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FACE (14)
BOSTON – The nation's first full face transplant recipient said the first thing his young daughter told him when she saw him after the operation was "Daddy, you're so handsome."
Dallas Wiens, sporting a goatee and dark sunglasses, joined surgeons Monday at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston in his first public appearance since the 15-hour procedure in March.
"It feels natural," said the 25-year-old Fort Worth, Texas, man, who received a new nose, lips, skin, muscle and nerves from an anonymous donor. The operation was paid for by the U.S. military, which hopes to use findings from the procedure to help soldiers with severe facial wounds.
Wiens' features were all but burned away and he was left blind after hitting a power line while painting a church in November 2008.
On Monday, Wiens appeared before a packed room of reporters and photographers with a new, somewhat swollen face and a new head of hair.
"I adapted to it very quickly," Wiens told reporters. "As time went on ... I was able to smell again and breathe through my nose. Every step of the way was amazing."
The first thing Wiens' nose was able to detect after months of having no smell? Hospital lasagna.
"You wouldn't imagine it, but it smelled delicious," Wiens said.
Surgeons said the transplant was not able to restore his sight, and some nerves were so badly damaged from his injury that he will probably have only partial sensation on his left cheek and the left side of his forehead.
Plastic surgeon Bohdan Pomahac, who performed the operation on Wiens, said the transplant's results were better than he expected.
"The most fun part is to see the next six to nine months when the function will start to come back and when Dallas will start to feel a light touch on his face," Pomahac said. "To me, that's really exciting."
In an Associated Press story and a YouTube video last fall, Wiens spoke poignantly about why he wanted a transplant and how he wanted to smile again and feel kisses from his 4-year-old daughter, Scarlette. Face transplants give horribly disfigured people hope of an option other than "looking in the mirror and hating what they see," he said.
He told the AP that his daughter and his faith have kept him motivated. He repeated that Monday. "Even though I'm in amazing hands here," Wiens said, "I'm also in God's hands."
The surgery was paid for by the Department of Defense, which gave the hospital a $3.4 million research grant for five transplants.
About a dozen face transplants have been done worldwide, in the U.S., France, Spain and China.
Among allegations leveled against him are that he misappropriated several
billions of naira given by the State as subvention to the institution
between 2005 and now.
He was also accused of appointing his cronies
most of whom have long retired from acting service and imposing contract
staff as heads of departments and faculties.
Despite the efforts of
the State government. Regarding the school, the institution does not
have any dedicated library or laboratory. It has also not had any
physical structure since the VC assumed office..
The affected courses include Law, Economics, Marketing, Chemical and
Polymer Engineering, Accounting, Banking and Finance, Political Science,
Sociology, Business Administration and Management Technology.
The
NUC, the lecturers claimed would be visiting the school in November this
year for another round of denial of accreditation of another 26
courses.
They accused Hussein of hounding several lecturers in the school making them run for their dear lives.
Chairman of the institution's branch of the Academic Staff Union of
Universities, Dr. Kabir Akinyemi, also accused the Vice Chancellor of
sitting on the promotion of the lecturers since 2005.
As at when he became the VC,the institution was said to have about six
professors in the faculty of Law, but this is no longer the case as the
only one currently remaining, Prof. Olusegun Yerokun, is a retired
lecturer who is also on contract and now heads the faculty as the dean.
The institution's Director of Academic Planning is manned by one Mr.
Olanrewaju John, who was appointed and made a level 14 staff with just a
Bachelor of Art(BA) and barely six years experience for a job that
should be handled by a Professor.
Though, they did not mention the
courses that may face accreditation problems next month, it was learnt
that the College of Medicine might be affected as the institution also
makes use of contract staff.
When asked to defend himself, the VC who was shaking and stuttering, blamed
the entire situation on the school's senate, which he has allegedly
pocketed and has continued to influence.
They therefore resolved to hire the services of a competent accounting firm to probe the administration's spending so far, while the House decides on what action to take.
The Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, also stated that they would not be influenced by anybody in the course of investigating the issue as the House had severally warned the Vice Chancellor to desist from ruining the school aground.
