Natalie Cole, R&B and jazz singer, dies aged 65

Natalie Cole, whose hit songs included the duet Unforgettable with her father Nat "King" Cole, has died aged 65.

The Grammy-winning singer died on Thursday night at a hospital in Los Angeles, her publicist told the Associated Press news agency.
She rose to fame as an R&B artist with tracks such as This Will Be and Inseparable.
The singer had recently cancelled a series of performances, including one on New Year's Eve.
"Natalie fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived... with dignity, strength and honour. Our beloved mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain unforgettable in our hearts forever,'' said a statement from her son Robert Yancy, and sisters, Timolin and Casey Cole, AP reported.
US civil rights activist Rev Jesse Jackson was among the first to tweet his condolences: "#NatalieCole, sister beloved & of substance and sound. May her soul rest in peace. #Inseparable."
The singer had battled drug problems and hepatitis in the past, and underwent a kidney transplant in 2009.
Her greatest success came with her 1991 album, Unforgettable... With Love, which paid tribute to her father with reworked versions of some of his best-known songs, including That Sunday That Summer, Too Young and Mona Lisa.
On the hit track Unforgettable, her voice was remixed with her father's, 25 years after his death.
The album went on to win six Grammys, including album of the year, as well as song of the year for the title track.

The young Natalie performed on Top of the Pops in the 1970s  

The daughter of crooner Cole and jazz singer Maria Hawkins - who worked with Duke Ellington - Natalie grew up surrounded by music in an affluent neighbourhood of Los Angeles.
Her father died from lung cancer when she was only 15, and she struggled to come to terms with his death. However, she appeared to find solace in music.
She began performing in college and had early success with her debut album Inseparable in 1975. The album track, This Will Be, became a top ten hit and went on to win Cole a Grammy for best female R&B performance.
Cole was also named best new artist at the Grammys - and the album's title track, Inseparable, became another chart hit.
Drug addiction
The follow-up albums Natalie and Unpredictable cemented her success, with tracks such as Sophisticated Lady and I've Got Love On My Mind bringing further chart glory.
In 1977, she had two platinum albums and her own Christmas special - and two years later she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
But her drug issues came to prominence in the 1980s and there followed a predictable slump in her career, as she battled addiction.
She re-emerged on the music scene in 1987, signed to a new label and with a new sound. Jump Start (My Heart) and her cover of Bruce Springsteen's Pink Cadillac were among her notable pop hits, while 1989's Miss You Like Crazy won her international acclaim.

She returned to the classic standards associated with her father in the 1990s, telling the Associated Press, she had to "throw out every R&B lick that I had ever learned and every pop trick I had ever learned".
"I didn't shed really any real tears until the album was over,'" Cole said. "Then I cried a whole lot.
"When we started the project, it was a way of reconnecting with my dad. Then when we did the last song, I had to say goodbye again."
In 2008, 17 years after Unforgettable... with Love, Cole released Still Unforgettable, which included not only songs made famous by her father but other artists, including Frank Sinatra.



The same year, she was diagnosed with Hepatitis C - which she believed was the result of her intravenous drug use in the early years of her fame.
Her battle with drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine, was charted in her 2000 autobiography Angel on my Shoulder.
She underwent a successful kidney transplant in 2009 - after being inundated with offers of kidneys from fans - and continued to tour and make public appearances on TV shows, including American Idol.
"I am a walking testimony to you can have scars,'' she told People magazine. `"You can go through turbulent times and still have victory in your life.''
Cole was married three times, and had one son.


 

Obesity 'biggest threat to women's health' in England

Obesity is the biggest threat to women's health and the health of future generations, warns England's chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies.

Her annual report, which focuses on women this year, said tackling obesity should be a national priority to avert a "growing health catastrophe".
She said the food industry needed to do more or it should face a sugar tax.
Dame Sally is also calling for better treatment of ovarian cancer and more open discussion on incontinence.
England's top doctor said obesity was so serious it should be a priority for the whole population, but particularly for women because too often it shortened their lives.
In England in 2013, 56.4% of women aged 34-44 and 62% of women aged 45-54 were classified as overweight or obese.
Obesity increases the risk of many diseases including breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Sugar tax

Dame Sally warned that if the food industry did not clean up its act then new taxes may be the only option.
She told the BBC: "I think it is inevitable that manufacturing has to reformulate and resize, that supermarkets and others need to stop cheap promotions on unhealthy food and putting unhealthy food at the check-out, and limit advertising dramatically.
"I think we're at a tipping point. If industry won't deliver then we'll have to look at a sugar tax."
Elsewhere in the report, the chief medical officer recommended that:

• clinical staff be better trained to recognise and respond to violence against women, including female genital mutilation, domestic abuse and sexual violence
• more research is needed to improve maternal and child mental and physical health
• more research on screening tests, preeclampsia and foetal growth is also needed
• children should receive integrated personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) with sex and relationships education (SRE) at school
• a full range of contraception services should be available to all women, at all reproductive ages

Saudi Arabia executes top Shia cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

Saudi Arabia has executed the prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, the interior ministry said.

He was among 47 people put to death after being convicted of terrorism offences, it said in a statement.
Sheikh Nimr was a vocal supporter of the mass anti-government protests that erupted in Eastern Province in 2011, where a Shia majority have long complained of marginalisation.
Shia-led Iran said Saudi Arabia would pay a "high price" for the execution.
A foreign ministry spokesman said Riyadh "supports terrorists... while executing and suppressing critics inside the country".
Iranian state TV reported that the Saudi charge d'affaires in Iran had been summoned to the foreign ministry.
Iran is the main regional rival of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia.
At least one protest march was held in Qatif, in Eastern Province, where security has been raised.

Protesters shouted the slogans "The people want the fall of the regime", and "Down with the al-Saud family", reminiscent of the 2011 protests.
The BBC understands that among those executed was a man convicted of shooting dead a freelance cameraman on an assignment for the BBC, Simon Cumbers, in 2004.
Adel al-Dubayti was sentenced in November 2014 for his role in multiple al-Qaeda attacks including the one in the capital Riyadh in which Cumbers was killed and which also left reporter Frank Gardner critically injured.
The executions were carried out simultaneously in 12 locations across Saudi Arabia.
Those also put to death include Sunnis convicted of involvement in al-Qaeda-linked terror attacks in 2003. Of the 47 executed, one was a Chadian national while another was Egyptian. The rest are Saudis.
Saudi Arabia's top cleric, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh, defended the executions, calling them a "mercy to the prisoners" as it would prevent them committing more crimes, Associated Press reported.

