Thank God she didn't give up on her life!

A Lady Becomes First Pilot Without Arms Licensed To Fly

26 September, 2012

 Jessica Cox suffered a rare birth defect and was born without arms. And yet, she has a great spirit.

The psychology graduate can write, type, drive a car, brush her hair and talk on her phone simply using her feet.

Ms Cox, from Tuscon, Arizona, USA, is also a former dancer and double black belt in Tae Kwon-Do. She has a no-restrictions driving license, she flies planes and she can type 25 words a minute.

The plane she is flying is called an Ercoupe, and it is one of the few airplanes to be made and certified without pedals. Without rudder pedals, Jessica is free to use her feet as hands.

Her flight training took three years instead of the normal six months to earn her lightweight aircraft licence, had three flying instructors and practiced 89 hours of flying, becoming the first pilot with no arms.

See the photos below. Thank God she didn't give up on her life!

Hajj: 171 Nigerian Females Deported

Hajj: 171 Nigerian female deported

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•FG gives Saudi authorities 24 hours ultimatum

By AKEEB ALARAPE, UCHE USIM, Lagos, DESMOND MGBOH, Kano and ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI, Abuja
The Federal Government yesterday gave 24 hours ultimatum to Saudi authorities to rescind its decision on the detained 400 Nigerian female pilgrims.

The ultimatum came on the heel of the deportation of another 171 pilgrims of Taraba and Katsina States origin, who were denied entry into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Some 400 Nigerian female pilgrims were detained on Sunday at King Abdul-Aziz International Airport, Jeddah for travelling unaccompanied by their husbands or approved male partners.

As at Wednesday night, Saudi authorities were still threatening to deport the pilgrims, who were from Jigawa and Sokoto States.

But yesterday, the Senate urged President Goodluck Jonathan to dialogue with the Arabian king to resolve the plight of the women, who were disallowed from gaining entry into the country to perform this year Hajj.

A total of 171 deportees arrived at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, at about 6pm yesterday on board a Max Air airline, as more pilgrims were being expected to arrive with Kabo Air.

While the 53 pilgrims from Taraba State disembarked at Kano, their Katsina State counterparts, who departed Nigeria last night, were flown to Katsina State.

Some of the rejected pilgrims, who shared their sad experiences with reporters on arrival at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, said they suffered untold hardship during their brief stay in Saudi Arabia.

According to Hajia Aisha Ibrahim Mohammed from Taraba State, they spent three days in Medina, Saudi Arabia, adding that they were hungry as they were starved for the whole of the three days that they were under custody.

With tears, Hajia Medinatu Jalingo equally expressed disgust at the shabby treatment meted to them by Saudi officials, adding that at some point “we were shouting and we were about to protest, but they sent their officers after us.”

At its plenary sitting yesterday, the Upper Legislative Chamber adopted a motion sponsored by Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and 16 other senators, including Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba, Ayogu Eze, Abu Ibrahim, Smart Adeyemi and Helen Esuene.

Besides, the Senate also urged its Deputy Leader, Abdul Ningi, to urgently bring up the matter with SHOORA and ASECA, to which Nigeria belongs, for quick resolution.

Senate President David Mark said efforts must be made to ensure that the pilgrims were released and allowed to perform hajj.

Mark said: “Saudi is a member of SHOORA. SHOORA is the Arab and African parliaments that are working together and Senator Ningi is the one who represents us there.

“He should just talk to the member of Saudi there. Apart from the efforts made so far by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I think we should ask the President to talk directly to Saudi authorities. We should do everything possible to ensure that our pilgrims, having gone far, are allowed to perform the hajj.”

The Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee, Senator Ifeanyi Nwagwu, said it was evident that the pilgrims were held in unpleasant conditions, while Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta suggested that the Federal Government be asked to raise a team to address the plight of the detained pilgrims.

Do You Have a Favorite?

Dad Under Fire for Revealing He Has a Favorite Child. Do You Have a Favorite?

By Lylah M. Alphonse, Senior Editor, Yahoo! Shine | Team Mom – 

• 
  

Buzz Bishop and his son, Zacharie. Bishop has been under fire for calling Zacharie his favorite son. (Photo courtesy …Let's face it: It can be easier to spend time with a sunny kindergartener than a tantruming toddler. And while most parents are quick to say that they love all of their children equally, they're also willing to admit, in private, that there are times when they like one a little more than another. One dad has come under fire for publicly declaring that his older son is his favorite, sparking a debate about how we feel as parents—and whether it's OK to say it out loud.

