Blues legend BB King dies at 89

Blues legend BB King has died in Las Vegas at the age of 89, his attorney has said.

King, who inspired a generation of mainstream guitarists, died late on Thursday, triggering shockwaves across social media, with stars from the music world lining up to pay tribute.

The 15-time Grammy award winner was considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time, and influenced a generation of rock guitarists from Eric Clapton to Stevie Ray Vaughan, having released more than fifty albums and sold millions of records worldwide.

Riley B King was born on September 16, 1925 in Itta Bena, Mississippi.

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Photos from new earthquake disaster in Nepal, 32 confirmed dead

32 persons have been confirmed dead and over 1000 injured in the 7.3 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal's eastern region this morning. The quake, which comes two and a half weeks after the first one that killed over 8000 people, was so strong, it was felt in New Delhi, India. Vulnerable buildings from last disaster have now collapsed. The quake also triggered landslide. See some pics after the cut

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Italy better than Libya but Nigeria is worst – Nigerian mother

This photo provided by the Italian Navy’s Press Office Monday, May 4, 2015 shows a baby born on a navy vessel Sunday, May 3, 2015. The navy said a woman, in labor when rescued Sunday, gave birth to a girl aboard of its patrol ship ‘Bettica’. Mother and daughter are fine, and the patrol boat, carrying 654 migrants who were saved in four different rescue operations, headed to port. (Italian Navy via AP)

RAGUSA, Italy (Reuters) A Nigerian who gave birth on a warship after the Italian navy rescued her from a migrant boat has said that “Italy is better than Libya and Nigeria is the worst.”

She told Reuters on Monday her new daughter would have a better life in Europe, explaining why she risked the dangerous voyage.

Francesca Marina, named after St. Francis and the Italian navy, was 3.37 kilos (7 pounds, 7 ounces) when she was delivered aboard the Bettica naval vessel in the Mediterranean a week ago. Once ashore, she suffered from seizures and was put in intensive care.

A week on, both Stephanie Samuel, the 24-year-old Nigerian mother, and Francesca Marina have recovered. Doctors at the Sicilian hospital said they would probably be transferred to an immigration centre for families with small children in a few days time.

The story of the migrant baby born aboard a navy ship captured international media attention at the end of one of the busiest weekends for sea crossings from Libya to Europe this year, in which about 6,800 were rescued and dozens are said to have drowned.

Samuel worked for two years in Tripoli as a housemaid to save money to pay smugglers for the trip, but then the boat she set off in with about 90 others stalled after only three hours at sea.

By the time they were picked up by the Bettica off the Libyan coast seven hours later, she was unconscious after suffering epileptic seizures and had gone into labour.

“I didn’t expect the baby, you know, but she just like, she just came,” Samuel said. “I just wanted to leave Libya. Italy is better than Libya and Nigeria is the worst.”

About her daughter, she said: “God decides, not me … but I believe she will have a more good future in Europe.”

So far this year more than 30,000 people have reached Italy by sea from North Africa, mostly Libya. More than 170,000 came last year. The Interior Ministry has said 200,000 might make it to Italy’s shores in 2015.

While many are political refugees like Syrians, fleeing civil war, or Eritreans, escaping forced military conscription, others like Samuel are economic migrants in search of a better life.

She said her husband, who is still working in Libya, was ready to risk the sea crossing to be with his daughter and wife as soon as he could afford to pay smugglers who demand up to $1,500 for passage on an overcrowded, rickety boat.

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AFN Fair to Home-based Athletes, Says Ogba

Solomon Ogba

Duro Ikhazuagbe
The President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Solomon Ogba, has insisted that Nigerian youths in the diasporas wishing to represent the country in track and field are not going to be denied the opportunities to do so long as they are eligible.

Reacting for the first time to the accusation leveled against the AFN by Blessing Okagbare of promoting the foreign -based athletes above those living in the country, Ogba dismissed such accusations as not tenable.

He also described as incorrect accusations in a section of the sporting media that the federation was neglecting athletes based in the country while at the same time supporting their counterparts based abroad.

Ogba, who led Team Nigeria’s track and field athletes to win a gold medal in the 4x200m event of the IAAF World Relays in Bahamas penultimate weekend, said that the board of the AFN since its inauguration in May 2013, has done more for the locally-based athletes than any other federation.

“This season alone, we have had three camps for athletes that participated in the African youth and junior championships and those that went for invitational relay in Kenya. We have also organised two competitions, the All Comers in Abuja and Lagos, apart from the DK Olukoya junior championships,” stressed the former Delta State sports commissioner.

Ogba revealed that though it is the responsibility of states athletics associations and athletic clubs to organise conditioning camps and prepare athletes for a new season, yet the AFN has taken up the responsibility to ensure that home-based athletes are in good shape for the start of each season.

Despite the zero subvention from the National Sports Commission (NSC) and lack of support from corporate bodies, Ogba revealed that AFN still organises a league.

“We don’t get any support either from the government or corporate Nigeria, yet we have consistently organised a Golden League, thanks to great sacrifice from my board members and staff of the AFN. We give cash incentives to home-based athletes with prospect of doing well in major championships’’.

The AFN president also said that many of the home-based athletes, especially those with very good prospects have enjoyed generous assistance from the federation.

“For our home-based athletes to get the needed international exposure, we arranged for them to participate in about five international competitions this year alone. They were in Ethiopia, Mauritius, Kenya, USA and Bahamas. Their participation in these events was made possible through great sacrifice by the board when funding and assistance was not coming from any quarter,” further observed the federation chief.

Ogba said he was not aware of any board amongst the national federations that were inaugurated in May 2013 that has done more than AFN in terms of winning laurels at continental and global stage as well as organising competitions at home and providing support for home-based athletes.