Analysis: BBC Middle East editor Alan Johnston

As they moved in to arrest Sheikh Nimr, the Saudis were well aware that this was a case that would cause ructions.
Here was a prominent, outspoken cleric who articulated the feelings of those in the country's Shia minority who feel marginalised and discriminated against. This was a figure active on the sensitive Sunni-Shia sectarian fault line that creates tension in the Kingdom and far beyond.
As the Shia power in the region, Iran takes huge interest in the affairs of Shia minorities in the Middle East. And it was inevitable that Tehran and Riyadh would clash over the treatment of Sheikh Nimr.
The Iranians had warned that the death sentence handed to him should not be carried out. But one of the principal concerns of the Saudis is what they see as the growing influence of Iran in places like Syria, Iraq and elsewhere. So perhaps it is not so surprising that they were not going to be swayed by Iranian pressure in this most sensitive case in their own backyard.

---

The international rights group Reprieve called the executions "appalling", saying at least four of those killed, including Sheikh Nimr, were put to death for offences related to political protest.
Protests broke out in early 2011 in the oil-rich Eastern Province in the wake of the Arab Spring.
Sheikh Nimr's arrest in the following year, during which he was shot, triggered days of protests in which three people were killed.

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What the American Media is Saying About Buhari's Administration

The Washington post in the United States of America has painted a picture of Buhari's dictatorial style of ruling in the international media with references to individuals currently standing trial. 
 

Nigeria’s government will not release two prominent detainees despite several court orders for their release, and will not comment on the situation of a third, wounded detainee, President Muhammadu Buhari said Wednesday.

Buhari, a former military dictator who calls himself a born-again democrat, did not discuss the propriety of defying court orders when he spoke on national TV.

“If you see the atrocities these people committed against this country!” Buhari said in justification. “We can’t allow them to jump bail.”

A Federal High Court set no bail conditions and ordered the unconditional release of Biafra separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu on Dec. 17. Kanu was detained Oct. 17 on charges recently escalated to terrorism and financing terrorism. His cause led to a civil war that killed 1 million people in the 1960s.

Former national security adviser Sambo Dasuki was detained Nov. 4 after intelligence agents surrounded his home for days to prevent him from leaving the country after a court allowed him bail to seek medical care abroad.

Dasuki is accused, among other things, of diverting $2.2 billion meant to buy arms to fight the Boko Haram Islamic uprising. Three courts have ordered his release on bail.

“What of the over two million people displaced, most of them orphans whose fathers have been killed?” Buhari asked. “We cannot allow that.”

He refused to discuss the situation of Shiite leader Ibraheem Zakzaky, who was detained with four bullet wounds Dec. 14 in military raids that allegedly killed hundreds of his followers.

The army said the raids and bulldozing of Zakzaky’s home and Shiite spiritual centers was a response to an alleged Shiite attempt to assassinate Nigeria’s army chief. Human Rights Watch has said the raid was unprovoked.

Authorities have refused to allow anyone to see Zakzaky. Buhari said he would not comment until an investigation is complete.

FBI foils New Year's terror plot in Rochester, New York.

The plan to attack a New Year's revelers at a restaurant/bar is one of several terrorism plots uncovered in upstate New York since the September 11, 2001 attacks. 

A young man in Rochester, N.Y., faces charges of plotting to kill people celebrating New Years Eve, the FBI said, in one of several cases of suspected terrorist activity in upstate New York since 9/11. 

Emanuel Lutchman, age 25, is suspected of providing material support to the Islamic State. In the past few days, he had purchased supplies at Walmart in preparation to attack, kidnap and kill people at a restaurant or bar on New Year's Eve, as the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reported. Officials have not released the specific target.

According to an affidavit from FBI Special Agent Timothy Klapec, Mr. Lutchman had pledged allegiance to IS and was attempting to travel to Syria, but was encouraged by a suspected IS-affiliate to launch an attack against non-Muslims in the United States to prove himself.

"New years [sic] is here soon. Do operations and kill some kuffar," Lutchman's contact told him, according to court documents. 

He originally discussed bombing the site, but then seemed to plan a machete attack. His Walmart purchase included knives, ski masks, zip ties, and duct tape. 

Lutchman was arrested with the help of a paid FBI informant, who bought the supplies with him. He had told an informant that he was "amped up, to accept the fact that's what I gotta do," and was "ready to lose my family."

The FBI also seized a video Lutchman had planned to release after the attack, swearing allegiance to IS and claiming responsibility. 

According to the affidavit, Lutchman had previously served five years in prison for a 2006 robbery, and was reluctant to return to prison. The report also notes "previous state Mental Hygiene arrests."

He described himself as a convert to Islam.

Only 2 percent of American Muslims are converts to the religion, but 40 percent of those arrested on terrorism charges in the United States are according to "ISIS in America," a study from George Washington University's Program on Extremism

"This New Year’s Eve prosecution underscores the threat of ISIL even in upstate New York but demonstrates our determination to immediately stop any who would cause harm in its name," U.S. Attorney William Hochul Jr. said, according to the Democrat & Chronicle, using an alternate name for IS. 

It is not the first time upstate cities have faced terrorism threats. Most recently, Mufid Elfgeeh, a 32 year-old pizza shop owner, was arrested in May 2014 for recruiting for IS. Mr. Elfgeeh, a naturalized citizen who grew up in Yemen, plead guilty earlier this month and will be sentenced in March 2016. 

One of the first post-9/11 arrests for "homegrown terror" took place in the suburbs of nearby Buffalo, N.Y., the state's second-largest city. The "Lackawanna Six," named the Buffalo suburb where five of them were arrested in 2002, were young Yemeni-American men sentenced to federal prison for giving support to Al Qaeda.

The six were accused of training at one of Osama bin Laden's training camps in Afghanistan in spring 2001, and accused of planning an attack in the United States. 

In that case, the FBI in Buffalo were tipped off by a letter from another local Yemeni-American, who warned that a group was traveling to "meet bin Laden." The anonymous writer said, "I can not give you my name because I fear for my life." 

At the time, the case became a focus for then-President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, who asked Bush to try the men as enemy combatants in a military tribunal. Mr. Bush, however, decided to try them in civilian courts. 

But since then critics have questioned whether the men presented a high-level threat. According to Dina Temple-Raston, an NPR counterterrorism correspondent who wrote a book about the case, The Jihad Next Door, it is unclear whether the men understood "what that camp meant." As she told NPR in a 2007 interview:

I think there's a very bright line between people who attend these kinds of camps after 9/11 versus people beforehand. I think they thought they were going to go to Bosnia - or Chechnya maybe - as Muslim freedom fighters of some sort.

"It's actually one of the early episodes that we have a preemptive justice here in this country," Ms. Temple-Raston said, adding that many in Buffalo felt "these were sort of hapless 20-somethings who had clearly made a bad decision but had been watched for over a year and during that year, had not planned anything."