Related: Are parents who hate parenting the latest trend?

"If I were to be absolutely honest, my older son is my favorite of the two," Buzz Bishop wrote at Babble.com, where he blogs as DadCamp. "He and I are adventurous partners in crime, and I can't imagine life without him. He was an accident waiting to happen, and I'm so glad it did."

There were plenty of other things for people to judge about the post—he also confessed that his girlfriend discovered she was pregnant just two months after they met, while he was still married to his first wife, and said he had been a "second fiddle step-dad" who never thought he'd have "my own" kids"— but parents honed in on the second-to-last paragraph, about his favoring his five-year-old son, Zacharie, over two-year-old Charlie.

Related: Do you have a favorite child? Take the quiz

"Favorite is a strong word to some, perhaps that's where the outrage comes in," Bishop told Yahoo! Shine in an interview. "I do not play favorites, or create inequities in my children's lives. My default habit, however, is to reach for my older son's hand first when it comes to our family outings."

He was even more candid in a follow-up post on Babble.com, in which he said, point-blank: "Yes, I have a favorite son and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm guessing you could look deep in the mirror and admit you have a favorite, too."

His wife, Jennifer, says she understands what he means.

"I know where he's coming from, and I know he loves them both the same," she told The Daily Mail. "It's just the age of the two, his favorite is the older one because he can relate more to him. It doesn't necessarily mean Zacharie is a favorite overall, he's just a favorite right now."

Bishop agrees.

"My choosing Zacharie as my favorite is not about 'playing favorites,' or 'preferential treatment' when I'm parenting," he wrote on Babble. "I don't let Zacharie get away with anything because he's my first pick, I just… y'know … like him better. I've admitted that while I loved my sons the minute they were born, I didn't really fall in love with them until they could do stuff."

With Zacharie, that happened when the boy was about 26 months old—around the same age that little Charlie is now.

"I don't 'do babies' very well, and so I would take time to get Zacharie out of the house when Charlie was napping," he told Yahoo! Shine. "I have just spent so much more time getting to know my older son that I lean his way when it comes to doing things."

"One commenter said, astutely I think, that I don't necessarily have a favorite kid, I have a favorite phase," he continued. "I'm looking forward to Charlie growing up and being able to get out and be active with me the ways Zacharie has."

Bishop, a radio DJ who lives with his wife and kids in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, acknowledges that what happens on the internet can stick around forever, but insists if his boys ever find out about his favoritism, it won't affect his relationship with them or their relationship with each other. If they ask, he says he'll point out that he's better with kids than he is with babies but, even so—and even after a three-year-long stint as a step-dad—he says that there's just something special about his first born.

"Z will always be special. He's my first. I never thought I would have kids until my wife got pregnant very soon after we met," he said. "He chose us to be his parents, and I am so grateful for the twist my life has taken. I will always hold that special. That said, when he's a petulant teen, and Charlie is a bubbly pre-teen, I'm sure I will ebb and flow with my 'favoritism'."

It's not unusual for parents to to have a favorite child, David A. Reinstein, a clinical social worker and psychotherapist, pointed out. "Favoritism, in one form or another, is an ever present reality in parenting," he said. "People don't like to hear this, but I speak from many years of experience with thousands of families. It can be destructive, but more generally is not—it is just a reality."

What is unusual, Reinstein and other experts say, is for parents to admit that they have a favorite. And the outrage provoked by Bishop's blog post seems to back that up, with readers more upset about the public nature of his post than the content.

"You are a self-absorbed idiot who let his 'honesty' get in the way of the true responsibility of protecting one's child at all cost," wrote Jen Johnson Long of Fox River Grove, Illinois, on Facebook. "You have damaged both sons with your stupid comment."

"Just wanted to let you know that I stand by you regarding your comment about favoring one son over the other," Debby Basciano of Montreal wrote on Facebook. "Although I want to hit you in the head for putting it in writing, I do understand your point."

"I feel so sad for your younger child that this article has been published for him to find later in life. It will be very damaging to him," wrote Kim Slater. "Imagine how you would feel if your parents said that."

