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We have created the biggest library of Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 shortcuts. We have almost everything you need and we are willing to expand our collection, which now includes 139 shortcuts for Windows 7, 137 shortcuts for Windows 8.1 and 172 shortcuts for Windows 10. They are created in such a way that they will all work on each and every Windows computer. Also, if you want a shortcut that is not included our collection, leave a comment and we will try to add it to the package.

Our collection initially started with 99 shortcuts for Windows 7. However, over the years, we got to 139 shortcuts for Windows 7, 137 shortcuts for Windows 8.1 and 172 shortcuts for Windows 10. Inside the archive attached at the end of this article, you will find three folders: one named Windows 7, one named Windows 8.1 and one named Windows 10. Each of these folders contains the shortcuts designed for the corresponding operating system.



Shortcuts For Windows 7
In the Windows 7 folder you will find the following shortcuts:

Administration Tools - Computer Management, Computer, Control Panel, Disk Cleanup, Disk Defragmenter, Event Viewer, Indexing Options, Performance Information and Tools, Services, System Configuration, System Restore, Windows Easy Transfer, Windows Firewall with Advanced Security and Windows Memory Diagnostic.
Appearance and Personalization - Adjust screen resolution, Aero Transparency Off, Aero Transparency On, Change desktop background, Color Management, Desktop Icon Settings, Desktop Personalization, Display Settings, Folder Options, Fonts, Notification Area Icons, Screen Saver Settings and Taskbar and Start Menu.
Clock, Language, and Region - Date and Time and Region and Language.
Ease of Access - Ease of Access, Magnifier, Narrator, On-Screen Keyboard and Speech Recognition.
Hardware and Sound - Add a Device Wizard, AutoPlay, Device Manager, Devices and Printers, Keyboard, Location Settings, Mouse, Power Options and Sound.
Network and Internet - Advanced sharing settings, Homegroup, Internet Explorer InPrivate, Internet Explorer, Internet Options, Manage wireless networks, Network and Sharing Center, Network, View network connections.
Productivity Shortcuts - Clear the Clipboard, Recycle Bin, Shut Down Windows, Volume Mixer and Windows Mobility Center.
Programs - Add or remove programs, Calculator, Character Map, Command Prompt, Default Programs, Desktop Gadgets, Math Input Panel, Notepad, Paint, Private Character Editor, Remote Assistance, Remote Desktop Connection, Run, Snipping Tool, Sound Recorder, Sticky Notes, Sync Center, Task Manager (All Users), Task Scheduler, Windows DVD Maker, Windows Explorer, Windows Fax and Scan, Windows Media Center, Windows Media Player, Wordpad and XPS Viewer.
Shut Down Menu - Hibernate, Lock - Switch User, Log Off, Restart, Shut Down, Sleep and Stop Shut Down.
System and Security - Action Center, Administrative Tools, Backup and Restore
BitLocker Drive Encryption, Microsoft Security Essentials Scan, Microsoft Security Essentials Update, Microsoft Security Essentials, System Information, System Properties, Windows Anytime Upgrade, Windows Defender Scan, Windows Defender Update, Windows Defender, Windows Firewall - Disable, Windows Firewall - Enable, Windows Firewall and Windows Update.
Tablet PC - Personalize Handwriting Recognition, Tablet PC Input Panel and Windows Journal.
Troubleshooting - Aero Troubleshoot, Audio Playing Troubleshoot, Audio Recording Troubleshoot, DirectX Diagnostic Tool, Hardware & Devices Troubleshoot, HomeGroup Troubleshoot, Incoming Connections Troubleshoot, Internet Connections Troubleshoot, Internet Explorer Performance Troubleshoot, Internet Explorer Safety Troubleshoot, Network Adapter Troubleshoot, Performance Monitor, Performance Troubleshoot, Power Troubleshoot, Printing Troubleshoot, Resource Monitor, Shared Files & Folders Troubleshoot, System Maintenance Troubleshoot, Windows Media Player DVD Troubleshoot, Windows Media Player Library Troubleshoot, Windows Media Player Settings Troubleshoot and Windows Troubleshooting Tools.
User Accounts and Family Safety - Credential Manager, Parental Controls and User Accounts.
Windows PowerShell - Windows PowerShell (x86), Windows PowerShell ISE (x86), Windows PowerShell ISE and Windows PowerShell.


Shortcuts For Windows 8.1
Inside the Windows 8.1 folder you will find the following shortcuts:

Administration Tools - Computer Management, Computer, Control Panel, Disk Cleanup, Disk Defragmenter, Event Viewer, Indexing Options, Performance Information and Tools, Print Management, Services, System Configuration, System Restore, Windows Easy Transfer, Windows Firewall with Advanced Security and Windows Memory Diagnostic.
Appearance and Personalization - Adjust screen resolution, Change desktop background, Color Management, Desktop Icon Settings, Desktop Personalization, Display Settings, Folder Options, Fonts, Notification Area Icons, Screen Saver Settings and Taskbar Properties.
Clock, Language, and Region - Date and Time, Language and Region and Language.
Ease of Access - Ease of Access, Magnifier, Narrator, On-Screen Keyboard and Speech Recognition.
Hardware and Sound - Add a Device Wizard, AutoPlay, Device Manager, Devices and Printers, Keyboard, Location Settings, Mouse, Power Options and Sound.
Network and Internet - Advanced sharing settings, Homegroup, Internet Explorer InPrivate, Internet Explorer, Internet Options, Network and Sharing Center, Network and View network connections.
Productivity Shortcuts - Clear the Clipboard, PC_Settings, Recycle Bin, Show Start, Shut Down Windows, Volume Mixer and Windows Mobility Center.
Programs - Add or remove programs, Calculator, Character Map, Command Prompt, Default Programs, File Explorer, Math Input Panel, Notepad, Paint, Private Character Editor, Remote Assistance, Remote Desktop Connection, Run, Snipping Tool, Sound Recorder, Sticky Notes, Sync Center, Task Manager (All Users), Task Scheduler, Windows Fax and Scan, Windows Media Center, Windows Media Player, Wordpad and XPS Viewer.
Shut Down Menu - Hibernate, Lock - Switch User, Log Off, Restart, Shut Down, Sleep and Stop Shut Down.
System and Security - Action Center, Add features to Windows 8.1, Administrative Tools, Backup and Restore, BitLocker Drive Encryption, File History, Storage Spaces, System Information, System Properties, Windows Defender Scan, Windows Defender Update, Windows Defender, Windows Firewall - Disable, Windows Firewall - Enable, Windows Firewall and Windows Update.
Tablet PC - Personalize Handwriting Recognition, Tablet PC Input Panel and Windows Journal.
Troubleshooting - Aero Troubleshoot, Audio Playing Troubleshoot, Audio Recording Troubleshoot, DirectX Diagnostic Tool, Hardware & Devices Troubleshoot, HomeGroup Troubleshoot, Incoming Connections Troubleshoot, Internet Connections Troubleshoot, Internet Explorer Performance Troubleshoot, Internet Explorer Safety Troubleshoot, Network Adapter Troubleshoot, Performance Monitor, Performance Troubleshoot, Power Troubleshoot, Printing Troubleshoot, Resource Monitor, Shared Files & Folders Troubleshoot, System Maintenance Troubleshoot, Windows Media Player DVD Troubleshoot, Windows Media Player Library Troubleshoot, Windows Media Player Settings Troubleshoot and Windows Troubleshooting Tools.
User Accounts and Family Safety - Credential Manager, Family Safety and User Accounts.
Windows PowerShell - Windows PowerShell (x86), Windows PowerShell ISE (x86), Windows PowerShell ISE and Windows PowerShell.

