what he argues is a pretty unproductive Congress. Lawmakers are in the middle of a more gargantuan task — cutting deficits by at least $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years. "It doesn't replace the importance of work the Congress needs to do in coming up with a balanced, bold plan to reduce our deficit," Obama said as he prepared to sign his administrative order. "But it indicates once again that there are things that we can do right now that will actually deliver better government, more efficiently, more consumer friendly for less money." The saved money won't directly reduce deficits, however. In a statement in advance of the signing, Obama said, "We're cutting what we don't need so that we can invest in what we do need." An administration official said the savings of about $4 billion would allow the administration to focus resources on veterans, members of the military and on infrastructure. The order directs government agencies not only to reduce the authorizations for technology equipment, but also requires cutting the size of the executive vehicle fleet. It also encourages agencies to use technology to save money, including teleconferences and online seminars to reduce travel and online publishing to cut down on publication costs. Overall, the president aims to cut spending in the areas mentioned in the order by 20 percent. "We believe we can get better results for less using technology," Obama said. Vice President Joe Biden and White House budget director Jacob Lew attended the signing in the Oval Office. Obama was also accompanied by four finalists in a cost-saving contest among federal government employees. One finalist suggested the creation of a tool "lending library," another proposed ending the purchase of U.S. code books that are already available online. Among examples cited by the White House of cost-cutting already under way are the Internal Revenue Service's plan to cut 27 percent of its travel costs by relying more on teleconferences and webinars and the Homeland Security Department's decision to conduct annual audits to reduce the number of unused cellphones and air cards. At the Commerce Department, the White House said, the agency has reduced the number of fleet drivers to one for all top departmental officials, including for new Secretary John Bryson.

Heavy D dies at 44

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rapper Heavy D, who rose to fame during the 1990s and scored hit singles such as "Now That We Found Love", died on Tuesday after collapsing outside his Beverly Hills home. He was 44. Beverly Hills Police Lt. Mark Rosen said in a statement that the rapper, whose real name is Dwight Arrington Meyers, was found on a walkway at 11:25 a.m. PST outside his condominium. He conscious and talking, but having difficulty breathing. Paramedics were called and the singer was rushed to a nearby hospital. "The individual ultimately died at the hospital," Rosen said. He added that there were no signs of foul play, and the death is believed to be medically related. An official cause is pending an autopsy by Los Angeles County coroners. The singer's New York-based agent was not immediately available for comment. Rotund rapper Heavy D was born in Jamaica and moved to Mt. Vernon, New York as a child. He enjoyed hip hop music as a kid and formed his first group, the Boyz, with high school friends who took the stage names DJ Eddie F, Trouble T-Roy and G-Wiz. The group became Heavy D & The Boyz and released their first album in 1987, which included singles "Mr. Big Stuff" and "The Overweight Lover's in the House." Their breakout album came with 1989's "Big Tyme," which included the hits "Somebody for Me" and "We Got Our Own Thang." The band met with tragedy in 1990 when Trouble T-Roy died in an accident. One year later, they scored their biggest hit with the album "Peaceful Journey" and single "Now That We Found Love," which reached the top five on R&B charts and crossed over to mainstream pop audiences. A string of hits followed in the 1990s. The band sang the theme song for popular TV show "In Living Color," and Heavy D's 1999 CD "Heavy" became his seventh album to chart among the R&B top 10. During those years, the rapper also began acting, working in small roles on film and TV before landing a role in high-school TV drama "Boston Public". His film work included parts in "The Cider House Rules," "Step Up" and "Big Trouble."

Eddie Murphy quits Oscars after Brett Ratner exit

Actor and comedian Eddie Murphy has resigned as host of the 2012 Oscar ceremony, due to be held in February. His decision comes a day after the resignation of producer Brett Ratner, a friend of Murphy, who used a derogatory term in public. Mr Ratner used the word "fags" during a question and answer session on his latest film Tower Heist. Mr Ratner recruited Murphy to be the Oscars' next host when he was hired as producer of the 2012 awards ceremony. The Rush Hour director has been replaced by Brian Grazer, the Oscar-winning producer of A Beautiful Mind - and frequent producing partner of director Ron Howard. "Brian Grazer is a renowned filmmaker who over the past 25 years has produced a diverse and extraordinary body of work," said Academy President Tom Sherak. "He will certainly bring his tremendous talent, creativity and relationships to the Oscars.' No replacement has been announced for Murphy. Ratings push Correspondents say the comedian's resignation could be a setback for the Academy Awards. The ceremony has seen declining TV ratings in recent years and is battling the rise of newer awards ceremonies, which appeal to younger audiences. Choosing Murphy to host for the 2012 ceremony marked a return to the traditional, well-tried formula of a comedian host - one very successful ceremony was hosted by Bob Hope, Johnny Carson and Billy Crystal. Oscar officials and Eddie Murphy himself insisted the split was not an acrimonious one. "I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well," Sherak said of Murphy's decision to step down. Murphy said: "I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I'm sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job." An online campaign to replace Murphy with the Muppets was initiated on Wednesday.

Sunday 22 July 2012

REFUGEE WITHOUT A COUNTRY TO COMPETE UNDER OLYMPIC FLAG IN LONDON

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