Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois did not report to training with the Premier League side on Monday, casting further doubt over his future after being linked with a move to Real Madrid.

The 26-year-old Belgium international was granted an extended rest after his country finished third at the World Cup, but he was scheduled to return to training following Chelsea’s 2-0 loss to Manchester City in the Community Shield.

Courtois joined Chelsea from Belgian side Genk in 2011 and spent the next three seasons on loan at Atletico Madrid before dislodging Petr Cech as first choice at Stamford Bridge.

He has repeatedly stated his desire to move closer to his two children in the Spanish capital, and with just a year remaining on his contract Chelsea risk losing him for a reduced fee in January or for free next summer.

Eden Hazard, whose deal expires in 2020, has also long been the subject of speculation over a move to Real, but the forward was present at the club’s Cobham training base on Monday.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/08/06/real-madrid-bound-chelsea-goalkeeper-thibaut-courtois-shuns-training/

“My people dey suffering and smiling, everyday na the same thing. Suffer, suffer for world, enjoy for heaven.”

This week marks 21years since the musical visionary, people’s champion, activist, and Afro beat founder and legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, passed on.

Despite over two decades of his absence from this physical coil, his music remains true to its message; carrying in its innovative notes, the painful truth and a wakeup call for those with inertia: “My people are scared of the air around them; they always have an excuse not to fight for freedom.”

His music was a weapon for change and the conscience of the struggles of many Nigerians but he also resonated with other people who were facing their own struggle anywhere in the world: A radical is he who has no sense, fight without reason….I have a reason. I am authentic, yes, that’s what I am.

His message was universal and it was not particular to Nigeria, hence his appeal to many around the world. Little wonder President Macron visited the Shrine on his visit to Nigeria! He came to pay homage. Fela was well known home and abroad for pioneering the Afro beat genre; he evolved from highlife to his blend of Pan-Africanism inspired music: that’s why l use politics in my music.   That’s the only way a wider audience will get acquainted with important issues. It makes sense culturally as well.

With his brand of music and genre, Afro Beat, he went on to speak to millions and influences many more beyond the borders of Nigeria. He was given the key to the freedom of several cities in Europe and his brand of music is favoured by many African Americans rap and soul artistes, and they count Fela as a major influence. He was irreverent and unapologetic and often gets him into trouble with the military government and he paid dearly for it. Choosing my favourite songs of Fela, is like choosing a favourite amongst your children. But if pushed, I would say for me, it is; Teacher  no teach me nonsense. Well, to be honest with you, water no get enemy comes a very close second: “Water no get enemy”,Fela sang: “Water e no get enemy. If you fight am unless you wan die. I dey talk of black power.”

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/08/05/a-message-from-fela-anikulapokuti/

Professor Gabriel A. Oyibo obtained his Ph. D. in Aeronautics and Mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Troy, New York where he worked for four (4) years on NASA/AFOSR sponsored research and made several contributions in aircraft design, aerodynamics, aeroelasticity, mathematics and taught several courses. Dr. Oyibo received Knighthood by His Royal Highness of the Igala Kingdom.

Birth: 1952

birthplace: Idah, Kogi State, Nigeria

 Ahmadu Bello University (Nigeria) 1975

 Ph.D. (1981) Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute
thesis: ?; advisor George Handleman
area: aerodynamics
: Currently Professor of Mathematcal Sciences at OFAPPIT Institute of Technology and the University of Bridgeport(Connecticut)

personal URL: http://web.mit.edu/provost/sef-directory/profiles/e1000026.html
email: ofappit@hotmail.com OR oyiba@tasha.poly.edu
phone: 631 274-5277

Mysteriously in 2002, there has appeared a hoax around the internet that Dr. Oyibo is a Nobel Prize Nominee (some of the writers call it the Nobel Peace Prize). THIS IS FALSE (akin to an acquaintance saying I ought to be nominated for the Nobel Prize)... A simple check would be to search whether anyone else has been told they nominated, and nominated in a period so close to the time of discovery of the research.

The previous paragraph was written in 2002. At the time of this writing, it is 2004 and the legend of repeaters of the hoax are growing. As I understand it from the OFAPPIT institute web site, Oyibo is the source. He claims he was nominated because he solved the Unified Field Theorem (http://groups.msn.com/Dr-GabrielOyibosGrandUnifiedFieldTheorem). THIS IS FALSE. Were this fact be true, there would be a hundred American Universities alone who would give him a tenured Full Professor position with no teaching and $200,000 salary. They would seek him out, not the reverse. Otherwise, someone of repute, would steal his work - this also appears not to have occured and is proof that Oyibo's work has not such high value.

AND THE STORY GROWS. It is now November of 2004 and a recent check of the OFAPPIT web site shows Dr. Oyibo now claims to have solved the Navier-Stokes Equations for which one million dolars have been offered by the Clay Institute - given the veracity of his previous claims ....

