Germany's 'James Bond' goes on trial over tax evasion

                                          
Germany's former top spy, Werner Mauss, went on trial on Monday accused of hiding millions of euros from authorities.
The 76-year-old dubbed "the German James Bond" had often been sent on classified operations abroad, but his secret financial dealings are now under scrutiny.
He risks up to ten years in jail if found guilty of shortchanging the state out of a total of €14.45 million ($16 million) in taxes from 2002 to 2013.
Prosecutors are accusing Mauss of placing large sums of undeclared funds in offshore accounts, including in the Bahamas, it was reported.
Investigators first got on his trail after one of his aliases was found among names of UBS account holders found on a CD which the state of North-Rhine Westphalia had purchased from a whistleblower, according to business daily Handelsblatt and Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Mauss had allegedly failed to declare an account that he holds with the Luxembourg subsidiary of UBS.

MEN:Single even at 40: Problem, or Not?

                                    
Every generation has an age where, consciously or otherwise, we expect to be married by. In the old days, it was 30. In more modern times, it was pushed back to 35. Now, it’s 40, and likely still increasing. These expectations are based on what society is doing – the earlier the average person marries, the earlier we’re expected to marry. These days, the mean age at first marriage is at an all-time high: 26 for women, 28 for men.
Whenever you discuss “means” or “averages,” that’s a number to represent a much broader distribution. However, this distribution is (somewhat) bell-shaped, in that the bulk of the population doesn’t deviate too far from the average. So what happens if you do? I’ll tell you what happens: people will wonder. Why? Because people wonder about anyone who deviates from the norm. They can’t help it.
So, as a single person, what happens when you meet someone who is past a certain age and hasn’t yet been married? Do you assume there “must be a reason?” Do you assume the worst, that the person is unmarryable, that if he or she were a good partner they’d be married by now? Many people think such things. But they aren’t often fair.
Yes: if someone is over 40 and never been married, they are outside the norm. Yes, there probably is a reason for the deviation from the norm. But does that reason have to be a negative thing? No. Does that reason make that person a poor partner? Not necessarily.
There are many reasons a person may delay marrying. Here are several you may not have considered:
Career. Some people choose to focus heavily on their careers in their youth. Let’s face it: trying to manage a career and a relationship/family in modern times isn’t always easy. Most of us don’t live near our parents, who can help take care of children, so sometimes it’s easier to just put off marriage/family.
Late Bloomer. Some people take longer to develop the desire for marriage, or the maturity necessary to take that step. Marriage is a big step, and sometimes it’s easier to postpone it until you’ve done all the “single” things you want to do.
Shy/Socially Awkward. Some people want marriage at a younger age, but simply lack the social skills necessary to meet the right person. So it takes longer for such folks to meet their other half. When they do, they’re often excellent partners.
Personal Convictions. Some people value long term commitment, but don’t want or need the legal part of marriage.
Commitmentphobia. There are plenty of people who want marriage or its equivalent, but have deep-seated fears about actually doing it. They get involved in relationships, then drag their feet when it comes to pulling the trigger, terrified they’re going to lose their freedom or marry the wrong person. When people fear getting involved with never-married people over 40, it’s often because they fear the commitmentphobe.
These are just a few examples of why a person may not be married by age 40. As you can see, many of them are not problematic. When you meet an unmarried single over 40, don’t assume the worst. Get to know them. Yes, there’s a reason they aren’t married yet. But the trick is to figure out if that reason is a problem for you, or not.