Investigations revealed that Prof. Hussein would have been sacked before now, but for the constant intervention of the former Governor of State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who was said to have appointed him.
In his attempt to delay the inevitable, James Onanefe Ibori, the thieving ex-governor of Delta State, has appealed the court ruling to extradite him to London to faces charges of money laundering.
Huhuonline.com learnt that an Appeal court in Dubai, Sunday,17th October ruled that there was enough evidence against the former governor, and ordered that he should be extradited to London, where he faces charges of theft and laundering of $292million. .
Ibori is wanted in Britain and Nigerian. However, Nigeria does not have extradition treaty with Dubai; hence the former governor will be repatriated to London to face corruption charges and subsequently deported to Nigeria.
As soon as the ruling was delivered, Ibori associates, led by Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan hurriedly put out information aimed at deceiving the public. They claimed that the judges had ruled in Ibori`s favor.
James Ibori is not a stranger to the British judicial system. He has previous conviction.
James Ibori’s Rap Sheet
According to British court records, Mr. Ibori, age 29 and standing at 5ft 11 at the time, was born on August 4, 1962, and lived at 9 Nower Hill Pinner Middlesex, England. He worked as a cashier at Wickes Building Supplies, Victoria Road, Ruislip, Middlesex, and earned 9,500 pounds per annum.
On Tuesday, August 28, 1990, three days after she had been in police trouble, Theresa Nakanda went into the Wickes Building Supplies Store and, putting her Uxbridge Police Station incident quickly behind her and stole goods with the connivance of her boyfriend, Mr. Ibori, at about 8.30pm.
Mr. Ibori "Assisted his girlfriend (Theresa) to pass through his check-out without paying for goods whilst employed as cashier," was the way British court records described the former governor's act.
Mr. Ibori and his girlfriend (now wife) were then charged before the Crown court at Isleworth. Theresa Nakanda and James Ibori, on August 28, 1990, were charged for "stealing a quantity of goods..."
On January 25 1991, Judge Thomas convicted both Mr. Ibori and his wife and fined them "300 pounds in default and 14 days imprisonment”. They were also made to pay "costs of the prosecution in the sum of 450 pounds."
Mr. Ibori, who was represented by the law firm of Desmond Wright and Co., paid a total of 750 pounds for his crime.
Graduating to credit card fraud
A year after his conviction before the Crown court at Isleworth, Mr. Ibori, who is an elder of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was back in court again, this time at the Clerkenwell magistrates court, in London.
Police officer McDonald stated in his witness statement that:
"I have made further enquiries into the criminal convictions for Mr. James Ibori and can confirm that on the 7th of February 1992 at Clerkenwell magistrate's court, London, Mr. Ibori was convicted of one count of handling stolen goods contrary to Section 22 of the Theft Act, 1968."
The offense took place on Thursday, September 12, 1991. Putting on a blue suit and a pair of brown shoes at about 3:50pm, Mr. Ibori was challenged by British police officer Michelsen who found an American Express Gold card on him.
When he was challenged, "he claimed to be Sean Burns, the card owner", the UK court records show. By the time the card was retrieved from Mr. Ibori, the "card was involved in 1000 pounds of misuse." Mr. Ibori was arrested but granted bail.
The former Delta State governor was charged before Clerkenwell Magistrate Court in England on two offences, one of which stated that "on or before 12th September 1991 within the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court, you stole one American Express Gold Card of nominal value belonging to American Express, contrary to: S1 Theft Act 1968."
The court could not prove that he stole the card; however, Mr. Ibori was convicted of handling stolen goods. "You did handle one American Express Gold card in that knowing or believing it to be stolen goods; you did dishonestly arrange to receive the said goods. Contrary to S22 (1) Theft Act 1968," the court ruled.
Between a rock and a hard place: Husband emerges to face warring women who had to be pulled apart
Probably the bravest of all the 33 trapped miners was the one who asked for both his wife and his mistress to greet him on reaching the surface.
Yonni Barrios initially became known as the group’s ‘doctor’.