January 10 2005: A few days ago there was a call for Oyibo to prove his GAGUT Theorem for Nigerian Professors of Mathematics. A few days later he responded with an equivalent of I don't need to prove my work is true, you need to show it is false. The reason for this absurd stature is his claim,"The Nigerian scientist also said a fellow Nigerian mathematician Alexander Animalu, as well as the American Mathematical Society and the European Mathematical Society had carried out extensive reviews on GAGUT without any problem."

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/08/04/mathematician-of-the-african-diaspora-professor-gabriel-a-oyibo/

Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe, long speculated to be interested in Nigeria’s 2019 presidential race finally confirmed his intention on Saturday night.

In a tweet, Dankwambo said he will be contesting for the highest seat on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party,

“After wide consultations with party members & Nigerians of diverse backgrounds! I, Dr Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo will be running for office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the platform of our great party, the People’s Democratic Party. #GoingBeyondPromises”, he said.

He is the fifth aspirant to announce his candidacy in the PDP. Others are former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, who only two weeks went to Gombe to solicit Dankwambo’s support, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, a former governor of Kaduna and chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Sule Lamido, former governor of Jigawa, Attahiru Bafarawa, former governor of Sokoto and Tanimu Turaki, a former minister of the Jonathan era, who has launched a campaign via billboards.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/08/04/breaking-gov-ibrahim-dankwambo-joins-pdp-presidential-race/

Nigeria International Alexander Iwobi, better known as Alex Iwobi writes for arsenal.com about his lifetime journey at the North London club, 

since he was first admitted into its academy at the age of 6, just two years after the parents moved to London from Nigeria. At the age of eight, he signed as a Gunner. 

Remember who you are, what you are and who you represent.

I’ve heard that saying so many times, the coaches and players always remind us – especially the young players. First of all they’re trying to teach us to be professional on the pitch, because obviously we represent Arsenal and we need to be a team and a unit.
We need to be professional, whether that means being punctual or your attitude on and off the pitch. Growing up, I’ve always had respect for the club. I always wanted to do my best for the club, so I try to be professional.

Arsenal’s standards are very high so I’ve always tried to reach that. Arsenal have always been one of the best clubs in the world, so to even be a part of the club from a young age I’ve always had to give my best, show why I’m here and prove myself. Arsenal has always been like that.

My family moved from Lagos to London in 2000, when I was just four years old. Because I’m from a football family, I started playing from young and was spotted by Arsenal when I was at Rippleway with Chuba Akpom. Back then it was simple: I’d look for Chuba and he’d score. We were only six at the time so after we’d been scouted, we spent two years at the club’s developmental centre before signing and moving to Hale End when we were nine.

Iwobi, when he first signed for Arsenal as an eight year-old
I have a lot of memories of that place. It’s changed quite a lot since when I was there, but I still have memories of going on to the astroturf and having Steve Leonard as my coach. He always used to remind us to give 100 per cent and that’s the main thing that I’ve held with me ever since.

The day that I found out that I was getting my scholarship was a bit tense, because there were I don’t know how many boys left, but only three of us got the scholarship and I never thought I would be one of them. I was almost released at 14 and again at 16, so I wasn’t feeling very confident about it.

We usually found out in December who might be kept on but I kept on getting the question, ‘Is he good enough?’ So they extended it to see if I could do something and it went to March and then April. Luckily I did enough.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/08/03/alex-iwobi-shares-his-story-at-north-london-club-arsenal/

Alvaro Morata will wear the No 29 shirt for Chelsea this season to pay tribute to his new-born twins.

The 25-year-old striker wore No 9 last term after joining from Real Madrid in the summer but hasdecided on a new shirt number after his wife Alice gave birth to twins Alessandro and Leonardo on July 29.

Morata, who scored 11 goals in 31 Premier League appearances last season, has been the subject of transfer speculation over the summer, but new Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri said he was "very confident in him for the future" after his side's pre-season tie with Inter Milan.

"It is a day I will never forget, to welcome my twin sons into the world," Morata said on Chelsea's website.

"My family is so important to me and I want to honour them and my wife, Alice, when I am on the pitch which is why I have decided to take a different number for the new season and remember this special day by adding the number two to my shirt."

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/08/03/morata-will-wear-the-no-29-shirt-for-chelsea-this-season/

Manchester United goalkeeper Joel Pereira has joined Portuguese club Vitoria Setubal on a season-long loan.

Pereira, 22, was a key part of Jose Mourinho's squad for their pre-season tour of the United States this summer.

He was third choice behind David De Gea and Sergio Romero last season, but has been temporarily offloaded to gain more experience following the arrival of Lee Grant from Stoke.

United say Mourinho is a "firm believer" in Pereira, who signed a new contract last year to see him stay at the club until 2021 - with the option to extend by a further year.

Mourinho previously said Pereira "can become the best Portuguese goalkeeper of the next generation".

