Friday, 18 October 2013

Teen sells kidney to buy iPad


Five people have been charged with intentional injury in China after a teenager sold a kidney so he could buy an iPhone and an iPad.

The government-run Xinhua news agency said the 17-year-old boy's kidney was removed last year.

The surgeon who performed the operation is among the five charged.

The boy, identified only by his surname Wang, now suffers from renal deficiency, or decreased kidney function.

According to Xinhua, one of the defendants received about 220,000 yuan (about £22,000) to arrange the transplant.

He paid Wang 22,000 yuan (£2,000) and split the rest with the surgeon, the three other defendants and other medical staff.

The report did not say who received and paid for the kidney.

The teen was from Anhui, one of China's poorest provinces, where inhabitants frequently leave to find work and a better life elsewhere.

He bought an iPhone and iPad, and when asked by his mother where he got the money, admitted selling a kidney.

Apple products are hugely popular in China, but are priced beyond the reach of many Chinese with iPhones starting at 3,988 yuan (£400), and iPads at 2,988 yuan (£300).

Only a fraction of the people who need organ transplants in China are able to get them, leading to "transplant tourism" where patients travel overseas for such operations, and turn to a black market for human organs.

Several other suspects involved in the case are still being investigated.

Photo: See what a Nigerian governor is doing to a little girl in his private jet.

This is Nyako, one of the rebel Governors fighting the president. Look what he does with a little girl in his private jet. 

Bravest girl in the world; Malala Yousafzai meets Queen at Buckingham Palace reception


Malala Yousafzai arrives at Buckingham Palace in London. Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images
Malala Yousafzai, who survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban, spoke to the Queen about the importance of education when they met at Buckingham Palace on Friday.

The 16-year-old schoolgirl was shot in the head in Pakistan last October after campaigning for the right of girls to go to school without fear in a part of the country where Islamic fundamentalists were trying to impose a strict form of sharia law.

Malala was one of the guests at a reception for Commonwealth, youth and education hosted by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

She was reduced to laughter by a comment from the duke, who quipped that in this country people wanted children to go to school to get them out of the house. Malala covered her face while in a fit of giggles at his joke.

The teenager, accompanied by her father Ziauddin, gave the Queen a copy of her book, I Am Malala, during their meeting in the palace's White Drawing Room, telling her: "It is a great honour for me to be here, and I wanted to present you with this book."

Accepting the gift, the Queen replied: "That's very kind of you."

Malala told the Queen she was passionate about every child having a right to an education, everywhere around the world.

She added: "Especially in this country as well. I have heard about many children that can't go to school, and I want to continue our work."

Mr Yousafzai also spoke to the Queen and duke about their past visits to his home country.

Malala was flown from Pakistan to the UK for emergency treatment after the attack. Surgeons who treated her said she came within inches of death when the bullet grazed her brain in the attack on a school bus.

She was treated at Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham and has now settled in the city with her family. Since the attack she has addressed the United Nations and been nominated for the Nobel peace prize.

Princess Beatrice and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were also present at the reception, attended by 350 guests from academic institutions around the world. It included a performance from the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra and choir.

Thursday, 17 October 2013

ASUU STRIKE: FG Agrees To Spend N200 Billion Each Year To Bring Nigerian Universities Up To World Standard


In light of the ongoing strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Federal Government has promised to spend N200 billion in the 2014 for the universities. Besides, a similar amount would be spent in the next three-four years until Nigerian universities are brought to world-class standard.

This is in addition to the N100 billion already disbursed for 2013.

This information is contained in an internal  statement by Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Otuoke, Professor Bolaji Aluko. The statement was seen on Wednesday night by SaharaReporters.

The FG has also increased to N40 billion as a first installment funds for the payment of earned allowances to the striking lecturers, an improvement from the N30 billion previously released.

On the earned allowances, Aluko explained that:

“Government will top it up with further releases once universities are through with the disbursement of this new figure of N40 million, so Vice-Chancellors are urged to expedite this disbursement within the shortest possible time using guiding templates that have been sent by the CVC."

Aluko also explained that this move of the FG followed the meetings held on September 19 and October 11 between the representatives of the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities led by CVC Chairman, Prof. Hamisu of ATBU and ASUU Representatives led by its President, Dr. N. Fagge with the Vice-President of Nigeria, Arc. Namadi. Sambo, Minister of Education Barr. N. Wike and others.

Of great interest to stakeholders, Vice-President Sambo, appealing to ASUU to call off the strike, apologized for the "take-it-or-leave-it" comments credited to the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at the onset of the strike.

Other points of agreement at the meetings include the following:

Project Prioritization: Universities will now be allowed to determine their priorities and not be “rail-roaded” into implementing a pre-determined set of projects with respect to the NEEDS assessment. Decisions are not to be centralized.

TETFund Intervention: Government assured that the operations of the TETFund will not be impaired, and that the regular TETFund intervention disbursement to Universities will continue, unaffected. So the NEEDS assessment capital outlays are in addition to regular TETFund intervention.

Project Monitoring: A new Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) for the NEEDS Assessment intervention for universities has been set up to take over from the Suswan Committee. The new one is under the Federal Ministry of Education and chaired by the Honorable Minister of Education. In addition, to build confidence and ensure faithful implementation and prevent any relapse as before, the Vice President will meet quarterly with the IMC to monitor progress.

