China: Teenager ‘sells kidney for iPad’

A teenager in China has sold one of his kidneys in order to buy an iPad 2, Chinese media report.

The iPad 2 went on sale in China last month

The 17-year-old, identified only as Little Zheng, told a local TV station he had arranged the sale of the kidney over the internet.

The story only came to light after the teenager’s mother became suspicious.

The case highlights China’s black market in organ trafficking. A scarcity of organ donors has led to a flourishing trade.

Deep red scar

It all started when the high school student saw an online advert offering money to organ donors.

Illegal agents organised a trip to the hospital and paid him $3,392 (£2,077) after the operation.

With the cash the student bought an iPad 2, as well as a laptop.

When his mother noticed the computers and the deep red scar on his body, which was caused by the surgery, Little Zheng confessed.

In 2007, Chinese authorities banned organ trafficking and have introduced a voluntary donor scheme to try to combat the trade.

Judges 3

1 These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan 2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): 3 the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 4 They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the LORD’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.

5 The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 6 They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

Othniel

7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. 8 The anger of the LORD burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim,[a] to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. 9 But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. 10 The Spirit of the LORD came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge[b] and went to war. The LORD gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. 11 So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.
Ehud

12 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and because they did this evil the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. 13 Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.[c] 14 The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.
15 Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab. 16 Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a cubit[d] long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. 17 He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man. 18 After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way those who had carried it. 19 But on reaching the stone images near Gilgal he himself went back to Eglon and said, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.”

The king said to his attendants, “Leave us!” And they all left.

20 Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace[e] and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose from his seat, 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22 Even the handle sank in after the blade, and his bowels discharged. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23 Then Ehud went out to the porch[f]; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

24 After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, “He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the palace.” 25 They waited to the point of embarrassment, but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead.

26 While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the stone images and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them.

28 “Follow me,” he ordered, “for the LORD has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands.” So they followed him down and took possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab; they allowed no one to cross over. 29 At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not one escaped. 30 That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years.

Shamgar

31 After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.

She’s trying to tarnish my image’ – Octane denies DJ Amber’s pregnancy claim

I-Octane – Contributed

Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter

Rastafarian artiste I-Octane says that a recent report that a popular female radio disc jock is pregnant for him is an attempt to tarnish his image.

An online publication yesterday claimed that DJ Amber is four-months pregnant with I-Octane’s child. The revelation stirred quite some debate in entertainment circles.

However, the deejay last night said: “She has a motive. She out fi get rid of the brand Octane so people can seh rae rae ’cause readers have different perspectives.”

“Mi and har neva have a relationship, so what is har motive?” I-Octane said.

DJ Amber, when contacted by THE WEEKEND STAR earlier, had said: “I’m pregnant for the artiste and we are no longer in a relationship.”

She said she only came public with her story because she wanted to avoid rumours.

“I was contacted with a false story that I was pregnant for I-Octane and he asked me to get an abortion. He never asked me for an abortion. I gave my version of the story because I didn’t want any rumours to start going around,” she told THE WEEKEND STAR, noting that their relationship ended in March.

Amber said that she had been friends with I-Octane for years but only became intimate late last year. However, she said she had suspicions that he was involved with other women. She said she suspected that he was still involved with the mother of his child, and another female who also works in the media but he denied relationships with both.

“Not that I didn’t have a clue, I had my suspicions. When I cornered him with the truth, he could not deny it so that was the end of the relationship right there,” she said.

While he agrees that they were friends, I-Octane refuted some of her claims.

“Mi and her were good friends and do business together but apparently we go pon different page. Her approach is different from mine,” he said.

After he decided that certain things would not continue, that is when he said things started getting bad.

“She seh she invest in the brand so she entitled to whatever come from it. When mi tell har seh it nah go continue, a deh so all di bad things start. She seh she a go mek the brand demolish but I never really pay it no mind ’cause mi have other things fi deal wid,” he said. “All of a sudden she come drop een pregnancy.”

In the meantime, Amber says that she does not believe that the news of her pregnancy and the circumstances surrounding it will have any negative implications for her.

“I don’t see this affecting me negatively in any way or form. I am an independent female. I can manage on my own. I also have support from family, friends and members of the entertainment fraternity,” Amber said.

For I-Octane, he claims that these are some of the challenges that come with being in the public eye.

“Remember Buju say it’s not an easy road and all dem things ya come wid di territory. These are the challenges you have to face when you rise in life. Every important individual go through it with people trying to tarnish their names,” he said.

Nonetheless, “Mi still love har and rate har fi weh she do fi mi,” I-Octane added.

When I confronted him, he told me that I didn’t have to play his music anymore “because him buss already”, so I have taken his advice, and I am not playing his songs anymore, I have withdrawn from his professional life,” she said.
DJ Amber said that she was the first person to begin playing him on national radio.