 

Olamide Apologises To Fans Over Rants

Olamide Adedeji, the CEO of YBNL has apologised to his fans over his infamous outburst at the 2015 Headies awards ceremony in Lagos.
The event which took place at the Landmark events centre, Oniru, Lagos, was characterised by controversies following the failure of Olamide’s boy, Lil Kesh to win the coveted ‘Next Rated Award’, losing to Mavin Record’s Reekado Banks.


Olamide expressed his disappointment when he went on stage and thinking he was on the receiving end of the ‘Melo Melo’ crooner, Don Jazzy of the Marvin Records went up stage to throw a tirade at the former.
“Lil Kesh is our own Next Rated artist. F**k that sh*t! The streets ti take over. Every f**king single was a hit back to back. From lyrically, to Shoki to Efejoku. Ko ni dafun Iya anybody,” Olamide had ranted on stage.
This has since generated a lot of buzz on the social media with more Nigerians siding with Olamide over his outburst.
The singer who prides himself as being the only Nigerian rap artiste to hold ‘Sold Out’ concerts at four different venues has now apologized to his fans over his reaction.

He took to his Instagram handle to issue a statement.
“I want to apologise to my fans for my conduct, including swearing on Live TV, at the Headies event some hours ago. I recognise that you all are the most important part of my work and my journey so far, and I would not have come this far without you. Therefore, you deserve better from me. I promised to conduct myself in a more respectable manner in future,” he wrote.

Premier League transfer needs:What every team in EPL needs

With the January transfer window now open in England from today until Jan. 31, what does each team need?

	MAIN NEED
		CB	Liverpool: With rumors of Neven Subotic potentially arriving at Anfield and both Sakho and Skrtel injury prone, perhaps Klopp should move to add another center back. Let’s see how active he is during his first transfer window in charge. Expect outgoings.
		CM	Manchester City: Fabian Delph hasn’t quite got going at City and Yaya Toure continues to underwhelm when playing as a true center midfielder. Long-term, you can see why they are targeting Paul Pogba but they probably won’t do any business in January.
		CAM	Leicester City: The surprise package of the season so far will look to keep hold of Vardy and Mahrez in January. If they do, adding a creative attacking midfielder may be a nice luxury as Kante, Drinkwater, King et al. are great two-way players but lack creativity at times. No need to spend big and disrupt the balance in the squad.
		Striker	Tottenham Hotspur: Bringing in someone to push Kane all the way and act as a back-up is key. They have Son and Njie who can play centrally but both are better out wide. A solid loan move for a striker would be key. Charlie Austin?
		Striker	Manchester United: Louis Van Gaal needs fresh impetus in attack. Fast. Lambasted for a lack of goals — just 22 in their opening 19 games — United are creating the chances but not finishing them. A loan move for a poacher is highly necessary.
		DM	Arsenal: The imminent signing of Basel’s Mohamaed Elneny is exactly what Wenger needed and subject to a work permit being granted, Arsenal’s main need of a new defensive midfielder has been filled. For once, the Gunners may have done their business early.
		Winger	Everton: With Steven Naismith said to be on his way to Norwich, a spot in Everton’s attack has opened up. Kevin Mirallas has returned recently but real pace out wide should compliment the power of Lukaku and creativity of Barkley.
		Striker	Crystal Palace: Alan Pardew‘s side are solid at the back and have plenty of pace out wide to create chances. Putting those chances away has been a problem all season long. Wickham and Chamakh aren’t prolific. Maybe taking a punt on a top score from the Championship is worth it?
		ACM	Southampton: Ronald Koeman‘s team are well stocked in most areas but you feel like a little more competition in the central attacking role could bring the best out of Dusan Tadic and Sadio Mane. Also, a striker could be needed with Graziano Pelle going through a lean patch.
		CM	Chelsea: With Fabregas and Matic struggling to protect the back four, getting a new midfielder to link defense and attack should be key. I’m talking about a true two-way player. A new CB is also a big need but it’s unlikely Chelsea will land their main target in that position, John Stones, until the summer.
		Striker	Stoke City: The Potters have flair in abundance in the final third with Afellay, Bojan and Shaqiri the three attacking midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Having a clinical poacher to finish off the chances would make a huge difference as Arnautovic blows a little hot and cold.
		Striker	West Bromwich Albion: With Saido Berahino on the bench more often than not, WBA are without their best forward due to his ongoing willingness to leave the Hawthorns. Maybe he will end up leaving and the Baggies can bring in a top replacement? They are the third lowest scorers in the PL.
		CB	Watford: Quique Sanchez Flores has worked miracles at Watford and they look healthy in attack with Ighalo and Deeney scoring for fun. At times you wonder if they could upgrade their defense and bringing in a new center back may help them continue their stunning start to life back in the PL.
		Striker	West Ham: Plagued by injuries up top, Slaven Billic’s team are starting to get healthy with Andy Carroll and Enner Valencia nearing full fitness. That said, the Hammers could do with some reinforcements up top. A loan move would be ideal.
		Striker	Swansea City: Okay, so first, they need a manager, but the Swans are the second lowest scorers in the league as Andre Ayew and Bafetimbi Gomis have stopped scoring. They look better at the back but adding quality in attack is crucial for their chances of staying up.
		ACM	Sunderland: The Black Cats need major strengthening throughout their team and although bolstering their defense should be a priority, adding someone who can win games for them is key. Big Sam has come up with some gems in the past (Jay-Jay Okochoa and Youri Djorkaeff to name a few) and a playmaker could make all the difference.
		ACM	Norwich City: If Naismith does arrive from Everton, he will be the man to provide extra attacking impetus and genuine PL quality in the final third. An experienced attacker will help Alex Neil‘s side.
		CB	Bournemouth: After adding Juan Iturbe on loan to bolster their attack, the Cherries have moved to take care of their main need. Looking at CB, they still look short and if Elphick goes down again, they could be struggling.
		ACM	Newcastle United: A lack of goals and ingenuity in the final third has plagued the Magpies. If they can get service to Wijnadlum, Perez and Mitrovic then it would boost their chances of staying up.
		Striker	Aston Villa: When you’re in as dire a situation as Villa, you need one thing: goals. Villa need help to score goals, with Jordan Ayew the only man scoring regularly. Who will want to join a team looking destined for the drop?

Nigeria's Boko Haram Kills More Than Ever, But ISIS Owns Headlines

Nigeria have suffered mostly from terrorism than any other Nation in 2015

One terror group killed nearly 11,000 people in 2015 — and it wasn't ISIS.
While the Sunni militants in Syria and Iraq dominated the headlines in 2015, Boko Haram was killing more people than ever — potentially eclipsing the tally of its partner in terror.
Nigeria's new government pledged to oust Boko Haram and has boasted of successfully retaking territory from the extremists, but experts warn this might merely have forced the group to change tactics and possibly prompted a higher civilian casualty toll.

How bad is it?

