There’s never been a man/woman more qualified than Clinton to serve as US President’-Read Obama’s full speech at DNC

It was a busy night at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, as the party’s leading lights like Barack Obama, Joe Biden and others made their case for Hillary Clinton.
Obama blasted Trump as a man who did business with people and left his workers feeling used and also praised Hillary Clinton, saying she was even more qualified for the presidency than him, or even her husband- Bill Clinton. Read the full transcript of President Obama’s speech after the cut…

Twelve years ago tonight, I addressed this convention for the very first time.
You met my two little girls, Malia and Sasha – now two amazing young women who just fill me with pride. You fell for my brilliant wife and partner Michelle, who’s made me a better father and a better man; who’s gone on to inspire our nation as First Lady; and who somehow hasn’t aged a day.

I know the same can’t be said for me. My girls remind me all the time. Wow, you’ve changed so much, daddy.
And it’s true – I was so young that first time in Boston. Maybe a little nervous addressing such a big crowd. But I was filled with faith; faith in America – the generous, bighearted, hopeful country that made my story – indeed, all of our stories – possible.
A lot’s happened over the years. And while this nation has been tested by war and recession and all manner of challenge – I stand before you again tonight, after almost two terms as your President, to tell you I am even more optimistic about the future of America.
How could I not be – after all we’ve achieved together?
After the worst recession in 80 years, we’ve fought our way back. We’ve seen deficits come down, 401(k)s recover, an auto industry set new records, unemployment reach eight-year lows, and our businesses create 15 million new jobs.
After a century of trying, we declared that health care in America is not a privilege for a few, but a right for everybody. After decades of talk, we finally began to wean ourselves off foreign oil, and doubled our production of clean energy.
We brought more of our troops home to their families, and delivered justice to Osama bin Laden. Through diplomacy, we shut down Iran’s nuclear weapons program, opened up a new chapter with the people of Cuba, and brought nearly 200 nations together around a climate agreement that could save this planet for our kids.
We put policies in place to help students with loans; protect consumers from fraud; and cut veteran homelessness almost in half. And through countless acts of quiet courage, America learned that love has no limits, and marriage equality is now a reality across the land.
By so many measures, our country is stronger and more prosperous than it was when we started.
And through every victory and every setback, I’ve insisted that change is never easy, and never quick; that we wouldn’t meet all of our challenges in one term, or one presidency, or even in one lifetime.
So tonight, I’m here to tell you that yes, we still have more work to do. More work to do for every American still in need of a good job or a raise, paid leave or a decent retirement; for every child who needs a sturdier ladder out of poverty or a world-class education; for everyone who hasn’t yet felt the progress of these past seven and a half years. We need to keep making our streets safer and our criminal justice system fairer; our homeland more secure, and our world more peaceful and sustainable for the next generation. We’re not done perfecting our union, or living up to our founding creed – that all of us are created equal and free in the eyes of God.
That work involves a big choice this November. Fair to say, this is not your typical election. It’s not just a choice between parties or policies; the usual debates between left and right. This is a more fundamental choice – about who we are as a people, and whether we stay true to this great American experiment in self-government.
Look, we Democrats have always had plenty of differences with the Republican Party, and there’s nothing wrong with that; it’s precisely this contest of ideas that pushes our country forward.
But what we heard in Cleveland last week wasn’t particularly Republican – and it sure wasn’t conservative. What we heard was a deeply pessimistic vision of a country where we turn against each other, and turn away from the rest of the world. There were no serious solutions to pressing problems – just the fanning of resentment, and blame, and anger, and hate.
And that is not the America I know.
The America I know is full of courage, and optimism, and ingenuity. The America I know is decent and generous. Sure, we have real anxieties – about paying the bills, protecting our kids, caring for a sick parent. We get frustrated with political gridlock, worry about racial divisions; are shocked and saddened by the madness of Orlando or Nice. There are pockets of America that never recovered from factory closures; men who took pride in hard work and providing for their families who now feel forgotten; parents who wonder whether their kids will have the same opportunities we had.
All that is real. We’re challenged to do better; to be better. But as I’ve traveled this country, through all fifty states; as I’ve rejoiced with you and mourned with you, what I’ve also seen, more than anything, is what is right with America. I see people working hard and starting businesses; people teaching kids and serving our country. I see engineers inventing stuff, and doctors coming up with new cures. I see a younger generation full of energy and new ideas, not constrained by what is, ready to seize what ought to be.
Most of all, I see Americans of every party, every background, every faith who believe that we are stronger together – black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American; young and old; gay, straight, men, women, folks with disabilities, all pledging allegiance, under the same proud flag, to this big, bold country that we love.
