Obasanjo bags Master’s in Theology, to proceed for PhD

Obasanjo bags Master’s in Theology, to proceed for PhD

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, was on Saturday awarded a Master’s Degree in Christian Theology by the National Open University of Nigeria.

Obasanjo was among the 10,653 students who were awarded degrees in various academic fields at the institution’s 5th convocation ceremony held at its permanent campus in Abuja.

About 15 of the students graduated with First Class Honours.Obasanjo had enrolled for the Master’s in Christian Theology after earning a first degree in the same discipline from the university.

Others who graduated with him include the Emir of Hadeija, Adamu Maje, and paramount ruler of Agwu, His Royal Highness Felix Asad.

Obasanjo had graduated with a pass in Christian Theology with a GPA of 4.25 from the Abeokuta Centre of the institution.

He is expected to continue his PhD degree at the institution, according to the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Joshua Tenebe.

“It is interesting to know that former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, will be graduating with a Master’s Degree (MA Christian Theology) having met the requirements for the award, during the convocation. Having been given admission to study MA/PhD in Christian Theology, Chief Obasanjo will continue with his PhD fully,” he said.

Tenebe commended the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for releasing funds through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund for the construction of structures at the university’s permanent site.

He also appealed for more funds to be able to adequately equip and furnish the completed projects.

He said, “Mr. President, Sir, NOUN remains ever grateful and very appreciative for the special intervention that ushered us into our promised land today. If we have judiciously and effectively utilised the funds given to us in record time to complete the projects, then we are sure that the Federal Government will grant us more. We need more funds to adequately equip and furnish the completed projects.

“We also need to build more structures that will house so many other schools and departments of the University. There is need to complete the road network and completely landscape the University Village as a project. We are very thankful because we are confident that our request will be granted.”

Buhari, represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie, said that education remained the most important sector that defines the life, values, political culture and economic power of a nation.

Other prominent Nigerians who graduated include the over 70 years-old retired Naval Officer, Rear Admiral Orissa who graduated with First Class in Mathematics; 78 year-old Chief Femi Balogun, the Mayegun and Tunwase 1of Isara, who graduated from the School of Law; a blind student, and Mr. Obinna Bede, who bagged B. Ed English from Abuja Study Centre.

Udo Effiong emerged the best graduating student with highest First Class Grade score of 4.71 in Environmental Sciences and Resouce Management.

Agitation for Biafra hopeless – Obasanjo

Agitation for Biafra hopeless – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday dismissed the current agitation for the resurrection of the Biafra secessionist agenda as a hopeless and futile exercise.

Obasanjo said this while presenting a paper entitled: “Resurgent Biafra agitation: Born in error, ignorance and frustration” at a public discussion on Biafra organised by Nextier Advisory in Abuja.

He advised Nigerians especially the people of the South- East, not to take the secessionist agitation or agitators seriously as doing so would only lead to disaster.According to him, Biafra as a secession issue is dead and nobody should tread that path.

He, however, said he considers the current agitation as more of a cry for attention, amelioration and improvement of socio-economic conditions and situations, especially of the youth in Nigeria in general, but in the South East in particular.

The retired army general-turned-politician said, “No right-thinking person who has experienced the horror or war will ever agitate for more war.”

Obasanjo said, “Biafra agitation as a means of calling for secession or severance from Nigeria is a hopeless and futile exercise on which nobody in seriousness should embark.

“However, I see it as a symbol of desperation, despair and frustration of the youth being expressed by them for all to hear and redress in the South East and elsewhere in the county. But Biafra, never again! And we must avoid the coalition of the unwilling but forced by circumstances.”

He explained that the country currently had enough problems, saying, “Nigeria cannot afford to go from Boko Haram insurgency to any other insurgency under any guise. And on no account should we wittingly or unwittingly allow this to happen again.”

The former President maintained that the solution to the current agitation lies in a collaborative effort between genuine leaders and elders in the South East and a purpose driven leadership at all levels of governance.

He explained that Nigeria must consider youth education, welfare, well-being, empowerment and employment as a lifelong collective duty, obligation and responsibility.

Obasanjo noted that much as the youth have rights to express their frustration, such rights do not include embarking on wanton and wicked acts of destruction of the property ordinary men and women in the markets to make the situation even worse for poor and helpless citizens.

“Bitterness, anger, destruction and wickedness can only worsen an already bad socio-economic situation. That will be unwise,” he said.

Widow sues Twitter for spreading ISIS message

Widow sues Twitter for spreading ISIS message

The widow of a man killed in a terrorist attack is suing Twitter for serving as a propaganda platform that has fueled the Islamic State group’s “explosive growth.”

A suit filed in federal court in the Northern California city of Oakland on Wednesday accuses Twitter of providing “material support” for terrorists by allowing the group “unfettered” use of the service to spread its message, recruit members, and raise money.“This material support has been instrumental to the rise of ISIS and has enabled it to carry out numerous terrorist attacks,” the lawsuit argued.

Included in those attacks, the lawsuit maintained, was one in Jordan in November of last year that resulted in the plaintiff’s husband, Lloyd Fields, being shot dead.

Fields was a government contractor working at a police training facility.