Shortcuts For Windows 10
Inside the Windows 10 folder you will find the following shortcuts:

Administration Tools - Computer Management, Control Panel, Disk Cleanup, Disk Defragmenter, Event Viewer, Indexing Options, Memory Diagnostics Tool, Services, System Configuration, System Restore, System, This PC and Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.
Appearance and Personalization - ClearType Text Tuner, Color Management, Desktop background, Desktop Icon Settings, Display Color Calibration, Display Settings, File Explorer Options, Fonts, Notification Area Icons, Personalization, Project - Display Switch, Screen resolution, Screen Saver Settings and Taskbar and Start Menu Properties.
Clock, Language, and Region - Date and Time, Language, Region.
Ease of Access - Ease of Access Center, Magnifier, Narrator, On-Screen Keyboard and Speech Recognition.
Hardware and Sound - Add a Device Wizard, AutoPlay, Device Manager, Devices and Printers, Keyboard Properties, Mouse Properties, Power Options and Sound.
Network and Internet - Advanced sharing settings, Homegroup, Internet Explorer InPrivate, Internet Explorer, Internet Properties, Microsoft Edge, Network and Sharing Center, Network connections and Network.
Productivity Shortcuts - Clear the Clipboard, Recycle Bin, Settings, Show Desktop, Show Start, Shut Down Windows, Volume Mixer and Windows Mobility Center.
Programs - Calculator, Character Map, Command Prompt, Default Apps, Default Programs, Devices, File Explorer, Math Input Panel, Notepad, Paint, Private Character Editor, Programs and Features, Remote Desktop Connection, Run, Snipping Tool, Sticky Notes, Sync Center, Task Manager, Task Scheduler, Turn Windows Features On or Off, Windows Fax and Scan, Windows Media Player, Windows Remote Assistance, Wordpad and XPS Viewer.
Shut Down Menu - Hibernate, Lock - Switch User, Log Off, Reboot And Go To Advanced Startup Options Screen, Restart, Shut Down, Sleep, Slide To Shut Down and Stop Shut Down.
System and Security - About Windows, Administrative Tools, Backup and Restore, Device Encryption, File History, Manage Work Folders, Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, Optional Features, Recovery Media Creator, Security and Maintenance, SmartScreen Settings, Storage Spaces, System Information, System Properties, User Account Control Settings, Windows Defender Scan, Windows Defender Update, Windows Defender, Windows Firewall - Disable, Windows Firewall - Enable, Windows Firewall and Windows Update.
Tablet PC - Handwriting Recognition Personalization, Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel and Windows Journal.
Troubleshooting - Aero Troubleshoot, DirectX Diagnostic Tool, Hardware & Devices Troubleshoot, HomeGroup Troubleshoot, Incoming Connections Troubleshoot, Internet Connections Troubleshoot, Internet Explorer Performance Troubleshoot, Internet Explorer Safety Troubleshoot, Network Adapter Troubleshoot, Performance Monitor, Performance Troubleshoot, Playing Audio Troubleshoot, Power Troubleshoot, Printer Troubleshoot, Recording Audio Troubleshoot, Resource Monitor, Shared Folders Troubleshoot, Steps Recorder, System Maintenance Troubleshoot, Windows Media Player DVD Troubleshoot and Windows Media Player Library Troubleshoot, Windows Media Player Settings Troubleshoot and Windows Troubleshooting Tools.
Universal Apps - Alarms & Clock, Calculator, Calendar, Camera, Contact Support, Cortana, Get Started, Groove Music, Mail, Maps, Microsoft Edge, Movies & TV, People, Phone Companion, Photos, Settings, Store, Voice Recorder, Weather, Windows Feedback and Xbox.
User Accounts and Family Safety - Credential Manager, Family Safety, User Accounts (Hidden), User Accounts and Your Account.
Windows PowerShell - Windows PowerShell (x86), Windows PowerShell ISE (x86), Windows PowerShell ISE and Windows PowerShell.


A Few Closing Notes
These shortcuts work on any computer. Some of the tools though, are available only on certain Windows versions so their shortcuts won’t work if you have a version which doesn’t include them. The collection was made using Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8.1 Pro and Windows 10 Professional.

Please also note that:

The Windows Mobility Center shortcut will work only on mobile computers such as tablets, hybrids or laptops, and not on desktop PCs.
The shortcuts for Microsoft Security Essentials will work only if you have this security product installed. In Windows 8.1 and in Windows 10 this product cannot be installed. You will be able to use the built-in Windows Defender which is an upgraded version of Microsoft Security Essentials.
The Windows 7 folder includes shortcuts which do not work in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 and vice-versa. This is because of the different features included or excluded from each operating system.

Download Here:window_shortcuts
Extract and Enjoy:)

Windows 10 focused a lot on creating a better Desktop experience than ever before. We've got new features and options, like the support for multiple virtual Desktops, Cortana - a witty digital assistant, a new Start Menu and so on. While you can use a mouse or a touchscreen to navigate through Windows 10 and all its features, all the "user - computer" interaction can be faster and simpler, if you choose to also use the keyboard shortcuts available for this operating system. In this article, our goal is to present you some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts from Windows 10. We won't include each and every available keyboard shortcut - we'll only share the ones we consider both easy to remember and useful from a productivity perspective. Let's get started:

Shortcut Keys For The Desktop

The Desktop is surely the most used user interface part, so any keyboard shortcut that helps you do stuff faster on it, is surely a good thing. So here are some of the most useful Desktop keyboard shortcuts in Windows 10:




Windows - Opens and closes the Start Menu.

Windows + A - Opens the Action Center.

Windows + D - Switches between Show Desktop and the initial state your Desktop was in. To say it in other words: it hides or shows any applications and windows from your Desktop.

Windows + E - Launches File Explorer.

Windows + I - Open the Settings app.

Windows + K - Opens the Connect pane, from which you can initiate connections to wireless displays and audio devices.

Windows + L - Locks your Windows 10 computer or device and takes you to the Lock screen.

Windows + M - Minimizes all the open windows from your Desktop.

Windows + O - Locks the display orientation of your Windows 10 device. This is useful when you want your Windows 10 tablet or hybrid to stay in Portrait or Landscape mode, even if you re-orientate it.

Windows + P - Opens the Project pane and allows you to search and connect to external displays and projectors.

Windows + R - Launches the Run window.

Windows + X - Opens the advanced menu from the lower-left corner of the screen. It's also known as the WinX menu or the power user's Start Menu.

Windows + Print Screen - Takes a picture of your screen and automatically saves it in your Screenshots folder. By default, it's located in This PC -> Pictures -> Screenshots.

Windows + , - Gives you a peek at the Desktop.

Windows + Spacebar - Switches between available input languages and keyboard layouts.

Shortcut Keys For Working With Cortana

Cortana is one of the best new features from Windows 10. She's very easy to find on your taskbar, and it's even faster to simply call her by saying "Hey Cortana!". However, there are people out there that would surely like to use the keyboard to start interacting with her:





Windows + S - Launches Cortana and you can start using her right away.

Windows + C - Launches Cortana into listening mode, so you can begin to speak to Cortana immediately.