Compiled by Solomon Anderson

About Pregnancy:50 Things Every expectant father Should Know

                               
1. From the very moment she announces her pregnancy, she'll be the center of attention — not you. Get used to it.
2. When the baby comes, they'll both be the center of attention — not you. Aren't you glad you had nine months to practice going unnoticed?
3. Your house is too small, it was always too small, and to suggest otherwise simply proves that your brain is too small.
4. Are you about to make your mom and dad grandparents for the first time? Get ready for some ambivalence. There's no such thing as a young grandparent; give them some time to deal with the shock.
5. She will want to use a birthing center. She will want a midwife. She will want a doctor. She will not want an epidural. She will scream for an epidural. Cesareans will sound great; they will sound awful. Agree with her always.
6. Lamaze is to childbirth what yoga is to football. Sort of. Just do it.
7. Her sense of smell will be so acute, you'll be tempted to airlift her to join a search-and-rescue team.
8. You're not really the coach. They'll tell you that you are, but there will come a time when it's time to shut your mouth and let her finish out the last two minutes of the game. Then you'll step in and cut the net.
9. You will be short on cash. You will not buy clothes for yourself for a year. You will consider canceling cable. You will never own a flat-screen TV. But there will always be money for a crib, three car seats, two strollers and more plastic things in Day-Glo colors than you can throw a rattle at.
10. Buy new tires now.
11. During the first week home from the hospital, you will learn to love lasagna.
12. Yes, you're holding the baby wrong. Do it her way.
13. By the time you change your third diaper, it will seem like the most normal thing in the world.
14. You won't faint. No one does.
15. Be careful about the word we. For instance, never say, "We didn't mind amniocentesis at all."
16. There will come a day when you'll be your child's hero. Enjoy it — it won't last.
17. Contractions are funny things (not ha-ha funny, either). Chances are they won't match the chart you get at Lamaze. When she says it's time to call the doctor and go to the hospital, it's time to call the doctor and go to the hospital.
18. When your mother pulls you aside and tells you that breastfeeding will ruin her breasts, that babies only need to eat every four hours and that if you pick him up every time he cries he'll never be independent enough to go to summer camp, don't believe her.
19. During the second week home from the hospital, you will learn to love lasagna.
20. You'll be surprised and amazed how well you can function on so little sleep.
21. Your child will like her best for a long time. You'll get your turn — it just comes much later.
22. Tell everybody about the birth. It's one of the few times people will be genuinely happy about your good fortune.
23. No one knows why babies use so many clothes, especially since they don't get out much. It's one of life's little mysteries.
24. It's perfectly normal to stare at a sleeping baby for two hours. It's even normal to videotape a sleeping baby for two hours.
25. Whatever bad phase your kid is going through, you'll find a solution. However, by the time you do that, he or she will be on to a new, even more confusing phase.
26. Things you thought would make you sick but won't: baby poop, baby pee, baby puke — and having all of them on your shirt.
27. During the third month home — yep. Lasagna.
28. Pregnant sex is a wonderful thing.
29. While we're on the subject of sex, it's called "making love" and will be for at least a year.
30. Take a flask to the hospital.
31. She'll have the appetite of a truck driver—and for good reason: she's feeding your child! Save the commentary.
32. Try not to talk incessantly about your baby at work. There'll be plenty of time for that when you get home.
33. If she wants drugs during childbirth, go get the doctor. Don't ask, "Are you sure?"
34. The delivery room is the only place where screaming and pushing can actually strengthen your relationship.
35. Sometime after the birth, you and your wife will go on a "date." Midway through, you both will start missing the baby.
36. You'll get more advice from your childless friends. Parents will usually shrug and say, "It'll pass."
37. Now you know why your friends with newborns never let you visit, except to bring food.
38. A nanny is not a lactation consultant is not a day nurse is not a midwife is not a La Leche League leader is not a gynecologist is not a pediatrician. Learn the taxonomy.
39. After a slew of family visits, you will learn to appreciate "Everybody Loves Raymond."
40. You don't really have to be in the delivery room.
41. You won't be able to trade in the less useful gifts for takeout.
42. Breast milk is to your baby like the yellow sun is to Superman. Lay off the bottles in the fridge.
43. A gym membership is not a push present. Save it for yourself.
44. She is Sybil. You must be Leo Buscaglia, Tony Robbins, Billy Graham and Phil Jackson all rolled into one. Hormones can make her feel like she has multiple personalities. Get to know each one, and roll with it. This is temporary.
45. It's great to be pregnant — for the first two weeks. After amnio, genetic testing and lectures on breech births, you'll be filled with a mix of anxiety and elation for the rest of your life. Give your parents a hug.
46. Now you know why all those dads at the mall walk around in those doofy cotton sweats.
47. The Baby Bjí¶rn, My Brest Friend, Boppy. None of them comes in basic black.
48. Within six months, you'll resume some semblance of a sex life.
49. Your baby will like Gerber's better than anything you make from scratch.
50. Of course it changes everything. That's the whole point, isn't it?

Written by Christopher Napolitano

Wife seeks divorce after huband denies her sex

                            
A 37-year-old housewife, Rofiat Hussein, have asked an Ojaoba Sharia Court of Arbitration in Ibadan to dissolve the nine-year-old union with her husband, Nurain, based on sexual starvation and neglect.
Narrating her ordeal, Rofiat said that her husband had neglected her in every area of marital life, including sex.
“As soon as we wedded, Nurain  directed me to become a full time housewife which meant that I must do nothing to earn a living.
“At the same time, there had been little or nothing to cater for the growing responsibilities in the home, especially the educational needs of the children.
“I pleaded with him to give me a portion of his shop to start selling some petty things, but Nurain  rejected the idea.
“I then told him that I secured a teaching job in a private university and it did not go down well with him.
“Nurain  and I were products of that same university for our degrees, but I have since proceeded for my Masters and I am even on my PH.D. programme now.
“ Nurain  has not shown any understanding over this, but instead quarrels with me for no reason.
The defendant was, however, not in the court to react to the allegations levelled against him.
The President of the court, Sheikh Hamad Tiamiyu, asked Rofiat to support her allegations with witnesses.
He said the witnesses, who must be five, must have three females and two males or vice versa.
Tiamiyu also directed her to put her claims in writing while adjourning the case to September 29 for further hearing.