(The oldest of three kids, "My parents never called out a favorite," he told Yahoo! Shine. "That said, they never had a blog.")

While he doesn't regret writing the posts, Bishop—whose other posts on Babble have been decidedly less controversial—said that the uproar has made him more aware of how he relates to his kids.

"Yes, that means I need to spend time to get to know my younger son better," he said. "I have had to talk about myself and my situation so much these past few days that it has made me acutely aware of how I treat my boys. I am now very aware of showing any signs of bias and am working to balance the scales."

"Some good has come out of this," he added, "and I'm thankful for it."

What do you think? Is it fair to your kids to admit that you have a favorite? 

Elizade Nigeria

Elizade plans 3s facilities in more states

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012 BY RASHEED BISIRIYU LEAVE A COMMENT

One of the foremost Toyota dealers, Elizade Nigeria Limited, is to establish new facilities in at least three states before the end of the year for prompt delivery of maintenance service and other related products to its customers.

The Managing Director of the company, Mr. Demola Ade-Ojo, said this in Lagos on Wednesday at a seminar organised for fleet managers, where the state Transportation Commissioner, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, was a special guest.

He said the 3s (service, spare parts and showroom) centres would be sited in Akure, Uyo and Asaba to raise the service standard and improve their presence in the market place, especially in these locations.

Ade-Ojo, who hinted that Enugu and Umuahia and Enugu workshops were in the pipeline, said that the company planned to expand its “operating bases in Lagos by the instrumentality of satellite workshop partnership arrangement with Oando and any other oil marketing company interested in this novel idea.

“The reason we are doing all of these is to ensure the satisfaction of our customers. You are dear to us. Your satisfaction is our comfort.”

He attributed the success story of the company to the loyalty of the customers and promised to continue to serve them well.

Ade-Ojo said the company had adopted about 10 aftersales initiatives to bring the services to the doorsteps of the customers.

The measures involved the use of satellite workshops, mobile workshops, early birds service, overnight and weekend services.

Others are diagnostic service, warranty repair, emergency recovery service, after-market installation and courtesy cars.

In his speech at the event, Opeifa said the seminar was timely, stressing that it came at a period the state government had just enacted the Lagos Traffic Law.

He said the traffic law was meant to enhance the safety of motorists and other road users in the state and urged the people to willingly comply with all the provisions.

A training officer at the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Mr. Macauley Modupe, enlightened the participants on the benefits of defensive driving.      www.punchng.com

Petroleum Industry Bill Passes First Reading

PIB passes first reading at Senate

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012 BY STANLEY OPARA 

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke       www.punchng.com

The new version of the Petroleum Industry Bill, which was sent to the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan before the legislators went on recess in July, has passed through the first reading stage at the Senate.

The upper legislative chamber also pledged its commitment to quickly consider the bill because of its relevance and importance to the Nigerian petroleum industry and the economy as a whole.

Speaking to our correspondent on the telephone on Wednesday, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Magnus Abbe, said, “Given the seriousness with which the leadership of the Senate is treating the bill, I foresee a speedy consideration.

“The first reading has been taken and the second is to be taken very soon.”

When asked when the second reading would take place, Abbe said it was the responsibility of the Rules and Business Committee of the Senate to determine that, adding that from all indications, the consideration would be quick.

He said the Senate understood the importance of the PIB, and would expedite action on it to the best of its ability.

“It is a bill that will generate a lot of interest since it is concerned with how we handle our hydrocarbon assets,” Abbe said.

The long-delayed and complex bill could be one of the most important pieces of legislation in the history of the country, changing everything from fiscal terms to the make-up of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

Several drafts have been drawn up in recent years but have been scrapped or re-written because government, lawmakers and foreign oil companies could not agree on details.

The Federal Executive Council had approved the draft of the PIB prepared by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

The minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, had said the bill, which is an aggregate of about 16 laws in the oil and gas industry, would go a long way in making the nation’s petroleum industry the preferred destination of oil and gas investors.

She said one of the highlights of the new bill was the unbundling of the NNPC to give room for vibrant successor companies.

Some of the companies to be unbundled from the NNPC, according to the minister, are the National Oil Company, National Gas Company and National Asset Management Corporation, which will now be private sector driven.