Shortcut Keys For Switching Between Apps In Windows 10

When you find yourself working with lots of apps at the same time, having the ability to quickly switch between them without having to move away from your keyboard can be quite useful:



Alt + Tab - Repeatedly pressing the Tab key while holding Alt pressed cycles through open windows and apps. Release the Tab key on the window or app that you want to open.

Ctrl + Alt + Tab - Displays the list of open windows and apps and keeps the list on screen even after you release the keys. You can then navigate through open windows and apps using the arrow keys.

Windows + Tab - Opens Task view, from where you can switch between open windows or virtual Desktops.

Shortcut Keys For Managing App Windows

In addition to switching between apps, managing multiple windows found simultaneously on your screen can also be faster if you can do it exclusively from your keyboard:



Windows + Left Arrow - Snaps the active window to the left half of your screen.

Windows + Right Arrow - Snaps the active window to the right half of your screen.

Windows + Up Arrow - Maximizes the active window both vertically and horizontally.

Windows + Down Arrow - Restores your active window to its initial state, or minimizes it.

Windows + Shift + Up Arrow - Maximizes the active window vertically, maintaining its width.

Windows + Shift + Down Arrow - Restores or minimizes your active window vertically, maintaining its width.

Windows + Home - Minimizes all inactive windows and restores them all if you use the key combination again.

Windows + Shift + Left Arrow - If you have multiple monitors, moves the active window to the monitor on the left.

Windows + Shift + Right Arrow - If you have multiple monitors, moves the active window to the monitor on the right.

Alt + Space - Launches the title bar menu of the current window. You can also access this menu by right clicking the title bar of the current window. The menu generally includes options to resize the window and other application specific options.

F11 - Enables or disables the full screen view of the active window. It works only for the applications that support this feature, like File Explorer and most of the web browsers.

Windows + Ctrl + D - Creates a new virtual Desktop.

Windows + Ctrl + Left Arrow - Switches to the previous virtual Desktop.

Windows + Ctrl + Right Arrow - Switches to the next virtual Desktop.

Windows + Ctrl + F4 - Closes the current virtual Desktop.

Shortcut Keys For The Taskbar In Windows 10

The taskbar is one of the definitory parts of the Windows operating systems. Being able to quickly jump or access apps pinned to it is definitely useful:
Windows + 1, Windows +2, etc. - Launch the first, second, third... application pinned to the taskbar, and so on. For instance, Windows + 1 launches whichever application is first in the list, numbered from left to right.

Windows + T - Highlights the first application in the taskbar. You can use the arrow keys to cycle through the taskbar applications. The applications that are running also display a thumbnail above their icon when you select them.

Windows + B - If the Notification Area Icons are set to "Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar", this keyboard shortcut highlights the first application in the system tray. You can use the arrow keys to cycle through all the applications found in the system tray. If the "Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar" is disabled, this keyboard shortcut highlights the "Show hidden icons" arrow. You can then press Enter to display the hidden icons or use the arrow keys to cycle through the applications found in the system tray.

Shift + click on a taskbar application - Launches a new instance of the selected application. It works only for applications which support running in multiple instances, like Microsoft Office or Internet browsers.

Ctrl + Shift + click on a taskbar application - Launches a new instance of the selected application with administrator rights. It works only for applications which support running in multiple instances, like Microsoft Office or Internet browsers.

Shift + right click on a taskbar application - Launches the contextual menu for that application instead of the list with recent items or pinned tasks or folders.

Shortcut Keys For Accessibility Options In Windows 10

If you are need to quickly and easily launch Accessibility options from Windows 10, here are a few keyboard shortcuts you can use:

Windows + U - Launches the Ease of Access Center.

Windows + Enter - Launches Narrator.

Windows + + - Launches Magnifier and zooms in.

Windows + - - If Magnifier is opened, it zooms out.

Windows + Escape - Closes Magnifier



HAPPY WINDOW10ing:)

We would like for Microsoft to release a Windows version that allows users to password protect specific folders that contain sensitive data. Until that happens, if you want to do this, you have to use third-party software made by other companies. Even though there are plenty of programs to choose from, most of them are very annoying. We made an extensive research and tested more than 20 programs of this type. In this article we would like to recommend the best five tools for the job.

LocK-A-FoLdeR - Free

LocK-A-FoLdeR is the perfect solution for absolute beginners. It uses only a single master password and it has a very minimal user interface. Also, it doesn't offer any settings that you can fiddle with.



After you have selected the folders that you want to protect, all you have to do is close the application.
Instead of using encryption, this program simply hides the folders from any user who might try to access them. To restore access to your protected folders you will have to reopen the program and use the unlock button.

A very good thing about LocK-A-FoLdeR is the fact that it doesn't need any services to run in order to keep your folders private. It is both easy to use and free.

Download link:Lock-a-Folder


Folder Guard - Commercial

This is one of the best programs we have tested in this roundup. It has a lot of features and all of them work well. You can protect files and folders using individual passwords or you can choose to simply lock and hide them. The interface looks good, it is well structured and easy to use. You can drag and drop the folders that you want to protect or you can use the tree view to select them. A really nice feature is that it allows you to create filters for different kinds of files so that they will be automatically protected. Also, you can choose to selectively assign access permissions for the user accounts that are registered on your computer.





THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF SOFTWARE OUT THERE KEEP EXPLORING...

With the release of the Windows 10 operating system, the Microsoft Edge browser was released on the market. It's not yet a finished software product as Microsoft still has new features in development for it but it is a working product and it delivers at least the basics required for browsing the web. Some people consider the initial release of Microsoft Edge to be quite promising while others consider it underwhelming. After using it for the last couple of weeks, we would like to share with you the things that we believe make Microsoft Edge a better browser than others. Here they are:

1. The Fastest Browser In Some Benchmarks

In terms of raw performance Microsoft Edge in very impressive. According to the JetStream 1.1 benchmark, Microsoft Edge is the fastest browser on the market. We ran this test on each popular browser on a Windows 10 device and in the chart below you can see the results we obtained:



In this test, bigger scores are better and, as you can see, the Microsoft Edge browser is 9% faster than Mozilla Firefox, which is the second in this test.

2. Reading View

Using the Reading View feature you can read your favorite web pages more easily. This tool removes all buttons, annoying ads and background images, and changes the page's text size, contrast and layout for better readability. You can enable this mode by clicking or tapping the book icon located next to address bar of the browser.




3. Make A Web Note

Microsoft Edge is the only browser on the market that allows you to annotate the web pages without installing other third-party applications.You can highlight a specific text, you can add a typed note, and you can also crop a web page and save it as a picture.



If you want to use this tool powered by OneNote just press the Make a Web Note button from the right top corner of the screen.




4. The Share Feature

Another thing that is found only on this browser is the Share button. If you press it you will be able to share the link of the page you are on. Unfortunately, you can share the web pages only on the social networks (like Facebook or Twitter) whose applications you have installed on your Windows device. Also, you can use this feature to share web pages via e-mail or OneNote. If you want to use this feature press the Share button in the top right corner of the screen.


5. The Favorites, Reading List, Downloads And History Are All In The Same Panel

Compared to other popular browsers, in Microsoft Edge the Favorites, Reading List, History and Downloads tabs are contained in the same panel. This thing might not be very important, but it is very useful when you need to navigate through them and we feel that it makes navigation easier.