Twitter told AFP on Thursday that it believed the lawsuit to be “without merit.”

“Like people around the world, we are horrified by the atrocities perpetrated by extremist groups and their ripple effects on the Internet,” a Twitter spokesman said in response to an AFP inquiry.

“Violent threats and the promotion of terrorism deserve no place on Twitter and, like other social networks, our rules make that clear.”

Twitter has teams devoted to investigating reports of accounts or posts that violate its rules and works with counter-extremist groups or law enforcement agencies when warranted, according to the spokesman.

The lawsuit calls for unspecified cash damages and a jury trial.

“Without Twitter, the explosive growth of ISIS over the last few years into the most feared terrorist group in the world would not have been possible,” contended the complaint filed on behalf of the Florida widow.

Twitter has instituted a ban on content that promotes terrorism and deleted thousands of accounts associated with ISIS.

Some Twitter employees have been targeted with death threats from ISIS for suspending accounts

The free and open nature of the San Francisco-based one-to-many messaging service, however, makes it easy for people whose accounts have been shut down to create new accounts with different Twitter “handles.”

Police reveal details of victims as twelve arrested over deadly Indonesia attack video

Indonesian police have revealed new details about the attack masterminds, and the victims.

Indonesian police on Saturday named the five men they suspect launched this week's gun and bomb attack in Jakarta, which was claimed by Islamic State, and said they had arrested 12 people linked to the plot who planned to strike other cities.

As investigators pieced together clues from the radical group's first attack on Indonesia, neighbouring Malaysia said it had arrested a man in Kuala Lumpur who had confessed to planning a suicide attack in the country."We ... have carried out acts of force. We have done searches, we have made arrests and we have obtained evidence connected with the terrorist bombing at Sarinah," Jakarta police spokesman Mohammad Iqbal told a news conference.

"We will not say how many people or what sort of evidence we have as it will upset out strategy. Be patient, when the case is closed and things are clear we will disclose them."

Seven people, including the militants, were killed in Thursday's attack near the Sarinah department store in the Indonesian capital's commercial district. About 30 people were hurt.

Police held up pictures of the dead and wounded at the news conference, including a man who kicked off the siege by blowing himself up in a Starbucks cafe.

Another attacker, who opened fire with a gun outside the cafe, was named as Afif. A National Counter-Terrorism Agency spokesman said Afif had served seven years in prison, where he refused to cooperate with a de-radicalisation programme.

The brazenness of the Jakarta assault, which had echoes of marauding gun and bomb attacks such as the Paris siege in November, suggested a new brand of militancy in a country where extremists typically launch low-level strikes on police.

Police spokesman Anton Charliyan said the Jakarta five and the 12 others who were arrested had plans to attack cities elsewhere in Indonesia, including Bandung, which lies some 120km southeast of the capital.

"There were general plans targeting certain places like police and government offices, foreigners or those cooperating with foreign entities," Charliyan told reporters.

MALAYSIAN PLANNED SUICIDE ATTACK
In Malaysia, the country's police chief said a suspected militant who was arrested in a metro station in Kuala Lumpur on Friday had confessed to planning a suicide attack.

Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said the 28-year-old Malaysian planned to carry out the attack in the country after receiving orders from a foreign member of Islamic State (IS) in Syria.

"The suspect is also responsible for hanging IS flags at several locations ... to warn the government to stop arresting IS members in Malaysia," Khalid said in a statement.

No details were given about where and how he planned to attack.

Khalid said three other people suspected of being supporters of Islamic State were arrested this week at Kuala Lumpur airport after they returned from Turkey.

Malaysia has been on high alert since Thursday's siege in Jakarta. Security has been beefed up in public areas and borders have been tightened to prevent jihadis getting into the country.

Earlier on Saturday, Indonesia said it had shut down at least 11 radical websites and several social media accounts, including several on Facebook that expressed support for the Jakarta attack.

"We are monitoring many websites and public complaints about this," said Ismail Cawidu, a public relations official at the communications ministry.

The government also sent letters to social media companies such as Facebook, Twitter and Telegram requesting radical material be immediately blocked or taken down, Cawidu said.

The alleged mastermind behind the Jakarta attack, an Indonesian citizen fighting with Islamic State in Syria, is believed to have used social media extensively to share his beliefs about the group and communicate with contacts in Indonesia using blog posts and mobile messaging apps.

Authorities believe there are at least 1000 Islamic State sympathisers in Indonesia, which has the world's largest Muslim population.

DETAILS OF VICTIMS REVEALED
The press conference was told one of the victims of Thursday's attack was Canadian Amer Ouali Tahar, who was killed outside Starbucks.

Another victim, 20-year-old Rico Hermawan from Indonesia, is understood to have been killed at the police post on Thamrin Road after being pulled aside for a traffic violation.

A total of 26 people were injured in the attacks, of which 19 are still in hospital. Five of those injured were police officers and four were foreigners from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Algeria.

One police officer remains in intensive care.

- Reuters

Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian freed after 18 months' detention in Iran

Washington Post bureau chief Jason Rezaian was detained in Iran in 2014. ZOEANN MURPHY/WASHINGTON POST

Four Iranian-Americans, including Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, have been freed from prison in Iran, as it prepares to implement a landmark deal with world powers over its nuclear activities.