BBC Report On Retail Sales

August retail sales hurt by Olympics

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012 BY AGENCY REPORTER

Sales fell by 0.2 per cent in August from July, according to the Office for National Statistics.

According to a BBC report, the ONS said the decline was driven by a fall in online sales, as consumers watched the Olympics instead of shopping on the internet.

However, sporting goods and toy stores saw a sales boost from the Olympics and the new football season.

Compared with a year earlier, sales volumes rose by 2.7 per cent in August, said the ONS.

Online retail sales in August accounted for 8.1 per cent of total retail sales excluding automotive fuel, a fall from the 9.0 per cent recorded in July. It was also the lowest proportion in a year, it said.

Analysts said the weak overall sales figure underlined persistent worries over the strength of the economy. Markets had been expecting a fall of 0.4 per cent.

“August’s UK retail sales figures add to the evidence that the Olympics did not provide the hoped-for boost to spending on the High Street,” said Samuel Tombs, UK economist at Capital Economics.

Separately, online grocer Ocado said that the Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee had hit third-quarter sales, with sales growing by 9.9 per cent to £162.6m in the three months to August 5. That compared to a first-half rise of 12 per cent, it said. Ocado shares fell 1.3 per cent in Thursday morning trading.

The British Chambers of Commerce said the smaller-than-expected monthly fall and the year-on-year increase in retail sales supported their view that GDP would return to positive growth in the third quarter, although the pace of recovery would remain modest.

“While official estimates of a recession since the end of last year may be too pessimistic, the economy is stagnating and growth is far too weak,” it said.

“The government needs to take action, implementing policies that will support growth, empowering private sector businesses to create jobs, invest and export, while the public sector continues to shrink.”

Some of the weaker spending in August could be a result of a 2.5 per cent monthly rise in petrol prices last month that squeezed discretionary spending, analysts suggested.

On top of that, August’s fall in retail sales could simply reflect lower spending in High Streets, while hotels and restaurants might have fared better during the Games, according to Mr Tombs.

“And even after this drop, retail sales were still 0.6 pe rcent higher than three months ago, suggesting that they are likely to contribute to a brief return to positive GDP growth in the third quarter,” he said.

“Nonetheless, with consumer confidence still very weak and inflation set to outpace earnings growth for another six months or so, we would not be surprised to see further falls in retail sales in the coming months

The Nation - Court orders police to pay N5m to Ugolor

The Nation - Court orders police to pay N5m to Ugolor

The Nation - Oshiomhole’s aide’s murder: Ugolor regains freedom

The Nation - Oshiomhole’s aide’s murder: Ugolor regains freedom

Remembering “Occupy Nigeria”

Remembering “Occupy Nigeria”

Paralympics Closing Ceremony

Coldplay, Rihanna, Jay-Z close London Paralympics

By STEVE DOUGLAS | Associated Press – 12 hrs ago

• Enlarge Photo
  Associated Press/Matt Dunham - Singer Rihanna performs with Chris Martin lead vocals of the British rock band Coldplay during the closing ceremony for the 2012 Paralympics games, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012, in London. …more 

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• Enlarge Photo
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LONDON (AP) — Farewell, London. Good luck matching that, Rio.

Coldplay, Rihanna and Jay-Z rocked the Olympic Stadium on Sunday night to give the biggest-ever Paralympic Games a rousing send-off, wrapping up an unforgettable summer of sports in Britain.

The three-hour party at the packed 80,000-seat arena in east London gave the world a chance to celebrate 11 days of Paralympic competition that have shifted perceptions and shattered stereotypes about the disabled.

"In this country, we will never think of sport the same way and we will never think of disability the same way," said Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London organizing committee. "The Paralympianshave lifted the cloud of limitation."

Central to the closing ceremony — called the "Festival of the Flame" — were the 4,200 Paralympians from 164 nations who encircled the field of play from the start, waving flags and taking in the extraordinary atmosphere. By the end of the extravaganza, they created an international mosh pit in front of the stage as volleys of fireworks rocketed above.

"I think it's been an absolute triumph from start to finish," said British Prime Minister David Cameron, whose disabled son Ivan died in 2009. "I think back to Ivan. As every parent, you think about all the things they can't do, but at the Paralympics they are superhuman, you see all the things they can do.

"It's been a golden summer of British sport."