6. Integration With Cortana

Microsoft Edge is the only browser that has an integrated virtual personal assistant. Her name is Cortana. She will help you to do things faster and easier, like helping you make reservations and providing instant directions to a restaurant. All you have to do is to press Cortana's logo on the address bar and a pop-up panel containing the data will be displayed on the right side.





Conclusion

These are the six things that make Microsoft Edge a better browser than others. We are not saying that Edge is the best browser on the market, we just highlighted the most useful features it provides. If you know other great features that we haven't mentioned please share them with us.

If you've used Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 for a while, you might have noticed that the "old ways" of booting into Safe Mode no longer work. By that, we mean trying things like pressing the F8 or Shift + F8 keys on your keyboard while booting. These methods stopped working in normal cases because the boot procedure became faster than ever before. The same is true when we're talking about Windows 10. Such actions don't work. But that doesn't mean Windows 10 has no Safe Mode. It's just that to get to it, you have to follow other procedures. Let's take a closer look and see how you can get into Safe Mode in Windows 10.

Safe Mode In Windows 10

Safe Mode in Windows 10 is very similar with what we've seen in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1.






Windows 10 loads a minimal interface, with only the essential services and drivers needed for it to function.

1. Use The System Configuration Tool (msconfig.exe)

One of the easiest methods to boot into Safe Mode in Windows 10 is to use the System Configuration tool. Many users know this tool by its executable name: msconfig.exe.

The fastest way to launch System Configuration in Windows 10 is to use the Run window. To do that, simultaneously press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard. Then, write msconfig in the text field and press Enter or OK.





Another way of opening the System Configuration Tool is to use Cortana. In Cortana's search field, enter the words "system configuration". Then click or tap on the System Configuration Tool app.





Switch to the Boot tab and, in the Boot options section, select the Safe boot option. Then, click or tap on OK.




Windows 10 will tell you that you need to reboot your device in order for the new setting to take effect. If you still have work to do, you can select to "Exit without restart". If not, you can restart now and your device will automatically boot into Safe Mode.





2. Use the Shift + Restart combination

Another way of getting into Safe Mode in Windows 10 is to use the Shift + Restart combination. Open the Start menu and click or tap on the Power button.



Then, while keeping the Shift key pressed, click or tap on Restart.


Note that you can also use the Shift + Restart combination from the Sign In screen.


Then, Windows 10 will reboot and ask you to select an option. Choose Troubleshoot.



On the Advanced options screen, choose Startup Settings.





Windows 10 notifies you that you can restart your device in order to change advanced boot options, including enabling Safe Mode. Press Restart.




After Windows 10 reboots, you can choose which boot options you want enabled. To get into Safe Mode, you have three different options. To enable Safe Mode press the F4 key on your keyboard, to enable Safe Mode with Networking press F5 and to enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt press F6.




NOTE: These methods works for all windows
ENJOY:)

Following an apparent leak of Cortana for the Android platform, Microsoft released comment indicating that it is in fact testing its digital assistant for the Google platform, and will cut it live in short order.

The full quote is as follows:

In the spirit of the Windows Insider Program, we’re testing the Cortana for Android beta with a limited number of users in the U.S. and China before releasing the beta publicly in the next few weeks.

So all that cross-platform talk wasn’t a charade. Expect Cortana to land on Android and, later, iOS.

Cortana is a key component of Windows 10, competing head-to-head with Google’s Now service, and Apple’s Siri tool. Each works to accept voice input from users, converting it into actions, reminders, searches and the like. All three are nascent, but promising. In the ever-glorious platform wars, we’ve broached another front.

Microsoft’s comment that the code will drop inside the next month is notable, as that is roughly in keeping with the launch date of Windows 10 itself, where Cortana has most recently found a new home; the software firm has worked to integrate Cortana across its various Windows brand endpoints.

It will be controversial among the Windows faithful that something built originally for them will find beachhead on rival platforms — if you share all that is unique, are you still a special butterfly? But as we’ve argued at TechCrunch recently, Microsoft is pursuing a two-prong mobile strategy, including endless work to build out its own mobile platform, while also ensuring that it finds home via apps on the two other key on-the-go operating systems.

So, Cortana for Android. Not surprising, but still interesting.

Microsoft intends to update its software. That it said it would update. That it said it would update on a continuous basis. Because it’s trying to build and release Windows 10 as a service. So it’s going to push new code.

LOSE YOUR SHIT.

Kidding. But really, I’m slightly confused. I had to spend the morning on trains to meet an unelected political official, so I’m late to this, but I couldn’t make the following up if I tried:






New terms in Windows 10, as the aforelinked post notes, include the following:

The Software periodically checks for system and app updates, and downloads and installs them for you.

You may obtain updates only from Microsoft or authorised sources, and Microsoft may need to update your system to provide you with those updates.

By accepting this agreement, you agree to receive these types of automatic updates without any additional notice.

This should surprise absolutely no one. Microsoft cannot push updates to enterprise-level customers, as they are tetchy bastards who wish Windows XP still worked. Microsoft can and will push updates to consumers to ensure that their operating system is secure, and full of the latest doodads that it hopes will grow the userbase of its services.

When the company dropped the most recent build of Windows 10, it said the following:

This is going to be an exciting couple of weeks, but it is also only the beginning.Windows as a service means that we’ll continue to keep Windows up to date with improvements and features, and our Windows Insider Program will continue so you can get early builds and share your feedback with us.

So, there’s that.

And I don’t think that we have to be too worried about Big Windows taking down our PCs with updates, since we’ve seen how the company has comported itself thus far in the Windows 10 saga. Have the new versions of Windows 10 been horrific debacles, fraught with bugs and generally lessening code quality?

Not really. Keep in mind that this is not iTunes that we are talking about.

Beefed up and slimmed down, the new 1TB PlayStation 4 Ultimate Player Edition (UPE) is scheduled to arrive in Japan before this month concludes and then launch in the UK in the middle of July, Sony announced on Sunday.

The revised console, bearing twice the storage capacity of its predecessor, will arrive in the U.S. somewhere inside of the two weeks that follow its July 15 launch in the UK.

Along with doubling the storage capacity of the original PlayStation 4, the Ultimate Player Edition of the console is about 10 percent lighter and consumes about 8 percent less power.


Costs and Cuts

The lighter, roomier PlayStation 4 UPE, with its sleeker chassis, serves as Sony's answer to the 1TB edition of Microsoft's 2015 model year Xbox console, which rolled out earlier this month. With the launch of the 1TB version of its latest console, Microsoft slashed the MSRP of the original Xbox One to US$349.

Sony hasn't offered any pricing details for the original or UPE PlayStation 4, deferring to local retailers, which affects the "competitive situation with Xbox one," according to George T. Chronis, director of Qualitative Analysis at DFC Intelligence.
"At face value, double the storage is very welcome as more console consumers embrace digital title purchases," he told TechNewsWorld.

Price cuts and game bundles typically have been the leading competitive strategies for Microsoft's XBox One.

"If both consoles are priced the same, will consumers choose the Xbox One instead? That has not been the case so far," Chronis said. " Halo 5 is the kind of title that can add significant value to the Xbox One -- but is that enough?

Anything You Can Do...

The Ultimate Player Edition of the PlayStation 4 effectively levels the playing field between the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, noted Matt Woodley, a partner at Tenshi Partners.

