Buhari cancels federal govt delegation to Hajj, to save $1million

President Buhari says there would be no federal government delegation for this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia. This is against the usual tradition of previous government where a federal government delegation will lead pilgrims to the holy land for the religious exercise.

President Buhari who said this yesterday August 10th, said the cancellation will however not stop the federal government from playing its traditional roles of providing consular, medical and security services to Nigerian pilgrims. With the decision, the government is expected to save about $1 million and N30m in local expenses.

Saudi Arabian Prince pledges his $32 billion fortune to charity

The nephew of the late King Abdullah, Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, has been so successful in business that he is sometimes referred to as the Arabian Warren Buffett, after the US billionaire. 

Alwaleed who made billions investing in American, European and Middle Eastern companies is donating his $32 billion fortune to philanthropy, according to a statement released Wednesday.

The prince with his ex wife Ameerah

Alwaleed said he wants his money to go to humanitarian causes after his death. The release did not identify specific efforts, but said the board of trustees at Alaweed Philanthropies, which he currently heads, will craft a plan to spend the money on initiatives related to healthcare, education and poverty. 

"Philanthropy is an intrinsic part of my Islamic faith," Alwaleed said in the press release. "With this pledge, I am honoring my life-long commitment to what matters most, helping to build a more peaceful, equitable and sustainable world for generations to come."

Forbes ranks Alwaleed at the 34th richest person in the world. His major investments have included Twitter and Citigroup, as well as media companies like Time Warner (CNN's parent company) and Disney.