That’s the America I know. And there is only one candidate in this race who believes in that future, and has devoted her life to it; a mother and grandmother who’d do anything to help our children thrive; a leader with real plans to break down barriers, blast through glass ceilings, and widen the circle of opportunity to every single American – the next President of the United States, Hillary Clinton.
Now, eight years ago, Hillary and I were rivals for the Democratic nomination. We battled for a year and a half. Let me tell you, it was tough, because Hillary’s tough. Every time I thought I might have that race won, Hillary just came back stronger.
But after it was all over, I asked Hillary to join my team. She was a little surprised, but ultimately said yes – because she knew that what was at stake was bigger than either of us. And for four years, I had a front-row seat to her intelligence, her judgment, and her discipline. I came to realize that her unbelievable work ethic wasn’t for praise or attention – that she was in this for everyone who needs a champion. I understood that after all these years, she has never forgotten just who she’s fighting for.
Hillary’s still got the tenacity she had as a young woman working at the Children’s Defense Fund, going door to door to ultimately make sure kids with disabilities could get a quality education.
She’s still got the heart she showed as our First Lady, working with Congress to help push through a Children’s Health Insurance Program that to this day protects millions of kids.
She’s still seared with the memory of every American she met who lost loved ones on 9/11, which is why, as a Senator from New York, she fought so hard for funding to help first responders; why, as Secretary of State, she sat with me in the Situation Room and forcefully argued in favor of the mission that took out Bin Laden.
You know, nothing truly prepares you for the demands of the Oval Office. Until you’ve sat at that desk, you don’t know what it’s like to manage a global crisis, or send young people to war. But Hillary’s been in the room; she’s been part of those decisions. She knows what’s at stake in the decisions our government makes for the working family, the senior citizen, the small business owner, the soldier, and the veteran. Even in the middle of crisis, she listens to people, and keeps her cool, and treats everybody with respect. And no matter how daunting the odds; no matter how much people try to knock her down, she never, ever quits.
That’s the Hillary I know. That’s the Hillary I’ve come to admire. And that’s why I can say with confidence there has never been a man or a woman more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as President of the United States of America.
And, by the way, in case you were wondering about her judgment, look at her choice of running mate. Tim Kaine is as good a man, as humble and committed a public servant, as anyone I know. He will be a great Vice President, and he’ll make Hillary a better President. Just like my dear friend and brother Joe Biden has made me a better President.
Now, Hillary has real plans to address the concerns she’s heard from you on the campaign trail. She’s got specific ideas to invest in new jobs, to help workers share in their company’s profits, to help put kids in preschool, and put students through college without taking on a ton of debt. That’s what leaders do.
And then there’s Donald Trump. He’s not really a plans guy. Not really a facts guy, either. He calls himself a business guy, which is true, but I have to say, I know plenty of businessmen and women who’ve achieved success without leaving a trail of lawsuits, and unpaid workers, and people feeling like they got cheated.
Does anyone really believe that a guy who’s spent his 70 years on this Earth showing no regard for working people is suddenly going to be your champion? Your voice? If so, you should vote for him. But if you’re someone who’s truly concerned about paying your bills, and seeing the economy grow, and creating more opportunity for everybody, then the choice isn’t even close. If you want someone with a lifelong track record of fighting for higher wages, better benefits, a fairer tax code, a bigger voice for workers, and stronger regulations on Wall Street, then you should vote for Hillary Clinton.
And if you’re concerned about who’s going to keep you and your family safe in a dangerous world – well, the choice is even clearer. Hillary Clinton is respected around the world not just by leaders, but by the people they serve. She’s worked closely with our intelligence teams, our diplomats, our military. And she has the judgment, the experience, and the temperament to meet the threat from terrorism. It’s not new to her. Our troops have pounded ISIL without mercy, taking out leaders, taking back territory. I know Hillary won’t relent until ISIL is destroyed. She’ll finish the job – and she’ll do it without resorting to torture, or banning entire religions from entering our country. She is fit to be the next Commander-in-Chief.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump calls our military a disaster. Apparently, he doesn’t know the men and women who make up the strongest fighting force the world has ever known. He suggests America is weak. He must not hear the billions of men, women, and children, from the Baltics to Burma, who still look to America to be the light of freedom, dignity, and human rights. He cozies up to Putin, praises Saddam Hussein, and tells the NATO allies that stood by our side after 9/11 that they have to pay up if they want our protection. Well, America’s promises do not come with a price tag. We meet our commitments. And that’s one reason why almost every country on Earth sees America as stronger and more respected today than they did eight years ago.
America is already great. America is already strong. And I promise you, our strength, our greatness, does not depend on Donald Trump.