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/08/02/pereira-leaves-manchester-united-to-vitoria-setubal/

Sen. Abu Ibrahim (APC-Katsina) has said peace will be elusive in the Nigerian Senate until its President, Senator Bukola Saraki relinquishes the position.

In an interview with newsmen on Thursday, Ibrahim commended Saraki for honourably leaving the All Progressives Congress(APC).

However, he asked him to follow up with the next logical deed: by honourably resigning.

“I think it is commendable that he has left the party. He has chosen the path of survival because it is the issue of political survival not any thing for Nigeria.

“But next is for him to resign as Senate President, because by all conventions all over the world, the majority party produces the leadership; Senate President, the Majority Leader and others.

“Again, let him be gentleman enough and resign as Senate President.

“If he does not, we will never have peace in that senate because it is absolutely clear that APC has majority to produce the leadership.

Senator Ibrahim debunked PDP claims that it has the majority in the senate with recent defections.

“I hear the PDP claiming majority, but it is crystal clear that APC has majority. We will have more members. We will conduct two bye-elections and we will have the two members.

“We also have some alliance with APGA. It is clear that APC has majority.

“APC with majority should produce the leadership in the Senate. 49 cannot produce the leadership.

“Saraki should resign as Senate President.”

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/08/02/sen-abu-ibrahim-no-peace-in-senate-until-saraki-quits-presidency/

WhatsApp has added a new feature to its platform, allowing multiple users to make group voice and video calls at the same time.

The radical upgrade will allow up to four people to chat simultaneously within the app with each person appearing on the screen at the same time.

“Over the last couple years, people have enjoyed making voice and video calls on WhatsApp,” the Facebook-owned app said in a blog post.

“In fact, our users spend over 2 billion minutes on calls per day.

“We’re excited to announce that group calls for voice and video are coming to WhatsApp starting today.”

To make a group call, make sure your smartphone is updated to the latest version of WhatsApp.

Next, start a one-on-one voice or video call and tap the new “add participant” button in the top right corner to add more contacts to the call.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/08/01/you-can-now-make-group-voice-and-video-calls-on-whatsapp/

Samsung on Tuesday announced its second quarter results, and they’re just as bad as the company’s guidance promised a few weeks ago. Samsung highlighted the slow Galaxy S9 sales as one reason that explains the drop in revenue, with display panels being also a factor. Strong demand for memory chips was not enough to offset the effects of the less than stellar Galaxy S sales.

However, the company did explain in the announcement that it plans to come out with cutting-edge mobile technology and launch new form factors.

Samsung posted revenue of 58.4 trillion won ($52.1 billion) for the period, down 4% compared to last year, and operating profit of 14.87 trillion won ($13.3 billion), which is up 6%.

The company did not say how many Galaxy S9 units it sold, but acknowledged the fact that sales were slower than the same period last year and slower than the first quarter of 2018:

Amid the stagnant high-end smartphone market, the IT & Mobile Communications Division reported a drop in earnings, both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter, over slow sales of the Galaxy S9.

Samsung also said the mobile market condition will “remain challenging” in the second half of the year amid pricing competition and new product launches, and confirmed that it’s launching the new Galaxy Note earlier as a response to that. Interestingly, Samsung said about the phone that it’ll have a reasonable price:

Samsung will seek to expand sales by introducing a new Galaxy Note earlier than usual, which offers exceptional performance for a reasonable price.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/31/samsung-galaxy-s10-and-foldable-smartphone-launch-after-confirming-slow-s9-sales/

LeBron James, the basketball superstar called out President Donald Trump on Monday night for escalating racial tensions.

“He’s kinda used sports to kinda divide us,” James told CNN’s Don Lemon. “And that’s something that I can’t relate to because I know that sport was the first time I was around someone white.”

Trump has repeatedly slammed professional athletes, some for refusing to visit the White House as has been customary after championships, and others for kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice.

“Sports has never been something that divides people,” said James. “It’s always been something that brings someone together.”
James also said that while racism has always been around, Trump has enabled some of the racists.

“The president in charge now has given people, they don’t care now ― they throw it in your face now,” he said.

https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/31/basketball-superstar-lebron-james-lashes-trump-for-dividing-america/

Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed on Tuesday took the long awaited decision to switch from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The defection of the Governor was relayed in a terse statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant (SSA), on Media and Communication, Dr Muyideen Akorede in Ilorin on Tuesday.

It was timed to coincide with a similar declaration by his mentor, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who announced on Twitter his exit from the APC.

“Following due consultations with the people and in response to calls by major stakeholder groups in the state, Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed today defected to the People’s Democratic Party(PDP),” the statement said.

According to the statement, Gov Ahmed declared that APC can no longer serve as a platform for achieving the aspirations and expectations of his people.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the Governor held a meeting with APC stakeholders last week Thursday where the people prevailed on him to lead them to the PDP.

The French parliament has approved a far-reaching ban on mobile phones in schools, radio broadcaster Franceinfo reported on Monday following the result of the vote in the National Assembly.

