₦airaland Forum

The summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro should be postponed or moved "in the name of public health" due to the widening Zika outbreak in Brazil,
more than 100 prominent doctors and professors said Friday in an open letter to the World Health Organization.
"We make this call despite the widespread fatalism that the Rio 2016 Games are inevitable or 'too big to fail,' " the writers said in the letter addressed to WHO Director-General Margaret Chan. "Our greater concern is for global health. The Brazilian strain of Zika virus harms health in ways that science has not observed before."The letter shows a growing gap within the medical field on what to do about the Games. On Thursday, Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "There is no public health reason to cancel or delay the Olympics."
The CDC's current recommendation is that pregnant women should not travel to areas where the virus is spreading and that men with the virus who have pregnant partners should use condoms when having sex for the duration of the pregnancy.
"We're working closely with the USOC and Brazilian health authorities, and will update our guidance if needed," Frieden said in a statement in response to the new letter.
The WHO released a statement saying that based on its current assessment, "canceling or changing the location of the 2016 Olympics will not significantly alter the international spread of Zika virus."
The organization noted that Brazil is one of almost 60 countries that have reported continuing transmission of Zika by mosquitoes.
"People continue to travel between these countries and territories for a variety of reasons. The best way to reduce risk of disease is to follow public health travel advice," the WHO said.
The International Olympic Committee has said it has no plans to cancel or postpone the Games.There have been calls in recent months for a delay or postponement of the Olympics, but what makes Friday's letter different is the scope and number of physicians, professors and bioethicists who signed it -- from Japan to South Africa, Norway to the United States.
The officials said the Zika virus has "more serious medical consequences than previously known" and has worsened in the Rio area despite widespread mosquito treatment programs.
"It is unethical to run the risk," the letter said. "It is therefore imperative that WHO conduct a fresh, evidence-based assessment of Zika and the Games, and its recommendations for travelers."
The Zika virus has been shown to cause microcephaly, a rare birth defect in which babies develop abnormally small heads and other neurological problems.The Olympics are set to begin in just over two months, running from August 5 to August 21. More than 500,000 people are expected to travel to Brazil from around the world.
Olympic-related travel represents just 0.25% of the total 40 million travelers between.... to be continued in the link below
http://www.vipgist.com/2016/05/doctors-postpone-or-move-olympics-due.html#sthash.lpobPPTj.dpuf

Home Where the Obamas Will Live After Leaving the White House
- See images at: http://www.vipgist.com/2016/05/home-where-obamas-will-live-after.html#sthash.tBojkpfp.dpuf

[img]https://assets.rbl.ms/5688353/980x.jpg[/img]
For more than 60 years, Hanako had lived in a tiny concrete enclosure at Inokashira Park Zoo in Tokyo, Japan. Her enclosure had no grass or trees, and she hadn't seen another elephant in decades.
Her plight came to light late last year when a visitor, appalled by her condition, wrote an online post calling Inokashira Park "one of the cruellest, most archaic zoos in the modern world."
The tourist, Ulara Nakagawa, said Hanako "just stood there almost lifeless — like a figurine." Videos show the elderly elephant swaying back and forth, a form ofstereotypic behavior, blending in in to the stark gray walls behind her.Despite international outrage, Inokashira Park refused to release Hanako to a sanctuary, saying she was happy and healthy. Instead, the zoo met with animal welfare expert Carol Buckley, and said it would be instituting changes to Hanako's home and routine based on her recommendations.
But it was too little, too late. On Thursday morning, keepers found...... to be continued in the link below
http://www.vipgist.com/2016/05/worlds-saddest-elephant-dies-after-60.html#sthash.6USX0UKT.dpuf

Kim Kardashian narrowly avoided a huge wardrobe malfunction see the photo in the link bellow

http://www.vipgist.com/2016/05/5-educational-toys-kids-and-adults-will.html#sthash.SGBoPTyE.dpuf

see full photos of African Mortal Kombat Characters>>>>>- See more at: http://www.vipgist.com/2016/05/if-mortal-kombat-had-african-characters.html#sthash.aaha8cOX.dpuf