In fact, it doesn’t depend on any one person. And that, in the end, may be the biggest difference in this election – the meaning of our democracy.
Ronald Reagan called America “a shining city on a hill.” Donald Trump calls it “a divided crime scene” that only he can fix. It doesn’t matter to him that illegal immigration and the crime rate are as low as they’ve been in decades, because he’s not offering any real solutions to those issues. He’s just offering slogans, and he’s offering fear. He’s betting that if he scares enough people, he might score just enough votes to win this election.
That is another bet that Donald Trump will lose. Because he’s selling the American people short. We are not a fragile or frightful people. Our power doesn’t come from some self-declared savior promising that he alone can restore order. We don’t look to be ruled. Our power comes from those immortal declarations first put to paper right here in Philadelphia all those years ago; We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that together, We, the People, can form a more perfect union.
That’s who we are. That’s our birthright – the capacity to shape our own destiny. That’s what drove patriots to choose revolution over tyranny and our GIs to liberate a continent. It’s what gave women the courage to reach for the ballot, and marchers to cross a bridge in Selma, and workers to organize and fight for better wages.
America has never been about what one person says he’ll do for us. It’s always been about what can be achieved by us, together, through the hard, slow, sometimes frustrating, but ultimately enduring work of self-government.
And that’s what Hillary Clinton understands. She knows that this is a big, diverse country, and that most issues are rarely black and white. That even when you’re 100 percent right, getting things done requires compromise. That democracy doesn’t work if we constantly demonize each other. She knows that for progress to happen, we have to listen to each other, see ourselves in each other, fight for our principles but also fight to find common ground, no matter how elusive that may seem.
Hillary knows we can work through racial divides in this country when we realize the worry black parents feel when their son leaves the house isn’t so different than what a brave cop’s family feels when he puts on the blue and goes to work; that we can honor police and treat every community fairly. She knows that acknowledging problems that have festered for decades isn’t making race relations worse – it’s creating the possibility for people of good will to join and make things better.
Hillary knows we can insist on a lawful and orderly immigration system while still seeing striving students and their toiling parents as loving families, not criminals or rapists; families that came here for the same reasons our forebears came – to work, and study, and make a better life, in a place where we can talk and worship and love as we please. She knows their dream is quintessentially American, and the American Dream is something no wall will ever contain.
It can be frustrating, this business of democracy. Trust me, I know. Hillary knows, too. When the other side refuses to compromise, progress can stall. Supporters can grow impatient, and worry that you’re not trying hard enough; that you’ve maybe sold out.
But I promise you, when we keep at it; when we change enough minds; when we deliver enough votes, then progress does happen. Just ask the twenty million more people who have health care today. Just ask the Marine who proudly serves his country without hiding the husband he loves. Democracy works, but we gotta want it – not just during an election year, but all the days in between.
So if you agree that there’s too much inequality in our economy, and too much money in our politics, we all need to be as vocal and as organized and as persistent as Bernie Sanders’ supporters have been. We all need to get out and vote for Democrats up and down the ticket, and then hold them accountable until they get the job done.
If you want more justice in the justice system, then we’ve all got to vote – not just for a President, but for mayors, and sheriffs, and state’s attorneys, and state legislators. And we’ve got to work with police and protesters until laws and practices are changed.
If you want to fight climate change, we’ve got to engage not only young people on college campuses, but reach out to the coal miner who’s worried about taking care of his family, the single mom worried about gas prices.
If you want to protect our kids and our cops from gun violence, we’ve got to get the vast majority of Americans, including gun owners, who agree on background checks to be just as vocal and determined as the gun lobby that blocks change through every funeral we hold. That’s how change will happen.
Look, Hillary’s got her share of critics. She’s been caricatured by the right and by some folks on the left; accused of everything you can imagine – and some things you can’t. But she knows that’s what happens when you’re under a microscope for 40 years. She knows she’s made mistakes, just like I have; just like we all do. That’s what happens when we try. That’s what happens when you’re the kind of citizen Teddy Roosevelt once described – not the timid souls who criticize from the sidelines, but someone “who is actually in the arena…who strives valiantly; who errs…[but] who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement.”
Hillary Clinton is that woman in the arena. She’s been there for us – even if we haven’t always noticed. And if you’re serious about our democracy, you can’t afford to stay home just because she might not align with you on every issue. You’ve got to get in the arena with her, because democracy isn’t a spectator sport. America isn’t about “yes he will.” It’s about “yes we can.” And we’re going to carry Hillary to victory this fall, because that’s what the moment demands.