He used knowledge gained from looking after his diabetic mother to work with medical teams on the surface to diagnose and help the men trapped with him. ..
Trapped miner Yonni Barrios Rojas is greeted by his girlfriend Susana Valenzuela after reaching the surface
Very public display of affection: The entire world watches as Susanna kisses her lover
Row: Marta Salinas, left, wife of trapped miner Yonni Barrios, did not greet him on his return to the surface after it emerged he was having an affair with Susana Valenzuela, right
But very soon the 50-year-old miner became even better known for something rather less noble. His wife and another woman were both holding a vigil for him in Camp Hope.
Marta Salinas, 58, whom he married 28 years ago, reportedly almost came to blows with Susana Valenzuela, 50, when they faced off in the mine’s dining area. The pair had to be pulled apart.
According to Miss Salinas, Barrios had been dividing his time between the two women for the last couple of years. And it was Miss Valenzuela who broke the news to her that there had been an accident at the mine.
As his wife began to get involved in his affairs on Camp Hope, he instructed teams on the surface to deal with his lover instead.
Incredible: Susanna appears unable to believe Barrios is safe as she cusps his face in her hands and clings to him in a long hug
Moments later Barrios, centre, was carried on a stretcher to the triage centre
And as the day of the rescue finally approached, he asked for both of them to wait for him as he emerged from the borehole.
‘He is either very cheeky or very idiotic,’ said a source within the rescue team. ‘He didn’t seem worried at all.’
In the end he was greeted by his mistress, his wife choosing to stay away. He emerged at 8:32pm UK time to be met by tearful Miss Valenzuela.
Enlarge 
'Alone at last! All right Maria, you can come out now.'
He looked calm as he gingerly walked towards his mistress, who gave him a long hug, crying on his shoulder and occasionally pulling back to look at him as if to make sure the reunion was really happening.
After he emerged, his wife, who has three sons from an earlier relationship, said she is over Barrios and did not feel ‘anything in particular’.
'Cocky': Barrios, waving to the crowd, was slammed by his ex-wife - but Susanna was unable to hide the joy from her face at his escape
She said: ‘I watched it on television. I’m very pleased they are all coming out well.
‘I’m glad I didn’t go to the mine, it was the correct decision. It would have been wrong if the two of us were there – I have children and grandchildren. That kind of situation wouldn’t have been good for my family, and my sons come first.
‘He is crazy and cocky to think I would do such a thing. I have a sense of decency.’
She said she could tell Barrios was ‘holding back’ in the reunion, as his girlfriend held him tightly and cried.
Rock and a hard place: Miner Yonni Barrios
‘I know she is impulsive, while he behaved properly. He knew I was going to be watching.’ She said she would not be visiting him at the hospital. ‘If he wants to see me or talk to me he can come find me. Otherwise we will talk through our lawyers.
‘I have his belongings and all these gifts people have sent him – he is welcome to have them.’
She said she is not bitter but had a parting shot for her husband and the other miners.
‘This is historic but soon it will be over to the next thing. People move on – in a few years everyone will have forgotten about this.
‘They think they will all be millionaires overnight but it’s not like that. Only the skillful ones will make something from this.’
Mr Barrios is thought not to be alone in his complex domestic arrangements.
According to reports, another Barrios – Carlos – who was rescued yesterday has a five-year-old son with a woman he has not divorced and his girlfriend of seven months is pregnant.
Another miner is said to have four women claiming his affections and perhaps soon-to-be-increased income – a wife he has not divorced, his current live-in girlfriend, a third woman who claims to have had his son and another who says she is having an affair with him.
BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhuanet) -- The Spanish recipient of the world's first full face transplant has appeared in public to thank surgeons, and his donor's family, according to media reports Tuesday.
Photo:Oscar, the world first full-face transplant patient, poses for the photographers as he attends a news conference at the Vall d'Hebron Hospital in Barcelona July 26, 2010. Oscar, who underwent the transplant in April by a 30-member medical team led by Spanish doctor Juan Barret, accidentally shot himself in the face five years ago.(Xinhua/AFP Photo)
The patient, who is known as Oscar, appeared at a press conference at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona where he underwent surgery. He spoke with difficulty just two months after regaining his voice, "I am very happy and I want to thank the surgeons and the donors especially the man who gave me the new tissues I received."