ISIS has continued its campaign of terror and was linked to attacks in Paris, Yemen, Saudia Arabia, Kuwait, Libya and elsewhere.
The bloodshed has dominated international attention — from headlines to halls of power — all while thousands have silently been slaughtered at the hands of Boko Haram.

Nigeria's militant group — which has pledged allegiance to ISIS — has been tied to nearly 11,000 killings in 2015 as of mid-December, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
More than half of the deaths — around 6,500 — have been the direct result of Boko Haram's suicide bombings and armed raids. The rest died as a result of fighting between the militants and Nigerian troops, according to CFR's data.
With details and information from Boko Haram's heartland in northeast Nigeria hard to come by, most experts believe the true tally of the violence has been even higher and could still climb before the year's end.
"Sadly they have a history of attacks around Christmas and New Year," said Dr. J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Center at the Washington-based Atlantic Council.
That could put Boko Haram on track to surpass last year's brutal toll and claim the mantle of deadliest terror group for a second year running. Recent findings from the Institute for Economics and Peace, a Sydney-based think tank, showed that Boko Haram was the deadliest terror group in the world last year. ISIS came in second.
Between them, Boko Haram and ISIS accounted for more than half of the world's terrorism-related deaths in 2014, according to the Institute's Global Terrorism Index published in November.

How did we get here?

Boko Haram started off the year with a bang. After slipping from the headlines as attention faded on the mass kidnapping which sparked the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, Boko Haram mounted a massive attack in January on the fishing village of Baga.

Satellite images and eyewitness accounts told of a merciless assault in which Boko Haram fighters gunned down children and pregnant women who were not able to escape fast enough into the bush. Estimates of the death toll there ranged from over 100 to 2,000 killed.
That attack — and the prospect of an impending presidential election — sparked renewed government efforts to take on the militants and drive them from their strongholds.
Boko Haram pledged allegiance to ISIS on March 7 — three weeks before the election — and once Muhammadu Buhari won the presidency, he pledged to defeat the militants by the end of the year.

What has the new Nigerian government done?

This "very ambitious target" showed a "sense of renewed effort … energy and focus" by the Nigerian state, according to Elizabeth Donnelly, assistant head and research fellow of the Africa program at the London-based Chatham House think tank.
Nigerian troops — aided by its neighbors Chad, Niger and Cameroon — picked up where the previous administration left off in an attempt to rout the militants from their areas of control.

However, the attacks on Nigeria and its neighbors kept coming. Some experts say that's because the crackdown forced Boko Haram to adapt rather than crumble.
"Certainly the threat has not gone away," said Donnelly. "It does seem that there has been a ratcheting up of attacks against civilians … This might be because of the pressure coming from the Nigerian armed forces."
Boko Haram appears to have reverted to the hit-and-run-style warfare it employed before focusing on territorial gains and the building of its caliphate last year.

The Atlantic Council's Pham said any territorial gains made by the military might be illusory and that Boko Haram's military tactics also appear to have grown more sophisticated.
For example, he said, it appears Boko Haram has learned to leave open an escape route when besieging a town and set booby traps for the fleeing government troops.
With no sign of Boko Haram slowing down, newly-elected President Buhari appears to have softened his pledge. Earlier this month he said that initial deadline — cripple the militants by years end — was only meant to "serve as a guide."

Palestinians Fire Rockets into Israel: Israel Responds to the Attack

Israel carried out air strikes in the Gaza Strip on Saturday after Palestinian militants there fired rockets into southern Israel.

The early morning air strikes targeted two training camps belonging to the Islamist group Hamas, causing no injuries, officials and witnesses said.

Gaza militants fired at least two rockets into Israel late on Friday, Israeli military said. One struck the border town of Sderot, damaging a bus but causing no injuries. A second was shot down by a missile defense system, the military said.

A Palestinian group that supports the Islamic State claimed responsibility for one of the rockets fired at Israel. No-one claimed responsibility for the second rocket attack.

The cross-border violence comes as tensions remain high in Jerusalem and the West Bank, where Israeli security forces and Palestinians have clashed over the past week.

In London, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged calm and called on all sides to exercise restraint amid violence in recent days around Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque, a sacred site revered by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and by Jews as the Temple Mount.

Kerry said he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who had made it clear that "he is completely supportive of the status quo and deeply committed to preventing any kind of incident that will incite."

"All parties need to refrain from incitement and refrain from engaging in activities that put that relationship at risk," Kerry said following talks with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond on conflicts in Syria, Yemen, Libya and Ukraine. 

 

Gaza rockets strike Israel

Rockets fired by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip hit southern Israel on Friday, without causing casualties or damage, the Israeli army said.

"Moments ago multiple rockets were fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip," a statement read. "Forces are searching the area."

A military spokeswoman told AFP that two rockets hit Israel, with no immediate injuries or damage reported.

Since the end of the devastating war between Israel and Gaza militants in the summer of 2014, nearly 30 projectiles fired from the Hamas-controlled Palestinian enclave hit the Jewish state, according to military data.

Sunni militants claiming links to the Islamic State jihadist group have said they were behind rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave in recent months, but Israel holds Hamas responsible for all such incidents.

Earlier on Friday, two Palestinians were moderately wounded by Israeli gunfire after they stormed the border fence in northern Gaza, the Israeli army and Gaza medics said.

Taking Care of Your Sexual Health

Sexual health, like emotional, mental, and physical health, is one important dimension of overall health. 

 

Sexual health. For some people any sex topic is off-limits. But others, including the World Health Organization, consider sexual health an essential dimension of human health and well-being. From concern over how to have comfortable, enjoyable sex to questions about testing for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and their prevention, many important topics come under the broad umbrella of sexual health.
“Sexual health is an essential and beneficial dimension of being human,” emphasizes Michael McGee, MEd, a certified sexual health educator and adjunct professor at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J. “People have a right to sexual health, sexual health information including public policy that supports sexual health, and the right to pleasure.”
In addition to teaching and advocating about sexual health, McGee counsels individuals and couples on sexual health issues. He says the most common, fundamental question he encounters is, “Am I normal?”
This, he argues, is the best reason to be educated about sexual health: to have a realistic understanding of what sexual health is — what the wide range of “normal” is — as well as being better able to take care of your own health and pleasure and that of your partner.
Increase Your Sexual Health Awareness

Premature ejaculation and a woman’s ability to achieve orgasm are topics that McGee says his clients often worry about — and appreciate learning how to manage. Other aspects of sexual health that people should be educated about include:

• Sex basics. Understanding the cycle of desire, stimulation, and response improves sexual health, says McGee.
• Reproductive issues. Sexual health is intimately related to reproduction. Birth control choices to prevent pregnancy and the steps couples need to take to have a healthy pregnancy are all aspects of sexual health.
• Vaginal dryness. As women go through changes in their lives, such as pregnancy and childbirth or menopause, they may experience a lack of vagina lubrication. This makes sexual intercourse unpleasant, but there are solutions to this problem.
• Lack of desire. A frequent source of conflict between couples, says McGee, is a “discrepancy in desire — one partner wants sex more often than the other.”
• Erectile dysfunction. There are various physical and emotional reasons why men may not be able to achieve an erection for the duration of sexual intercourse.
• Physical challenges. Physical impairment, health concerns, and other conditions may require creative problem solving in order to have sexual intercourse.