You know, there’s been a lot of talk in this campaign about what America’s lost – people who tell us that our way of life is being undermined by pernicious changes and dark forces beyond our control. They tell voters there’s a “real America” out there that must be restored. This isn’t an idea that started with Donald Trump. It’s been peddled by politicians for a long time – probably from the start of our Republic.
And it’s got me thinking about the story I told you twelve years ago tonight, about my Kansas grandparents and the things they taught me when I was growing up. They came from the heartland; their ancestors began settling there about 200 years ago. I don’t know if they had their birth certificates…
They were Scotch-Irish mostly, farmers, teachers, ranch hands, pharmacists, oil rig workers. Hardy, small town folks. Some were Democrats, but a lot of them were Republicans. The party of Lincoln. My grandparents explained that they didn’t like show-offs. They didn’t admire braggarts or bullies. They didn’t respect mean-spiritedness, or folks who were always looking for shortcuts in life. Instead, they valued traits like honesty and hard work. Kindness and courtesy. Humility; responsibility; helping each other out.
That’s what they believed in. True things. Things that last. The things we try to teach our kids.
And what my grandparents understood was that these values weren’t limited to Kansas. They weren’t limited to small towns. These values could travel to Hawaii; even the other side of the world, where my mother would end up working to help poor women get a better life. They knew these values weren’t reserved for one race; they could be passed down to a half-Kenyan grandson, or a half-Asian granddaughter; in fact, they were the same values Michelle’s parents, the descendants of slaves, taught their own kids living in a bungalow on the South Side of Chicago. They knew these values were exactly what drew immigrants here, and they believed that the children of those immigrants were just as American as their own, whether they wore a cowboy hat or a yarmulke; a baseball cap or a hijab.
America has changed over the years. But these values my grandparents taught me – they haven’t gone anywhere. They’re as strong as ever; still cherished by people of every party, every race, and every faith. They live on in each of us. What makes us American, what makes us patriots, is what’s in here. That’s what matters. That’s why we can take the food and music and holidays and styles of other countries, and blend it into something uniquely our own. That’s why we can attract strivers and entrepreneurs from around the globe to build new factories and create new industries here. That’s why our military can look the way it does, every shade of humanity, forged into common service. That’s why anyone who threatens our values, whether fascists or communists or jihadists or homegrown demagogues, will always fail in the end.
That’s America. Those bonds of affection; that common creed. We don’t fear the future; we shape it, embrace it, as one people, stronger together than we are on our own. That’s what Hillary Clinton understands – this fighter, this stateswoman, this mother and grandmother, this public servant, this patriot – that’s the America she’s fighting for.
And that’s why I have confidence, as I leave this stage tonight, that the Democratic Party is in good hands. My time in this office hasn’t fixed everything; as much as we’ve done, there’s still so much I want to do. But for all the tough lessons I’ve had to learn; for all the places I’ve fallen short; I’ve told Hillary, and I’ll tell you what’s picked me back up, every single time
It’s been you. The American people.
It’s the letter I keep on my wall from a survivor in Ohio who twice almost lost everything to cancer, but urged me to keep fighting for health care reform, even when the battle seemed lost. Do not quit.
It’s the painting I keep in my private office, a big-eyed, green owl, made by a seven year-old girl who was taken from us in Newtown, given to me by her parents so I wouldn’t forget – a reminder of all the parents who have turned their grief into action.
It’s the small business owner in Colorado who cut most of his own salary so he wouldn’t have to lay off any of his workers in the recession – because, he said, “that wouldn’t have been in the spirit of America.”
It’s the conservative in Texas who said he disagreed with me on everything, but appreciated that, like him, I try to be a good dad.
It’s the courage of the young soldier from Arizona who nearly died on the battlefield in Afghanistan, but who’s learned to speak and walk again – and earlier this year, stepped through the door of the Oval Office on his own power, to salute and shake my hand.
It’s every American who believed we could change this country for the better, so many of you who’d never been involved in politics, who picked up phones, and hit the streets, and used the internet in amazing new ways to make change happen. You are the best organizers on the planet, and I’m so proud of all the change you’ve made possible.
Time and again, you’ve picked me up. I hope, sometimes, I picked you up, too. Tonight, I ask you to do for Hillary Clinton what you did for me. I ask you to carry her the same way you carried me. Because you’re who I was talking about twelve years ago, when I talked about hope – it’s been you who’ve fueled my dogged faith in our future, even when the odds are great; even when the road is long. Hope in the face of difficulty; hope in the face of uncertainty; the audacity of hope!
America, you have vindicated that hope these past eight years. And now I’m ready to pass the baton and do my part as a private citizen. This year, in this election, I’m asking you to join me – to reject cynicism, reject fear, to summon what’s best in us; to elect Hillary Clinton as the next President of the United States, and show the world we still believe in the promise of this great nation.
Thank you for this incredible journey. Let’s keep it going. God bless the United States of America.