Coming after a hugely successful Olympic Games, the 2012 Paralympics broke all records, with 2.7 million spectators cramming into venues, more than $70 million raised in ticket sales and the games broadcast in more than 100 countries. They are unprecedented figures as the British public displayed an enthusiasm previously unseen in the 52-year history of the Paralympics.

The wide exposure introduced the world to Paralympians such as Dutch wheelchair tennis player Esther Vergeer — who extended her nine-year unbeaten streak to 470 matches by winning the women's singles — and David Weir, a British wheelchair racer who won four golds in his home city.

It also enhanced the reputation of iconic South African double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius, who became the first track athlete to compete in both games. He won two golds in the Paralympics, including in the 4x100-meter relay which was one of 251 world records broken at these games.

"I think people are going to look back at this Paralympic Games and for the first time really, truly believe that Paralympic sport is not just inspirational, it's hard-core sport," said Pistorius, who drew a rousing cheer as his image was displayed in a montage of Paralympians on the big screen.

A moving tribute to wounded British servicemen and members of the British army opened the show. Luke Sinnott, a captain who lost both legs from above the knee in an explosion in Afghanistan in 2010, hung the Union Flag at the top of flagpole in the middle of the stadium. Rory Mackenzie, a serviceman who lost his leg on patrol in roadside bomb blast, gave a sonorous introduction to the theme of the four seasons that was at the heart of the show.

Proud flag-bearers from all competing nations marched in before a Mad Max-style parade of 25 trucks and motorcycles, in shapes that included peacocks and fish, stormed the stadium and kick-started Coldplay's set.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin belted out top-selling hits like "Clocks," ''Viva La Vida" and "Paradise."

"Nobody said it was easy," a lyric from the moving song "The Scientist," seemed particularly apt for the occasion.

Coldplay, who were given a standing ovation when they performed their final song "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall," said: "We can't actually imagine a bigger honor" than playing at the Paralympics in their home city.

Artistic director Kim Gavin created an electric production. White confetti rained down as snow, black crows on stilts encircled the stage, flaming butterflies swirled in the air and a flying motorbike driven by highwire artist Laszlo Simet with disabled dancer Lyndsay Adams powered across the stadium.

"Being at the Paralympics is the biggest honor," said Rihanna, who first appeared dressed in a flowing orange gown before changing to a see-through black top and dark sunglasses. "These athletes are gladiators and are a true inspiration to me."

She sang "We Found Love" while swinging in a chair high above the stage, a performance sure to give her insurer a heart attack.

Such was the global attraction of performing at the closing ceremony that organizers were able to turn down approaches from other major artists — but they wouldn't name names. Sunday night's stars, artists who have sold millions of records, were being paid a nominal one pound ($1.60) to play.

The ceremony finished with the cauldron — made up of 200 petals — being extinguished, ending the games in London and passing the baton to Rio de Janeiro for 2016. The handover saw Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes wave the Paralympic flag with abandon before Brazilian pop stars danced onto the stage.

Speaker after speaker acknowledged that after London, the Paralympics will never be the same.

"On Aug. 29, we opened with the theme of 'Enlightenment,'" said Sir Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee. "Tonight, we are enlightened and armed with a superior knowledge of what can be achieved. The legacy of these games will be long-lasting."

Morgan Freeman Death hoax

Morgan Freeman dead? Death hoax hits again

• MORGAN FREEMAN
• SEPTEMBER 9, 2012
• BY: EFFIE ORFANIDES

www.examiner.com

Morgan Freeman

Credits: 

 

Larry Busacca/Getty Ima

Morgan Freeman is not dead. Somehow the famed actor is continuously killed off by the internet and this time, just like the rest, it isn't true. On September 7, E! Online confirmed that the "Through the Wormhole" host did not die, his rep saying the following.

"Morgan is alive and well, and joins the long list of actors who have been victimized by this hoax." Freeman may soon join Eddie Murphy and Jackie Chan with the most death hoaxes in a short time period... but the most important thing is that he did not die. He wasn't in an accident nor did he come down with the plague. The voice lives!

Morgan Freeman dead rumors have been around for-ev-er. Along with the most recent death hoax victims, there was an R.I.P. page set up for Freeman on Facebook. Thousands of people flocked to the page, leaving their condolences, and word spread faster than hot butter. If anyone took a moment to read (even the Facebook page itself claims that the actor is still alive!), these rumors probably wouldn't take off so quickly.