He added that he was looking forward to tasting his favorite lamb dish and going for a beer with friends..
In the last four months Oscar has had to overcome two rejections of his new face following a process that saw him receive a transplant that included skin, facial muscles, nose, upper jaw and cheekbones.
At the moment Oscar is still unable to eat solid food and has problems speaking as he is still unable to control the central area of his lips..
The surgeon who carried out the operation, Joan Pere Barret, explained that his faces does, however, have feeling and that although he will still need many hours of rehabilitation, he should be able to talk and eat normally in the future.
Oscar is also unable to fully close his eyes, but once again the surgeon assured that he will be able to do so in the future.
"He will do that soon. He has recovered the movement in his eyebrows and he is also able to smile. There are two Oscars: one before and one after the operation," conformed Dr Barret.
French legislators in the lower house overwhelmingly agreed on a ban on burqa-style Islamic veils yesterday as part of a rigorous effort to define and defend French values.
But many of the country’s Muslim population are not happy with the development.
Those who supported the ban say face-covering veils do not conform with the European country’s ideal of women equality or its secular tradition, the Associated Press (AP) reported yesterday.
The bill is controversial abroad but popular in France, where its relatively few outspoken critics say conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy has resorted to xenophobia to attract far-right voters.
The ban on burqas and niqabs will go in September to the Senate, where it also is likely to pass. Its biggest hurdle will likely come after that, when France 's constitutional watchdog scrutinizes it. Some legal scholars say there is a chance it could be deemed unconstitutional..
Spain and Belgium have similar bans in the works. France has Europe 's largest Muslim population; about 5 million of the country's 64 million people are believed to be Muslims. While ordinary headscarves are common in the country, only about 1,900 women are believed to wear full face-covering veils.
The main body representing French Muslims says such garb is not suitable in France but it worries that the ban will stigmatize all Muslims.
In yesterday’s vote at the National Assembly, there were 335 votes for the bill and just one against it. Most members of the main opposition group, the Socialist Party, walked out and refused to vote, though they in fact support a ban.
They said they have differences over where it should be enforced, underscoring the controversy among French politicians on the issue.
The bill bans face-covering veils everywhere that can be considered public space, even in the street, but the Socialists only want it in certain places, such as government buildings, hospitals and public transport.
France's government has sought to insist that assimilation is the only path for immigrants and minorities and last year it launched a grand nationwide debate on what it means to be French. The country has had difficulty integrating generations of immigrants and their children, as witnessed by weeks of rioting by youths, many of them minorities, in troubled neighborhoods in 2005.
At the National Assembly, few dissenters spoke out about civil liberties or fears of fanning anti-Islam sentiment. Before the vote, the Greens lawmaker Francois de Rugy said the conservatives "are throwing oil on the fire — you are reviving tensions just to win votes."
Legislator Berengere Poletti, of Sarkozy's party, said face-covering veils "are a prison for women, they are the sign of their submission to their husbands, brothers or fathers."
The niqab and burqa are also seen in the country as a gateway to extremism and an attack on secularism, a central value of France for more than a century. Discussions in the country have dragged on for more than a year since Sarkozy declared in June 2009 that the burqa is "not welcome" in France .
There has been some concern the bill could prod terror groups to eye France or its citizens as potential targets. Following Sarkozy's comments, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb issued a statement on web sites vowing to "seek vengeance against France."
The legislation would forbid face-covering Muslim veils in all public places in France and calls for euros 150 ($185) fines or citizenship classes, or both.
The bill is also aimed at husbands and fathers — anyone convicted of forcing someone else to wear the garb risks a year of prison and a euros 30,000 ($38,000) fine, with both penalties doubled if the victim is a minor.