Photo: The moment a bikini-clad off-duty female cop pins down a thief & arrests him

Pictured is the moment an off-duty Swedish police officer/bodybuilder tackled a pickpocket on the ground, while wearing only a bikini. Mikaela Kellner, a police officer of 11 years, was sunbathing in a park with friends when the pickpocket approached them. Under the guise of selling magazines for the homeless, the man began talking to the group of bikini-clad women.

He placed a newspaper over their mobile phones which were on a blanket, allegedly picked up one and left. When they realized he had stolen something, Kellner and another friend, who is also a police officer chased the man, slammed him to the floor and put him in a painful arm-lock before police arrived to arrest him.

Photos: Kenyan prostitute caught stealing her client’s valuables after drugging him

A Nairobi prostitute was allegedly caught stealing her client’s valuables after she drugged him. When the man said to be a Kenyatta University student became unconscious, the prostitute gathered every electronic gadget in his house. However, luck ran out on her as she was nabbed by vigilant neighbours. They tied her up as they waited for the police to arrive.

This Is the Secret To Actress Funke Adesiyan Remarkable Cleavage

Most celebrities who are known for their br**sts are known for their large size, or surgical enhancements. While many have had b00b jobs, others have relied on supportive bras to push up, or padded bras to enhance their feature.

One personality that falls in that category is Yoruba actress, Funke Adesiyan.

Funke Adesiyan and friends at the club recently.

As you read, the actress is the most recent celebrity to be attacked on her deceptive appearance.
The actress, who has grown her social media profile through her strong s*x appeal tactics has suddenly lost her gigantic bosom overnight as seen in the comparison photo below.

However, some of her loyal fans have come to her defense saying, the actress recently shed some weight which automatically affected the size of her mammary glands.
Others believe the star had always padded her b**bs in the past to make them look bigger than they really are.

What do you think?

There is no doubt that the actress is blessed with gigantic b*obs but it’s not as big as what she wants us to believe.
Still in doubt?

Wike Can’t Prove Corruption Allegation Against Me’

Minister of Transportation Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi restated yesterday that he ran a transparent government as Rivers State governor.

He also said he did not receive over N3 trillion naira revenue as alleged by Governor Nyesom Wike, adding that Wike has failed to prove the allegation of corruption levelled against him.

Amaechi spoke at a stakeholders’ forum on corruption organised by the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja.
He said Rivers State became the first to implement the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Act in Nigeria during his tenure.
He said: “The State executive used to call the Director General of Public Procurement in the state as an alternative governor and that they wanted an amendment to that law.
The reason they wanted amendment is that he (DG) refused to increase the threshold to N100m per ministry, instead he reduced it to N10 million naira.

Customs Boss Laments Influx Of Illegal Arms

The Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hammed Ali (retd.), has raised the alarm over increasing influx of illegal firearms into the country.
Mr. Ali, however, said the trend could be reversed if security agencies work hand-in-hand.

The Customs boss spoke in Abuja yesterday when the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, paid him a visit.
Ali said: “It is a must for us to curtail the influx of firearms. You could recall that the Libyan episode and Mali episode has now created more serious nature of circulation of arms in the whole of Africa.
“The influx of arms is what gives impetus for criminals to operate. If we are able to block and make sure that arms is not circulated the way it is, I am sure we will reduce to minimal the menace. Some of the people who are armed robbers and kidnappers, without arms in their hands, they cannot confront most of their victims”.