Nine times out of ten, someone starts these rumors on Twitter. Now that people are beginning to get Facebook involved, there are just more bogus reports and people falling in to the trap.

When Morgan Freeman is dead, it is going to be very sad—but people may not believe it because of all of the hoaxes in the past.

The Race For Falcao

Manchester City lead Chelsea in €60m race for Falcao

The Premier League champions pursued the Colombian superstar throughout the summer transfer window and are confident of facilitating a deal with Atletico Madrid in January

Sep 5, 2012 12:40:00 PM

 

MORE ON :  Atletico Madrid, Chelsea Fc, Manchester City, Radamel Falcao

www,goal.com

T

Getty Images

EXCLUSIVE
By Greg Stobart

Manchester City are leading Chelsea in the race to sign Atletico Madrid star Radamel Falcaofor €60 million in January.

As exclusively revealed by Goal.com in June, the Premier League champions tried to sign Falcao in the summer and are willing to pay a record fee for the Colombian in the New Year, with Portuguese super agent Jorge Mendes attempting to broker the move.

A summer move failed to materialise as the club were unable to offload Edin Dzeko despite interest from AC Milan and Bayern Munich, while Carlos Tevez's return to form saw him return to favour under Roberto Mancini.

Chelsea are also huge admirers of Falcao, who has scored 42 goals in 53 appearances for Atletico Madrid including a stunning hat-trick against the Blues in his side's Uefa Supercup victory in Monaco last Friday.

THE VIEW FROM SPAIN

Radamel Falcao's departure is a time-bomb for Atletico Madrid. At this point, it seems a question of when he will leave, rather than if. He is too good for a team that will never be able to fight for a title in Spain and that hasn't been able to qualify for a Champions League in the last years. That doesn't mean that Atletico won't try to cash in his eventual departure. They paid €40 million to get him (although there are rumours that Jorge Mendes paid half of the fee) and due to the club's difficult economic situation, I don't see them buckling for less than his release clause, which is suspiciously low. To give a comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo's is €1 billion. Manchester City wouldn't be deterred by a relative bargain at €60 million. Martin Langer | Goal.com Spain

But City are confident of landing their man after a 12-month long pursuit with Atletico's recent financial struggles ensuring they must listen to big-money offers for their star player.

Falcao has a €60m release clause in his Atletico Madrid contract and City believe their strong relationship with the Spanish club will help to facilitate a deal.

City eased Atletico's financial difficulties last year by paying €45m to sign Sergio Aguero, from under the noses of their great rivals Real Madrid, with most of the transfer fee paid up front.

And Roberto Mancini will be given the funds to land a marquee signing in January despite the club's conscious efforts to balance the books and comply with Uefa’s financial fair play rules.

In an interview with Goal.com last week Falcao insisted the Premier League wasn't a "dream" of his but the 26-year-old's father has suggested that the Colombian is very likely to complete a switch to the Premier League in January - and City sources say the club will pull out all the stops to land their man.

When asked whether a move to England could be on the cards for his son in the next transfer window, Falcao senior said: "Yes, that chance is very big."

City bolstered their squad over the summer by signing Javi Garcia, Jack Rodwell, Matija Nastasic, Scott Sinclair and Maicon.

But their missed out on a number of Mancini's top targets including Daniele De Rossi, Robin van Persie, Eden Hazard and Javi Martinez.

Falcao, who joined Atletico Madrid from Porto in August 2011 in a deal worth €47m, has a reputation as one of the most clinical finishers in world football and would represent a marquee arrival to the Etihad Stadium.

Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa

$20,000 prize: Ezeigbo confronts South African leopards

SEPTEMBER 7, 2012 BY AKEEM LASISI LEAVE A COMMENT

Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo
| credits:

Other things being equal, another African writer will be $20,000 richer on Saturday. That is some good cash – over N3m. It is the prize money of the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa whose grand finale will hold in Lagos tomorrow. The prize was founded by Promise Okekwe’s the Lumina Foundation.

In the race this time is scholar writer,  Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo,  chasing her about 10th literary crest, having established herself as one of Nigeria’s most decorated  writers. With her civil war novel, Roses and Bullets, she is competing with two South African writers – Bridget Pitt, author of The Unseen Leopard,and Sifiso Mzobe, with his novel, Young Blood.