Children are curious creatures with minds that work like a sponge to absorb everything around them. With this in mind, we’ve curated a list of early-development toys that are equally fun to play with . Worry not, these educational toys are fun for adults too.
Kinetic Sand
Kinetic Sand is made of 98 percent sand and 2 percent silicone, creating a bonding agent that causes the sand to stick in a soft clump. Originally intended for sculpting, Kinetic Sand is now commonly sold as a children’s toy. It flows and shapes like wet sand but keeps surfaces dry, it is reusable and never dries out. Perfect to stimulate fine motor skills, toddlers are encouraged to play with kinetic sand under adult supervision.
Lego
An educational toy that transcends all generations, Lego consists of interlocking plastic bricks available in vast range of shapes and sizes. The pieces can be assembled and constructed in so many different ways and helps kids to develop creativity and motor skills. Lego doesn’t age and due to its versatility adults won’t get bored.See full list at: http://www.vipgist.com/2016/05/5-educational-toys-kids-and-adults-will.html#sthash.SGBoPTyE.dpuf

see full photos of African Mortal Kombat Characters>>>>>- See more at: http://www.vipgist.com/2016/05/if-mortal-kombat-had-african-characters.html#sthash.aaha8cOX.dpuf

We all remember our childhood favorite arcade fighting game, Mortal Kombat right?
What if there were no Sub-Zero, Lui Kang, Shang-Tshung, Syndel, Noob, Smoke, Scorpion etc. but rather had Nana Ama McBrown, Liwin, Agya Koo etc.?

I know that sounds silly but a Ghanaian photographer, Brian A. Gray has reimagined some of the fighting scenes using African characters and awesome photography techniques. We have to admit, they are brilliant.
See the complete photos of marvelous works here. - See more at: http://www.vipgist.com/2016/05/if-mortal-kombat-had-african-characters.html#sthash.aaha8cOX.dpuf

The iBot motorized wheelchair was first unveiled back in 2001, but it still looks remarkably futuristic today. The device was created by Segway inventor Dean Kamen, and could climb stairs, raise users from sitting level to eye-height, and travel at a steady walking pace in this "standing" configuration. However, with prices starting at $25,000, the device was too expensive for the mainstream market and was eventually discontinued in 2009. Now, it's making a comeback, with help from Toyota.This weekend, the carmaker announced that it's joining forces with Kamen's company DEKA to "support mobility solutions for the disabled community." This includes developing and launching the next generation of the iBot, with the company publishing a photo of an iBot 2.0 prototype. The device has the same basic layout as the original iBot, but is much slimmer, and Kamen says the new device will be "[enhanced] with 15 years of improvements in technology." Hopefully that will mean a cheaper price, too.
The iBot motorized wheelchair was first unveiled back in 2001, but it still looks remarkably futuristic today. The device was created by Segway inventor Dean Kamen, and could climb stairs, raise users from sitting level to eye-height, and travel at a steady walking pace in this "standing" configuration. However, with prices starting at $25,000, the device was too expensive for the mainstream market and was eventually discontinued in 2009. Now, it's making a comeback, with help from Toyota.

This weekend, the carmaker announced that it's joining forces with Kamen's company DEKA to "support mobility solutions for the disabled community." This includes developing and launching the next generation of the iBot, with the company publishing a photo of an iBot 2.0 prototype. The device has the same basic layout as the original iBot, but is much slimmer, and Kamen says the new device will be "[enhanced] with 15 years of improvements in technology." Hopefully that will mean a cheaper price, too. "As we've seen people enjoy the flexibility and the freedom and the independence that an iBot brings — and that no wheelchair can bring — we've known that we have to bring this technology to more people who need it around the world," says Kamen in a promo video, available from Toyota and hosted via a YouTube mirror above.
As part of the agreement with DEKA, Toyota will be licensing balancing technologies from the company for its own products. The automaker says these will be used for "medical rehabilitative therapy and potentially other purposes." Toyota has previously invested $1 billion in a research institute developing robotic helpers and related products, and it's possible that the technology licensed from DEKA could feed into these ambitions as well. - See more at: http://www.vipgist.com/2016/05/toyota-is-remaking-ibot-stair-climbing.html#sthash.Y5a5hr6j.dpuf
https://youtu.be/K0s31ypyxko

11 Nigerian Musicians Who Started From The Choir (Number 11 would shock you) - See more at: http://www.vipgist.com/search/label/celebrity#sthash.v29U98PQ.dpuf

Nadia who appeared on Starr Chat was economical with information about who the father of her twins is. “The father of my twins is not a Ghanaian,” she said.
When asked the nationality of the man, Nadia repeated that he is not a Ghanaian. She mentioned that she was protecting the father and her twins from the public because she rather chose to be a celebrity and sees no reason why they should be known.
About a year ago, Nadia who had been off the movie scene for a while, delivered two bouncy baby girls.
Photos of the father and the twins which hit the internet only showed>>> continue at: http://www.vipgist.com/2016/05/ghanaian-actress-nadia-buari-has.html#sthash.L1tJ4IQV.dpuf