President Rodrigo Duterte of Philippines caused a stir in the orthodox Catholic country for calling God “stupid” but his spokesman on Monday defended the contentious statement as his personal belief.

The president made the statement on Friday evening during a speech in his southern home city of Davao, where he questioned God’s logic in the Biblical creation story of Adam and Eve.

“Adam ate (the fruit of knowledge), then malice was born. Who is this stupid God?” he said. “That son of a bitch is stupid if that’s the case.

“You created something perfect and then you think of an event that would tempt and destroy the quality of your work.”

Duterte also questioned the rationale of original sin, noting,

“That was your mother and father’s deed – you weren’t born yet, but now you have original sin.

“What kind of religion is that? I can’t accept it.”

Amid the criticisms over his statements, presidential spokesman Harry Roque urged the public to accept that Duterte tends to use strong language when he expresses his beliefs.

“That is the personal belief of the president,” he said. “We are free to believe in religion and we are also free not to believe in religion.

“The president has his personal spiritual beliefs.”

“We cannot fault the president if he has no sense of hypocrisy and we should accept that because even when he was just a candidate, he never hid that from us,” he added.

According to Sbs.com.au, Duterte has in the past lambasted the Catholic Church in the Philippines, where more than 80 per cent of the population practices the religion, calling priests out for allegations of corruption and sexual abuse

 

A mysterious "canid animal" shot by a Montana rancher in May had wildlife officials scratching their heads about what kind of beast it was, but DNA testing finally has answers.

It resembled a wolf — mostly — though some features were distinctly un-wolflike, which led to some pretty wild speculation about whether it was a dire wolf (they're long-extinct, so definitely not), a dog-wolf hybrid (dogs and wolves can interbreed) or perhaps a dog-human hybrid (seriously, people?), The Washington Post previously reported.

But DNA analysis showed that the beast wasn't so mysterious after all, and it was merely a gray wolf (Canis lupus), from the northern Rocky Mountains. [My, What Big Teeth: Wolves Gallery]

Tests conducted at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) forensic laboratory in Ashland, Oregon, put the wild rumors about the wild canid to rest. After comparing the animal's DNA with thousands of samples taken from wolves, dogs and coyotes, lab officials confirmed the suspicions of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks' (MFWP) wildlife health lab — that the mystery canid was a female gray wolf, and "a relatively normal looking" one at that, MFWP representatives said in a statement.

She was probably about 2 or 3 years old, weighing about 85 pounds (39 kilograms) and measuring nearly 4 feet (1 meter) from nose to rump when she was killed, MFWP officials reported. Adult gray wolves typically weigh between 70 and 110 pounds, and can measure up to 6 feet (1.8 m) long, according to the FWS.

And though her dark brown color is unusual in gray wolves, which are typically a mix of brown and gray with lighter fur on their legs and bellies, their coats can also be solid brown, black or white, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

However, her legs were shorter than is normal for wolves, and her ears were unusually large, which fueled confusion about her species. Upon closer inspection, officials noted that the size of her paws and canines (too small and too short, respectively) also called into question whether she was truly a wolf.

The female wasn't lactating when she was killed, so it's unlikely that she had the opportunity to pass along her unusual physical features to a litter of pups. However, it's possible that genes for these deviations in her limbs, teeth and ears could be carried by her siblings and parents, and so may surface in Montana again, possibly sparking more mistaken sightings of wolf-dog hybrids, long-extinct dire wolves, or the mythical wolf-human cryptid known as Dogman.  

Original article on Live Science.

Hushpuppi, who has been alleged to be one of the most popular and richest internet fraudsters from Nigeria rarely talks but his upscale lifestyle has been doing the talking for him. This time, he seems to have a story to tell after being irked.

A former director of social media of the People’s Democratic Party and self-acclaimed human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju recently recommended Hushpuppi (real name Ramoni) for investigation and prosecution by the anti-graft body, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. He made the controversial recommendation while commending the EFCC for the arrest of six internet fraudsters popularly known as Yahoo Boys in Abuja.

Adeyanju believes Hushpuppi who serially flaunts his uncanny wealthy on social media is into internet fraud which the young man has also not denied. This is second time Adeyanju is recommending Hushpuppi for arrest by the EFCC operatives but the body appearing unconcerned.

His recommendation which happened via Twitter went viral thereby necessitating responses from Hushpuppi. Hushpuppi is one of the most flamboyant Nigerian youths on social media. He strictly wears mostly expensive Gucci wears and holidays at the exotic locations across the world. He once expended a whopping sum of N11.5 million at one of the classiest club houses in Lagos State identified as Quilox, owned by socialite Shina Peller. Overtime, his presence on social media has intimidated hundreds of local celebrities whom he has accused of wearing fake designer clothes, shoes, wristwatches and others at different occasions. Musicians namely Phyno, Ice Prince, Kcee have had skirmishes with him over what they wear.

Hushpuppi once lived in Malaysia and has reportedly moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates where he basks in luxury doing what nobody knows. The social media tells us he is into high-profile internet fraud and the bearded young man whose mother hails from the Niger Delta region has refused to debunk the criminal stories trailing him. He seems to love the identity. He has over 1 million followers on Instagram and on his bio, you are welcomed with the bold message; The Billionaire Gucci Master”

Hushpuppi who has lived outside Nigeria for 8 years has threatened to drop his citizenship as he makes a response to Deji Adeyanju’s apparent attack on his personality.

