No grass, no shoes, pure pleasure: Football in rural Africa

 Bollards for goalposts
A makeshift goal is set up in Jamestown, Accra, Ghana. Photographer Jessica Hilltout captured several such scenes during her trip around Africa.

 Different ball game
Footballs are made from anything from clothes to old bags. Often their lifespan is short despite being handled as precious possessions.

 My ball
In some parts of rural Africa, handmade balls like this one are often made from old rice bags and tied together with fresh tree bark. Condoms are often used too -- they have a life span of three days when inflated to make a football. This picture was taken outside Pipeline FC, Nhambonda, Mozambique.

 Grasping hope
Soale proudly holds the only ball in the village of Kpenjipei, Ghana. This ball was stitched up numerous times and had to be re-inflated during matches. Hilltout said: "This ball was hanging onto life for the sake of a whole village. It almost started to have human qualities."

 Field of dreams?
In Pacasse, Mozambique, the football players have to contend with pitch invaders.

 The tired ball
"Am I kicked, beaten, used, crushed and trampled? Or am I strong, resilient, determined, unbeaten, proud?
"I am both. I am proof that with so little we can do so much. I am proof that simple pleasures are enduring.
"I am a ball. I am an African ball."

Cup holders
This trophy was won by Etoile Brillante d'Eburnie, a team in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Hilltout said: "I think this must be one of the most beautiful football trophies I have ever seen."

Satellite falling to Earth, Destination unknown

(CNN) -- A European satellite that ran out of fuel will start falling in the next few days, and fragments of the disintegrating 2,000-pound spacecraft are expected to strike the Earth's surface.


Nobody knows where or when the fragments will hit, but the European Space Agency has said the parts are likely to fall into the ocean or unpopulated areas. Potential spots will be narrowed down closer to re-entry, ESA said on its website.

Re-entry probably will occur Sunday or Monday, Rune Floberghagen, mission manager for the Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Explorer, better known as GOCE, told the New York Times.

GOCE was launched in 2009 to map variations in the Earth's gravity in 3D, provide ocean circulation patterns and make other measurements.

ESA's website said the satellite "became the first seismometer in orbit" in March 2011 when it detected sound waves from the earthquake that struck Japan.

GOCE was expected to fall much earlier but fuel consumption was less than expected. In August, the satellite's altitude was lowered to about 139 miles, lowest of any research satellites, to improve the accuracy of the information being gathered, ESA's website said.

GOCE ran out of fuel October 21. On November 4, ESA's website said the satellite was orbiting the Earth at 119 miles and the rate of descent would increase significantly in coming days.

500-pound man too big for airplane?

(CNN) -- A French family is planning to sail home from the United States on the Queen Mary 2 after British Airways declined to honor their return tickets, according to CNN affiliate WBBM.

The Chenais family was supposed to fly home to France a week ago. The family has been in the United States seeking medical treatment for their 22-year-old son Kevin's hormone disorder, the family told WBBM. Kevin Chenais weighs 500 pounds.

"The British Airways team worked tirelessly to try and find a solution for the family but unfortunately we cannot safely accommodate the customer on any of our aircraft," British Airways said in a statement.

"We were in regular contact with the family to discuss other options and we provided hotel accommodation throughout," the airline said. The customer service team "exhausted all options.

We'll always try to accommodate a customer if it's at all possible and it's safe to do so." The airline offered the family a full refund.

Kevin Chenais requires oxygen and regular medical attention, WBBM reported.

Kevin's mother, Christina Chenais, told WBBM she doesn't understand why the airline won't take Kevin home.

"If they could bring him here with that problem in economy, there is a way to take him back by economy," she said. "But just get him back home for his medical treatments to continue."

Generally, the airline would offer larger passengers the option to purchase another seat, an airline spokesman told CNN. British Airways would not comment on the specifics of the Chenais' case, citing privacy concerns.

The Chenais family plans to take the train to New York, WBBM reported, where they will board the Queen Mary 2.

PHOTOS: Nigeria 3 vs 0 Mexico

Final whistle: Nigeria 3:0 Mexico

Nigeria put on one more show for their adoring fans in UAE, beating holders Mexico 3-0 in the final of the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup to become champions for a record fourth time.

I am very proud of those eaglets.................