The law fundamentally bans the use of mobile phones in all preschools and primary schools, as well as middle school.

The move had been a campaign demand by centrist President Emmanuel Macron.

French students are already not allowed to use their mobile phones during class, and each school can decide individually to implement rules that go even further.

With the new law, that position will be reversed: The use of mobile phones is generally banned in the entire school, with each one deciding to make exceptions to that rule.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalled that Senators and national assembly deputies reached the agreement late Wednesday on the ban for all three tiers of French education (primary, middle and high school), except for educational purposes.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/30/french-parliament-bans-use-of-phones/

The Not-Too-Young-To-Run Movement on Monday said Nigeria’s democracy was not delivering its dividends adequately due to “money bag politics’’.

A member of the group, Mr Hamzat Lawal, stated this to newsmen in Abuja at the National Day of Action on Youth Candidacy and Democratic Party Primaries briefing.

According to Lawal, it is quite sad that in Nigeria’s political history, money bags and `god father’ is really affecting the nation.

“This is why we have not enjoyed the dividends of democracy and good governance.

“As a movement, that is why we have now highlighted intended cost for picking nomination forms which is N2, 000, 000 for presidential aspirant, N1, 000, 000 for governorship aspirant and N600, 000 for senatorial aspirant.

“For House of Assembly aspirant, the form should be N200, 000 while that of House of Representatives aspirant should be N400, 000.

“We need to try as much as possible to ensure that election is not all about money because we know that to the money bags, election is an investment.”

Lawal said that the money bags often put money into campaigns so that they could recuperate it after election.

He said that Not-Too-Young-To-Run Movement and youths were now aware of the money politics, adding that “we are working with women group to ensure that money does not play a critical role in 2019,” he said.

He said that this was because if money played a role, the money bags would want to recoup their investment post 2019 and it meant therefore, that Nigerians would not have quality welfare.

Lawal said that the group would monitor closely how money would exchange hands in 2019 and warned that if it did, the people involved would be exposed.

Ms Nana Nwachukwu, another member of the group, said that the movement was optimistic about competent young men and women emerging as aspirants for the 2019 elections.

Nwachukwu said that the signing into law of the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill addressed a major impediment to youth participation in politics.

She said that while it was a remarkable feat, the goal of achieving increased youth representation in elective offices would remain a dream if other barriers were not removed.

She said that movement believed that the right to political participation was a constitutionally guaranteed right exercised through voting at elections or running for public office.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/30/money-bags-destroy-nigerias-democracy-lawal/

MANCHESTER UNITED are in desperate need of a centre-back and Yerry Mina will be the answer to Jose Mourinho’s problems, claims ESPN FC pundit Paul Mariner.

Colombian centre-back Mina only joined Barcelona in the January transfer window.

However, he failed to nail down a starting spot under Ernesto Valverde and has already been linked with a move away from the club.

Mina is one of a number of defenders Manchester United have been linked with, with Leicester’s Harry Maguire and Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld also on their radar.

Mariner has warned United Mina will not be cheap, but reckons a deal will happen before the window shuts on August 9.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/30/transfer-gossips-pundit-expects-barcelona-ace-to-join-united/

When asked if he thinks Mina will become a Red Devils, Mariner said: “Well it seems that way.

“Is he going to be the heir apparent to (Gerard) Pique with the feet that he’s got? It seems as though Barca are not too happy with him.

“Look, as far as upstairs is concerned, he is an incredible threat. He will snuff things out and he will score goals as we saw in the World Cup.

“Manchester United are at a bit of a squeeze point now. They’re in for Maguire but Leicester will keep putting the price up, exactly the same with Barcelona.

Fear of public speaking is estimated to affect 75 percent of adults. Rethinking the way we perceive stress may actually improve our physical and mental performance.It may be easier to give in to our fears, but you will accomplish much more in life and feel a greater sense of pride for facing them.

For some people, with just a little effort they have the ability to conquer these fears. For others, it takes a lot more work and some tips or tools for masking these mental pressures. I understand the need for these tools all too well because I myself was an honorary member of the latter set of individuals and worked tremendously hard to make it look like I’m a member of the former.

In the past 19 years as a speaker, I’ve found that there are five tools I’ve used to demonstrate the strongest level of confidence when I’m on the stage. Regardless of whether I’m in front of a few business clients or thousands of audience members, these five tips have helped me communicate presentations that I can always be proud of.

1. Get the audience laughing.
In my experience, I’ve found that opening with a joke always starts a speech off in the right direction. It immediately lightens the mood in the room and helps me relax. There is something about looking out in the audience and seeing smiling faces that helps create a bond — particularly if I can get the audience to join me in laughing at myself. Laugh at yourself is incredibly self-deprecating, and if you get others to join you in that laughter, then it creates a level of trust. The laughter allows your attendees to break down the wall that forces them to see themselves as vastly different from you.