He made a video yesterday with mixed emotions detailing his journey from poverty to luxury. Just like other picaros across the world like Pablo Escobar of Colombia, Joaquin Guzman aka El Chapo of Mexico and Lawrence Nomanyagbon Anini of Nigeria, there is a touching story about their stand against the law.

He spoke about the spate of poverty in his family stemming from several generations before his parents who wallowed in poverty. He recalled how his sister died of typhoid fever as well as his personal struggles as a man to make it from nothing. He regarded the Nigerian state as a failure which has disappointed the millions of her citizens.

It should be noted Adeyanju also challenged Hushpuppi to a debate in front of the EFCC office in Abuja which he has accepted but he gave his conditions. Ridiculously, Hushpuppi would also love to engage in a physical fight with Adeyanju during the death during which he hopes to do some damage on his face and make an impression of his source of money through vast injuries.

“Yes, I accept your debate challenge. First you have to know to invite me to Nigeria; it comes with a cost just like other people who have been inviting me for appearances in so many different countries worldwide. It comes with a cost which you have to discuss with me if you want to see me, I dont care about you. You have to realize it comes with a first class ticket, a 5-star hotel, on ground security since the country is not safe it is well known for kidnapping people and all these things, you have to provide me with my meals, I have my own preferences, you know the kind of meals I eat” he said.

Hushpuppi also wants the debate location to be shifted from the vicinity of the EFCC office in Abuja and taken to the people since Adeyanju claims to fight for them. Hushuppi hopes to debate with him at the Oyingbo Market in the Ebute Metta area, Idumota market and Yaba area which is close to the psychiatric hospital where he believes Adeyanju will end up as his mother opined.

Well, back to the issue at hand; after a series of threats to Adeyanju’s life, Huspuppi gave clues about what the debate points would look like. He wants to debate on the spate of poverty in Nigeria as it riddled his family.

“When you are coming to this debate, please be well prepared to answer some very good questions that I have for you and Nigerians. You have to explain to me personally why is it that my elder sister, the one I was immediately born after had to die of just Typhoid in Nigeria in Gbagada General Hospital (Lagos)? Why did my sister have to die because my parents didn’t have enough money? Why did she have to die cos they didn’t attend to her quick in the hospital? You have to answer these questions that give me pains that I go through all the time, everyday in my life.

You have to be able tell me why my parents have to suffer so much and they can’t be proud of N1,000 that has been given to them by the federal government. My mother is from the Niger Delta part of Nigeria where Nigeria’s oil comes from. She has never benefitted one dollar from the Niger Delta, the oil-producing part of Nigeria where she comes from and she is over 60 years old” he harped.

He went on to explain that many generations before his parents have been stricken by poverty and he is the only one who has escaped by the whiskers. He narrates that his father has worked harder that Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Olusegun Obasanjo and yet there is nothing to show for it. According to him, only him among the children of his parents has been so far successful in life. He attributed the recent attacks on him to envy as he has been through so much hardship in life.

“I suffer, okada don jam me so many times, motor don jam me for the same Nigeria. I don nearly die. I come escape, I come escape una country, just few years I don dey enjoy. This enjoyment never even mature. Just this small enjoyment wey I dey enjoy never dey equilibrium with the suffer wey I don suffer. I don suffer for decades, I never enjoy reach 5 years sef. Una dey look say no, dem suppose bring me back make I come suffer, say na must say I must suffer” he lamented in Pidgin English.

Hushpuppi believes the government owes him an explanation as to why his father languished in penury for so long. He revealed that his father’s second wife also passed away in the course of his father’s travails.

He lamented on the general sufferings in Nigeria specifically mentioning the deplorable state of people living in Badagry which is at the outskirts of Lagos, Agege, Iyana Ipaja as well as Ebonyi and Nassarawa States which according to him have been starved of developmental projects. He believes negligence on the part of the government has further impoverished the people.

Hushpuppi said his story must be used as documentary to give hope to the youths.

“My papa when im dey 4 years old, him papa die. At the age of 7 them put am inside motor wey carry yam and cow dey go north. My papa follow motor go north.

At the age of 8, 9, my papa don dey work for bakery for north from Ijebu. My papa suffer. E acquire many things, e get to where him want you know. My papa really go through a lot you know. I nor fit dey remember so many things. I nor fit open my eyes down dey talk my papa story because e dey cause me so many pains. Una know go understand.”

He said he travelled to Ethiopia and slept with donkeys in an uncompleted building in his first trip out of Nigeria. He recalled how he suffered in Ghana and Ashimota where he sold phones.

Hushpuppi believes ‘God’ answered his prayers a few years ago and alot of Nigerians believe he doesn’t deserve the opulence he is basking in. He said Nigerians should be more concerned about the less-privileged in the country who are looking for opportunities to leave the shores of the country for better opportunities abroad.

His story has appealed to the hearts of thousands of Nigerian youths who have turned against Adeyanju despite been left in the dark about the source of income of Hushpuppi. Rumours have it that Hushpuppi is worth over $20 million dollars which beggars belief.

Watch a video of Hushpuppi making these revelations below:

-Gistreel