Why actresses prefer married men – Bose Arowosegbe

Bose Arowosegbe, a native of Arigidi Akoko, Ondo State, has come to pitch her tent with the very best in Nollywood. Having started acting in 2003 she shot into limelight in 2008 with her sterling lead role in ‘Kareni Barin’ and affirmed her arrival on the scene as a ‘made star’ in ‘Anikisaya’, a flick that earned her the alias with which she is known in the industry today, and thereafter went ahead to record string of successes with her own productions.

In this chat with Weekend Groove, the Business Studies graduate of LASPOTECH talks of her sojourn in the movie industry; her beliefs and a lot of other issues. Excerpts:.

How did you find your way into the movie industry?
I didn’t start out as an actress, I started out as a video vixen in 2002 before I was introduced into acting at the insistence of an editor named Jide Bambo. He was involved in movie production and music video production. It was as a result of his influence I veered into acting.

What was your first film and how was it like?
It wasn’t much of anything because it was a two-scene cameo. The film was “Akamo’’ and I played the role of an angel. But after that I think I caught attention of some people and it started the flow of other jobs coming my way.

Which film would you say launched you into limelight?
My break or what I can call my break came about in 2008 with my own production. The name of the film is “Kareni Barin”. It is a story of betrayal, loyalty and trust. The film teaches that it is sometimes necessary to keep friends in spite of their treachery and disloyalty. But before that I had also played a lead role in “Eni Mi”.

What are the challenges of making it in the Yoruba sector of the movie industry?
The biggest challenge is patience, having to wait for your own time. Then there is the issue of seniority when some people older than you in the industry expect you to accord them some docile kind of respect, like, not addressing them on a first name basis. These people expect you to call them “aunties” even when you are older than them in real age.

What of sexual harassment, isn’t there sexual harassment in the Yoruba as it is rampant in the English-speaking sector?
There is this saying that how you make your bed is how you sleep on it. If you present yourself as a harlot then you would meet your kind. There’s no denying the fact that there are sexual scandals, I don’t call it harassment because no one would go out of their way to harass anybody but if the woman makes herself available, then that’s her problem. It all depends on how a lady presents herself and what she seeks to achieve. If you have your focus your focus would always be your focus.

I heard you are now married, when did you marry?
I married May 26, 2013. I have known my husband a long time before we got married. I met him 13 years ago, before I even started acting. I was working then at Tafawa Balewa Square.

How has marriage affected your career?
Even though marriage hasn’t prevented me from acting, it has definitely prevented me from taking up certain roles in my films. Even when I shot my 4th production “Akoda Oro” my husband was on set with me. I just delivered my baby then.

As a married woman, can you take up sensual or sex scenes?
Like I said before marriage has limited what role I can play again in films. I cannot take part in a sex scene, real or unreal, either in my production or other productions. And nothing can make me go totally nude but I can wear seductive dresses because when I am with my husband I still wear them. I can never go nude or play sex scene but I can be seductive. Before I was married, I wear seductive dresses anywhere but now I only wear them when I am with my husband.

What did your husband say must stop about your acting?
Doing sensual roles of course. Maybe I could do them before but now it is out of the question. Then my style of dressing outside unless we are together.

Is it true that lesbianism also exists in the Yoruba industry?
Yes, you can say that again. I have heard about it and I have seen one with my own very eyes.

How so?
It happened when two friends came to visit, then three of us had to share a bed. As we were on the bed with my back turned to the other two, I felt some movements and I turned, alas, the two other girls were at it, doing it. I was simply aghast and dumbfounded. I watched them transfixed for about two minutes and then gave one of them a slap. She looked at me and asked if she had touched me or what. I was so mad that I started shouting at them.

The other one was just laying down while the one I slapped was working on her. she said she didn’t know and thought I was also part of it but I shouted ‘God forbid’. She then started crying and I told her to desist from associating with the other girl again.

Are you a jealous person?
Yes, when it comes to my husband, I am very jealous.

What if you catch him in bed with another woman?
That is the end of the relationship.

But as a jealous woman you would be on set kissing another man, isn’t that unfair?
See, that is why I have to cut off taking up some roles when I got married.

Why are many actresses getting married to married men?
I am married to a married man too. I have not told anyone this before. Other journalists I have met were fed the story that my husband is abroad when he has always been in the country.