2. Focus on people who are nodding.
When you feel like you aren’t connecting with your attendees it can be extremely nerve wracking. And your nerves can be taken to a whole other level if there are people who appear completely disinterested. You can often look out in the audience and find a few people who are nodding along with your story or points. There is a real sense of reassurance when someone is agreeing with you. And the more you focus on these individuals, the more confident you sound. And the more confident you sound, the more people you attract. Part way through your talk, you could likely find a room full of people nodding along with you or sitting on the edge of their seats hanging on your every word. All of a sudden, the nerves are gone.

3. Be expressive with your emotions.
When I first started speaking, I can admit that I was nervous. I watched videos of my speeches and realized that I sounded AND looked nervous. There are times that no matter what you tell yourself to calm your concerns, it just doesn’t work. Anxieties aren’t always the easiest thing to quell. I realized that I was just more prone to tensions when I kicked off my presentations. I often couldn’t stop the tensions, but I found that I could hide them. Playing up my emotions by really getting into the excitement of my story or working to honestly feel the disappointment I had experienced, I was able to mask the jitters. It’s much easier to hide one emotion with another than it is to hide an emotion by suppressing it.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/29/5-tips-to-gain-confident-while-speaking-in-public/

American rapper, record producer and entrepreneur Sean Combs a.k.a Diddy has expressed a desire to come ‘back home’ after meeting Nigerian superstar Ayobami Balogun a.k.a Wizkid.

Diddy is worth $825 million and held the number one spot as Forbes’s Richest Hip-Hop Act for seven consecutive years before being toppled by Jay-Z in February.

Diddy, who is best known for his hit song ‘Bad Boy For Life’, shared a video on his Instagram page @diddy on Friday following Wizkid’s visit to his home.

He said, “Hit me with some love… Some positive vibrations from the mother land.

“Be clear… Be clear y’all know I’m coming back home.

“I’m coming back while I’m looking young and pretty too, I ain’t gonna wait too long. I’m coming back while I look young and pretty,” Diddy said.

Watch the video:

I’m coming home!  @wizkidayopic.twitter.com/MN46Fykyva

— Diddy (@Diddy) July 27, 2018

Wizkid, who is currently on an international social tour, has been spotted with Drake in London.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/28/wizkid-link-up-diddy-to-visit-motherland-nigeria/

There is no doubt about it but Blogging is a funny thing. I have seen people who make shitloads of money from blogging and their blogs are pretty average in my opinion. I have also seen people who I think write really well and they hardly make a cent.

Here are the five tips that can make you earn money as a blogger.

1. Blog about your passion. You are going to be doing it for a while so make sure you like talking about it.

2. Blog regularly. It doesn’t have to be everyday but at least two times a week is recommended. Whatever it is make sure you try to stick to it. Personally I like every day as it is an easy habit to form.

3. Stick to the numbers. A blog of around 600 words is about right. This gives you the best penetration in all sections of the market. It used to be that blogs had to be 2500 words but that has changed now and it has dropped to between 600 and 1500. I normally find about 1200 words is normal to cover a topic in small business. But some days I struggle to get 600 words out. If that’s the case then coolio, I just accept that.

4. Be a little controversial. If President-elect Trump has shown anything to us this last few weeks it would have to be that controversy has value in the modern world. I read that if your blog is always just middle of the road and you don’t share your true opinions then it will probably fail. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind.

5. Give it all. Your reader will want to know something. Some bloggers try to give the least they can and hope that people will come to them and pay them for stuff. No, no, no. You have to leave it all on the table for free. Blogging is about setting yourself up as an expert or at least someone who is PASSIONATE about your topic.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/26/5-tips-to-make-money-as-a-blogger/

I never thought I would be one of those women to have their babies in America. For as long as I can remember, I always thought the stress would be way too much for me! I couldn’t imagine giving birth in a strange land, far away from doting family and friends. So, for me, it wasn’t even a consideration.

But when I got pregnant, everything changed. My husband wouldn’t hear otherwise. He wasn’t convinced about the quality of healthcare in our country, and wasn’t prepared to take any chances. Another consideration for him were the diplomatic privileges we would be giving our children, through the dual citizenship.

It took forever to convince me to go. I loved (I still do even) my doctor here, and not only was I convinced I would be in the safest of hands with him, it broke my heart that he wouldn’t be the one to deliver these kids he had assisted God to give me. But in the end, I bowed to pressure and travelled, and gave birth to the girls in the U.S.

Whilst I have no regrets, if I were to be pregnant again, I’m not sure if I would do it again. Asides the diplomatic advantage, I still have 100% quality in healthcare here, as long as you choose the right doctor.

But for those who still want to take the plunge, here are some important things you need to know!

1. You need to ask yourself if you can afford it!

Yes, yes, everybody around you is travelling to America to give birth. Good for them! You also want to follow suit? No wahala. But before you take this all-important decision, have you run yourself through a very important reality check? Does your bank reflect enough that can pay for the procedure, as well as upkeep for you and the baby? As a general rule of thumb, the amount you should probably be thinking of is at least $10,000.

