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Showing posts from September, 2012

Nigeria’s Paralympics team ‘left stranded’ at Lagos airport

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The athletes are demanding the same recognition as given to their able-bodied counterparts. Nigeria finished 22nd with a total of 13 medals – 6 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze at the Paralympic games. Their counterparts did not win any medal at the London Olympics. ‘ In our country, nobody regards us as anybody, nobody regards us as the specials, there is no budget for us. But in other countries when they are doing anything, their first consider the physically challenged people, the old ones but in this country there’s nothing like that ‘, Gold medalist in the Women’s +82.50 kg Powerlifting category, Gloria Anozie explained to Channels TV. ‘So we found that if you don’t wake up, fight for yourself, do something better for yourself, you are not going anywhere, so we motivate ourselves to do what we are doing’, she further explained.   By Osagie Alonge

Obama Got The Convention Bounce, As Well As Bad Economic Numbers

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The Democrats were no sooner out of Charlotte when the bad economic news came. A more disappointing job report than had been forecast. Economic numbers weaker than expected. Just 96,000 jobs were created in August, far fewer than what economists were anticipating. And even a lower unemployment rate — down to 8.1 percent from 8.3 — was explained as that more people had simply stopped looking for work. The hope of four years ago is quickly becoming a fading memory, especially for those whose lives have not seen the change Barack Obama once promised. Reality often can get in the way of a celebration, and that may be how we define the convention bounce of 2012. All the emotion and enthusiasm and memorable speeches of Charlotte have indeed resulted in a "bounce" for the president and his party. But how long does it last? Maybe a little trip down memory lane is in order.  by Ken Rudin

Serena Williams showed incredible resolve to outlast Victoria Azarenka and secure her fourth US Open title.

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Serena Williams showed incredible resolve to outlast Victoria Azarenka and secure her fourth US Open title. The 30-year-old lifted her 15th Grand Slam singles crown - and fourth in New York - with a 6-2 2-6 7-5 win in 138 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium. World number one Azarenka served for the match, but Williams broke in a run of four ruthless games to triumph. She became the first player aged over 30 to win the US Open women's singles since Martina Navratilova in 1987. "I honestly can't believe I won," said the American. "I was preparing my runner-up speech because she was playing so great." Azarenka wept into a towel at the end as her dream of becoming the first Belarusian to win the US Open ended in agonising fashion "It's tough but Serena deserves to win," said the 23-year-old. "She showed what a true champion she is. "I'm honoured to stand with such a true champion here. I definitely gave it my all today, stepping ...

Obama calls jobs report 'not good enough'

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   President Barack Obama called the last month's jobs report, which showed weak growth and over 350,000 people dropping out of the workforce, "not good enough" at a rally on Friday, meanwhile mocking Republicans' tax proposals and asking for another four years to accomplish his proposals. The unemployment rate fell in August from 8.3% to 8.1%, according to the Labor Department report issued Friday, but that slip was fueled by 368,000 people dropping out of the workforce.  The 96,000 jobs added is far below the generally accepted 150,000 needed to simply keep up with population growth, and Obama said that "there is a lot more that we can do." "We need to create more jobs faster. We need to fill the hole left by this recession faster. We need to come out of this crisis stronger than when we went in," Obama told voters in Plymouth, New Hampshire. "When Congress gets back to town next week," he continued, ...