"We don't know the commercial details yet, so this can only be seen as positive move," he told TechNewsWorld.

It's always nice to see refined versions of consoles, with minor improvements and sleeker form factors. The purchase of either console, however, will be based on price, content, brand loyalty, user experience and functionality, said Woodley.

The "important thing is that the functionality is proven to work for gamers and developers, so there is no need to change other aspects right now," he pointed out. "The memory is enough. It is keeping the console fresh and cutting-edge."

Future War

When the Ultimate Player Edition of the PlayStation 4 begins to roll out, some of the original early adopters of Sony's eighth-generation console likely will begin listing their older hardware on eBay, said Woodley -- and that's just another segment in a loop that looks like it will continue to spin forward towards the end of this console cycle.

"The 1TB console will, though, likely become the standard size within a year -- so don't be surprised if we see a 2TB one this time next year," Woodley added. "Expect this machine to be the one pushed to the mass market this holiday season with promotional callouts to the benefits of the space for movies -- as well, of course, as for games."

BlackBerry could be considering equipping an upcoming smartphone with Google's Android operating system, Reuters reported last week. The move would be consistent with BlackBerry's strategy to focus on software and device management instead of handsets.

Such a pivot would take the company away from its current strategy to regain lost market share with a new generation of BlackBerry smartphones. The launch of BlackBerry 10 devices failed to reverse the tide for the once-dominant smartphone maker, whose market share has fallen to just 1 percent.

BlackBerry has not publicly responded to the rumor, except to say that it remains committed to the BlackBerry 10 operating system, which it touted for its security and productivity benefits.

At the Mobile World Congress held earlier this year in Barcelona, BlackBerry unveiled a slider device to be released later this year. The Leap combines a touchscreen with a physical keyboard, which could appeal to some BlackBerry faithful.

However, if this device should be the rumored Android handset, it could be aimed at a broader category of users who prefer a physical keyboard in the touchscreen-dominated Android market.

BES 12 to Save the Day?

BlackBerry previously pegged its hopes on the BlackBerry 10 operating system introduced in early 2013. Although it was well received by reviewers, the devices running the operating system haven't fared well against Android and iOS devices.

It now appears that BlackBerry CEO John Chen is gambling on the new device management system, BES12, to brighten the company's future. It allows corporate and government clients to manage not only BlackBerry devices on internal networks, but also devices running Android, iOS and Microsoft's Windows Phone OS.

By going one step further and introducing a device that runs on Android, BlackBerry could be aiming to prove that BES12 can manage smartphones and tablets powered by rival operating systems while providing greater security.

"This could open the door for more devices that run BES12, and at the same this could allow users to get Android apps on a BlackBerry device," said Ramon Llamas, research manager for wearables and mobile phones at IDC.

"BlackBerry 10 will still have its core users," he told the E-Commerce Times, but "this also shows that the focus for BlackBerry is on software."

That is apparent by the number of recent acquisitions the company has made in the past year, Llamas added.

"Their devices aren't falling by the wayside, and hardware isn't something that BlackBerry is de-emphasizing, but it is clear that software is going to be a bigger part of the company's business," he suggested.

"While BlackBerry 10 is an excellent operating system, it simply does not have the scale and developer support to succeed in the global market against iOS and Android," said Daniel Gleeson, senior analyst for mobile devices and networks at IHS.

"BlackBerry is a fraction of the size of Google or Apple, and the costs of maintaining the BlackBerry 10 software weigh heavily on the company's bottom line," he told the E-Commerce Times. "If BlackBerry does manage to transition 'the BlackBerry experience' to an Android phone successfully, it is high likely it will cease development of BlackBerry 10."

The Move to Android

By moving to Android, BlackBerry might regain some handset business -- but it is unlikely that it could recapture anywhere near the market share it had even five years ago.

Instead, "BlackBerry is clearly now on track to become an enterprise software and services company first, with its devices playing a minor role," observed Gleeson.

"A move to Android is too late to save BlackBerry's mass market ambitions," he noted. "BlackBerry had built a strong position in several emerging markets on the back of its messaging service BBM, but the advent of WhatsApp and other messaging apps removed its key selling point."

Too Many Operating Systems

History also has suggested that mobile phone makers who have tried to develop for multiple operating systems tend to increase their woes.

"I'm very wary of any company that tries a multiple OS strategy," said Llamas.

"This just means there are more resources to manage, and security is another is another issue," he added. "Past attempts have shown that multiple OS is not the way to go. Palm tried with Palm, Windows and webOS; Nokia had Symbian and Windows -- and it didn't help either company. So Android may not be the solution for BlackBerry."

Apple on Thursday released to consumers a preview of the latest versions of its mobile and desktop operating systems -- iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan -- which contain a number of new features, including a revamped two-factor authentication scheme.

The latest release of iOS also contains two new smart folders. One automatically collects any photos captured with the front-facing camera in an iOS device -- which typically is used for selfies -- and the other aggregates any images used for screen shots.

Other new features in beta three of iOS 9:

a setting to enhance the quality of streaming over cellular networks;
display of Siri search results with a down swipe;
display of more apps per folder on an iPad; and
the debut of a News app. When the app is launched, you can select a number of content sources. News from those sources will be displayed on a News Screen.
"Apple is not only expanding functionality in iOS, but also adding significant capabilities," said Brian Blau, a research director at Gartner.

"While these preview features are't final," he told TechNewsWorld, "it's good to see that Apple continues to advance their platform to give users more robust access to content, such as with improved streaming quality, and security through two-factor authentication."

Apple Polishes Security

Two-factor authentication typically requires the user to acquire a code either by text message, phone call or email when trying to log into an account from a new device.

Apple's new authentication method will be an improvement over it's existing two-factor verification method, which is less than elegant. With the new system, an Apple ID won't be sufficient to log on to an Apple service from a new device or browser. Users also will need to authenticate their identity with a password and six-digit verification code.









For those who have an Apple device that's already been verified and is running the latest versions of Apple's operating systems, the code automatically will be displayed on that screen. If an Apple device isn't close by, the user can receive the code through a text message or phone call.



After a device has been authenticated, the user won't need an authentication code again unless the device data is wiped, passwords are changed, or the device is removed from the user's approved device list.

A browser can be treated like a device; once a browser is authorized to access an account, the user won't need to obtain a code for subsequent log-ins.

Unlike Apple's existing authentication system, the new one is built into iOS 9 and El Capitan. That allowed Apple to streamline the process and perhaps entice more people to use the security measure.

The new system also gets rid of the 14-character code deployed by the existing scheme, which was difficult to remember for most users, but did come in handy if a password was forgotten and access to an account needed to be regained.

Surprises to Come?

New features for the iPad show that while many tablet makers have embraced the idea of slates as primarily content consumption devices, Apple continues to press the idea that its tablets are content-creation machines.

Features such as multitasking and split-screen view on an iPad Air 2 are all "developments that relate to the use of the iPad as a full-featured computing device," noted Charles Golvin, chief analyst at Abelian Research.

"As is often the case with Apple, many of the features they introduce as 'new' are, in actuality, closing or overcoming gaps between Apple's and competitors's current products," he added.

"In these releases, I would point to the natural language search in Spotlight, the proactivity that Google Now introduced, and the long-missing transit option in Maps that Nokia Here premiered several years ago," Golvin told TechNewsWorld.

"Still missing from Maps," he said, "is the cycling option that Google has offered for some time."