Interestingly, the final stage of the 2012 edition of the competition has re-enacted the soft and inspiring rivalry between literary attainments in Nigeria and the Mandiba country. At various competitions that include Caine Prize, writers from both countries have had to slug it out, with victory eventually going either way. But while it is a healthy rivalry that has aided the development of African literature, the short list of the Soyinka Prize also depicts that it is, in a way, a battle between a male and two female writers – a kind of gender duel. And the title of Mzobe’s book – The Young Blood – also appears to be crying loud that he is a young writer in the midst of two Amazons. But his profile also shows that anything can happen on Saturday: He is the winner of the Sunday Times Literary Award 2011.

Mzobe was born in Umlazi Township, Durban, where he also went to school. After attending St Francis College, he studied Journalism at Damelin Business Campus in Durban. He currently works for a community newspaper in Durban as a journalist.

Adimora-Ezeigbo has taught in the English Department at the University of Lagos for more than three decades. A multiple award-winning scholar and writer, she received the first Best Researcher Award in the Arts and Humanities at the University of Lagos in 2005.

Her prizes include The Cadbury/ANA Poetry Prize (2009); ANA/Atiku Abubakar Children Literature Prize (2008); The Nigeria Prize for Literature (2007 – shared with Mabel Segun) ANA/NDDC Flora Nwapa Prize (2003); Zulu Sofola Prize (2002); Spectrum Prize (2001) and WORDOC Short Story Prize.

Pitt is a Zimbabwe-born South African writer. Her fist published writing was for a newspaper called Grassroots,which was used by Cape Town black communities as an organising tool in the anti-apartheid struggles during the 1980’s. She also produced media for a number of organisations and ran workshops in media skills. She later moved onto writing educational material for NGO’s, school textbooks, poetry and fiction. She has published poetry in The Thinker magazine, short stories, and two adult novels – Unbroken Wing and The Unseen Leopard,  shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize in 2011.

The winner will be announced at the event holding at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island – where Lagbaja and Adunni Nefretiti will perform.

Sarah Storey 11th Para-Olympic Gold

Britain’s Storey wins 11th gold

SEPTEMBER 7, 2012 BY AGENCY REPORTER 

Sarah Storey on Thursday won her 11th Paralympic Games title with an imperious victory in the women’s Individual C4-5 Road Race at Brands Hatch.

Storey joined Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson as Britain’s most successful female Paralympian with a dominant performance to triumph in the 64km race, securing her fourth gold at London 2012.

The 34-year-old, who won her first title as a 14-year-old swimmer in Barcelona in 1992 and her 10th in the C5 Time Trial yesterday, attacked from the start of the eight-lap event and finished in 1:40:36.

In taking her Paralympic gold medal total to 11 – and 22 medals in all – Storey equalled Grey-Thompson and swimmer David Roberts’ haul. Mike Kenny won 16 gold medals as a swimmer from 1976 to 1988.

Anna Harkowska finished in the silver medal position, with Kelly Crowley taking bronze.

“It’s just amazing,’ said Storey. “This has been the greatest Games for me. I won two gold medals in Barcelona, three in Atlanta, two in Beijing. I’ve won four here – I can’t get over it.

“I wanted to put in my very best performance today and finish off the job I set out to do at the beginning of the week.

“I wanted to win every race and the outcome of that has been four gold medals, but you have to stay focused on the process that you’ve got to do and every race has got its own challenges.

“I just like winning bike races. The medals are the extra bonus at the end of them.”

In the women’s Individual C1-3 race, Zeng Sini of China triumphed in a time of 1:29:02, finishing ahead of Denise Schindler and Allison Jones.

Ukraine’s Yegor Dementyev finished 10 seconds ahead of nearest challenger Liu Xinyang in the men’s Individual C4-5 race, with Michele Pittacolo back in third.

Dementyev could not contain his excitement afterwards, saying, “I can’t describe this feeling. It is great, wonderful.”

Italian Roberto Bargna claimed gold in the men’s C1-3, clocking a winning time of 1:42:51. Steffen Warias and David Nicholas finished second and third respectively.

Windows phone from Nokia

Nokia unveils two Windows Phone 8 handsets

SEPTEMBER 7, 2012 BY AGENCY REPORTER LEAVE A COMMENT

Nokia has unveiled its first handsets powered by Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 operating system.