Sexual Health: Guarding Against Infection
Sex can be pleasurable, but it can also be risky. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can be uncomfortable or painful; they can have severe, long-term effects that include the loss of fertility and have the potential to be life-threatening. Learning about sexual health means learning about STDs:

• STD identification. Learn about the signs and symptoms of STDs as well as the consequences of infection.
• Prevention. Taking steps to prevent the spread of STDs protects your health and the health of others.
• STD testing. STD testing is a crucial part of your sexual health plan. Finding out whether you have an STD enables you to start treating the infection and protecting your sexual partners.
• Living with an STD. Some STDs will be with you for life, such as hepatitis, herpes, and HIV/AIDS. For people living with STDs, sexual health encompasses coping with these infections over the long term.
• Intimate partner violence. Safety within sexual relationships continues to be a concern. Women may be particularly at risk for sexual violence.

How to Get Help for Intimate Issues
Unfortunately, many people wait a long time before seeking a solution to their sexual health concerns, notes McGee: “By the time they come to a professional, usually it has become a pressing need. And it is sometimes very difficult.” McGee recommends seeking help as soon as you have concerns rather than waiting and hoping the problem will go away.
McGee is certified by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) as a sexual health educator. Depending on the problems you want to resolve, your sexual health team could include a variety of health professionals, such as:

• Primary care doctor
• Obstetrician-gynecologist
• Urologist
• Physical therapist
• Mental health professional

Whether it’s knowledge about your body or information about treating a specific condition, take the right steps to get education and any counseling you might need to protect your sexual health.

What Is Ovarian Cancer?

About one in every 77 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is cancer that begins in the ovaries.
Women are born with a pair of ovaries, which are found on the left and right sides of the uterus.
The ovaries are responsible for storing eggs and producing sex hormones, including estrogen and progesterone.

Prevalence

About 1.3 percent of women will get ovarian cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). That's about one in every 77 women.
The prevalence of ovarian cancer is much higher among women who inherit certain genetic mutations.

In 2015, it's estimated that around 21,300 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer for the first time, according to the NCI, and 14,200 women will die from the disease.

Ovarian cancer is diagnosed most frequently in women between the ages of 55 and 64. Half of all ovarian cancers are found in women over the age of 63.
White women are slightly more likely to develop ovarian cancer than women of other races.

Types of Ovarian Cancer

There are three main types of tumors that start in the ovaries:

• Epithelial tumors: These tumors start in the cells that cover the outer layer or surface of the ovary. Most ovarian cancers are epithelial tumors.
• Germ cell tumors: These tumors start in the eggs within the ovaries.
• Stromal tumors: These tumors start in the cells that hold an ovary together. Stromal cells also release hormones, including estrogen.

Risk Factors

Several factors can increase your risk of getting ovarian cancer, though some women get ovarian cancer without having a high risk.
Risk factors for ovarian cancer include:

• Age
• Having a close family member with ovarian, breast, or colon cancer
• Personal history of breast cancer
• Having an inherited mutation in the BRCA1or BRCA2 genes
• (these mutations are rare in the general population, but more likely to occur in women of Ashkenazi Jewish decent)
• Having never given birth, or giving birth for the first time over the age of 35
• Use of fertility drugs
• Having endometriosis
• Obesity
• Using estrogen therapy after menopause

Prognosis

Chances for surviving ovarian cancer differ depending on the stage — or how advanced — the cancer is at the time of diagnosis.
Treatment for ovarian cancer is most effective when the disease is caught in its earliest stages, before it spreads from the ovary to other parts of the body.
Doctors often discuss a patient's prognosis, or outlook, in terms of five-year survival rates. That's the percentage of patients who live at least five years (some live much longer) after their cancer is diagnosed.
For all ovarian cancers, the five-year survival rate is 45 percent.
About 92 percent of women live five years or longer if the cancer is found and treated early, before it spreads outside of the ovary.
Few cases of ovarian cancer are found at this early stage.
Women diagnosed before the age of 65 tend to do better than women who are older at the time of diagnosis.
Survival rates can't predict what will happen in any individual woman's case.

Many factors, including general health and how well the cancer responds to treatment, can affect prognosis.

Lagos State Governor, Ambode Saves The Life Of A man From The Hands Of Merciless Soldiers

The Lagos state governor and his entourage stopped some soldiers from maltreating a common man.
The soldiers were so merciless and heartless to a common defenseless market load carrier. The incidence happened as at the time the governor 's entourage was passing, which was seen as a divine intervention by the helpless man.
The man was seriously beaten and kept in the booth of the car of the soldiers, and the booth was filled with kegs of petrol. The man was almost dead when the Governors aides removed him from the car booth.
I  wonder why our security forces that should protect Nigerians are the ones killing Nigerians. Recently a policeman killed three people and himself. And we have many of such incidents this year alone. Many citizens have begin to question the professionalism of our forces, when it comes to the lives of defenseless people. I pay our security forces will not push the citizens to defending themselves with arms, as we have seen in some regions of the nation.
Nigerian soldiers, policemen and even the LASTMA officials earn salaries and they will pay their transport fares to public transports , claiming "STAFFS", What a shame to all Nigerian security forces, especially those posted to Lagos state.
I am very happy with what the Lagos state Governor did to save the life of a common man from the hands of shameless military men. Many have questioned the commitment of Nigerian soldiers to save and protect the Nation and citizens, with such actions as this.

Types of Vaginal Infections

Burning, itching, and an unpleasant odor are just some of the common symptoms of vaginal infections. But treatments vary by condition, so it's important to know which type of vaginal infection you have. 

 

Vaginal infections, or vaginitis, are very common — so much so that most women will experience some form of vaginal infection or inflammation during their lifetime.
“To the gynecologist, vaginitis is a vaginal discharge with or without itching and burning, with or without an odor,” says Gregory R. Moore, MD, MPH, an obstetrician-gynecologist and director of the University Health Service at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.
Some women seem to be more prone to vaginal infections than others for reasons that are not entirely obvious, Dr. Moore says.
What Upsets the Normal Vaginal Balance
A healthy vagina has many bacteria and yeast. However, some things can disturb that healthy balance. These include:

• Douches
• Hormone level changes
• Antibiotics
• Vaginal intercourse
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding

The Most Common Types of Vaginal Infections
There are three very common types of vaginal infections, says Cynthia Krause, MD, assistant clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

• Yeast infections. The most common type of vaginitis, a yeast infection is caused by one of the many species of fungus known as Candida. Candida live naturally in your body in small numbers, including in the vagina, and usually don't cause any harm.
  However, Candida thrive in a warm, moist, airless environment and, under those conditions, can grow in number, causing a vaginal infection. Dr. Krause says, “There are many species of yeast or Candida — Candida albicans is the most common.”
  Symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection include a thick, white discharge that some women describe as resembling cottage cheese. Yeast infections also can cause vaginal itching and redness of the vulva (the lips of the external female genital area) and vagina.
  