Most single men out there are not matured enough to handle the fact that actresses are normal women. They believe we are harlots to be used and dumped. I believe they are too immature to handle the life around us. They are easily affected by things they read and hear about us, and also things they see on screen about us.

But married men are matured to handle all this. They listen to us instead of listening to gist about us. They seem to understand women better. Besides, they are more caring, gentler and wiser.

You just said you are a jealous woman, how then can you share your man with another woman?
Because I knew he was married before I decided to marry him. It was my decision and I knew what I was walking into. Before I made up my mind I knew the price I was to pay and how I have to adapt to that. I have decided to share with the woman inside not any one outside.

Look at the case of Funke Akindele, why is it that actresses don’t seem to last long in a marriage?
See, it depends on the man you are dealing with. If he is the type that understands you, he won’t be looking out for rumours about you. As a lady, you must let your man understand the kind of person you are. So, when he hears things about you he understands you without your having to explain anything. Again, when you are married you must steer clear of some things you used to do.

Like in the case of Funke Akindele, I don’t think the problem came from Funke. I don’t know much of the story but I heard Funke’s husband had impregnated another lady. Even if he had, there is a way he could have gone about it instead of going public to rubbish her name because she’s a star. I hate that man for that. Funke is my friend.

You have been saying your friends, your friends – who are your friends?
I have many friends in the industry. There is Biodun Okeowo, Tayo Odueke, Sikiratu Sindodo, Funke Etti and many others.

Which of your films have been most successful?
“Kareni Barin” of course. The film won me many accolades both here and abroad. People called me as far as Europe to tell me how much they enjoyed the film and I also made good money from it. Then there is “Anikisaya” which gave me my screen name. Though, I didn’t make money from it but it helped my career a lot. It was my only film not marketed by Toymaxx. My 3rd film “Ina Orule” came out some six weeks ago and it still selling in the market. The 4th one, “Akodo Oro” also marketed by Toymaxx is expected to hit the market before December of this year.

Can the Golden Eaglets beat Mexico again?

TWO CAPTAINS, ONE TROPHY — Captains, Musa Muhammed of Nigeria and Ulises Rivas of Mexico


Many have dubbed today’s match a revenge mission. Others, too, have called it a match to prove one’s superiority over another. Depending on which divide you are, it appears to be the truth.

Defending champions, Mexico have recovered from the pangs of that 6-1 humiliation in the hands of the Golden Eaglets to play in today’s final, beating notable teams like Brazil and Argentina before squaring up against the Nigerian goal-machines.

But one Eaglet who also shot himself into reckoning with the Mexico match is Kelechi Iheanacho who told them that they were nursing a bad dream in their revenge mission today. Iheanacho scored four out of the six goals and today stands tall as one of the contenders for the hotshot award.

“I’m sure they won’t feel great about that first result.They’ll want to put pressure on us and we’ll have to be careful. We’ll respect them, but it’s hard to go against us when we’re playing our good football”, he said.

Football is good at offering second chances, but Iheanacho – near the top of the scorer’s charts with five of Nigeria’s 23 goals – has bad news for the revived Mexicans. “We’ve got better since that opener. We’ve become closer and we’re going to chase them all over the field; we’re going to press them with our attackers and we won’t rest. We’ll go at them for 90 minutes until we’re sure the trophy is ours’’, he said with a note of certainty.

Asked about the army of supporters club led by Dr Rafiu Ladipo who have provided moving songs for them, he shyly smiled and said; “They give us courage,” Iheanacho said of the Nigerian fans who’ve offered the tournament colour and swagger, their trumpets blaring for all of the Eaglets’ matches. But you can’t play for the gallery, you have to play for your team-mates.

But they do give us confidence and they cheer us up so that we can play in the right way,” he went on about the supporters who’ve sparked the venues of this Arab country with flashes of Lagos and Abuja.

“We have to work as a team, play as a team,” he added, knowing fully well he and his mates have offered as harmonious a brand of football as any before at this age level. “This is how you win matches.” It is indeed, and with talents like Musa Yahaya, Taiwo Awoniyi and Abdullahi Alfa alongside Iheanacho, rest may not come easy for Mexico’s defenders starting from 5pm(Nigerian time).

Woman sells her twin babies for N75,000 apiece

Wonders, they say shall never end. What many would rather give a finger to have was what a woman, identified as Beatrice, was trying hard to dispose, while most Nigerians were celebrating the anniversary of the country’s freedom from the claws of colonialists on Tuesday, October 1.

