Affordable malaria medicines: When will Nigerians begin to benefit?

By CHIOMA OBINNA
Little Nkem was the joy of her parents who were childless for over 15 years before her birth. From the date of her birth, Nkem was adored as the princess of the house. Her parents never ceased to thank God each day that breaks. But little did they know that their joy will be short lived.
It started like a fairy tale when Nkem all of sudden became ill. All efforts to bring down the high fever proved abortive. Sadly, there was no money to take her to a health centre. They, they resorted to self medication. Nkem was bombarded with different types of pain relievers in the absence of standard medical treatment in any hospital.

Puzzle as convicted Nollywood actress escapes prison custody

By TINA AKANNAM, Dutse
•She was aided internally -  Comptroller
PRISON officials at the Hadejia Prisons in Jigawa State are still battling to unravel the circumstances surrounding the ‘mysterious’ disappearance from custody, of a convicted Nollywood actress, Rabi Ismaila. The Kano -based actress said to have made her marks in Hausa home videos is popularly called Rabi Cecilia by her numerous fans.

Nigeria heading for civil war – Soyinka

LONDON (AFP) -  Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka warned on Tuesday that his country was heading towards a civil war, blaming political leaders who spread religious intolerance.

Asked whether he agreed with President Goodluck Jonathan that the current unrest was worse than the 1960s civil war, he told the BBC World Service: “It’s not an unrealistic comparison — it’s certainly based on many similarities.

Oil prices rally as traders monitor situation in Nigeria

LONDON (AFP) – World oil prices rose on Tuesday, in line with gains across global stock markets as buoyant US consumer data and simmering tensions in crude producers Iran and Nigeria provided support, analysts said.
New York’s main contract, West Texas Intermediate crude for delivery in February, rallied $1.38 cents to $102.69 a barrel.

5 dead, 10,000 displaced after clashes in Benin

BENIN CITY (AFP) – Clashes that broke out after Muslims were violently targeted in Benin have left five people dead and more than 10,000 displaced, a Red Cross official said Tuesday.
“We have recorded so far five deaths — on both sides, those that have been attacked and the attackers,” said Dan Enowoghomwenwa, secretary general of the Nigerian Red Cross in Edo state, said
“We have over 10,000 internally displaced persons in various places."

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/01/5-dead-10000-displaced-after-clashes-in-benin/

Libya gets $20 bn of Muammar Gaddafi freed assets

TRIPOLI (AFP) – Libya has received roughly $20 billion in assets that were held overseas by Muammar Gaddafi’s regime and frozen during the conflict that ousted him, the country’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.
An estimated $150 billion (117 billion euro) Gaddafi’s overseas assets were frozen following United Nations Security Council sanctions against his regime during the popular uprising and civil war that led to the veteran dictator’s downfall.

Mandela’s life story to be turned into TV series

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – Anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela’s life story is to be turned into a six-part television mini-series co-created by his grandson, the producers behind the multinational project said Monday.
Entitled “Madiba”, Mandela’s clan name, the series “will take a broad view of the inner passions and outside forces that guided him,” they said in a statement.
With a budget of $30 million (24 million euros), the project will explore Mandela’s relationship with his mother, his political activism, imprisonment, rise as political leader and election as South Africa’s first black president.