Chinese Farmer Burns to Death in Dispute Over 'Nail House' With Property Developers

Chinese call them dingzihu or "nail houses."

Their owners are holding out for better compensation or are unwilling to let a home filled with memories be flattened -- like a nail that refuses to be hammered down.

In desperation, frustrated road and property developers sometimes build around them -- the most striking examples make for a wry photo essay.

But Zhang Jimin's stand against the bulldozers ended in his death.

The 46-year-old farmer and father of two in Donggu village, northern Shandong province, refused to leave his home when dozens of men arrived at his doorstep to demolish his home on September 14.

What happened next is in dispute. His family say he was burnt alive by "thugs" hired by the local government. Local authorities say he set his home on fire.

Images of his charred, curled body were shared widely on Chinese social media. The family say they believe that the demolition crew brought gasoline-filled bottles, put an iron bar across his front door and set his home alight.

"You can see that his clothes are still relatively complete. If my uncle really poured gasoline over himself and set himself on fire, wouldn't all the clothes be burned off?" his nephew told CNN. He didn't want to give his name because he says officials told him not to speak to the media.

On September 16, the Pingyi county government said in a statement posted on an official social media account that a preliminary investigation had ruled out arson and said that Zhang had bought nine liters of gasoline on September 11 and 13 and he caused the fire himself.

In a more detailed statement four days later, on the same social media account, the county government said that the incident was triggered by "forced demolition" but "the fire was not set by others but ignited by his own behavior," with Zhang's DNA found on fragments of two glass bottles that were filled with gasoline.

The county government and local police didn't respond to repeated CNN calls for comment.

Meet Grace Atinuke-Oyelude, First "Miss Nigeria" Beauty Queen At 84

Grace Atinuke (born November 16, 1931) is known to be the first Miss Nigeria from the year 1957.

Early life

Oyelude was born in Kano to James Adeleye Olude and Marthan Dantu of Isanlu from Kogi State, and was raised in Northern Nigeria. She had her primary and secondary education between 1940 and 1952 in Kano.

Miss Nigeria

Miss Nigeria commenced in 1957 as a photo contest. Contestants posted photographs of themselves to the Daily Times headquarters in Lagos where finalists were shortlisted. Successful finalists were afterwards invitedto compete in the live final at the Lagos Island Club. At that time, the Miss Nigeria contest did not include a swimsuit competition. Oyelude was working at United African Company (UAC) when she represented the then Northern region. After winning the contest, she travelled to England where she studied Nursing. Within months of gaining admission to the School of Nursing, Ashford Kent England, she was crowned Miss Nigeria.

Nursing career

Oyelude became a State Registered Nurse in1961 and became qualified as a state registered midwife SCM (NRM) in 1962. She moved on to the Royal College of Nursing, England in 1971[4] and obtained a diploma in Nursing and Hospital administration (DNHA).

At the Ghana Institute of Management and Personnel Administration, she completed studies for another diploma.

In the United Kingdom, Oyelude worked in several hospitals including Paddington General Hospital, one of the former local hospitals of St Mary's Hospital, London. After returning to Nigeria, she worked in Kaduna General Hospital between 1964 and 1965.

She worked as a senior nursing sister-in-charge of the former Kaduna Nursing home (now Barau Dike specialist hospital, Kaduna) from 1965-1977. When the Nigerian Civil War started in 1967, she moved to Markurdi General Hospital. Oyelude led a team from the Northern region; the group that helped hospitals get ready to treat casualties of war.

In the early 1970s she worked as a senior matron and director of nursing services at the Ahmadu Bello University’s teaching hospital, after joining the Institute of Health, Ahmadu Bello University. She voluntarily retired from that post in 1985. She was also an external examiner of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. She chaired the Kwara State Health Management Board from1980 to 1983.

Undercover Reporter Exposes Mass Cheating at NECO ‘Miracle Centre’

An undercover reporter with PUNCH has exposed a mass cheating that happened at a secondary school in Lagos. 

The miracle center aka school put on blast is Nodos International School, Tedi road, Onireke, opposite Ojo Barracks, Lagos.

