One Quarter of $1 Billion Goal Raised to Fight Ebola: U.N.

The United Nations said that only one quarter of its $1 billion emergency Ebola appeal has been funded, warning Friday that the speed of contributions must increase 20-fold to match the swift spread of the disease. "We need more, we need much more," U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said at a U.N. General Assembly briefing on the Ebola outbreak Friday. Eliasson appealed to countries to "act generously and swiftly," adding that "a smaller contribution within days is more important that a larger contribution within weeks."

Malala wins Nobel Peace Prize

Malala Yousufzai

Pakistani child education activist Malala Yousafzai and Indian child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi have won the Nobel Peace Prize.

At 17, Malala is the youngest recipient of the prize.

The teenager was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen in October 2012 for campaigning for girls’ education.

The Nobel committee said the pair were awarded the prize “for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people”.

Mr Satyarthi, 60, has maintained the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi and headed various forms of peaceful protests, “focusing on the grave exploitation of children for financial gain,” the committee said.

This year’s record number of 278 nominees included Pope Francis and Congolese gynaecologist Denis Mukwege, although the full list was kept a secret.

Credit/ BBC

Jonathan increases troops in North-East to 20,000

In the bid to end the reign of terror in the North-eastern part of the country, President Goodluck Jonathan has increased the number of troops in the region from 15,000 to 20,000.

Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who disclosed this in a lecture delivered at a forum in London, also confirmed that Boko Haram had killed more than 170 teachers in Borno State this year.

The text of the lecture was made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Friday.

The minister also disclosed that the nation lost more than 100,000 barrels daily to international oil thieves working in alliance with criminal elements in Nigeria.

She said, “First on security, our military men and women are confronting an unprecedented challenge with courage and bravery. The president recently increased the number of troops that are in the North East from 15,000 to 20,000.

“Regional cooperation on security has got better following a decision by neighbouring countries Chad, Cameroon, Benin, and Niger, to each contribute a battalion of soldiers, to fight Boko Haram alongside Nigeria.

“President Goodluck Jonathan has accepted offers from the international community for more surveillance, aircraft cover, and equipment that enhances our ability to locate, fight and root out insurgents.

“These efforts are beginning to make a difference and the tide is now turning. Not too long ago, the leader of the Boko Haram cell thought to have masterminded the kidnap of the Chibok girls was arrested.”

Credit/ Punch

Archbishop of Jos Opposes Discrimination Against Gay People

The Archbishop of Jos, Ignatius Kaigama has spoken out against the unfair treatment of gay people in Nigeria, stating that the Nigerian Catholic Church is opposed to discrimination against people because of sexual orientation.

West Africa Ebola outbreak deaths exceed 4,000 - WHO

Liberia has the most badly hit by the virus with 2,316 deaths in totalThe number of people killed in the Ebola outbreak has risen above 4,000, the World Health Organization has said.

The latest figures show there have been 8,376 cases and 4,024 deaths in the worst-affected West African nations of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Man Inserted Steel Rod Into His Penis To Find Girlfriend

A 52-year-old man who had problems with an erection inserted a steel rod into his penis and almost died, Hengyang, China.

Kang Niu tried to improve his sex life by sticking a steel rod down his penis and almost died

Kang Niu tried to improve his sex life by sticking a 13-centimetre long steel rod down his penis and almost died when it shot into his bladder during intercourse. The man was immediately rushed to a hospital where he told medics that such an idea came to his mind as he was struggling to find a girlfriend.

National PDP Reduces State Chapters Power

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Working Committee, NWC, has issued a warning to all its state chapters.

The warning which was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the National Secretary of the party, Wale Oladipo, ordered the party’s state chapters to stop consensus governorship candidates, and declared such development null and void, Premium Times reports.

PDP National Chairman, Adamu Muazu

The party’s National Working Committee, NWC, also warned state governors elected on the platform of the party to stop the recommendation of sole candidate to succeed them in the 2015 election.