A source said Rezaian, Amir Hekmati, Saeed Abedini and Siamak Namazi were all released on Saturday in exchange for the release of seven Iranians held in US prisons.

He didn't name the Iranians but said the seven have already arrived in Tehran.The souce said: "Authorities at the top had agreed to free the four Iranian-Americans only after the Iranian prisoners land in Tehran."

Rezaian was detained in mid-2014, and convicted of espionage in a closed-door trial last year.

The US confirmed the prisoner swap, but described it as a humanitarian gesture, not a traditional spy swap.

Earlier, the EU's top diplomat met with Iran's foreign minister for talks on implementing the nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers, as the UN atomic agency works on a report certifying that Iran has met its commitments under the accord.

US Secretary of State John Kerry will join Federica Mogherini of the European Union and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Vienna, the headquarters of the U.N's International Atomic Energy Agency, later Saturday.

IAEA certification that Iran is honoring its obligations would trigger sanctions relief for Iran worth an estimated US$100 billion (NZ$154 billion).

Under the July 14, 2015, deal between Iran and six world powers, Tehran Iran agreed to crimp programs it could use to make nuclear weapons in return for an end to international nuclear-related sanctions

Iran says it has no interest in such arms.

- AP

Dead Sierra Leone patient tests positive for Ebola

 The blood of a survivor of the Ebola virus is extracted as part of a study launched at a Liberian hospital in June. REUTERS

A body has tested positive for Ebola in Sierra Leone, a spokesman for the Health Ministry said, just hours after the World Health Organisation said transmission of the virus in West Africa had ended.

Two swab tests carried out on the deceased person by British health organisation Public Health England came back positive in the Tonkolili district east of the capital Freetown, the spokesman said late on Thursday.Reuters reported that the victim was a 22-year-old female student who had recently travelled. It was not clear how many people the patient had been in contact with before the virus was detected.

The tests reinforce concerns about flare-ups of the virus that has killed more than 11,300 people since 2013 in the world's deadliest outbreak of Ebola.

Almost all the victims were in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, but all three countries had been declared free of the virus: Sierra Leone on November 7, Guinea late last year, and Liberia on Thursday.

The World Health Organisation warned on Thursday that despite the absence of known transmissions of the disease in over two months, there could still be cases of Ebola in the region. This was because survivors can carry the virus for months and pass it on.

The WHO on Friday confirmed the new Ebola case in Sierra Leone but did not immediately provide details or say whether there was a risk of others being infected.

While it has said that another major outbreak of the disease is unlikely, it reiterated its message of caution.

"WHO stresses ongoing risk of flare-ups due to the re-emergence of the virus throughout 2016 due to persistence of the virus in the survivor population," a spokesman said.

- Reuters

Two Australians kidnapped in Burkina Faso, after hotel attacked in capital

Al-Qaeda militants attacked the Splendid Hotel in the West African state's capital, Ouagadougou, as well as a cafe and another hotel nearby REUTERS

An Australian couple has been abducted by suspected militants in Burkina Faso, in a separate incident to a terror attack on a luxury hotel in the country's capital on Friday night.

Burkina Faso's Minister of Security and Internal Affairs Simon Compaore said an Australian doctor and his wife were abducted in Djibo, the capital of the northern Soum province.
A journalist in the region said the couple has lived there since 1972, volunteering in health services.

Earlier, the Burkina Faso government had mistakenly said the couple were Austrian.

An attack on the Splendid Hotel and the Cappuccino Cafe on Friday night left 27 people dead, including four jihadists, while 126 people were freed after a gunfight between the al Qaeda-linked fighters and soldiers.

Security forces stormed the building on Saturday morning, more than five hours after the siege began.

Three extremists were killed at the hotel and a fourth was killed when security forces cleared out a second hotel nearby. Two of the four were women, Burkina Faso's president said.

A fire also broke out in the hall of the hotel, in Ouagadougou's business district, and the flames then began spreading inside and out.

Gunfire ramped up early Saturday as gendarme and military forces fought to take back the building which had been blackened by a fire during the assault.

Soldiers are seen outside the Splendid Hotel in Ouagadougou. REUTERS

About 33 people were wounded in the attack, in which cars and motorbikes were burned, and overturned chairs and shards of glass lay scattered near the hotel. Onlookers were kept far away from the fighting that continued into daylight.

The upscale hotel and cafe is popular with Westerners and United Nations officials.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, but the SITE Intel Group cited al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which claimed credit for the attack.

"There are many hostages from many nationalities in the hotel," Foreign Minister Alpha Barry said on France24.

The attack "is reminiscent of a terrorist attack and jihadists" and follows an assault earlier in the day near the border with Mali and Niger that left at least two dead, he added.

The US Embassy in Ouagadougou said it is "closely following the situation downtown," while France Info reported that an Air France flight coming from Paris was diverted to neighbouring Niger.

"It is continuing at this time. We are trying to know how many attackers they are to better coordinate our actions," said a senior official with the national gendarmes who asked not to be named. "Hostages have been taken. The operation could take several hours."

A witness says he saw gunmen emerge from the hotel and fire into the air. A vehicle carrying security personnel arrived and shortly afterward an intense gun battle began.