• 
  
  Bacterial vaginosis. Along with yeast, “friendly” bacteria called lactobacilli live in the vagina. When the number of lactobacilli gets too low, it can trigger a condition called bacterial vaginosis (BV).
  Why bacteria levels change is not known, but the normal lactobacilli can be replaced by other infection-causing bacteria. “Gardnerella is the bacteria most often associated with bacterial vaginosis,” Krause says. “It is the lack of lactobacilli and overgrowth with these other bacteria that cause the symptoms of infection.”
  With bacterial vaginosis, a woman may see a thick or whitish discharge or one that is slippery and clear. It is not likely to itch or burn. A fishy odor may be noticeable, especially during intercourse.
  
• Trichomonas. “Of the three most common vaginal infections, trichomonas vaginitis is the only one that is a true sexually transmitted infection,” Krause says. Commonly called “trich,” it is caused by a single-celled parasite, trichomonas vaginalis, and is passed from partner to partner during intercourse.
  The symptoms of trichomonas vaginitis are similar to other vaginal infections: burning, irritation, redness, and swelling of the vulva, with a yellow-gray or greenish vaginal discharge, possibly with a fishy odor. Some women also experience pain during urination.
  

Other Vaginal Infections and Conditions
Other common vaginal infections and causes of vaginal itching include:

• Chlamydia vaginitis. Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease that can cause inflammation of the vagina. Some women will have a discharge with chlamydia and some will not. A more common symptom is bleeding, especially after intercourse. “Sexually active women up to age 26 should be tested annually for chlamydia because it so often comes without symptoms and can linger and do a fair amount of damage to fertility,” Moore says.
• Noninfectious vaginitis. Noninfectious vaginitis is when the skin around the vagina becomes sensitive to an irritant such as scented tampons, perfumed soaps, or fabric softeners. This is not an infection, and the solution is simple: “Not to be exposed to whatever you are having a reaction to,” Moore says.
• Vulvodynia. This is a condition in which women have chronic pain or discomfort of the vulva without a known cause. The symptoms are similar to vaginal infections: burning, stinging, rawness, soreness, and swelling. Symptoms may be constant or occasional.
• Viral vaginosis. Viruses also can cause vaginal infections. Most viruses are spread through sexual contact. “The herpes simplex virus is a common cause of viral vaginosis,” Moore says. Symptoms include pain in the genital area from lesions or sores. Most of the time, you can see the sores on the vulva or vagina, but they can also be hidden and seen only during an examination by your gynecologist.

Treatment for Vaginal Infections
All of these infections can be treated, but it is important to know which infection you have so that the right medication is prescribed.
“Yeast medication is available over the counter if you are certain that it is a yeast infection,” Krause says. “Sometimes women think they have a yeast infection and it is actually something else. If you try over-the-counter medications and they don’t work, you should see a doctor.”

What Every Woman Should Know About Early Detection and Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in the United States. More than 182,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. The chance of a woman having breast cancer sometime during her life is 1 in 8. Early detection is key in the treatment of breast cancer. There are steps you can take to detect breast cancer early when it is most treatable.

CancerCare recommends that every woman follow these screening guidelines:

MAMMOGRAPHY The most important screening test for breast cancer is the mammogram. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. It can detect breast cancer up to two years before the tumor can be felt by you or your doctor.

• Women age 40 or older who are at average risk of breast cancer should have a mammogram once a year.
• Women at high risk should have yearly mammograms along with an MRI starting at age 30.

CLINICAL BREAST EXAM (CBE) During a CBE, your doctor examines your breasts and the surrounding area for any possible signs of breast cancer. Your doctor checks for changes in the size or shape of your breasts, skin changes (including rashes, dimpling or redness), or other abnormal changes (such as lumps or discharge from the nipple).

• Women in their 20s or 30s should have a CBE about every three years as part of a general health exam.
• Women over 40 should have a CBE once a year.

BREAST SELF EXAM It is a good idea to get in the habit of doing monthly self-exams starting at age 20. Examining yourself on a regular basis lets you become familiar with your breasts so you will notice any changes that may occur.
Breast self-exams should not replace regular mammograms and clinical breast exams. To find out how to perform a breast self exam, ask your doctor.

Some Risk Factors for Breast Cancer

The following are some of the known risk factors for breast cancer. However, most cases of breast cancer cannot be linked to a specific cause. Talk to your doctor about your specific risk.
Age The chance of getting breast cancer increases as women age. Nearly 80 percent of breast cancers are found in women over the age of 50.
Personal history of breast cancer A woman who has had breast cancer in one breast is at an increased risk of developing cancer in her other breast.
Family history of breast cancer A woman has a higher risk of breast cancer if her mother, sister or daughter had breast cancer, especially at a young age (before 40). Having other relatives with breast cancer may also raise your risk.
Genetic factors Women with certain genetic mutations, including changes to the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, are at higher risk of developing breast cancer during their lifetime. Other gene changes may raise breast cancer risk as well.
Childbearing and menstrual history The older a woman is when she has her first child, the greater her risk of breast cancer. Also at higher risk are:

• Women who menstruate for the first time at an early age (before 12)
• Women who go through menopause late (after age 55)
• Women who’ve never had children

Screening recommendations and mammography tips were adapted from guidelines by the American Cancer Society.

10 Important Benefits Of having A website Explained

However, there is another powerful reason (not a benefit as such) for having a website; potential clients 'expect' you to have one! A website has become an essential requirement for almost every small business, without one you are effectively invisible to a very large chunk of your market.