If the answer to the questions above is No, my dear, please gently find yourself a good hospital here, and get that dream out of your head. Do not let anybody deceive you about going to America, only to take advantage of their Medicaid to get the benefits of giving birth for free!!!! Yes alright, if you apply for it, chances are that you will get it, and yes, you will have your baby for free. But as you are leaving America with that baby, take a gooooood look at the place, because that is the last time you will ever see that country. Taking advantage in their medical system will ensure that you are never approved for any subsequent visas. So…word to the wise. Don’t do it!!!!

2. Have a Good Idea of what the Cost really is!

Depending on the nature of procedure you have, here is what you can expect to spend

Vaginal Birth (Birth Center, not Hospital) = $3,000
Vaginal Birth (Hospital, no complications) = $10,000
Vaginal Birth (Hospital, with complications) = $13,000
Caesarian Section (Hospital, no complications) = $15,000
Caesarian Section (Hospital, with complications) = $23,000
It is important to note that these numbers are for Singleton births. For delivery of multiples (twins, triplets, etc.), you can expect to pay more than this.

Some of you may be saying “Ha! This is not what they told me oh! I was told it was cheaper!”

Whilst it is true that a lot of states are cheaper than others, and a lot of hospitals give discounts for people who pay early, or people who pay in cash, which could considerably slash these prices by as much as half, you absolutely must not use this as the basis of your computation. Always be prepared for the worst case scenario! If you get a heavy discount, awesome! It means you have more money for the baby!

3. Decide what State you will be going to

If you have friends or family (personally, I prefer family) in a particular state, be sure to confirm that they are willing to take you on. Hosting a pregnant woman isn’t easy, and adding a baby to the mix makes it even harder. Be sure that they are happy to take responsibility for you, assist you with transportation to your doctor’s appointments, or to the shops to purchase essential items, or to the hospital on D-Day. You yourself should also have enough money to take care of your needs, help out with groceries, and generally chip in, so that you are not too much of a weight on them. A reasonable amount to work with is about $500 a month. Note that this assumes that you are no longer doing any baby shopping, and are not paying rent or utilities. This is just the most basic amount for you to get by!

If your options are open, and you are considering the most economical place to have your baby, then you have a bit more flexibility. Here is some information about the States and pricing that could be of interest to you:

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/23/giving-birth-in-america-13-things-you-need-to-know/

Question:

I'm going to travel with my spouse to the US for visiting. and I want to apply for B1/B2 visa. I filled an application for myself. Do I need to fill a separate DS-160 form for her?If so, how can I link these two applications?

Answer:

When you select “Email Confirmation” on your Confirmation Page, you will be directed to a “Thank You” page. On the “Thank You” page you will see an option to create a family or group application. When you select this option, certain information from your application, such as destination, will automatically be imported to and displayed on a new application. Please note that if you use this option you must create an individual application for each family member or for each individual within the group.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/23/must-i-submit-a-separate-ds-160-form-for-my-spouse-for-us-b1-b2-visa/

Chocolate City boss Rapper M.I Abaga has released the official music video of ‘Brother’, bringing back the old memories of the early days of Chocolate City record label.

On ‘Brother’, M.I Abaga featured Nosa and Milli – although Milli and BrymO are no members of the record label, while other members like Ice Prince and Jesse Jagz can also be considered not-fully-with the record label after their fall out.

The audio of ‘Brother’ was released in 2014, housed on M.I Abaga’s ‘Chairman’ album. He has now released the official footage to woo his ex-colleagues who he referred to as ‘Brother’ in the song.

This video was shot in 2015, but delayed for a ‘proper’ timing. Explaining why he decided to delay the release, M.I shared on social media that “so much about the spirit and the message of the song was lost in events that happened during that period.

“Eventually in the fall out, I was accused of doing things that I did not do, and vilified in the media without ever speaking up about it. Needless to say when I received the video, I decided against releasing it.

https://youtu.be/kyCifhxfoJ4

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/22/m-i-abaga-brother-ft-nosa-milli-video/

Omo, dis gal resemble bro Charley o. LOL.

A comfortable retirement requires a significant amount of savings and deft investment management. But achieving financial freedom isn't the only necessity to retire well.You need to be able to use that money to create an enjoyable lifestyle that will last for decades, and find a way to fill those years with meaningful hobbies and social gatherings with friends and family. Here are 5 ways to create a happy retirement.

Make paying yourself a priority: By automatically putting money into savings, you are making sure you are saving part of every paycheck. You probably don't miss your rent or mortgage payments because you make it a priority to pay them every month. You need to treat saving for retirement with the same urgency. Saving is something you need to do every month, just like every other bill.
2. Make an investment plan you can stick to: You need to create an investing strategy you feel comfortable with through thick and thin. No investment plan is going to outperform every other strategy during all phases of the business cycle. There may come a time in the future when your investment strategy falls out of fashion and makes you question whether it's the right one to follow. You may feel like you made a poor decision, while everyone you know seems to be doing better than you. Yet, the key to investing successfully is to find a strategy that has stood the test of time, and stick with it throughout your lifetime. Unless you are confident you can outsmart the market and earn enough to offset the excess fees and taxes incurred by trading in and out of investments, you're likely to be better off sticking with low cost index funds that capture the returns of the overall market. Compound interest can produce huge returns in your favor, but in order to take maximum advantage of it you need time in the market. That means riding out the volatility so that your earnings will grow over the long term.