"We had just opened and there were a few customers we started to serve when we heard gunshots ... There were three men shooting in the air," said Vital Nounayon, a waiter at a restaurant across the street from the hotel.

"Lots of people left their cars and motorcycles and ran. They [attackers] set fire to the vehicles. They also fired on the Capuccino Restaurant across from the hotel before setting it on fire," he said, adding that the attackers wore turbans.

Amateur video footage showed a burning car on an empty street in front of the hotel. Gunfire and explosions could be heard.

- AP

Welcome message from Prof. John Grainger, Provost of Lancaster University Ghana (LUG)

 Prof. John Grainger, Provost of Lancaster University Ghana

May I start by wishing you a very Happy New Year. I hope you have all enjoyed a restful break and that 2015 will bring you happiness, fulfillment and success.

I would also like to welcome our new foundation students to the Lancaster Community. I am very much aware that you have all worked incredibly hard to get here and I’d like to congratulate you on your achievements.
Each passing year sees successfully finished projects, new collaborations and pleasant moments. We finished 2015 on a high note with our Foundation Programme being accredited by BAC, celebrating our 2nd Anniversary and so many other great achievements. Last term, you will have seen the investment taking place at A&C Shopping square which we now call the undergraduate campus , underpinning our commitment to providing world class teaching and learning facilities.

Globally, the Lancaster University brand gained higher ranking and recognition from various bodies including placing 11th in the UK in FT Master in Finance rankings; fourth in the UK for graduate employability; 10th for student satisfaction; ranking top ten in the Guardian University league tables 2016.

These achievements serve as recognition of the LUG community’s myriad triumphs, based on concerted effort, which have raised us to a standing that is on par with world-renowned institutions of higher learning.

Well done to everyone in contributing to Lancaster being a high-quality, research-led University. Once again, all the best for 2016 and I look forward to even more success in the coming year.


With best wishes,

Professor John Grainger, DBA, MBA, BEd (Hons), FAIM
Provost, Lancaster University Ghana
President, TNE Ghana Ltd
Jungle Road (Close to A & C Mall)
East Legon
Accra, GHANA
Tel: +233 (0) 302 747 700 | Mob: +233 (0) 540113436

Girls as young as 12 among almost 50 victims of 'image harvesting' scam on porn website

Almost 50 Irish teens and children as young as 12 had their social media photos hijacked and exploited on an international porn site amid claims several even had their photos traded online, it has emerged.

A major Garda probe is underway into the 'image harvesting' scam, with a senior Cork detective confirming they are now following a definite line of inquiry as to the individual who uploaded the private images.
The IP address used to upload the photos from social media pages to the international porn site was traced to Ireland - and the individual, who operated by the nickname 'Irish Exposed', showed a preference for young girls with Irish social media addresses.

One young woman, Lizzy Ryan (19), who had eight friends exploited by the site, said she found it "sickening" that some people were now attempting to blame the innocent teens for it.

Lizzy, from Templeogue in Dublin, said it was "very disturbing" clear preferences were shown on the site for the social media photos which depicted the youngest girls.

"I find it appalling that some people out there are actually victim-blaming.

"I think it is sick that some people are trying to focus the blame on the people whose images were taken rather than those who were exploiting," she told the Irish Independent.

"It is weird how people are out there saying 'it is their fault'. It is absolutely nothing to do with the girls involved."


She said several of her friends are effectively traumatised by what happened though, luckily, her own social media photos were not uploaded.


Many of the photos were taken from private social media pages - and it remains unclear how 'Irish Exposed' gained access to the images.


Another teen, Katie Kirwin (19) from Cork, admitted she found some of the vile comments on the site about the photos to be "sickening and quite alarming".


Katie had virtually all her social media photos 'harvested' without her permission and displayed on the porn site. The greatest number of comments and 'hits' were recorded for the photos taken when she was aged just 14 and 15 years.

"It is really quite worrying. Of course you'd be concerned about who has looked at those photos and who has attempted to download and store them," she said.

Katie said all the images hijacked from the Irish teens were innocent social shots with none being provocative or risqué. "Virtually all my photos are of just my face. In many cases they are the face of a 14-year-old and 15-year-old child," she said.

Katie has now lodged a formal complaint with gardai over what happened.

"Some of the comments are absolutely disgusting. They are vile," she said.

Another young woman was left deeply upset when vicious comments were passed about a photo in which she had gained weight.

In one case, a porn site user queried where he could find more images of a specific girl. And in another case, a site user offered to trade photos he had for more images of another girl.

An appeal for information via Cork radio stations RedFM and 96FM shocked gardai when it emerged almost 50 Irish teens were targeted rather than the 25 initially suspected. Gardai have appealed to anyone whose images were 'harvested' to contact Angelsea Street Garda Station.


Irish Independent

Teachers Threaten To Reduce Teaching Hours If...

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has threatened to reduce the number of hours spent by teachers in the classroom

President of NAGRAT Christian Addai-Poku, who spoke to journalists, indicated that under normal circumstances, teaching hours were between 8:00 am and 1:30pm but tutors do extra hours to 4:00 pm daily, in order to complete the curricula.