• 1) Attract new clients with high and 'accurate' search engine listings - Useful, informative content material and a correctly designed and optimised website, will achieve good search engine results for key phrases relating to your business service (and often location). This will ensure that potential new clients can find you
• 2) Win clients away from your competitors - Many of your competitors will have older, home-made or badly designed websites. This will affect their credibility and search engine rankings. A well designed and engaging small business website will make you a more credible option and will also list you well above these competitors.
• 3) A quality website = a quality business - This is the perception of your potential clients. A business that invests in a quality website demonstrates its commitment to providing a quality service.
• 4) Out-perform some of your larger competitors - A focused, well optimised 'small' business website will often perform better than many larger business websites, whose pages are often bloated with unnecessary code, and overly complicated in terms of visitor usability. An efficient website with good navigation and accessible content, will allow you to compete more effectively with many of your larger competitors.
• 5) Quickly build trust and credibility - Your potential guests 'love' to see references, it is one of the most powerful persuaders which can work in your favour. Of course you can give references over the phone, but it would be tedious to reel off a dozen good references for every potential client that called! You can list a good selection of references (testimonials) on your website, and these will be available for potential clients to review at their leisure.
• 6) Stand out from the crowd - A small business website gives you the chance to create and project your business identity to your potential clients. Use it to highlight your Unique Selling Point(s) and give your visitors something to connect with on an emotional level. "We value your business." "Your in safe hands." "Local family run business you can trust." "Look! We can provide exactly what you need." etc.
• 7) Encourage more repeat business from existing clients - A Content Management System (CMS) allows you to update your own website content, as often as you wish. This ability can be used to provide special offers or deals for existing clients (and new clients of course) to encourage them to use your services again. They may already be satisfied with your services but they are still looking for a good deal; encourage them to come back to you more often.
• 8) Make yourself visible to new technology - These days your potential clients are just as likely to search for business services using their i-Phone or other mobile device as they are to use a PC or laptop. It is essential that you have a website which is accessible and readable using these devices. Many of your competitors websites will not be.
• 9) Anticipate your potential clients' needs - You would be surprised how often a potential clients is lost because they can't find a telephone number or contact email, or any number of other basic, essential pieces of information such as; business location and how to find, opening / service times, prices etc. Provide the essential information your potential clients need and they will take you seriously.
• 10) Ease of communication - An effective small business website will provide a number of methods for clients and potential clients, to communicate with you, and vice versa. Good communication builds trust and loyalty, saves time, and avoids misunderstandings.
  The essential methods are: Webmail (allows to read and respond to client emails from any location and at any time), CMS (allows you to communicate news and special offers), website enquiry form (a fast, universal response method), interactive road map (provides aerial views of your location, zoom, directions, travel times and distances).

Small Businesses Benefit Most From Social Media, Study Reveals

Do you wonder if you have what it takes to compete in the social media marketplace? Who, after all, has the time or the budget to mimic Disney or Starbucks? Certainly not a small business!
Well, maybe that’s the wrong set of questions.
In fact, the 2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report has some good news for small business marketers. Small business owners are seeing the greatest results from social media marketing.
Michael Stelzner authored the third-annual industry study in which he surveyed 3342 marketers, 47% of whom were either self-employed or small business owners. This group reports some amazing results from social media marketing. Let me show you what they found…

"Is social media important to your business?"

Social Media Is Becoming More Important

Over the course of the last 3 years, Stelzner has seen social media move from an uncertain strategy (2009 report) to a permanent fixture (2010 report) to a primary tool (2011 report) in the savvy marketer’s toolkit.
No-one has benefited more than small businesses.
Ninety percent of those surveyed agreed that social media is important to their business. The report reveals that the self-employed (67%) and small business owners (66%) were more likely to strongly agree with this statement.

Top Benefits for Small Business Owners

Almost all marketers find that social media helps them stand out in an increasingly noisy marketplace. In fact, 88% of all marketers found social media helps get them increased exposure. Additionally, 72% of those surveyed saw increased traffic and subscriptions as a result of social media.

This chart highlights the top benefits identified by all marketers.

Small business owners were more likely than all other groups (89.2% reporting benefits) to see increased exposure.
Here are some other areas where small business owners saw greater benefits than their peers:

• The self-employed and small business owners were more likely to report new partnerships, with at least 59% noting a benefit.
• Small businesses were twice as likely to find qualified leads than other types of businesses.
• Forty-eight percent of self-employed and small business owners saw improved sales as a direct result of their social media efforts.
• The self-employed (59%) and small business owners (58%) were more likely than others to see reductions in marketing costs when using social media marketing.

Time Investment Pays Dividends

Small business owners have many demands on their time. For most of them, marketing is just one of a dozen hats they wear.
Like last year’s report, the 2011 study proved that time is a key success factor for social media marketers. Spend more time (wisely, of course) and you’re likely to see greater results. The question is how much time is required?
This can be answered in two ways:

• The power of endurance—those with 3 or more years of experience in social media marketing are seeing the greatest results. For example, only 25% of those just getting started in social media saw new partnerships form, as compared to 80% or more of those with 3 or more years of experience. So marketers shouldn’t make snap judgments on the value of social media after only a few months. Give it some time!

• It doesn’t have to be all-consuming. It may not take as much time as you fear. In fact, 75% of those spending as little as 6 hours per week on social media marketing saw increased traffic.

Likewise, those who spend at least 6 hours per week are almost twice as likely to see leads generated as those who spend 5 or fewer hours.

While the study didn’t draw any firm conclusions on how much time marketers should spend, there’s clear evidence that those who commit at least 6 hours per week will see significant rewards for their investment.

What’s in Your Toolkit?

It’s easy for marketers to become enamored by the newest tools, but the industry study showed that almost all marketers have four tools in their toolkit: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and blogs. Two surprises in this year’s study: Facebook surpassed Twitter since the 2010 survey, and MySpace is not being used by at least 81% of marketers.

Some tools that benefit small businesses:

LinkedIn
The self-employed (80%) and small business owners (78%) were more likely to use LinkedIn than their counterparts (71%).
The self-employed are the most likely to increase their use of LinkedIn in 2011 (68%) versus 61% for all marketers.

Video Marketing
Seventy-seven percent of all marketers plan to increase their use of video in 2011.
While this is the first choice for all marketers, small businesses lag behind their larger counterparts (82% of large businesses see this as a key growth area).
With all the reports on SEO and engagement benefits from video, I find myself wondering why small businesses aren’t leading the pack here. David Garland and Grant Cowell have shown us that it doesn’t have to be expensive.

Outsourcing for Growth

Only 28% of all marketers outsource any part of their social media marketing. Even though this is a 100% increase over 2010, marketers are still not sure how and when to outsource their social media. This could have to do with the relative inexperience of the audience (50% of the marketers have less than 1 year of experience).
Small business owners are the most likely to use outsourcing (34%), whereas only 24% of the self-employed have utilized outsourcing. Experienced marketers are also more likely to use outsourcing than the less experienced.
Here are the tasks that marketers are outsourcing (percentage shown is out of all surveyed marketers):

Integrating Social Media With Traditional Marketing Strategies

In a survey that highlights the increasing reach of social media marketing, it’s surprising to see trends that emphasize a growing use of more traditional (online and offline) marketing approaches. For example, at least 64% of all marketers plan to increase their use of search engine optimization and email marketing in 2011.
Here’s how small businesses are using some more traditional marketing tools:
Email Marketing
Nearly two-thirds of all businesses plan to increase their use of email marketing, but small businesses are the most likely of all.