Two Transgender women rejected at Hong Kong International Airport

                               
Two transgender women have been refused access to Hong Kong after immigration officers did not believe they were there to see sights and shop.
The pair who travelled from Bangkok, Thailand were told by immigration officers in Hong Kong International Airport that they did not satisfy the purpose of their holiday.
The women were visiting the city with the intention of sight seeing and shopping but their visit was rejected by officials at the immigration department. The pair were then also asked to sign documents concerning their gender.
They were asked to sign two documents; one confirming they had completed full gender reassignment surgery and one to confirm they would voluntarily go back to Thailand immediately. They pair refused to sign the documents and returned to Bangkok.

Married Men:5 Things you must Do Around Single Women

                             
A wise man once told me that when I find myself around single women, especially when I find them attractive or interesting, I should mention my wife and family early in the conversation. I have found this advice to be very useful on many occasions.
Fellow husbands, I have found the above advice and the other tips at the bottom to be essential in keeping my marriage healthy and strong. I want my marriage to be strong and healthy, and so should you! In fact, it’s one of the biggest responsibilities in your marriage.
So let’s dig deeper into this subject. Where are some common places that you might run into this scenario? For many of you, it could easily happen at work. You could be starting a new job and find yourself around a lot of nice, new women. When this happens, you have to make the choice to embrace their attention or extinguish it in a friendly way by mentioning your beautiful wife and family.

For some of you, you have been working around the same women for some time. You might have chosen many times to engage in flirty conversation or to go out with co-workers after work. If this is you and your wife is at home waiting for you, then it’s time to step back and assess your position as the husband and leader. Take the necessary steps to make your relationship with your wife the most important one again and don’t forget it. Lead, gentlemen, lead!
Even though those were only a couple of quick examples, I know there are a few of you out there who need to step up your role as a husband. Those examples don’t apply to you? Then consider who you know and talk to at your gym, the grocery store, the local hangout or wherever. These “simple” places could produce difficult relationships that will harm your relationship and love with your wife. Man up and do what needs to be done for your marriage!
Now that I have your attention, here are five things every married man should do around single women:
1. Keep your ring on. There are very few exceptions for when that ring needs to be off, like when operating heavy machinery, swimming in shark-infested waters and the like. If you are about to enter a situation that makes you look at your ring and consider if you need it on or not, leave! Run! Get away from there! Seriously, get out of that situation; your vows, marriage, children and more depend on those important decisions. (Read Luke 16:10.)
2. Hang up pictures of your wife at work. A married man in this position would be wise to pick out a couple of great and fun photos of him and his wife and keep them displayed at his office or place of work. Pick a time that was fun for two reasons: It will remind you why you love her so much, and it will make for a great conversation tool when others, especially women, ask about it. Update the image as needed to keep the people around you knowing your relationship is continuing to grow. Get that picture up this week and extinguish those flames. (Read Psalm 119:37.)
3. Keep eye contact simple and short. Don’t read this the wrong way; I’m not saying to be rude. I’m saying to be careful where your eyes travel and how long they travel when you are in the presence of an attractive single woman. You know that once you engage in the first serious look, you have signed the dotted line for more eye trouble.Keep it short, keep it decisive, and move on. Get back to that image posted at your desk. Go! (Read Matthew 5:28.)
4. Keep conversation general and professional. If you work around single women, there is no question that conversation will come up. It’s up to you on how you decide to speak with her. You can choose to keep it short and general, you can choose to keep it professional, or you can choose to keep it off of those and allow it go places it shouldn’t. Be polite but very intentional in your conversations. If needed, again, always be ready to bring up something about your wife or family. Pull the pin, aim, and extinguish. Safety first. (Read Romans 6:13.)
5. Talk about your wife and family often. Did I mention anything about talking about your wife in conversation yet? I believe I did, but this last point brings the idea to a firm home. The single women you engage with each day, if you have to, should be no match to your wife and family. Your family should be your first priority wherever you are and with whomever you encounter each day. Yes, each and every day. Keep it short, keep it simple, and mention your beautiful wife. Now pat yourself on the back and keep it up. (Read Ephesians 5:25-33.)
Important note: No matter what you have done with your current relationships with single women, these steps can and should be started at anytime. Your wife’s feelings are and will always be more important then the woman you need to take these steps with. Get on it!
I challenge you to take these bold steps for you, your marriage and your family. Again, it’s your responsibility to lead!
List one of your own tips below, and let’s help out our fellow husbands.