“It is now a norm that every SHS has increased the GES-approved periods on the timetable to be able to cover the backlog of topics that are not covered and that is why this [motivation allowance] has been instituted for the teachers who do extra work for the students.


"So if GES is saying they are scrapping it, it is fine, but they should also make sure that teachers are not coerced to teach more than the approved number of periods, the approved number of hours in the school," he said.

The Ministry of Education took the decision to scrap the teacher allowances after several complaints from parents who have their wards in Senior High School.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry, Francis Gbadago, teachers’ salaries have been increased under the Single Spine Salary Structure and so there will be no need to continue with such payments. He further noted that the payment of motivation allowance is not permitted in other sectors.

After a thorough assessment, the ministry, therefore, decided to halt the payment of such allowances.

"At the time, salaries of teachers were not improved so the teacher motivation was introduced. But as we speak, salaries of teachers have been improved, especially under the Single Spine Salary Structure," he said.

"When you go to the hospital, for example, you do not expect to be asked to pay doctor or nurses motivation [fees].

"On this score, we have realised that this particular need for the payment of teacher motivation has outlived its purpose and so there was the need to listen to the parents more and scrap the teacher motivation allowances that parents pay on a term by term basis," he stressed.


Source: Ghana/Accrafm.com/100.5fm

New Ebola case emerges in Sierra Leone as body of woman (22) tests positive

AFP/Getty Image

A woman who died this week in Sierra Leone tested positive for Ebola, officials said, in a setback for the region the day after the World Health Organisation had declared the epidemic over.

The WHO had warned on Thursday that new Ebola cases were possible even after virus transmission was halted in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea - the three west African nations hardest hit by the epidemic that left more than 11,300 people dead.

Already 10 other flare-ups have taken place in areas where virus transmission was thought to have ended, raising new questions about WHO procedures in assessing whether an epidemic is over.The global health body said Sierra Leone's government was moving rapidly to contain the new threat, but it was not immediately clear how the 22-year-old woman who died contracted Ebola. All known transmission chains in that country had been halted in November.

Francis Langoba Kellie, a spokesman for Sierra Leone's Office of National Security, said the woman had come from the country's Northern Kambia district and had gone to the Northern Tonkolili district for medical care.

Authorities are tracing her contacts and have dispatched teams to the area to investigate how she might have contracted the virus and if she might have infected others. Certain areas will be quarantined, he said.

The WHO declared the latest Ebola outbreak over in Liberia on Thursday after no new cases emerged there during a 42-day waiting period. That benchmark had already been met in Guinea and Sierra Leone.


"Our level of preparedness and response capabilities are very high and there is no cause for concern," said Mr Kellie. "We encourage the public to continue to practise the hygiene regulations which were in force during the period while Ebola was raging and the emergency regulations are still in force."

WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said: "This really reflects what we have been saying yesterday ... that there is a risk, and this outbreak is in a critical phase right now, where we are moving from case management to management of risk."

Ebola is spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of people who are sick or the bodies of the dead.

The WHO says flare-up cases, such as in Liberia, "are likely the result of the virus persisting in survivors even after recovery". Of particular concern is that Ebola can stay in the semen of some male survivors up to a year later.

The organisation said Ebola can "in rare instances, be transmitted to intimate partners".

The WHO declares Ebola transmission over when a country goes through two incubation periods - 21 days each - without a new case emerging. Countries are then placed on a 90-day heightened surveillance. Sierra Leone was first declared Ebola-free on November 7, after nearly 4,000 people had died from the virus.


Press Association

New materials found to make MRI scans clearer, safer, faster

MRI scanner

New materials have been found by a group of scientists to make magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning clearer, safer and faster, the Australian National University (ANU) announced on Friday.

Magnetic resonance imaging is one of the most sensitive modern diagnostic tools and can be used for imaging cancers, spinal areas or brain function.

Because MRI uses magnetic fields instead of the ionizing radiation in X-rays and CT scans, it is much less damaging to the patient.However, new high-field and ultra-high-field MRI scanners can heat the tissue of patients due to an increase of the radiofrequency energy absorption.

Scientists have found a way to increase the resolution of MRI scanners, while at the same time making the procedure quicker and safer for the patient,

An international group of researchers, including some from the ANU, have found that ultrathin metallic resonators, artificial materials with nanoscale periodic structures, suppressed the electric field, which is responsible for tissue heating.

They placed ultrathin metallic resonators under the patient inside an MRI machine, and increased the efficiency and quality of the scanning process.

"This research may evolve into a new and very practical device that enhances MRI imaging and scanning time," said Professor Yuri Kivshar, head of the Nonlinear Physics Centre in the ANU Research School of Physics and Engineering.

"It does not require any intervention into the hardware of the MRI scanner, but rather is an inexpensive add-on device that can be used with any existing MRI scanner," he said.

In their publication in Advanced Materials, the team reported that the resonators, also known as metamaterials, were able to spatially redistribute the electromagnetic near fields and double the signal-to-noise ratio.

The improvement will enable higher-resolution images to be obtained in the same time.

Alternatively scans with the same resolution as in current MRI scanners could be produced more quickly, reducing discomfort for patients, who need to lie motionless for long periods, and cutting hospital wait time.