Beatrice, a native of Isiele-Uku, married to a Beninoise was trying so hard to send her twins into eternal slavery. Beatrice, who lived with her husband at Idi-Iroko area border in Ogun State, was reported to have parted ways with her husband in March.

While she lives with her four-year old twins at the border town, her estranged husband was said to have taken another wife and moved out of the town. But it was reported that once every month, Beatrice’s former husband used to come visiting his twins in the care of his estranged wife. The man is also reported to take full responsibility for the welfare of the two girls, as he provided for their upkeeps, albeit not to the required standard.

The husband, whose identity could not be immediately ascertained, was on such trip to Idi-Iroko on that fateful day when he discovered that his former wife and mother of his twin girls was close to disposing off of the twins for cash. Saturday Mirror gathered that on the morning of that day, Beatrice left her house quite early for a market at the border.

The woman was said to have informed one Meimunat, said to be her closest friend of her plans to travel out of the town for the coming Sallah period. It was discovered later that when Beatrice left home early that day with her twins, she headed for the border market where she reportedly met a couple said to have come from Lome, in Togo to purchase the twins. Some hours after she left home with her kids, Beatrice’s husband, with a friend of his living a stone throw from Beatrice’s house, arrived the house to see his twins, but was informed that his estranged wife had left home early that day.

Beatrice and the couple with another man from Idi-Iroko, who appeared as middleman between her and the intending buyer of her twin girls, were reported to have met at a restaurant near the Idi-Iroko main gate.

An eye witness account told journalists that while Beatrice was in talks with the Togolese couple for the price for the twins, a friend of her former husband walked into the restaurant for a different purpose, presumably to buy some fast food to eat. When Beatrice’s former husband’s friend reportedly saw the woman and the twins at the restaurant, by which time Beatrice was deeply engrossed in the negotiations for the sale of the kids, he dashed out of the restaurant and placed a call through to his friend saying that he sighted his estranged wife at the restaurant with their kids.

It was reported that by the time the man got to the restaurant, Beatrice had already concluded arrangement with the couple and the sum of N150, 000 had already been handed over to her. She soon left the little girls with the couple, who reportedly stayed back at the restaurant trying to do some shopping for the little girls.

As fate would have it, while Beatrice was coming out of the restaurant, her former husband reportedly rode in a motorcycle into the restaurant. Sighting Beatrice, the man reportedly barked at her demanding for his kids. Beatrice reportedly told her former husband that she left the twins at home to get some things for them at the restaurant. She, however, did not know that the man had earlier gone to check them at home.

Beatrice tried to free herself from the man’s grips, but he prevailed on her to take him to see his kids. While they were still shouting on each other outside the restaurant, the couple emerged from the restaurant with the little girls and the man reportedly yelled at her kids. The confused couple was thus prevented from going away with the kids while Beatrice received heavy punches from her former husband. Speaking with Saturday Mirror on telephone, Akin, Beatrice’s former husband’s friend, claimed that had he and his friends waited a minute more, they would not have seen the twins again.

His words: “Earlier that morning, I was with my friend when he went to check his twins at the woman’s house but we were told that she had travelled. But some hours after, I wanted to entertain my friend so I went to the restaurant to get some things to eat. When I got there, I saw the woman discussing with the husband and wife and anoth-er man, while the two girls were eating snacks beside them. “Fortunately, the woman did not see me.

So I went back and told my friend what I saw at the restaurant. That was how he said we should rush there and when we got there, the woman had already been paid for the purchase of the twins and was about leaving the town. You can imagine a woman offering her twins for N150, 000.” Another eyewitness told reporters that “I was repairing my car beside the restaurant and I suddenly heard noise at the entrance of the restaurant.

By the time we got there, we heard that the woman had sold the kids for N150, 000. But the man beat the hell out of the woman before they all moved themselves into a bus and left the area.” The couple that reportedly paid for the twins had to forfeit their money while the father of the twins took possession of his kids. He reportedly dragged Beatrice into a bus and left the area.

Unbelievable! Meet Boy born with 34 fingers and toes [Pictured]

A little boy stunned medics after being born with 34 fingers and toes, Akshat Saxena had seven fingers on each hand and ten toes on each foot — but no thumbs. Mum Amrita said: “I was so happy to see my baby as it was our first child. But later, when I saw his fingers, I was shocked and surprised.”