3. Find a passion you enjoy: Many people who build a significant nest egg enjoy watching their wealth grow. This habit is certainly useful when saving for retirement. But it can be difficult to start the decumulation phase, because you have to accept watching your life savings slowly decrease. In order to be comfortable in your golden years, you need to find a hobby you like more than looking at your investments. Otherwise, you'll end up being too frugal and fail to enjoy the wealth you worked so hard to accumulate. Sure, your heirs will be happy if you leave them a significant inheritance. But don't become so obsessed with your investments that you fail to take advantage of the retirement you have earned.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/22/5-ways-to-plan-a-comfortable-retirement/

You need to know the information about your mobile/smart phone. Listed below is the Flag, Countries, Brand of your mobile phone.

FLAG COUNTRY BRAND NOTES
Algeria Condor
Bangladesh Walton
Brazil Gradiente
Brazil Positivo
Canada BlackBerry Limited hardware development delegated to TCL
Canada DataWind
China Alcatel subsidiary of TCL Corporation
China Amoi
China BBK
China Coolpad subsidiary of LeEco
China Cubot
China Gfive
China Gionee
China Haier
China Hisense
China Honor subsidiary of Huawei
China Huawei
China Konka
China LeEco
China Lenovo
China Meizu
China Motorola Mobility subsidiary of Lenovo
China Ningbo Bird
China OnePlus subsidiary of BBK
China Oppo subsidiary of BBK
China Smartisan
China TCL Corporation
China Technology Happy Life
China Tecno Mobile
China Vivo subsidiary of BBK
China Vsun
China Wasam
China Xiaomi
China Zopo Mobile
China ZTE
China ZUK Mobile subsidiary of Lenovo
See the full list here: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/22/see-the-list-of-mobile-smart-phone-makers-by-country/

Some Nigerian banks have engaged in a social media battle, throwing banters at each other on their Twitter handles. Some seem to be winning and others are at the receiving end.

Four major banks so far involved in the battle of wits are Sterling Bank, Access Bank, First Bank and Union Bank.

The beef apparently started when Sterling bank took to its twitter handle @Sterling_Banking to post a picture with the inscription: “In shooting for the moon men become stars”

They had below the picture, logos or illustrations that clearly depicted some other Nigerian banks.

First from the left was a man rocking a boat that had the colours used by Access Bank and having symbols contained in Access Bank logo. The next icon was an orange coloured brick (GTB uses orange as its main colour): then a man riding an ‘elephant’ which is majorly used by First Bank, then another man on a rocket coloured in Sterling Bank’s primary colours, heading to a red moon (Sterling bank’s logo): this was then followed by a man riding a white Horse (Horse is the main logo of Union Bank).

Below the picture, another inscription read: “Choose a partner that takes you higher.

Shoot for the moon, become a star – it’s the least you deserve. Welcome to #SterlingBank � pic.twitter.com/Jt7M5AkSSb

— Sterling Bank Plc (@Sterling_Bankng) July 20, 2018

The post by Sterling Bank didn’t quite go down well with some of the banks whose logos or signature animals were depicted as most of them tweeted their clapbacks at the post by Sterling Bank.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/21/banks-in-nigeria-fight-on-twitter-see-the-winner/

The Belgium international will only leave on their terms and Real Madrid will need to dig deep into their vast reserves to buy him.

Chelsea will ignore overtures unless it suits them and bidding will begin at £150million.

Hazard, 27, made it known on World Cup duty he fancies a change of direction in the wake of Madrid’s interest.

Chelsea have reminded forward Hazard he still has two years left on his contract, with an option of another year.

They are willing to compromise by offering a generous deal and to let him spearhead new manager Maurizio Sarri’s new dawn.

Keeper Thibaut Courtois is also on Madrid’s wanted list and admits he will listen to anything Chelsea can offer before making any decision on his future.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/21/transfer-gossips-chelsea-to-place-huge-money-on-hazard-transfers-to-real-madrid/

I think he is right. I second you Saheed.

Donald Trump has attacked the European Union’s decision to fine Google $5.1bn (£3.8bn) for “serious illegal behaviour”.

The European commission announced the record fine on Wednesday after an investigation found the tech company had required smartphone operators to pre-install Google’s search and browser apps or lose access to its online store and streaming service.

“I told you so! The European Union just slapped a Five Billion Dollar fine on one of our great companies, Google. They truly have taken advantage of the U.S., but not for long!” Trump wrote on Twitter.