The new technology is currently being patented and integrated into the production of commercial MRI scanners in collaboration with the medical company Mediwise.

However, a simpler approach may be special smart clothing for MRI scanning, said Alexey Slobozhanyuk, first author of the study and researcher at the International Laboratory of Applied Radiophysics at ITMO University.

"Stripes of metamaterial could be sewn into clothes, which would lead to higher resolution MRI images," he said.

The team included scientists from ITMO University in Russia, Australian National University, Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute of Russia, University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands and Institute of Experimental Medicine RAMS in Russia.

Source: Xinhua

Health Benefits Of Banana

Bananas are one of nature’s great snack foods, they may be eaten in their whole form, sliced into fruit salad or mashed and added to cake and bread recipes.

Adding a banana to your daily diet has an array of benefits in your body.

Helps digestionBananas are a great source of dietary fibre that most of us don’t get nearly enough of. Fibre helps the food you eat move smoothly through the digestive tract and improves elimination.

A couple of bananas may be a healthier choice than laxatives to treat occasional constipation.

Good for ulcers
Eating bananas regularly may help protect against stomach ulcers. Compounds in bananas create a thicker protective barrier in the stomach against hydrochloric acid.

Bananas also contain protease inhibitors that work to eliminate certain bacteria in the stomach implicated as a major cause of stomach ulcers.

A hangover cure
Bananas are a great hangover food for mornings when you’ve overdone it a bit the night before.

A couple of bananas in a blender with ice, some berries and coconut milk or organic cow’s or goat’s milk make a really good recovery drink.

Improves mood and reduces stress
Bananas are a good source of the amino acid tryptophan which your body converts to serotonin.

Proper serotonin levels help improve your mood, reduce stress and enhance your general outlook and happiness levels. It also helps regulate good sleep patterns.


Source: The Mirror

Africa must support Shaikh Salman for the FIFA Presidency

Sheikh Salman, AFC President collects AFC support

When I was in elementary school, I was compelled to learn Henry Clay Work’s song entitled ‘Grandfather’s Clock’.

I only sung the song because I was made to sing to avoid being canned. Little did I know that it is the replica of life symbolically epitomized in the clock. I only got to know that when I started teaching and I also had to teach the song.

Below is the first part of the well articulated song:
“My grandfather's clock was too large for the shelf, So it stood ninety years on the floor;

It was taller by half than the old man himself, Though it weighed not a pennyweight more.

It was bought on the morn of the day that he was born, And was always his treasure and pride;

But it stopped short — never to go again — When the old man died.”

Transferring this into the current turmoil at FIFA which has led to the suspension of President Sepp Blatter, I remembered the song and told myself, the clock has ticked and finally it is over for Sepp.

The era of Blatter is finally over and a new era is dawning on us as football enthusiasts, journalists and administrators.

The power to elect a new FIFA President rests on the shoulders of the member associations and in many cases these federations follow the verditc of their confederations over which candidate to support.

Africa has always been a great pointer in swinging the pendulum to the direction of who becomes the FIFA President and this is where we as Africans must make our influence felt.

Blatter had always relied on Africa, and truly he never felt disappointed.

The force Africa represents in the FIFA elections has been influential in determining who rules world football at any point in time.

All 209 of its member associations are entitled to vote, with each vote counting equally, regardless of the size or financial strength of federations or the status of the country at the Untied Nations.

The 209 voters each belong to one of six continental confederations: Europe has 53 votes, Africa 54, Asia 46, South America 10, North and Central America 35 and Oceania 11. Confederations often vote largely as a bloc, although there are always outliers.

This is where the role of Africa become crucial and as crucial as it is, Africa will determine who rules world football for the next four years.

Two of the Presidential candidates Shaikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa of Bahrain and Prince Ali Hussein of Jordan visited the West Africa Zone B in Accra and their interaction with the media gave me my choice and most likely the choice of African federations.

I had been scanning through the list of contestants for days without successfully settling on who should succeed Sepp Blatter but I have always looked for one thing; who loves Africa? And I think I saw it in one of the candidates.

Sepp Blatter has always been in love with Africa because of his affection and determination to help developing countries to rise to the level of the developed ones, and that has always won him the votes.

Listening to the two candidates who visited Ghana and their objectives, I think Africa will have no choice than to vote for Shaikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa.

Despite the fact that he was honest in his interaction with the media about the current issues drowning FIFA, he did not hide the fact that football administration must be threaded on equal level and his love for developing countries appears unmatched.

While Sheikh Salman's backroom staff consisted of what one would term as balanced with people from all backgrounds, Prince Ali's team was overwhelmingly European or American - with one of his strategists said to be among the campaign team of American president Barack Obama.

After reading extensively about the various candidates vying for the top FIFA post, I identified traces of an organizer in Sheikh Salman and I think he is the type Africa needs to move to the next level.

The first thing that Africa must consider to throw their weight behind any candidate is the person’s affection for the continent and his readiness to continue the Blatter legacy.

Blatter philosophy has always been to champion the developing countries to advance in development closer to their counterparts in the developed world. And with this philosophy, Africa has benefited greatly.

Taking the Ghana Football Association for example, the professional transformation seen under the current administration is largely credited to the outgoing Sepp Blatter for his FIFA Financial Assistance Programs and Goal Projects.