She said: “He read on the internet about the baby born in China. Then he said that my boy has broken the record of having 34 fingers. “At first I was not convinced at all.It was hard to believe that my son has broken the record. “But later, he along with my husband and younger sister registered the data on the internet.” The previous record holder was a six-year-old boy in China who had 15 fingers and 16 toes amounting to 31 digits. Akshat, from Uttar Pradesh, northern India, has since had surgery to remove the excess digits which supposedly results from a condition known as polydactyl as and doctors are trying to construct thumbs from thel fingers they amputated

14-year-old schoolgirl hangs self because she was dumped by her Facebook boyfriend

Fourteen-year-old schoolgirl Shikha hanged herself on Tuesday evening unable to take the rejection of her Facebook friend Manoj who stopped interacting with her.

Shikha (name changed), a Class IX student, had accepted a friend request from M Manoj Kumarin September this year. The second year BComstudent of Seshadripuram College, Yelahanka, who claimed to ride his motorcycle like a Hollywood star and drive like a Formula One racer, charmed the girl.

All this while, her family was in the dark about Shikha’s online romance. Shikha herself had no access to the internet and would visit internet cafes and log on to chat with Manoj. Manoj then invited her to his bachelor pad in Nandini Layout, and when Shikha visited him, forced her into a physical relationship.

He soon began asking Shikha to share her classmates’ details, including their phone numbers and FB accounts, which made her suspicious.

Shikha, who believed her romance would end in marriage, broached the subject, but was shocked when Manoj laughed her off saying he wasn’t serious. “I did everything for fun,” he is believed to have told her and asked her to forget everything. This sent Shikha’s into a depression, and her suicide note reflects on the trauma she underwent.

On Tuesday night, after Shikha’s mother returned from work, she found the house locked, and called her husband. They broke open the door with the help of neighbours and to their horror found their daughter hanging from the ceiling. The suicide note lay on a table nearby.

The family found out that Shikha had played with her little brother and left him at a cousin’s house down the road, returned and locked the house, before ending her life. They told police they weren’t aware of any developments. “She was depressed for some days and we thought she was worried about her studies,” her father told police.

On Wednesday, Mahalakshmi Layout police arrested Manoj Kumar from his Nandini Layout residence and booked him for rape and abetment to suicide.


Her last note 

I am depressed as Manoj is avoiding me. It is just two months since we met and fell in love. Everything was fine and I sacrificed everything to him. Even Manoj developed physical relationship with me. But now he says “I did everything for fun” and how can he do that to me? I am ruined and have no interest in life.

7 myths about men that women believe

1. Mean Means Likes

True, some boys do not know how to express their interest to a girl except by being bothersome. That leads grow-ups to explaining it away by “he likes you and that makes him do mean things to you.” But purposeful bullying and affectionate teasing are two very different things, and repeating it you can teach your girl to believe that affection comes with being nasty. Teasing is no good way to express your feelings, and both girls and boys ought to be brought up understanding that.

2. Men Never Cry

The notion that men never cry – or are supposed not to – is actually preposterous. Everyone has emotions, and everyone is likely to cry at times. Grief or stress can squeeze out tears, and it’s only natural. Men may make out that they are impervious to gentler feelings, but don’t you believe it.

3. Men Are Breadwinners

There used to be a time when the burden of providing the family’s budget lay with men solely while their wives watched over the household, but it’s in the past. The times have moved on, and now it’s nothing special if the man looks after the house and does the cooking while his wife is out earning her wad. So long as the partners think it’s the best arrangement, there’s no obligation for the man to be the principal moneymaker.

4. The Epitome of Power

Again, we are used to men holding far more positions of power compared to women, but it doesn’t mean they are more compelling by nature. Women have proved it that they have a perfect right to place themselves among the powerful ones of the world and they are here to stay. Now we all know that people are equal and their abilities have nothing to do with gender.

5. Men Go after Every Skirt

Once again, we’ve left the times when men were free to chase women about town behind. The question of personal loyalty aside, these days what is acceptable for one sex is likewise acceptable for the other. Male promiscuity is no better that female one, so men are no longer to be excused for bedding every woman they meet just because they are men.