PINKY AN TONI ANN GET SMART OIEEEE……MATTEY COCKEY NAVE NO PRINCIPLE OHHHHH ..PINKIE FINE MAN..DI EVER LASTING LOVE TUN SHORT TERM FRIENDSHIP COCKEY NOW…YES PEOPLE DEM SEH PINKIE AND MATTEY IS JUS FRENZ… POOR TONI ANN GUH TRY A TING , GET KETCH..MATTEY RISE DI MACHINE…CAN SMADDY COMPLETE DIS SCENE…WI WAA KNOW DI RES

PAULA GORDON, STAR Writer

A tree believed to be able to cure up to 300 illnesses has been in high demand in the northern parish of St James, THE WEEKEND STAR has learnt.

“Mi neva see people gone crazy so yet, not even when Noni did just buss pan di scene,” one resident told THE WEEKEND STAR.

The tree known as the Moringa oleifera, or the ‘Miracle Tree’, is said to be effective in lowering blood sugar and blood pressure. It is also believed to be effective in fighting against skin infections, reducing swellings and calming the nervous system.

Information reaching THE WEEKEND STAR is that a few of the tree’s leaves are sold for anywhere between $100 and $500.

Joyce Duncan, who lives and works in Montego Bay, St James, told THE WEEKEND STAR: “It’s crazy, they have chopped down many of the trees, some of them on the highway close to the airport. Them say it has things in there that are able to heal or give remedy to 300 ailments.”

Duncan noted that the leaves can be found in large quantities selling on the streets in downtown Montego Bay.

She explained that persons have been buying the leaves to make tea and to steam with spinach such as callaloo.

When asked how and why the craze started, she said, “I heard that a lecturer came to the West JamaicaConference and he was giving a lecture. A tree was on the compound and he made mention of it, about the properties and he said he was surprised to see so many in Jamaica and since about last weekend it has become extremely popular.”

trees cut down

THE WEEKEND STAR understands that since then, several trees have been cut down or stripped down to their barks. It is further understood that persons have been coming from far and wide to get a hold of even a few of the leaves.

Duncan reasoned that, “I see a man and him say him purchase $4,000 worth of gas an come from Ochi Rios, cause him say anywhere it is he will have to get it.”

When contacted, The Scientific Research Council confirmed that they had done some research on the tree and that they have put together a publication in their library about it titled The Miracle Tree.

Meanwhile, when checked, the website treesforlife.org revealed that dried Moringa leaves have six times more iron than in spinach, as much protein as in eggs, seven times more vitamin C than in oranges, four times morevitamin A than in carrots, three times more potassium than in bananas and four times more calcium than in milk.

There was the RTI weekend and ATI, now make way for Lesbian Temptation Isle (LTI). A new party series catering to lesbians is being planned in Montego Bay, St James, at the end of this month.

Scheduled to take place from June 30 to July 3, LTI will be held in Ironshore, Montego Bay. The weekend is being advertised on popular social networking site Facebook.com as, “The biggest lesbian party weekend ever!” and “It’s not just a party. It’s a lifestyle.”

According to the weekend’s Facebook page, which was founded last year, LTI will have four parties over two days. The parties include: ‘Ocean Temptation (Under The Influence)’, ‘Lost Planet (Extreme Conditions)’, ‘Lez Glow (All-White)’ and ‘Master and Mistress (Dominatrix Affair)’. The season band, which includes entry to all four parties, is $8,000 with each party being $2,500. VIP bands are $13,000. According to the group’s page, there are 300 season bands available, and 100 bands per individual party.

The site, since its inception, has 550 ‘likes’ on Facebook and has a ‘secret’ group where persons can join and learn more about the event. When THE WEEKEND STAR called the numbers advertised on the page, the group and weekend were described as being extremely private.

bands going fast

Sales for the party are seemingly going fast, as seen by a comment from the organiser on the page which said: “I never knew the season bands would have been going so fast, thanx for the support people. Bands start selling on June 1, you can call to reserve like everyone else. We courier every armband to the respective buyer. Thanx again, this weekend will be hotttt!!”

Persons have been commenting on the page saying, “This is going to be awesome’ am loving this page so far and as for the party’ I can’t wait for it to really happen. Straight people have ATI, I think it’s full time the gay community has something for ourselves where we don’t have to worry about men looking us or putting argument to us. We can actually be around friends who we share a common interest in; FEMALES! I am so digging this event and its page/profile.”

Another person added: “Yep, dis party can’t miss me and wifey, you said it all, so need I say more?”

The privacy of the event is emphasised on the page, which states: “An invitation will be sent to persons with a security code once you’ve purchased your armband. The invitation will be used to collect your armband on the day of the event. Please be advised that this is to ensure that only persons within our community are attending this event.”

A special guest celebrity appearance is also being hinted to take place on the final night of the event. There will also be a Sexiest Stud and Sexiest Femme competition.