Shocking Photos Of A Body Builder Who Survives By Carrying His Heart In A Schoolbag

A bodybuilder who suffered heart failure was rushed to hospital for a transplant – and now has an artificial heart he carries around in a backpack.
Andrew Jones, from Conneticut, first became unwell in 2012 after struggling to breathe during a run.

He was horrified when two years later he started to cough up blood and developed a high fever.
In hospital, doctors diagnosed the 26-year-old with cardiomyopathy – a hereditary disease of the heart muscle – and soon he became so weak he couldn’t stand, walk or dress himself.
A few months later, medics told if he didn’t have a transplant immediately he would die.
As there were no organs available, he was fitted with a pacemaker and an artificial heart – which he now carries around in a bag on his back.
Despite his brush with death, he is now back to the gym and said he cries after workouts as he feels so ‘thankful to be alive’.
Recalling suffering from heart failure, Mr Jones said: ‘It’s something I would never want to wish upon my worst enemy.
‘You can’t breathe, you can’t think, you don’t eat and you don’t sleep.
He continued: ‘Living with this disease put me in a pattern with depression and physical pain.
‘I had to stop working because I wouldn’t be able to stand for more than 10 minutes.
‘I dreaded going to the kitchen because that meant that I had to go up and down my stairs.
‘I couldn’t even get dressed without panting and gasping for air – my life was falling apart and I just wanted relief.’
Cardiomyopathy isn’t a single condition, but a group of conditions that affect the structure of the heart and reduce its ability to pump blood around the body.
The heart muscle can become enlarged, thick, or rigid – or muscle can become replaced with scar tissue.
Mr Jones was devastated when his condition left him to weak to walk, let alone lift weights.
But since having the artificial heart implanted he has slowly recovered and is now back to training in the gym.
His artificial heart has two tubes that exit the body and are connected to a machine he carries around in a bag.
The machine delivers compressed air into the ventricles to allow blood to be pumped through the body.
His doctors have said as long as he tells his transplant routine about his weight-lifting routine, he is able to keep training.
He said: ‘I will never forget the day I had to throw in the towel until I started feeling better.
‘I tried my hardest to push through the shortness of breath, but I just could not train without my heart functioning properly.
‘Today, thanks to my medical devices, I feel like a new person.
‘I am almost back to the old Andrew that was able to train with passion and intensity.
‘I do everything I can without compromising my health and the security of my devices.’
Mr Jones even launched his own charity, Hearts at Large, to raise awareness for organ donations and has over 14,000 followers on his Instagram, @FitnessWithAJ.
Grateful to be alive, he now breaks down in tears at the gym as he is so happy he is still able to train.
He said: ‘I always loved working out and staying in shape, but I never actually took the time to be thankful to even have the ability to do so.

‘Now I end my workouts almost in tears because I am still alive and I feel amazing.’
While some would hide their scars, Mr Jones wears his with pride, and explains to anyone who asks why he carries a backpack with him everywhere.
He said: ‘I work in retail part-time and customers ask me all the time why I wear my backpack.
‘When I tell them what it is for the response is somewhere along the lines of shock.
‘They think I am pulling their leg, or seem surprised because I look healthy.
He continued: ‘I’m never afraid to go out in public or take off my shirt in front of other people.
‘I do try to be considerate because it is different and some people may feel uncomfortable.
‘But I have no problem explaining what my device is, how it works and why I need it.’

He said during his four-month stay in hospital, he was constantly reminded of how serious his circumstances were.
‘Despite this I couldn’t shake the thought of the people who aren’t healthy enough to even be considered for a transplant, or the people who don’t have access to good health care,’ he said.
‘That is what I want to change with Hearts at Large. We can advance our already incredible technology to save lives.’
Source: Dailymail

Buhari Makes Health Sector Appointments

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed new chief executives for five health agencies, with two coming from the US and another from the UK.