6. Men Take Care of Bills

It’s nice from the traditional point of view when your man picks up the bill as a matter of fact. Maybe on a first date it’s still acceptable, but it should no longer be a standing habit. It just isn’t fair, basically. What’s wrong with going Dutch or take turns settling bills? Some men may want to do it every time, but it’s better become an obsolete practice.

7. Men Move First

Men used to take the lead upon themselves and express their interest in a woman first. There are many who stick to this tradition, but the other way round is nothing new now. Why shouldn’t a woman become responsible for initiating or cultivating a relationship? If at a certain period the woman behaves in a more decisive fashion, she has every right to. That’s certainly not a complete list of notions that should be dissolving and on their way out. Don’t take anything for granted, keep your eyes peeled to be realistic in your relationship!

Man Successfully Sues Wife Over Ugly Children [see photos of children]

A Chinese man divorced and then sued his ex-wife for giving birth to what he called an extremely ugly baby girl, the Irish Times reported.

Initially, Jian Feng accused his wife of infidelity, so sure that he could never father an unattractive child.

When a DNA test proved that the baby was his, Feng’s wife came clean on a little secret — before they met, she had undergone about $100,000 worth of cosmetic surgery in South Korea.

Feng sued his ex-wife on the grounds of false pretenses, for not telling him about the plastic surgery and duping him into thinking she was beautiful, The Huffington Post reported.

The kicker? He won. A judge agreed with Feng’s argument and ordered his ex-wife to fork over $120,000.

“I married my wife out of love, but as soon as we had our first daughter, we began having marital issues,” he told the Irish Times. “Our daughter was incredibly ugly, to the point where it horrified me.”

Solar mobile phone chargers for sub-Saharan Africa to launch next week

A suite of handheld solar phone chargers by U.S.-based World Panel, set to be unveiled next week at the AfricaCom industry conference, target a region where scarcity of electric power is a widespread problem.

The devices are designed to charge virtually any phone, tablet, or other electronic device that uses a USB cord as quickly as plugging it into the wall, without depending on electricity from the grid. With the company's "direct-from-the-sun" technology, the chargers, which can charge up to 10 phones per day, are built to endure the harshest environmental conditions in sub-Saharan Africa.

In the region, the electricity supply is largely non-existent, and erratic where available. In most cases, users have to charge their phones at charging points powered mainly by generators.

"It would be a welcomed development," says a Freetown resident, Samuel Taylor, about the chargers. "On several occasions, we have to drop our phones at various charging points for few hours. In the course, we'll be deprived of using the phone. What if we have something urgent to attend to? But with these solar chargers, I believe one can use it at his or her own convenience."

Another phone user, Sidikie Turay, said: "Some of us have to leave our phones for charge overnight and there have been instances when such charging points were burgled and phones submitted for charge carted away. We were left with few options. "

According to World Panel, recent independent tests performed on the chargers show that the most popular phones in Africa charge in an hour, providing five to six hours of talk time.

"Consumers will like that they're small, can be thrown on your back (with our clear on-the-go included backpack), colorful, fast, durable and can be a money-maker if they choose to charge others' phones for a fee. Entrepreneurs will like that they can pay for themselves within a month," says World Panel co-founder Cheryl Gordon.

The company targeted sub-Saharan Africa after CEO John Anderson visited Uganda in 2011, Gordon said. "Everyone told him, 'We want to charge our phones normally.' When he delved deeper, they explained that 'normal' was like a wall plug. He didn't quit the design process until the charger exceeded wall plug speeds on our testing meters."

However, potential users of the chargers may have problems getting their hands on them due to distribution and cost issues. Stringent trade barriers that exist in some African countries may slow down distribution of the devices and jack up the price of the chargers in some areas.

Gordon said telecom companies will set the retail price. "We envision that they will bundle the charger with airtime -- and maybe with phones to add new rural subscribers," she said. "We anticipate that the price will be less than one month of a subscriber's mobile budget."

"Research says that subscribers would like to convert their charging budget to airtime expenditures," Gordon said. Doing this will boost average revenue per user (ARPU), increase mobile money transactions and allow for more data services, she said.

"We've had early discussions with huge operators and it appears that they haven't been happy with the products they've reviewed thus far," Gordon noted. She added that the distribution of the products will be done through telecom providers.

World Panel plans to take orders at the AfricaCom show to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, but the products won't be available until early 2014.