Countries like Zambia, Senegal, Cameroon, Nigeria and all the other 51 African confederations will attest to the fact that Blatter has been of great assistance when it comes to policies implemented under his reign.

It is not surprising that Europe has always been in disagreement with most of Blatter’s policies because they think such policies do not swing in their favour.

And the fear suspicious African federations have over Prince Ali's campaign is real because of his pro Western staffing and the fact that Europe and America supported him during the previous election.

This means these greedy Europeans will hijack Prince Ali's FIFA presidency to the detriment of Africa as they will continue to promulgate laws to further stifle African football as has been done in recent times by UEFA.

Africa hosted her first ever World Cup under Blatter’s regime and the effects have been tremendously monumental for the continent in general and South Africa in particular.

And I do not want to believe that the continent would like to truncate such a philosophy which is under the feet of Sheikh Salman. Of course, every candidate has his plans and policies but continuing the legacy should be key in Africa’s choice of FIFA President.

In Shaikh Salman, Africa already has a replica of the outgoing Sepp Blatter and championing the development of less-developed countries is guaranteed.

Sheikh Salman is already home and he must be made to feel as such.

Another point worth recognizing by Africa is the man’s track record of dealing with crisis situations.

Reading through the profile of Shaikh Salman, I realized that after his graduate education at the University of Bahrain in 1992, his entire life has been football.

He was the chairman of the national teams committee and headed all the national teams at the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) in 1996.

In 1998, he was elected Vice President of the Bahrain Football Association and later became President of the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) in 2002 till date.

In 2008, he was appointed the Deputy Chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee at Beijing and is currently the Vice President of the Bahraini Olympic Committee after being re-elected in 2013 for a second term till 2016.

Shaikh Salman was appointed a member of the FIFA Technical Committee tasked at improving the quality football in the world.

He is currently the President of the Asian Football Confederation and is credited transforming the AFC which was in serious turmoil when he took over.

When he was elected as AFC President in 2013, he inherited an organisation that was in grave disintegration. After working to find solutions for the associations and constructing a more financially sound and professional organisation, AFC is now calm and stable.

In only two years Shaikh Salman has also delivered significant improvements in both national and club teams competitions as well as in development.

Considering the vast number of individual, national, and regional interests he has been faced with in Asia – the most populous region in the world arguably – I believe that he will also be able to tackle those faced as FIFA’s new President.

Experience they always say is the best teacher and Shaikh Salman has shown us the way. In experience and track record I trust and with the current turmoil at FIFA which has seen Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini suspended, his experience will be greatly needed to rebuild the image of FIFA.

Finally, the 3-Rs [Redefined, Restructured, Revitalised] drummed by Shaikh Salman in his campaign epitomizes how ready the gentleman is set to get FIFA back on tract.

For Africa, for football, for the development of football in developing countries, I strongly think this is a candidate who fits the bill.

Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

Meet Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s granddaughter, Princess Fathia Nkrumah

Princess Fathia Nkrumah

The grand daughter to Dr Kwame Nkrumah was spotted among the personalities such as Zynell Zuh, Joselyn Dumas, Joseph Benjamin and many others who graced the red carpet of the 2-day Sparrow Entertainment Festival, at the Silverbird Cinemas, Accra Mall.

Princess, who is a model and an actress is also a philanthropist and a law student.

Her presence at the screening with her mother Samia Nkrumah was appreciated by the organisers and accorded her with the necessary protocol. See more pics below.

Singer Celine Dion's husband, René Angélil, dies at 73 after cancer battle

Singer Celine Dion's husband, René Angélil, dies at 73 after cancer battle

René Angélil, the man who transformed Céline Dion from little-known teen francophone chanteuse to international pop superstar, has died.

Angélil, who started as Dion's manager and later became her husband, was 73.

He had undergone cancer treatment several times in the past two decades.

Last summer, Dion announced she was putting her career on hold to care for her ailing husband, cancelling all future performances of her LasVegas show as well as an upcoming Asian tour slated to begin in the fall.
In his final years, Angélil lived in Las Vegas with Dion and their three children: René-Charles, 14, and five-year-old fraternal twins Eddy and Nelson.

Singer Celine Dion's husband, René Angélil, dies at 73 after cancer battle

René Angélil was treated for cancer several times in the last two decades. (Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)

Family requests privacy
A statement released by Francine Chaloult, a spokeswoman for Dion, said Angélil died at his home in Las Vegas after a "courageous battle against cancer." The statement also said the family "requests that their privacy be respected at the moment" and that "more details will be provided at a later time."

Dion went to Facebook to announce the death of her husband.

Found early fame in Montreal boy band
Before he became the man behind the powerhouse vocalist, Angélil had his first brush with the spotlight on stage.

In the early 60s, the Montrealer made a name for himself in the boy band Les Baronets alongside two childhood friends.

The group took English pop songs from groups like The Beatles and translated them into French.

They enjoyed short-term success and had a few hits.

After the group broke up in 1972, Angélil changed gears and went into talent management.

He took on some of Quebec's biggest pop artists, including René Simard and Ginette Reno. The latter saw a resurgence in popularity after she was deemed the Montreal Canadiens' lucky charm for singing the national anthem during their playoff run.