Blueprint: ASUU was mandated to submit a blue print for revitalizing the Universities to the Vice President.

Aluko also stated that a signed document will soon be issued to itemize the full issues on which the consensus he had outlined here, as brokered by AVCNU, was reached.

It will be reminded, however, that seven weeks after the FG announced that it had commenced implementation of the agreement signed with the ASUU by disbursing N100 billion to 59 public universities, the affected tertiary institutions have raised alarm that they are yet to receive the fund.

ASUU has been on an indefinite strike since June 30. The lecturers protest against the FG’s failure to honour a 2009 agreement signed between it and ASUU in 2009 pertaining to issues of university funding and improvement of infrastructure in the sector.

PHOTO: Wizkid Shares Another Picture Of His Son

Seems the singer is ready to show off his little boy.

Yesterday, Wizkid shared a picture of his adorable son. Today, he is showing us he is not done by sharing another one.

Father and son sure look cute in the photo below.

What do you think?

Wednesday, 16 October 2013

Nigerian 11-Year-Old Girl Becomes Ambassador In Tanzania


Zuriel Oduwole, a Nigeria wonder girl advocating for education for the girl child in Africa at the age of 10 already became the youngest person ever interviewed by Forbes. Now Zuriel is 11 and she has been appointed Ambassador in Tanzania.

It was the girl's second country stop on her East African leg to launch the acclaimed Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up program, aimed at inspiring and motivating Africa’s girls.

When the girl's plane landed, she was welcomed by senior officials of the Tanzanian State House, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Education
On the first day Zuriel visited one of the oldest academic institutions in Dar Es Salaam, the Olympio School.

In the afternoon of October 11th, the day designated by the UN to celebrating the Girl Child, she attended the United Nations UNFPA event in Dar Es Salaam, which focused on reducing the incidence of child marriage in Tanzania.

She later gave exclusive interview to the national ITV network.

Her stay, rich in events, was followed by formal invitation by the First Lady to the State House.

Madam Salma Kikwete praised Zuriel for attracting attention to the issues of girls education to several African leaders.

It is important to mention that Zuriel has interviewed at least nine African leaders, including the Tanzanian head of state.

First Lady then formally appointed her an Ambassador for the largest foundation in Tanzania focused on gender issues – Wanawake na Maendeleo Foundation [WAMA] of which she is the founding Patron.

Mrs. Kikwete then presented Zuriel with several gifts and an intricate three-foot statue of unity, the same type presented to the US President, to symbolize the effect of Zuriel’s programs in the lives of Africa’s young women.

The world's best city is ...

  1. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico


(CNN) -- How many have you been to? And do you agree with the rankings?

Condé Nast Traveler announced the winners of its 26th annual Readers' Choice Awards yesterday.

As they do every year, this year's results introduce new categories, new hotels and re-ordered lists of the world's best destinations.

The magazine said this year's list was the most comprehensive ever, with 1.3 million votes cast for a whopping 16,000 properties around the world.

Read: 12 VIP experiences actually worth the money

World's best cities

The "Top 25 Cities in the World" list had refreshingly surprising additions and rankings -- Paris came in at a lowly 22 while Bruges and Cape Town tied for 11th place.

Budapest and Florence tied for second, while the very top spot was seized by the colonial city of San Miguel de Allende in central Mexico, which took the crown from last year's favorite of Charleston, South Carolina (which was tied for fifth this year).

Italy snapped up five of the top 25 cities, while Spain managed to take three.

Despite its slide in the global rankings, Charleston was still voted the top city in the United States for the third year in a row, for itsfo "sand, sun, history, good food and friendly people."


Here's a small selection of the rankings.

Top cities in the world
1. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
2.= Budapest, Hungary
2.= Florence, Italy
4. Salzburg, Austria
5.= Charleston, South Carolina, United States
5.= San Sebastián, Spain
7. Vienna, Austria
8. Rome
9. Siena, Italy
10. Québec City
11.= Cape Town, South Africa
11.= Bruges, Belgium
13. Vancouver, Canada
14. Kyoto, Japan
15.= Prague, Czech Republic
15.= KrakĂłw, Poland
17.= Victoria, Canada
17.= Sydney
17.= Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States
20.= Seville, Spain
20.= Beirut, Lebanon
22.= Paris
22.= Melbourne, Australia
24.= Venice, Italy
24.= Barcelona, Spain

Top cities in the United States
1. Charleston, South Carolina
2. Sante Fe, New Mexico
3. San Francisco
4. Honolulu
5. Chicago



More categories

In the "Top 100 Hotels and Resorts in the World" category, La Residence in South Africa and Lodge at Kauri Cliffs in Matauri Bay, New Zealand tied for first place, while Virgin America was named the No. 1 airline in the United States. Singapore Airlines came in first for international airlines.

Top hotels and resorts in the world
1.= Lodge at Kauri Cliffs in Maturi Bay, New Zealand 
1.= La Residence, Franschhoek, South Africa 
3.= Singita Sabi Sand, South Africa 
3.= Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve, South Africa 
5. Grand Hotel Timeo, Sicily

Top U.S. airlines
1. Virgin America 
2. Jetblue Airways 
3. Hawaiian Airlines 
4. Southwest Air Lines 
5. Alaska Airlines

Top international airlines
1. Singapore Airlines 
2. Emirates 
3. Virgin Atlantic 
4. Etihad Airways 
5. Air New Zealand