We Are Still In Business And Not Intimidated By Young Artistes - Artquake

'Alanta' song and dance inventors, Artquake which comprises of ADX, real name Adegbite Adeniran and ICE-K real name Tomomewo Olakunle have bounced back into the fiercely competitive Nigerian music industry.

The duo who started their musical career in 1995 while they were in the higher institution, released their debut album in 2000 titled NEVER ENDING which consist of hit tracks like Abulelawa, Shamagbadun and Anycolour, but after a while they went hiatus.

Although one of their hit tracks ‘ALANTA' gave them global recognition ahead of their fellow artistes, they don't want to keep riding on their glory.

In a recent interview, they boldly stated that they are not threatened or intimidated by young artist of these days, but follow back to 'maintain their lane'.

“No, never, the sky is big enough to accommodate anybody, we have been here before some of them, we have our fan base, we can't because its not important, don't forget, every product has its market, we are just like the BRT bus, we are on our lane and they are on their lane, so we have no reason to be intimidated, no body is competition with anybody. The good thing is that, they respect us because we mind our business, so no need for intimidation or feeling intimidated”.

On what have kept them binding over the years they said. “So many people have asked that question, its been God and understanding, we understand ourselves very well, not like we don't have issues, but we don't let a third party come in. I meet my partner in 1995, that's about 20years now, then we were doing our ND program in Kwara state polytechnic. I remember how music is been done then, very stressful, nobody to help you, it was very difficult recording songs then, my partner and I understands ourselves because we were friends before becoming partner.

For the other group that got separated, obviously the only thing that brought them together was money, they didn't see beyond money, they didn't understand themselves well. I believe we are still together because we see ourselves as brothers, friends and partner. Not like we don't have issues, we do, but understanding, tolerance and maturity has been our watch-word."

In their latest singles, the elated fathers featured artistes like Oritse Femi, Sound Sultan, Reminisce and more famous stars.

Nigeria Discovers Crude Oil in Lake Chad Area – NNPC

Nigeria is “on the verge of a significant oil find” in the Lake Chad area of the northeast, NNPC managing director Ibe Kachikwu was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the state oil company on Sunday.

Kachikwu, who is to be sworn in to President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet on Wednesday and is widely expected to become junior oil minister, also said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is projecting revenues of $20 billion in 2016.

Africa’s biggest economy has been hammered by the sharp drop in global oil prices, because it relies on crude exports for around 70 percent of government revenues.

“There are signs from the latest 3D seismic studies that oil may be very close to being found now in Lake Chad,” Kachikwu was quoted as saying in a statement issued by NNPC spokesman Ohi Alegbe.

“I am optimistic that by the end of the year we should be able to announce something major on this,” he said in a presentation in Lagos, according to the statement.

Kachikwu was quoted as saying it would be important to pass the long-delayed Petroleum Industry Bill aimed at overhauling the oil sector, and to encourage investment in the country’s oil and gas industry.

“Kachikwu stated that the NNPC is projecting the inflow of $20bn in 2016 to enable the corporation to fund major projects,” said NNPC spokesman Alegbe.

Portfolios have yet to be assigned to the 36 cabinet members chosen by Buhari, but analysts expect Kachikwu to report to the president, who will personally oversee the petroleum portfolio.

Sizzurp is Taking Over Chris Brown's Life, Say Friends and Family

TMZ is reporting exclusively that Chris Brown's friends and family are extremely worried about him, because they think he's addicted to sizzurp.

The latest evidence is this picture of Chris and some friends taken over the weekend at an L.A. pumpkin patch where Chris took his daughter, Royalty, to buy a pumpkin. You see Chris sitting on a bale of hay with a double-stacked red cup at his feet. Right behind him there's another double cup.

Chris' friends and family are worried for several reasons. The problem has been getting worse over the last few weeks. They say he's drinking sizzurp around Royalty and they're worried he'll lose custody.

TMZ broke the story, during Chris' custody battle he tested positive for codeine, but the judge gave him a pass because Chris had a prescription.