Written by Bryan Van Slyke

War In Michigan as commission Votes To Ban Mosques

                                
According to reports, a crowd of people were filmed cheering when the Sterling Heights, Michigan, planning commission voted 9 to 0 not to allow the building of a proposed mosque.
People outside of City Hall were heard chanting, “No more mosque!”
Others took a more patriotic approach, shouting, “God bless America!”
 If the 20,500 mosque had passed, it would have been in a residential area. Opponents claimed it would cause too much traffic, and worried that it put their community at risk for Islamic extremism.
Mosque leaders attempted to compromise by offering to downsize the building, but that was not enough for the community.

Lagos begins demolition of illegal structures

                            
The much anticipated Clean Up of Ikoyi and Victoria Island areas of Lagos, South has commenced with officials of the State Task Force and other agencies clearing illegal structures and shanties and same being carted away by trucks of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority.
The operation which was led by the Chairman of the State Task Force, Supol Yinka Egbeyemi, featured the usage of bulldozers and pay loaders which demolished all illegal structures on median of Water Corporation Drive.
The team also cleared the Waterfront at Ozumba Mbadiwe of automobile technicians and food courts that have taken over the space.
Officials of the Lagos State Parks and Gardens were also on ground to secure the spaces that have been cleared.
Areas already cleared in Ikoyi include Awolowo Road, Falomo and Bourdillon where disused tyres and horticulturists were removed and taken away.
At Water Corporation Drive, which is also a major infraction point, the road setback which had been converted into brothels and bars and car wash were removed.
The team also cleared Ahmadu Bello Way and the liaison offices that had been converted to makeshift homes and canteens.

DONALD TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT?

                            
I buy into the sentiments of the era. We should have a first American female president. The American Presidential election has become a touchy subject. An emotional one too. The women folk say they deserve the most powerful seat on earth. It's like being queen of planet earth. Again the snag is are they ready for this? Some will argue that Hillary Clinton is. She has the experience. She's a lawyer. She was once first lady for 8 years when Bill Clinton was president. She was First Lady of Arkansas for all the years (or terms) Bill was Governor. Then she became senator of New York. Then she served as secretary of state during the first term of the Obama administration.

So the belief is that she can do it. During the Monica Lewinsky saga when her husband was almost impeached for sexual assault when he was president, she remained calm. She stayed married and didn't do the divorce as is the common American way. As a matter of fact she's still married to the dude. Whether she is happy in the marriage is another matter. Perhaps she saw today.
I love Hillary. Perhaps you do too. But can she hold the reins of power and become the force the likes of Kim Jong-un the beast of North Korea or Vladimir Putin the ironman of Russia will come to reckon with? ...Eeeehm I doubt.
She's too diplomatic. Democrats are of necessity diplomatic. And there's the email issue. Do Americans really truly trust her? I think the polls will tell.
If Hillary wins this eventually, it will be a very close one. Donald Trump is a tough one. He has survived everything. He came back from bankruptcy in the 1990s and became a billionaire again. He has been contesting for the American presidency for God knows when. His no nonsense approach has brought him thus far. It helped him win the Republican nomination despite all the odds. Despite the establishment fighting vehemently against him. They have finally succumbed. Yesterday Ted Crux finally endorsed Trump. Who'd ever believe he would? Ben Carson had endorsed him eons ago.
He is set to win. The real thorough breed Americans want him. They may be silent but they believe what he says. Forget CNN. They are doing everything against Trump. But their approach is failing. Only today while watching them I could sense their fear. They have given Trump too much media attention. And for free.
China would rather have Hillary. She's Lilly, they think. We will still have all those American jobs here in China. Trump is saying, "No More!". And China knows he means it. Kim Jong-un is threatening to push the nuclear bomb button. But he knows Trump is the crazy guy who can push his too. Nope, he'd rather have a Hillary. She's a woman. Women will always be women. Putin knows the only person that can match his tough talking word for word is Trump. Hillary is too nice. Just like our dear Obama. The Mexicans know there will be no more immigration violations. The walls are coming up. "Give us Hillary, please". And of course, the terrorists know that tough screening will begin. Trump has a strong point there. America has to be safe again. America has to be feared again.
I would not miss the debate today for anything. I'm at my office at Learn And Earn Ventures but I will be watching. Waiting. My staff will have to go get me popcorn from Crunchies. History is about to be made and I am quite delighted that I am here to see it.

               Written by George Essien
 www.facebook.com/gessien,www.georgeessien.com
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