The flagship device – the Lumia 920 – features wireless charging and a “PureView” camera which the mobile firm said offered better video and still images than rival smartphones.

According to a British Broadcasting Corporation report, Nokia’s loss deepened to ¤1.41bn (£1.1bn) in its last earnings quarter after it lost market share.

Its New York press conference comes in the midst of a number of launches.

Samsung has already shown off a Windows Phone 8 device, and LG and Sony have also recently revealed their new top-of-the-range Android mobiles.

Apple, Motorola and HTC all have events planned over the next three weeks creating extra competition for Nokia as it heads into the busy winter holidays shopping period.

Investors cast doubt over the Finnish firm’s chances sending its shares nearly 14 per cent lower.

The Lumia 920 features a Snapdragon S4 processor, a 4.5in (11.4cm) curved screen, and can be used while wearing gloves.

Nokia’s new smartphones feature all kinds of impressive technology from a company which has always been an innovation leader in its industry. From the augmented reality City Lens app, to wireless charging and the PureView camera software, Nokia is promising consumers that its Lumia 920 will deliver better experiences than is available on rival smartphones.

The trouble is that many consumers will probably not hear the message. Before the launch I went out on the streets of New York in search of Nokia users. I found none and people told me they didn’t know anyone who had a Nokia.

Before another executive unveiled the new phones, chief executive Stephen Elop made great play of Nokia’s success in delivering affordable mobile phones to the developing world and in pushing forward with new technology.

But he knows that it’s the main plank of his strategy – winning market share from Apple and Android for his Windows Phone handsets – which is crucial to the company’s future.

If the new Lumia fails to win over smartphone consumers, then Nokia will have to turn itself into a very different and less ambitious business.

It also features several Nokia-only functions designed to make it stand out from other Windows Phone 8 devices.

The Finnish firm claimed that “floating lens technology” meant the handset could capture up to 10 times the amount of light than other handsets.

It said the advantages were brighter, clearer indoor images that would be less prone to blur caused by unsteady hands than some SLR (single lens reflex) cameras on the market which feature bigger and more expensive lenses.

However, some users may be disappointed it features an 8.7-megapixel sensor, many times below the 41MP resolution sensor on an earlier PureView device.

The firm also updated its mapping technology to feature “City Lens” – an augmented reality app that overlays information about nearby restaurants and other points of interest over live footage of the surrounding area captured by the device’s camera.

But the headline feature for many will be the fact that the mobile can be recharged without having to plug it in.

Nokia has fitted the handset with technology allowing it to receive power by magnetic induction from suitable bases. It conforms to the emerging Qi industry standard, which should make the Lumia handset compatible with bases designed for other devices.

In addition to selling its own recharging station, Nokia said the US’s Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf chain and Virgin Atlantic’s Heathrow airport club lounge would fit equipment allowing visitors to power up the Lumia handsets, offering it fresh opportunities to promote the feature.www.punchng.comwww.punchng.com

Lufthansa crew stage third strike

Lufthansa cancels flights as crew stage third strike

SEPTEMBER 7, 2012 BY AGENCY REPORTER LEAVE A COMMENT

Lufthansa has cancelled hundreds of flights as cabin staff stage another one-day strike at Germany’s three busiest airports, according to a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation.

The strike was called by the UFO union on Wednesday for Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin airports.

Lufthansa has cancelled short and medium-haul flights but also services to and from Shanghai, Jakarta, Seattle and Los Angeles.

UFO and Lufthansa are arguing over pay and working conditions.

The union represents about two-thirds of Lufthansa’s 19,000 cabin crew.

Union leaders are seeking a pay increase of five per cent for cabin staff for 15 months, starting from January this year. They said there had been no pay increases for three years.

They also want guarantees that Lufthansa will not outsource jobs or use more temporary workers, as it has in Berlin.

Earlier, Lufthansa spokesman Klaus Walther said that the airline had offered to stop fixed-term contracts and halt the use of temporary staff, but the airline is only proposing a 3.5 per cent rise in salary.

Lufthansa is currently undergoing a ¤1.5bn (£1.2bn) cost-cutting programme to offset rising fuel costs and tackle competition from low-cost and Gulf carriers.