Ogba posits that his board deserves commendation rather than condemnation for the good work it has done since May 2013.

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Gunmen abduct OAU lecturer, kill driver, demand N70m

Some gunmen on Friday abducted a lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Dr. Femi Omisore, who was on his way to attend a funeral at Oye Ekiti in Ekiti State. Our correspondent gathered on Sunday that Omisore, a lecturer at the Department of Environmental Design Management of the OAU was abducted in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State. His captors, who were said to be armed with guns, were said to have trailed him for a while. The driver was said to have noticed them and tried to evade the gang, but the abductors managed to waylay Omisore’s vehicle. On catching up with him, the hoodlums were said to have killed the driver out of anger and took Omisore to an unknown place. The gunmen, it was further gathered, fired several shots at the petrol tank of the lecturer’s car and ensured that the car caught fire before they left the scene. The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, OAU chapter, Dr. Caleb Aborisade, confirmed the incident. Aborisade said, “According to the information I gathered from his family, Dr. Femi Omisore was kidnapped on Friday evening. He was going for a funeral ceremony in Oye Ekiti. “I learnt that a member of his department was burying his father in Oye Ekiti and he was travelling there when he was kidnapped. “The kidnappers used his telephone to call his wife this morning (Sunday) and they demanded N70m ransom. “We are not politicians; where do they expect us to get such amount?” He appealed to Omsiore’s abductor to release the lecturer. He said the family was not rich and could not afford to pay such a huge amount of money. The abduction was also confirmed to our correspondent on the telephone by the Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree chapter, Mr. Dotun Omisore. The union leader is a nephew of the abducted lecturer. The ASUP chairman expressed concern at the way lecturers and members of their families were becoming targets of abduction. He called on the government and security agencies in the country to do more to ensure security of lives and property of every Nigerian, saying kidnapping was becoming too rampant. It will be recalled that gunmen had in December 2014 kidnapped the wife of ASUU Chairman, Osun State University chapter, Mrs. Funmilayo Abiona

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Firefighter collapses inside well while rescuing plumber

An official of the Lagos Sate Fire Service on Saturday collapsed inside a well in the Ijegun area of the state while bringing out a victim. The official was said to have fallen inside the well after his rope snapped off. He was said to have subsequently fainted, throwing the rescue operation into disarray. It was, however, leant that other firefighters quickly mobilised themselves and rescued the unnamed firefighter. He was rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja. PUNCH Metrolearnt that earlier, a plumber, identified as Tobi Akintoye, was digging a domestic well for residents of Funmilayo Street when he became choked in the well around 12 noon. The 35-year-old was said to have died soon after when help did not come his way on time. A resident reportedly alerted members of the state fire service from the Ikotun station, which promptly responded with men and equipment for the rescue operation. It was learnt that one of the men was let down through a rope to bring out the victim. A source said, “He was bringing the man up when the rope he tied to his body snapped and he fell back into the well. He broke his leg and fainted inside the well. “Other firefighters later brought him out and he was quickly taken in a vehicle to LASUTH for treatment.” It was learnt that the corpse of the dead plumber was also brought out and handed to the police who deposited it in a mortuary in the area. A witness told PUNCH Metro that it was possible that the injured victim was the driver of the vehicle. He said, “Those that came with the truck were not many. But why I think it was the driver that fell was because about an hour after the man was rushed to the hospital, the fire truck was still at the scene of the incident. “The man was seriously injured and I hope he did not die. It’s part of the risk of their job.” The Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, when contacted confirmed the development, but said the victim was in stable condition. He said, “His condition is stable and he is responding to treatment, so there is no problem. “I just wish to repeat the earlier warning to residents of Lagos that when digging your well, you need to take precautions to avoid unnecessary loss of lives.” (punch)

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B’Haram: 63 children, six pregnant women rescued

Of the 275 persons that were rescued and handed over to the National Emergency Management Agency by the 23 Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army about two weeks, 63 children were unaccompanied while six women have been confirmed pregnant. It was learnt that more rescued victims from insurgents in Sambisa Forest were still being expected from the Nigerian Army, as the Federal Government in conjunction with humanitarian experts from the United Nations were working hard to help reintegrate the women and children with their respective families. NEMA’s Senior Information Officer, Mr. Sani Datti, confirmed to our correspondent on Sunday that the rescued victims were being catered for in various camps by the agency and the UN. He noted that the UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Daouda Toure, and NEMA’s Director-General, Sani Sidi, assured the rescued women and children of social, psychological and health supports before they reintegrated with their families. The duo made the pledge when they interacted with internally displaced persons at Malkohi Camp, Yola. Sidi said the agency had engaged tailors to sew at least five sets of clothes for each of the rescued women and children, as most of them came with only the clothes they wore. The NEMA boss said a mobile clinic had been deployed for medical screening to identify those who needed treatment, while the agency in collaboration with UN agencies had mobilised a team of experts in psycho- trauma counselling and medical doctors to provide all the necessary medical care to the rescued. He said most of the rescued children were severely malnourished and had eye infections. Taure told the rescued women and children that the world and their families had missed them but the UN agencies would support the Nigerian government in providing their needs to facilitate their reintegration with their communities. He said the UN had directed all its relevant agencies to provide all the needed assistance and support to them. According to NEMA, infant feeding, children’s clothes, diapers and sanitation items were provided to 21 nursing mothers.

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What is wrong with this pic?

As Seen On Cnn

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Buhari’s Farm Vs Obasanjo's Farm ( Photos )

How many of you thinks Buhari's Gov will be far more better than OBJ's own. Help me caption this photo I beg.

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Due to scarcity of fuel in Lagos people now lose the fuel tanks

Due to scarcity of fuel in Lagos people now lose the fuel tanks of their generators and take it filling stations to buy fuel. Lol. More photos after the cut...

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