Whenever Apple releases a new beta of its operating systems, the code often is scrutinized for clues to features in future hardware products.

"That can delude people into thinking what's in the release is all that Apple has," said IHS Senior Director Ian Fogg.

"If the new hardware needs new software support, we won't learn about that until a new iPhone model is unveiled," he told TechNewsWorld.

"You have to be very careful when you look at these beaters," he added, "because they don't tell you everything that may be coming. I suspect that there will be software changes that we won't see for the first time until the next iPhone is out there."

SOURCE: TECHNEWSWORLD

Uninstalling Google's Photos app doesn't turn off backup sync, meaning photos taken with Android devices could be saved to the company's cloud storage, even if the user doesn't intend to store them there, Google acknowledged on Tuesday.

The issue came to light last week, when a BizJournals editor reported finding hundreds of family photos he had deleted from his phone stored in Google Photos -- even though he had uninstalled the Google Photos app.

"Some users have uninstalled the Photos app on Android without realizing backup as an Android service is still enabled," Google said in a statement provided to TechNewsWorld by spokesperson Katie Watson. "This is something we are committed to resolving. We are working to make the messaging clearer as well as provide users who uninstall the Photos app an easy way to also disable backup."

Right now, users wanting to shut off backup sync will have to do so manually. To shut down the pipeline between an Android phone and a Google cloud account, users will have to select the Google Photos option from the Google Settings menu and then toggle the "Backup" slider to the "Off" position.
The wide open back door leading from Android to Google Cloud was discovered by David Arnott, an assistant news editor at BizJournals.

Arnott had been was mulling replacements for the Flickr app, so he gave Google's Photos app a try for a few days. He then removed the app, but backup sync just kept on syncing and sharing without his knowledge.

More than a month later, he decided to check out Google Photos one more time and reinstalled the app. Arnott was stunned to find that hundreds of photos he'd taken of family members during the interim had been uploaded and sorted via the company's facial recognition tech.

While no one other than Arnott had access to the cloud-stored images, he was angry that Google had access to the pictures and potentially could use them in its data mining efforts. He found a response from a Google spokesperson disheartening, to say the least.

The backup worked as intended, Arnott was told.

Evil or Nah?

This issue with backup sync seems, at worst, little more than improper communication on the part of Google, said Daniel Castro, a vice president at the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation.

"This seems fairly innocuous," he told TechNewsWorld. "Google said it is going to improve its messaging to users to clear up this confusion, so it seems reasonable to take it at its word that this was just a miscommunication."

Google may be ahead of its time on myriad innovations, and its desire to track the footsteps of users online and offline has led many to mistrust the company.

Fears over Google's backup sync and the features shutoff valve may be an extension of anxieties associated with prompts requesting GPS location data or the sharing of search history to improve the experience of this app or that one.

Those worries are valid, but so is the tech, Castro observed. "I suspect there is at least one user out there who would be happy to discover photos on a lost or stolen phone are still safely backed up."

Source: TECHNEWSWORLD

Nigeria have moved up two places in the latest
FIFA ranking released on Thursday.
The Super Eagles are now 43rd in the world,
gaining 22 points in the month under review to
be on 681 points.
The new position puts the 2013 Africa Cup of
Nations winners as seventh-best in Africa
behind Algeria (21st), reigning African
champions Ivory Coast (24th), Tunisia (29th),
Ghana (34th), Senegal (36th) and Cape Verde
Islands (38th).
Guinea (45th), Congo (47th) and Cameroon
(49th) complete the CAF top 10.
Chad, who will be facing Nigeria in the
qualifiers for the 2017 AFCON, are ranked
172nd after moving downward by 20 places
from last month’s ranking.
The other teams in Nigeria’s AFCON qualifying
group, Tanzania and Egypt, also lost points and
slid down the rankings.
The East Africans recently posted poor
performances at the COSAFA Cup.
Tanzania are joint 127th in the world with
Vietnam, down 20 places and with 89 points
fewer on 215.
Egypt, who are re-building after a disastrous
few years, are 55th in the world with 596
points, down four places with 13 fewer points
than they had last month.
Tanzania’s Taifa Stars are 38th in Africa, Egypt’s
Pharaohs 13th, and Chad 46th on the
continent.
World champions Germany remain number 1,
but Belgium overtook Argentina to move into
second place, their highest-ever position since
the launch of the world ranking. France also
return to the top ten in ninth place at the
expense of Switzerland (11th, down 2).
Source :

 www.punchng.com/sports/nigeria-move-up-fifa-ranking/ 

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Thursday made
a slight adjustment to its naira-dollar exchange
rate peg, data on its website showed.
The bank adjusted the rate at which it sold the
United States dollar from N197 to N196.95,
Reuters reports.
Prior to Thursday’s action, the rate had been
oscillating between N197 and N199 for a few
months.
Economic and financial analysts said the action
might indicate that the CBN was beginning to
think about how to loosen its currency regime.
They noted that the change was too small to be
called a revaluation, particularly in the face of
dwindling foreign reserves.
The naira had traded on thin volumes at 198.95
to the dollar on the interbank market on
Thursday, before two large sales totalling
$36.4m were done at N196.95 towards the
close of the forex market, foreign exchange
dealers said.
The dealers attributed the sale to the central
bank. The naira is trading between 215 and 218
against the dollar at the parallel market.
An economist said the move might suggest that
the bank was testing out the market to see
whether it was ready for a looser currency
regime.
“Small changes in the rate could possibly allow
the central bank to gauge the changes in
demand and supply dynamics, which will inform
decisions on when and how best to start lifting
forex restrictions,” an analyst at South Africa’s
NKC Independent Economists, Cobus de Hart,
said.
The CBN, however, described Thursday’s rate
movement as a simple reflection of the state of
dollar supply in the market.
“We are not fixing rates. The present rate is a
reflection of the level of dollar supply in the
market,” the CBN spokesman, Ibrahim Muazu,
told Reuters .
Head, Investment and Research, Afrinvest West
Africa Limited, an investment research and
advisory firm, Mr. Ayodeji Ebo, said the CBN’s
action might be linked to the relatively reduced
pressure on the external reserves.
“It is a rate adjustment but it is too small to be
called a revaluation. The adjustment is too
small to cause any pressure on the naira. The
CBN feels the action will not affect its defence
of the naira,” he said.
A currency strategist, who spoke on condition
of anonymity, said the adjustment was too
small to cause any change in the market.
“It is just about five kobo difference. That is not
much. Nothing has changed in the market
really,” the analyst said.
Another economist, however, said the move
would hurt the country’s precarious forex
reserves position.
“By lowering the central bank rate offered to
banks albeit very moderately, the central bank
is adding to pressures on forex reserves …
equivalent to around 4.9 months of imports,”
the Head of Research at Ecobank, Angus
Downie, said.
The nation’s external reserves had fallen to
$29.4bn as of June 2, down 20.1 per cent from
a year ago as the central bank burns cash to
defend the local currency.
The naira has lost 8.5 per cent of its value since
the start of the year after sharp falls in the
price of oil. That forced the central bank into a
de facto devaluation and fixing of the exchange
rate in February in order to protect its
dwindling foreign reserves.
The regulator also banned commercial lenders
from re-selling central bank dollars among
themselves, which was an attempt to curb
speculation on the naira.
Source:  www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/cbn-slightly-adjusts-naira-dollar-foreign-exchange-rate/ 