From the US are Echezona Ezeanolue, a professor of paediatrics and public health at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who will head the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and Usman Yusuf, a professor of paediatrics at St. Jude Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, who becomes the executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Aliyu Hussein, a consultant in microbiology and infectious diseases at Cambridge University, UK, will head the National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA).
Below are their bios in full.
USMAN YUSUF
Currently a professor of paediatrics at St. Jude Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He is a graduate of medicine at ABU Zaria where he also worked at the Teaching Hospital from 1984 to 1989. He moved to the UK in 1990 where he worked in the Paediatric field at various hospitals until 1995 when he moved to South Carolina, in the USA where he rose to become a fellow in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology in 1998. In 2000, he moved to Seattle, Washington to work in Cancer Research rising to become an assistant Professor. In 2002, he relocated to Tennessee to take on the post of professor of paediatrics where he remains till today. Over his career, he has published many journals and made many presentations at global institutions. He has won many awards including the Physician of the year award for excellence in 2006 and 2007. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, the West African College of Physicians and the American Academy of Physicians.

ECHEZONA EZEANOLUE
Currently a professor of paediatrics and public health at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA. He got his medical degree at the University of Nigeria in 1995 where he also did his internship.In 1999, he moved to Howard University, Washington DC where he did his paediatric internship and residency. In 2002, he proceeded to the New Jersey Medical School and got his fellowship in Paediatric Infectious Disease. In 2005, he moved to Nevada where he remains to date practicing paediatric medicine. He is a recipient of many awards including being ranked the top doctor in Las Vegas, 2015 and one of the top paediatric doctors in the US 2012. He has written many journal articles and has received grants worth millions of dollars over the years to fund his research.He is a member of the American Board of Paediatrics, a director, Global Health and Implementation Science and Director, Maternal-Child HIV Program.

BABATUNDE LAWAL SALAKO
Currently the provost, College of Medicine at the University of Ibadan. He is also a professor and honourary consultant of Nephrology at the University College Ibadan. He had his first medical degree from the University of Ibadan in 1986 where he still works to date. He has attended courses at the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburg and London and was elected a fellow in both institutes. Although most of his career has been in Ibadan, his work is globally respected including at highly acclaimed institutions like the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta where he has been a member of an international panel of experts. His research and various publications were funded from local and international grants. He is a well know public commentator on health matters and a pillar of his community.

ALIYU SANI HUSSEIN
Currently a consultant in microbiology and infectious diseases at Cambridge University, UK. He got his medical degree from ABU Zaria in 1993 after which he proceeded to become a medical officer at the State House Medical Centre in Abuja. In 1998, he moved to Cambridge’s Addenbrooke Hospital as a senior house officer in Microbiology where he rose through the ranks becoming a consultant in Microbiology today. He has participated and supervised various research and publications in his career funded from numerous grants. He is a member of the Trust Healthcare Associated Infections Task Force and also chairs the Information and Governance Steering Group of the Caldicott Guardian Trust, an authority that focuses on policy and strategic planning in medicine in the UK. He is the chairman of the exam board for Infectious Diseases Speciality Certificate Examinations (SCE) of the Royal College of Physicians and also the clinical audit lead for the infectious diseases department.

CHIKWE ANDREAS IHEKWEAZU
Currently the managing partner at EpiAfric, a public health consultancy firm that focuses on Africa. He obtained his first medical degree at the University of Nigeria in 1996 after where he also did his housemanship. In 2001, he moved the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin where he worked as a medical epidemiologist investigating outbreaks of hospital associated infections. In 2003, he moved to the UK and rose to become the consultant medical epidemiologist at the Health Protection Agency, England by 2011. He then relocated to South Africa in 2011 as the co-director, Centre for Tuberculosis at the South African Institute of Communicable Diseases. In 2014, he established his consulting firm, EpiAricand in 2015, was appointed the consultant and coordinator of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Ebola Response team in Monrovia, Liberia. In addition to consultancy, he is also the curator of the Nigeria Health Watch, an NGO that uses advocacy to seek better health care access in Nigeria. He has many publications and received numerous awards including the honourary lecturer on Infectious Diseases at the University College London.

Ondo APC, PDP Trade Accusations Over Jonathan’s N15bn For Mimiko’s Re-Election

The Ondo State chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have traded accusations over an allegation that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the release of N15 billion accruable to the state from excess crude oil, to fund Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s re-election in 2012.
According to the Ondo APC, the money, which “purely belonged to the government”, was allegedly received by Mr. Mimiko through the bank accounts of his cronies, from the Ministry of Finance via the Central Bank of Nigeria.