His comments come amid escalating tension between the EU and the Trump administration.

In an interview with CBS in Scotland last week, Trump described the EU as a “foe”.

Asked to identify his biggest foe globally, Trump replied: “Well, I think we have a lot of foes. I think the European Union is a foe, what they do to us in trade. Now, you wouldn’t think of the European Union, but they’re a foe.”

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/21/president-donald-trump-lambasts-eu-over-5-1bn-fine-for-google/

Sky Sports News reported last week that Barcelona had tabled a second offer believed to be worth up to £53m for the Brazil international, with talks still ongoing between the two clubs and representatives of the player.

Sky sources understand the La Liga champions first began efforts to lure Willian to the Nou Camp over three months ago.

Premier League rivals Manchester United were interested in a deal for the winger back in May, with the player himself wanting to leave the club during the tenure of former head coach Antonio Conte, who has since been replaced by Maurizo Sarri.

Willian, who was voted the Chelsea players' player of the season last term, was left out of the starting line-up for the 1-0 FA Cup final win over United.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/21/willian-subject-to-3rd-barcelona-bid-worth-of-55m/

Three persons died and many others were injured when a train hit a commercial bus at Pen Cinema railway crossing in Lagos State on Friday, authorities have confirmed.

An eyewitness, Mr Raji Oladimeji told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the accident occurred when the bus driver was trying to make U-turn on the rail line.

“We warned the driver not to make U-turn at that particular point  when a train was approaching but he refused.

“So, it was in the process of making the turn that the approaching train crushed the bus where people hanging on the train fell off and three die instantly while other sustained various injuries,”  Oladimeji, electrician said.

He said some youths set the bus ablaze in anger while the injured were taken to a nearby hospital.

Mr Jerry Oche, the Lagos District Manager, Nigerian Railway Corporation, who confirmed the incident, said the accident happened at 9.30 a.m.

“We were informed that a bus was trying to make a U-turn at the railway line this morning at Agege Pen Cinema area when a moving train crushed it in the process.

“The police are on top of the incident bringing the situation to normalcy as youths went on rampage over the death of people who lost their lives in the accident.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/20/many-injured-3-died-as-train-crushes-commercial-bus-in-lagos/

Authorities would soon arraign South African police officers for alleged killing a 25-year-old Nigerian, Mr. Ibrahim Olalekan-Badmus, in 2017.

The Nigerian Mission in South Africa said on Friday in an interview that the officers were implicated in the killing.

The Nigeria’s Consul General in South Africa, Mr. Godwin Adama, said through a telephone from Johannesburg that the South African authority had confirmed that investigation into the murder case was almost concluded.

“Badmus, a native of Lagos was brutally murdered by the South African Police on Oct. 10, 2017 at vanderbidjk park, South Africa.

“Police officers implicated in the murder will be charged to the High court any moment from now,” he said.

Police officers were alleged to have stormed the home of Badmus, an undergraduate at Vaal University of Technology in Vanderbijlpark in South Africa, with claims that he was trafficking drugs.

However, when the police searched his home, they could not find any drug in it.

They allegedly asked the deceased for money and when he could not give them money, they handcuffed him and used excessive pepper spray on him.

He passed out and died due to suffocation

Adama said that the case was classified as high profile because of the tension generated by the development as some Nigerians who had confrontation with the police almost took laws into their hands.

The Consul General said that on hearing of the development immediately rushed to the scene where he interfaced with the aggrieved Nigerians and the police to calm frayed nerves.

“I led a delegation from the mission to visit the scene on receipt of the information. When we arrived at the scene, the place was tensed up because Nigerians there were not happy.

“We immediately met with the Station Commander in the area with some selected Nigerians.

“The police assured that a thorough investigation would be carried out and that the culprit would be brought to book,” he said.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/20/crime-south-african-police-officers-to-face-trial-for-killing-a-25-year-old-nigerian/

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has directed the commencement of a 72-hour joint operation to restore order around Apapa and environs after activities of truck drivers had caused traffic gridlock and made vehicular movement around the axis near impossible over the past few days.

Prof. Osinbajo who made an unscheduled stop at Apapa Port area on Friday for an on-the-spot assessment of the traffic gridlock, directed authorities concerned to restore sanity on the express way, and for the Ministry  Department and Agencies (MDAs) to speed up the decongestion of the port.

According to the Vice President’s directive, the operation will be carried out by a collaborative efforts of the Police, Nigeria Navy, Nigeria Army, the Nigeria Air Force, FRSC and the NSCDC, LASTMA, LASEMA, Container truck drivers, National Association of Road Transport Owners, NUPENG, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria .

Osinbajo landed first at the Tin Can Island park, flown in by a Nigerian Navy chopper, and accompanied by the Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi and senior Naval and Police officers.

More: https://hi247.com.ng/2018/07/20/vp-osinbajo-orders-3-days-joint-operation-to-clear-apapa-traffic-gridlock/