Former Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa

FOURTEEN opposition parties under the aegis of
Credible Alternative Alliance on Thursday in
Abuja said it was “too early” for the
administration of President Muhammadu Buhari
to be relying on foreign countries for support
and direction on certain policy issues pertaining
to governance.
The CAA, which also includes 13 civil society
organisations, restated their resolve to provide
a credible opposition to the All Progressives
Congress.
Congregrating under the CAA are the Social
Democratic Party, Peoples Redemption Party,
Fresh Democratic Party, Nigeria Advance Party,
People’s Salvation Party, Change Advocacy
Party, United National Party for Development,
Peoples Progressive Party and the Action Party
of Nigeria.
A former governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji
Balarabe Musa; elder statesman, Dr. Tunji
Braitwaite and former Minister of Finance, Chief
Olu Falae, who spoke at a press briefing by the
National Coordinator CAA, Dr. Damian
Ogbonna, on Thursday, said Buhari’s
administration’s “ability and readiness to
meaningfully govern Nigeria remain in doubt.”
The elder statesmen said, “We note that APC
appears to want to cultivate and rely too much
on the support of foreign governments. This is
not good for the sovereignty of our nation. CAA
calls upon APC to rely less on foreign support.
The party should do more to cultivate domestic
support and more so from political parties in
the country. You cannot govern effectively
when you do so alone; it is not sustainable.
“In conclusion, we wish the new administration
well. However, its ability and readiness to
meaningfully govern Nigeria remain in doubt.
We pray, wait and hope for clarity in the days
to come.
“Both the President and other leaders of APC
have been in government for decades to
warrant knowing exactly what they want to do
and how they want to do it. Even those of us
here at CAA with less than a year into our
formation do have bold and visionary plan upon
which we predicate our drive to govern
Nigeria.”
According to them, when people lay claim to
the ability to solve problems, it is taken for
granted that they have diagnosed the problem
and have ready solutions “otherwise, it
amounts to a claim in deception and an
exercise in futility.”
The CAA, according to its promoters, is formed
to defend and advance progressive, democratic
and patriotic entities and ideals in Nigeria
“against reactionary tendencies of a rudderless
and immensely corrupt governing system.”
Ogbonna said that after a careful review of the
inaugural speech of Buhari and the current
state of the nation, the CAA found the speech
“embarrassingly tall on promises but
depressingly short on vision and boldness.”
He said, “We searched for a silver lining in the
speech laying out a new framework for the
emergence of the new Nigeria of our dreams,
and found none. There is no qualitative
difference between the 2015 Presidential
Inauguration speech and the inaugural
speeches of past presidents.
“The President talked about enormous
challenges; insecurity, pervasive corruption, fuel
and power shortages and so on, but in no
paragraph of his speech did he lay out new
initiatives, new directions, new structures, new
federation, new constitution or even new sets
of legislation to tackle these enormous
challenges.”

Source : punch

Hearing in the case of the N8bn currency scam,
involving six Central Bank of Nigeria officials and
other bankers, continued at the Federal High
Court, Ibadan, on Wednesday as the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission alleged that
one of the accused persons, Mr. Ayodeji Alase of
First Bank, had property worth hundreds of
millions of naira.
It was alleged that Alase, a primary six
certificate holder, had a duplex at Oluyole Estate
in Ibadan, a shopping complex in the city, a
warehouse at Podo area of the city, a fenced
plot at Dugbe, a block of four flats at Apeye, two
plots of land and five-bedroom flat in other
parts of the Oyo State capital.
He was alleged to have a credit balance of
N132m in one of his bank accounts.
The commission also alleged that Alase
possessed a block of five-bedroom flat at Apete,
Ibadan and a supermarket at New Garage,
Apata area of Ibadan.
Other accused persons, including Olaniran
Adeola, Ayodele Adeyemi, Isiaq Akano and
others were also said to own property in South
Africa, filling stations, cement shops, schools,
supermarkets, exotic cars and buildings in
several locations in Nigeria.
A woman, Mrs. Afolabi Olunike, was alleged to
be an owner of a duplex, several plots of land, a
storey building and another three acres of land.
Earlier, during the hearing, Alase had delayed
proceedings of the court when he claimed not to
understand English Language when charges
were read to him.
Lead prosecution for EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacob
(SAN), faulted his claim, alleging that although
Alase was employed as a guard, he rose to
become a cash assistant in First Bank Plc.
Justice A.O. Faaji later ruled that an interpreter
should be provided to ease communication
between the court and the accused.
On Wednesday, cases were heard before Justice
Faaji in batches with the first set of accused
persons arraigned on 28 counts
They are Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Adeola,
Toogun Phillip, Ayodele Adeyemi, Isiaq Akano,
Oyebamiji Akeem, Alase, Ajiwe Adegoke and
Idowu Oguntade, who is still at large.
Three officials of the CBN were among the
accused, while others were from Wema Bank Plc
and First Bank Plc.
Prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi (SAN), told the
court that the accused persons were charged
with 28 counts, which included forgery of
documents, conspiracy and stealing.
According to the charge sheet, the accused
persons were charged with intent to defraud
and conspiracy to commit an offense punishable
under the Nigerian law.
They all pleaded not guilty to all the allegations.
Efforts of counsel for the accused persons to
secure bail for them through oral application,
failed as Justice Faaji ruled that they should be
remanded in prisons pending further hearing.
The case was adjourned till June 8, 2015 for
hearing of the bail applications.
 source : punch 