But the PDP accused the opposition party in the state of “prosecuting a disinformation agenda that is calculated to cause disaffection and commotion”.
The APC insisted that Mimiko’s alleged action was wicked, unlawful and unacceptable to the people.
A statement by the party’s spokesman, Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya, yesterday in Akure, the state capital, said: “We have it on good authority that Mimiko collected N15 billion from the Federation Account on November 15, 2012, which he personally signed for”.
It said the action was against due process and deliberately orchestrated to siphon public funds, which has gone into private pockets with no records of it in the state.
The party, therefore, gave the governor seven days ultimatum to address the people on the alleged N15 billion and refund the money to the state treasury.
The statement warned that failure to meet the deadline, will force the opposition party to “write petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to help the suffering people of Ondo State to recover the loots”.
But the PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Ayo Fadaka, described the APC’s allegations as mostly outlandish and pedestrian, even to the extent of being difficult for people to react to because of its ludicrous nature.
Fadaka said: “To set the records straight, however, there is no iota of truth in the allegation. Dr. Jonathan did not give out any money to pursue the re-election of Governor Mimiko as alleged. It is a blatant lie from the pool of APC’s fallacies”.

Indonesia Execution: Titus Igweh Begged To See His Wife And Kids

Indonesia has executed Michael Titus Igweh and two Nigerian drug convicts by firing squad, an official said.

The Nigerians were put to death along with one Indonesian on Thursday (after midnight Indonesian time), Noor Rachmad, deputy attorney general for general crimes, told reporters.

The sister-in-law of Michael Titus Igweh,(pictured in veil holding up a family statement condemning the execution) who alleged police had applied electricity to his private parts to force him to confess to heroin possession, said his final request had been to see his wife and family for the last time.
However she said Mr Igweh’s wife was in Nigeria and would not arrive in Indonesia until Friday – hours after her husband was killed.
“Yesterday I met Titus and he was angry and upset,” Nila said. “He said: ‘What kind of justice is this? What kind of country is Indonesia?”

Nila said she had chosen to sacrifice her last-ever visit to Mr Igweh in order to tell his story to the media:
“At this time I believe there are two things that can help Titus, one is God and one is the media. If that was the last time to see Titus, than so be it.”

On Thursday morning 17 ambulances – 14 containing coffins – were ferried to Nusakambangan, known as Indonesia’s Alcatraz, where the prisoners will be strapped to wooden posts and shot dead by a firing squad.
Source: 042 Express

Operation Awatse: Military Bombs Militants In Fatola, Scores Feared Dead

There was pandemonium on Thursday in the Arepo area of Ogun State and some part of Lagos State after the military bombarded the base of suspected militants in the states.

The PUNCH learnt that scores of militants were reportedly killed in the joint military operation which lasted for more than one hour.
A source said the military attacked Fatola, the base of the militants, adding that houses around the area were shaken by the impact of bomb explosions on the Ijaw militants.
He said, “There has been a lot of commotion. The Nigerian Air Force bombarded Fatola, in Arepo, which is the base of the militants. They are shelling the place with fighter jets. Some soldiers also surrounded the area to make sure that if any of the militants should run out, they would be gunned down.”
A resident said people in the area had started fleeing their homes due to the bombardment.
Another resident in the Imushin area of Ogun State told our correspondent that two aircrafts were involved in the operation, adding that only one base of the militants was attacked.
He said, “An aircraft had actually been surveying the creek for the past three days. But a second one joined this evening around 6pm. All we heard was a sudden bomb blast released from the second aircraft. But it appeared that some of the militants had fled into the bush. There are four major bases of the militants in the creek and they are led by two men- OC and Agbala. If the military can get these two people, then they would have succeeded in clipping the wings of the militants.”
A community leader, who claimed to have spoken with one of the officers, said, “The military officer said residents should not panic because it was a military exercise. I also gathered that the casualty figure was high and that a lot of the militants had been killed.”
The Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, confirmed the operation, saying it involved the army and the navy.
He said, “The military only conducts its routine operation for the purpose of denying the vandals and other criminal elements from causing terror in the area. The operation, codenamed, Operation Awatse, was initiated by the defence headquarters to dominate the area with a view to flushing out all manners of criminals including militants and saboteurs. The operation involved the joint forces of the navy and army and it has been successful.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State, SP Dolapo Badmos, said the police were part of the operation.
She said, “The Nigerian military and policemen from the Lagos and Ogun commands are part of the operation. We are sweeping through the waterways where we share boundaries to end the activities of the militants. It is a continuous exercise and we cannot tell the number of casualties.”
The acting Police spokesperson, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi, promised to call back our correspondent, but he had yet to do so as of press time.