Officials have taken pains to craft a language that does not single out Muslims. While the proposed legislation is colloquially referred to as the "anti-burqa law," it is officially called "the bill to forbid concealing one's face in public."
It refers neither to Islam nor to veils. Officials insist the law against face-covering is not discriminatory because it would apply to everyone, not just Muslims. Yet they cite a host of exceptions, including motorcycle helmets, or masks for health reasons, fencing, skiing or carnivals.
In March, France 's highest administrative body, the Council of State, warned that the law could be found unconstitutional. It said that neither French secularism nor concerns about equality for women, human dignity or public security could have legal justifications.
The Super Eagles team that would come face to face against the Argentinian side this afternoon includes Enyeama, Odiah, Taiwo, Shittu, Yobo, Kaita, Etuhu, Obasi, Lukman, Aiyegbeni and Nsofor.
The match which is scheduled for 3:00pm today (Nigerian time)would take place at the Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
Main Article Comments:
Are these fo&^%£$*ols going to South Africa to draft bills? Is senate on recess? How can 62 out of 108 senators leave at the same time to go and jolly with Goodluck Jonathan in South Africa ? How many countries sent more than 6 senators to the world cup ?
Na! They ain't there for you, me or Jonathan. . . SA babes have been welcoming teams by displaying the lovely pointies God blessed them with.
What a mishap,so the plane didn't crash!
We would have been atleast 62 thieves less by now.
Main Article:
NFF sympathises with 62 Senators
NFF President Sani Lulu Abdullahi said on Friday that the Football Federation was grateful to God for sparing the lives of 62 Senators of the Federal Republic who were involved in a near mishap in Lagos on Thursday.
The lawmakers, according to reports, had chartered an aircraft from France for the flight to South Africa to support President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at Friday’s opening ceremony in Johannesburg, to which the Nigeria leader was invited by President Jacob Zuma.
However, their aircraft developed landing gear fault just after take-off at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, and the pilot had to return quickly to base to avert disaster.
“We have the Almighty God to thank for this. What would we have been saying? God is great and it is important that we always give Him thanks anytime things like this happen,” said Lulu Abdullahi.
The Senators eventually arrived and joined a strong Nigeria reception team for President Jonathan who arrived in Johannesburg at about 6.30 pm South African time on Thursday morning.
Other News: SA Goes Nude for World Cup
Ooops! What an eye-catching scene over there in South Africa, venue of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off in less than 24 hours.
If you aren’t feeling the World Cup excitement yet, then the body language of thousands of South African ladies across the country readily puts you in great competition mood.
The babes are baring everything they have; their beauty, curves and poise all to make the visitors feel at home during the mundial.
While many say posing unclothed is a normal way of life amongst young South African ladies, some believe that the trend is restricted to the grossly under-developed areas of the former apartheid enclave. Whatever the insinuations, South Africans are already in a joyous celebration of their country’s readiness to host the world and they are not hiding it.
South African dancers cheer Chile's national football team before their friendly international against New Zealand at the Kanyamazane Stadium near Nelspruit yesterday, two days ahead of the start of the 2010 World Cup football tournament. AFP PHOTO
Only yesterday during the pre-World Cup friendly match between Chile and New Zealand, thousands of South Africans, including their ladies, stripped themselves unclothed and filed out to cheer the teams at the Kanyamazane Stadium, near Nelspruit.
The pretty damsels appeared happy to showoff their bodies as they danced around in Sandton, north of Johannesburg city centre, where a big party was held in anticipation of the beginning of the world showpiece.
Many of the ladies who spoke to international journalists say whatever they do is ‘for the good of the game’ and an honour for their nation. Reports say the presence of the ladies is not only felt on the streets of South Africa, some unsuspecting players are getting distracted, especially when the babes come around their training grounds and near their hotels. It was gathered that security personnel have been up and doing to ensure that the 32 teams, including the host, Bafana Bafana, are focused on the mundial, the first to be staged on Africa’s soil.
Eighteen Nigerians who were condemned to death by the Indonesian judiciary in 2008 for their alleged various criminal offences, including drug peddling and other related offences, may be executed in Indonesia between June and August, this year.