Former President Goodluck Jonathan; his deputy,
Namadi Sambo; immediate past ministers and
presidential aides as well as non-returning
federal lawmakers will wait till next year before
collecting their severance allowances,
investigation by The PUNCH has shown.
Their severance allowances as contained in the
remuneration package put together by the
Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal
Commission is valued at about N3.24bn.
Sources at the Ministry of Finance in Abuja
confided in our correspondent on Thursday that
the allowances of the political office holders that
left office last weekend were not captured in
this year’s budget.
The 2015 budget, which was passed by the
National Assembly and signed by Jonathan on
April 28, makes a provision of N2.3bn for
“entitlements of former Presidents/Heads of
state and Vice Presidents/Chiefs of General
Staff.”
Explaining the reason why the severance pay
was not captured in this year’s budget, the
official said as of last year when the 2015
budget was being prepared, the outcome of the
April 2015 elections could not be ascertained.
He said since the outcome of the elections could
not be predicted, there was no way the Budget
Office could have determined the number of
political office holders that would not be re-
elected.
The official added, “You will recall that the 2015
budget was prepared sometime last year and
during the budget preparation, the elections had
not been held.
“So it would be wrong to include the severance
package of political office holders in the budget
because as of the time the budget was
prepared, these people were still holding
political offices.
“Secondly, including their severance package
before the elections were conducted would
mean that we were pre-empting the outcome of
a political process.
“So what we do is to wait for the outcomes of
elections and on the strength of this, we can
know the number of people that have left office
and those re-elected.
“As for those political office holders that are
leaving office this year, their severance package
would be included in the 2016 budget which
would be prepared later in the year.”
Under the severance package put together by
RMAFC, Jonathan is entitled to 300 per cent of
his annual basic salary.
The President’s annual basic salary is put at N3,
514,705 and therefore his severance allowance
will be N10, 544,115 after May 29.
The severance allowance is without prejudice to
his other constitutional entitlements as a former
head of government.
Similarly, Vice-President Sambo, who left office
the same day as Jonathan, is entitled to 300 per
cent of his annual basic salary put at N3,
031,572.50. This means that his severance
allowance after May 29 is N9, 094,717.50.
For having held the office of vice-president,
Sambo also has some constitutional entitlements
and perks.
About 76 senators are not returning to the
National Assembly either because they did not
stand for election or because they lost their bids
to return. They are however entitled to
N462,019,200 at the expiration of their tenure
on June 5.
Like Jonathan and Sambo, they are entitled to
300 per cent of their annual basic salaries as
severance allowances. This amounts to N6,
079,200 per senator.
In the House of Representatives, about 290
members are not returning to the 8th National
Assembly to be proclaimed into existence by
Buhari on June 5.
Each of the members is entitled to N5,
955,637.50 as severance allowance. This means
that the 290 members will be paid N1,
727,134,875.
The former ministers, on the other hand, will be
collecting a total of N253, 967,212.5. There were
42 ministers in Jonathan’s cabinet. Thirty one of
them were senior ministers and 11 ministers of
state.
Each of the former senior ministers is entitled to
N6, 079,200 as severance allowance while each
of the ministers of state will receive N5,
872,740.
This means that collectively, the senior ministers
will get N188, 455,200 while collectively, the
erstwhile ministers of state will receive N65,
512,012.5 .
The aides to the former President comprising
special advisers, senior special assistants and
special assistants will get N775, 207,125.
They were 23 of them that worked with the
president as special advisers. Apart from this
number, however, there were several others
estimated at 110, who worked with the vice-
president, the wife of the former President and
special advisers that were designated either as
senior special assistants or special assistants to
the President.
This means that there were about 133 aides to
the president and each of them is entitled to
300 per cent of their annual basic salary which
amounts to N5, 828,625.
http://www.punchng.com/news/no-n3-2bn-
severance-pay-for-jonathan-others-till-2016/

Download MP3

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has rejected talk of a rift with Mikel Obi, saying the Chelsea midfielder is still in his plans.

Keshi has left the 28-year-old out of his squad for next month’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Chad.

“It’s true that I couldn’t reach him when he was injured but that’s not the reason for his omission,” Keshi told BBC Sport.

“We’ve spoken and contrary to reports (in the local media) there is no problem between us at all.”

Mikel has not played for Nigeria since November but Keshi insists the door remains open for the midfielder.

“He’s an integral member of this team who brings a lot to it. Right now we are only giving opportunities to some new players,” he added.

Another notable foreign-based absentee is defender Elderson Echiejile, who plays for Monaco in France’s Ligue 1.

But there is a surprise recall for Slovakia-based Rabiu Ibrahim, who has yet to make his senior debut, while Watford’s Odion Ighalo is expected to make his competitive debut against Chad in Kaduna on 13 June.

There were first-time call-ups for William Troost-Ekong, Kingsley Madu and Anderson Esiti.

The 15 foreign-based stars will join other locally based players at their Abuja camp next week.

Keshi, who won the Africa Cup of Nations as a player with Nigeria in 1994 and as coach in 2013, is confident he can revive the Super Eagles after their failure to qualify for the recent finals in Equatorial Guinea.

“We have a big task ahead to rebuild this team and I am confident we are going to bounce back,” said Keshi.

“The door is not shut on anyone; those invited must show they deserve it by giving their best.”

Source: Punch

Catholic Bishops in Nigeria have appealed to rescued women who are pregnant for Boko Haram members not to consider abortion. The Catholic Bishops, under the aegis "Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN spoke through the Chairman, Health Committee of the CBCN, Most Reverend Anselm Umoren at a press conference in Abuja today May 25th.

The Bishops in their submission, said the life of every baby was distinct from that of the parents. They insisted that aborting such children amounted to visiting the sin of the terrorists, who impregnated the women, on the innocent child.

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church, who has made waves of connections reaching out to disaffected Catholics and insisting on making the poor a top priority, hasn't watched TV since July 15, 1990, he revealed in an interview published in the Argentinian newspaper La Voz del Pueblo.

The pontiff did not reveal why he gave up watching TV, except to say he decided it wasn't for him, before promising the Virgin Mary he wouldn't watch again.



That promise has kept him from watching his favorite soccer team, Buenos Aires-based San Lorenzo, but he told the paper a member of his Swiss Guard tells him the scores and keeps him up to date on the standings.

Pope Francis said he really misses the tranquility of just walking the streets.
The Pope concluded that he would like to be remembered as a "good guy" who tried to do good".

CEO of Capital Oil, Ifeanyi Ubah made an announcement on Sunday that his company would release 13 million liters of fuel to help out with the fuel scarcity situation in the country since then officials of the Nigerian Army have taken over the Ojodu Berger outlet of Capital Oil, buying petroleum products in drums, after they had scared away thousands of prospective consumers.

The armed personnel came pretending to maintain peace and order, but they soon abandoned their primary responsibility and started buying fuel in drums.

They shoved, maltreated and chased off those who were on queue to tend to themselves.

The military officials who were fully dressed had taken over the only two pumps that dispensed the Premium Motor Spirit.

There was an unregistered white Isuzu truck the soldiers had been using for the ‘deal’ and this truck had visited the filling station for the fourth time and each time bought fuel.

The fourth truck was loaded at 8:50pm on Monday night.

The vehicle, on each visit, left with at least 14 drums and dozens of gallons filled with fuel.

Helpless consumers, some of who slept at the filling station, suspected the soldiers were buying fuel to sell to sell in Lagos black market.

Those who complained about what was going on were severely beaten

By 9pm on Monday, not more than a hundred cars left the station with fuel.

Source: Punch

Military officers pictured above during a military parade rehearsal ahead of Friday's inauguration ceremony at Eagles Square Abuja. More photos after the cut...



I can feel the wind of change!!!

Photo credit: Lola Shoneyin

Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, have reportedly agreed to call off their strike action over unpaid subsidy claims and commence lifting of petroleum products nationwide in the next six hours.

The oil marketers agreed to call off their strike at a meeting with the Chairman, Senate committee on petroleum resources, Magnus Abe, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, ‎ Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, MD of NNPC Joseph Dawha and other stakeholders in the oil and gas sector in Abuja today May 25th.


At the meeting, the oil marketers agreed that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) should immediately revoke the license of any oil marketer that refuses to lift petroleum products across Nigeria.

Members of PENGASSAN, NUPENG, MOMAN, IPMAN and all other officials also addressed the press where they affirmed the resolutions and agreement and called off their strike action as well.

Congratulations to all Nigerians...

Labour unions in Osun State on Monday declared a total strike to press home their demand for payment of their six-month salaries.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Jacob Adekomi, who read the address of the labour unions at a press conference in Osogbo, said the strike would begin on Tuesday, May 26, after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum given to the state government.
The address read, “That an indefinite strike action be commenced by all the workers in the State of Osun as from Tuesday, May 26, 2015 due to the failure of the government to accede to our legitimate demands, as contained in our letter to the government dated May 12, 2015.
“The indefinite strike action will be total and by this billeting, workers are advised to stay at home while pressing home our demands. That no worker should resume work until announcement is made by the labour bodies to that effect.”
The labour union alleged that apart from the salary issue, the state government had refused to remit the contributory pension deductions from their salaries to their respective retirement saving accounts.