Event Marketing
Sixty percent of all marketers plan to increase their use of event marketing (networking and speaking at conferences and trade shows). Of these, the self-employed (70%) and small business owners (65%) are significantly more likely to participate than marketers from large corporations (43% to 38%, depending on the size of the company).

Press Releases
Eighty percent of all businesses plan to either maintain or increase their use of press releases in 2011. Small business owners are more than twice as likely (52%) to increase their use than businesses with 500 to 1000 employees (24%).

Webinars and Teleseminars
A surprising 42% of all businesses have no plans to utilize webinars or teleseminars in 2011. But small businesses are far more likely to make use of this strategy. In fact, 49% of the self-employed plan on increasing their use compared to 27% of businesses with 500 to 1000 employees.

What Difference Does it Make?

Clearly small business owners are finding great value in social media marketing. In many cases, they’re benefiting more than their large company peers.

Small-Scale Business

Since then and up until now, large businesses or companies tend to capture and captivate (more!!!) clientele trust, industry authority, and niche market credibility compared to small businesses. While they are not always deserving, larger companies always get that “positive image” from the buying or consuming audience. They can easily get people to patronize their products and services just because they are doing bigger things- thus they are more visible in the marketplace. The owners of small businesses will tend to think that it can be very difficult to play with the “big boys” (tough to compete with larger and more established businesses). However, small business owners should think that they can also do BIG and GREAT things. Well, not necessarily similar to how big companies operate, but they can still do it. If you have a small business, you can easily make it look bigger.
The agenda is not essentially appearing bigger and providing your customers with false hopes and beliefs (leading your clients to think that your company is something that it is not or has something that it can’t deliver). But everyone has to start somewhere and starting “small” should not be a hindrance for you to aim high and accomplish grand business goals. As a small-scale business owner, it is important that you identify the advantages or value as having a small business or company. This will help and guide you to find the leverage to succeed and become bigger in the future.

Value of Running A Small Business

The value of running a small business is not always clear to the consumer world and especially to small-scale business owners themselves. Since today’s marketplace is dominated by large multinational corporations, small companies and businesses have the tendency to be “set aside” and given no particular consumer interest or client attention. This is why small business owners will likely lose hope and eventually quit even as early as before they can make a name in the niche market they are in.
However, running a small business does have its advantages over big corporations and companies. It is just up to the small business owner to identify them and make them as assets to eventually escort him or her to become a leading competitor in the industry.
Here are some advantages of running a small business or company. These advantages are the manifestations and testaments of the value of running a small-scale business. Even those who are yearning to start their own can make these advantages as their own motivation and inspiration.

• Investment. In running a small business, the investment is not a big issue. People who own small- scale businesses or those who are planning to still put up their own have the privilege and luxury to avail of financial grants, small business aids, and economic support are readily accessible and available for them. These grants can be issued to the small-scale business owner from government-run programs, banks, or other large business corporations. Actually, there are a number of industries that are willing to provide or offer business grants. Thus, small business owners have the advantage to apply for loans and/or credits for him or her to invest into starting the small-scale business through a hassle-free process.
  This might be one of the reasons why many people are running small-scale businesses. Most small businesses require very little start-up money. Of course, this is a big advantage for those business-minded people who don’t have much money to invest into the venture but has the work ethics, creativity, talents, and skills to create a very lucrative business. Generally, small businesses only have a low operational cost. Because of this, the revenue can easily be turned into profit contrary to the revenue from bigger business. Business-related costs (like cost of owning a home office, transportation costs, and costs of good sold) can be deducted from personal income taxes.
• Control. A small-scale business owner has the sole control of all the aspects of his business. Unlike in large corporations and companies where it is difficult to make decisions and for change to occur, a small-scale business owner can easily look through and handle all the factors that can govern and direct his business towards accomplishing his or her goals.
• Focus. Small-scale business owners have the edge on concentrating well on specific things rather trying to do much without accomplishing them. Unlike large businesses that need to oversee many things as they are composed of a wide array of products of services, small business will only devote all the company’s efforts, money, and time to their products or the specific niche they are in. Doing dozens of different things all at once usually cripples “already established” business corporations at some point.
• Easy Recording. It is very easy for small businesses to record their transactions. Monitoring and tracking of all business transactions in a small-scale business is easy- it can easily be maintained and can be regularly updated. Either the small-scale business owner can just place an accounting software in his computer/laptop or hire a qualified accountant. Most accounting responsibilities in a small-scale business is easy to manage. With better business transaction recording, the more helpful it is for owners to reports and financial statements- thereby, managing the business smoothly and correctly.
• Assets and Liabilities. A small-scale business owner will not have any problem with his or her assets and liabilities. The management of assets (which includes checking and saving accounts) and liabilities (which includes the money the owner owes to other people) is not a difficult task or responsibility.
• Human Resources. Apart from being able to know each other, all people working in a small-scale business will likely have good professional communication and working relationship. A small workforce in a small-scale business will not make it difficult for the owner to get to know more his or her people and evaluate their skills and performance regularly. Aside from forming a close bond with the employees, the owner will have the advantage to optimize his work force to meet deadlines and accomplish work objectives timely.

The value of running a small-scale business lies on these advantages. Although those mentioned are just some of the benefits, one can definitely say that there is also a sense of common purpose why a number of people are into small-scale businesses. It goes beyond just earning. It also opens up the avenue for jobless people to find work opportunities as small businesses start locally.

Making Your Small Business Seem Larger

If you want to make your small-scale business appear bigger, you need to learn the basics. Taking it to the next level only requires you to start with just three things- business cards, email address, and website.
When you have the means to invest on over-the-top, pricey, and metallic business cards, then by all means go for it. Your business cards will represent you and your company when you are not there. These cards are simple ways to advertise your company and what you can offer the buying audience. Invest on business cards that are of reasonable cost and high-quality standard. Don’t rely on self-printed cards made out of ordinary paper. The style and design of your business cards should mirror the type of business you have. You must meticulously design and style your cards or no one will take your business seriously (this is usually the most common mistake of small=scale businesses that leads to their imminent downfall).
In your business card, you have to provide all the details that you need your clients to know you and contact you. An important detail that should be clearly stated on your business cards is your company email address. This will be the medium your clients can use to communicate to you. It does not take much technical know-how to register to a domain. Make sure your email also imply the same professionalism.
Having a company website can be a powerful tool for clients to know more about your company and what your products or services are. If you don’t have a website or have an ugly one, the buying public will not take you seriously. It is best to have a simple yet effective website to help you compete in the niche market you are in. Before deciding on the web hosting tool that is suited for you, do some research (you can either do online research, read reviews, or ask other people who have websites).
There are more things that you can do to help your small-scale business appear bigger in the eyes of the consuming public. The size of your business should not be an obstacle for you to do great things!!