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The convicts had been slated for execution in Indonesia on September 28, 2008, shortly after the Ramadan feast of Indonesians, but Nigeria’s high powered delegation, comprising the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora and some Senators visited Indonesia and opened discussions between the Nigerian and Indonesian governments on the fate of the convicts.
The Indonesian government had condemned a total of 21 Nigerians to death, sentenced four to life imprisonment and eight others to various jail terms, ranging from 11 to 18 years...
Out of the 21 condemned Nigerians, two of them, Samuel Iwuchukwu Okoye, and Hassan Anthony Nwaolisa, had already been executed on June 28, 2008, while another, Augustine Celo Ogbonna, died in prison custody in September, 2008.
In a strongly worded petition to Hon. Abike Dabiri-Ewa, Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, dated April 22, 2010, a copy of which was made available to Daily Sun yesterday in Onitsha, Anambra State, an Onitsha-based human rights lawyer, Barrister Melly Chukwuemeka Eze, is appealing to the National Assembly to take concrete steps with a view to getting reprieve for the condemned Nigerians.
Eze, in the petition entitled: “Shocking revelation from Indonesian Prisons: Execution of 18 Nigerians scheduled for between June and August, 2010,” noted that most shockingly, he learnt from the prisoners that those on death row might be executed anytime between June and August this year if no further diplomatic efforts and pressure were mounted on Indonesian authorities.
According to Eze, “I have it on good and reliable authority that officials of Indonesian government who opened discussions with the Nigerian delegation are now expressing disappointment over an apparent display of unseriousness on the part of Nigerian government over the diplomatic move already initiated by Nigerian government officials”..
The human rights lawyer recalled that his earlier petition to the Presidency, National Assembly and the Foreign Affairs Ministry in October, 2008 in respect of the 18 Nigerians on death row and others serving various jail terms in Indonesia had attracted reactions from Senator Uche Chukwumerije, who moved a motion on the floor of the Senate to that effect.
He also recalled that his earlier petition had attracted the attention of the foreign affairs minister who sent a high powered delegation to Indonesia to mediate on behalf of the convicts and other prisoners, numbering 50, serving various jail terms in Indonesia, with the minister himself as part of the delegation.
He recalled that the Nigerian delegation had returned with a strong hope of change of heart by the Indonesian authorities, which prompted Dabiri-Ewa to grant a press interview where she assured Nigerians that the Nigerian government was committed to doing everything possible to address the plight of those Nigerians, adding that the Senate President also wrote him personally, promising that the issue would be addressed, just as Senator Chukwumerije personally wrote.
He expressed the fear that government might not have taken any further steps to get reprieve for these Nigerians, nearly two years after.
He gave the names of those on death row as Kingsley Okonkwo, Michael Titus Igwe (Real name-Izuchukwu F. Ezimoha), Uchenna Cajethan Onyenworo, Ekperedike S. Olekama, Adam Wilson (real name-Emmanuel Okari), Hillary K. Chimezie, Eugene Ape and Humphery Ejike.
Others on the death row are Okwudili Ayotaeze, Obinna Nwajiagu, Daniel Enemuo, Fredrick Lutter (Real name-Benjamin Obiora), Sylvester Nwaolisa, Gabriel Nnadi, Dennis Anumona and Ikenna Ezenwune, while Stephen Rashid, Joseph Ndaba, Ken Michael and Obinna George are currently serving life imprisonment.
He disclosed that most of the convicts, who are currently languishing in Nusakambagan Island prisons in Jarkata and other parts of Indonesia, were arrested shortly on arrival to the country and without them hearing Indonesian language, they were sentenced to death, without allowing them to take plea or have fair representation from legal practitioners.
Giving an instance of one of the convicts who was arrested with an Indonesian who had since been released, and another one who was arrested in a hotel where a bag of heroin was dumped by unknown persons, who was later arrested, the human rights lawyer saidthe worst part of the whole issue was that the Indonesian government said for their cases to be reviewed, each of the convicts must pay between $15,000 to $20,000 US Dollars.