But it was the bigger-than-life voice of Dion that truly launched Angélil's career into the stratosphere.

Singer Celine Dion's husband, René Angélil, dies at 73 after cancer battle

Céline Dion and husband René Angélil pose for photos after being decorated with the Order of Canada in Quebec City on July 26, 2013. (Jacques Boissinot/Canadian Press)
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He discovered Dion, 26 years his junior, when she sent him a demo tape when she was 12 years old.

He mortgaged his house to launch her career and told anyone who would listen that he was going to make the songstress a worldwide star.

The two eventually developed a romantic relationship, one that was initially kept secret.

They eventually married in 1994 at Montreal's Notre-Dame Basilica.

Surviving a bout of throat cancer in the late 1990s, Angélil and Dion welcomed their first son in 2001.

The twins were conceived nearly a decade later through in vitro fertilization.

Extortion plot
While he lived life in the spotlight that shone brightly on his wife, Angélil made his own headlines with his high-stakes gambling habit and an extortion plot that aimed to take him for $13.5 million.

In 2003, a California minister and his wife were sentenced to 28 months in prison after demanding millions from the manager in return for keeping quiet about an alleged s*xual assault involving Angélil and the minister's wife.

Investigators later confirmed the assault claim was bogus and Angélil was never charged.

However, he did pay the couple $2 million and underwent a blood test to screen for HIV as part of a confidential agreement reached with the pair in 2000.

Angélil's legal team maintained that the money didn't amount to an admission of guilt and that he settled the matter because he feared for his health and did not want negative publicity.

Singer Celine Dion's husband, René Angélil, dies at 73 after cancer battle

Other business ventures
His top client always remained Dion, but Angélil was involved in a number of other entertainment ventures during the course of his career.

In 2008, he was named director of the popular Quebec reality show Star Académie, a French-language singing competition in the American Idol genre.

In 2012, a conglomerate that included Dion and Angélil, purchased beloved Montreal landmark Schwartz's Deli for an undisclosed sum.

Angélil was also an avid poker player and qualified for several high-level tournaments, including the World Series of Poker.

Angélil and Dion were appointed members of the Order of Canada in 2012.

In his citation, Governor General David Johnston called Angélil an "example of generosity," noting that he helped created the first otorhinolaryngology oncology research chair in Quebec and that he was an honorary lifetime patron of Sainte-Justine Hospital in Montreal.

Angélil stepped aside as Dion's manager in June.

At the time, rumours had suggested his battle with cancer had taken a turn for the worse.

But Dion tried to defuse the speculation at a charity fundraiser in Montreal in July, telling reporters that her husband was "doing really well," and "working really hard on his health."

No funeral plans have yet been made public.

'No boyfriend No problem' – Jackie Appiah advises

'No boyfriend No problem' – Jackie Appiah advises

Is Jackie Appiah trying to pass a message across with her T-Shirt?

Since her divorce from the father of her son, Jackie Appiah has been rumoured to be dating a Nigerian actor which she has never confirmed.
That’s literally been it — we’ve not really had much to say about her love life and now, she seems to be excitedly telling us that ‘No Boyfriend…No Problem.”

Let’s hope she has not given up on men; because she is still young and she has a long way ahead of her. She could surely spend the rest of her life with a worthy man.

We all know the feeling when you sometimes begin to feel like men are not worth the headache, especially the ‘annoying’ boyfriends.

Give me the chance to change Ghana – Akufo-Addo

Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Akufo-Addo

Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is appealing to the people of Ghana to believe in him by giving him the mandate on November 7 to govern Ghana.

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made the appeal when he donated some bags of cement to victims of an explosion at Paebo, in the Eastern Region, Wednesday.
“I am pleading with you; help me this time, this is my third time. Not only the people here but Ghanaians in general-believe in me and give me a chance to change this nation,” he appealed.

More than 2,000 residents have been rendered homeless following a blast which occurred at a former quarry site in the Eastern Region on 24th December, 2015. Three people have been reported dead following the incident.

The acting IGP, John Kudalor, the Deputy Interior Minister James Agalga, accompanied by the Eastern Regional Minister, Antwi Boasiako Sekyere were in the area to sympathize with the victims.

NADMO has donated items worth, GHC120,000.00 to the victims after the Member of Parliament for Nsawam Adoagyiri, Frank Annor Dompreh petitioned the President to come to the aid of displaced victims.

According to Nana Akufo-Addo, he wasn’t around when the incident happened.
“I was told about it and so I decided to come and see for myself what happened here and to sympathize with you and to help with the rebuilding of facilities in the community,” he told the residents.

He donated about 250 bags of cement, 400 alluminium roofing sheets to help them rebuild their houses.

The Flagbearer also assured residents that he will restore Ghana’s crushing economy and establish a ‘Zongo Development Fund’.

“If God helps me to become President of Ghana, I will establish the Zongo Development Fund as I stated in my 2012 campaign so that in case of incidents like this, victims can benefit,” he stated.

Nana Addo further appealed to the residents to retain the current MP, Frank Annor Dompreh to continue the good works he has started in the constituency.


Source: Myjoyonline.com