Blasts near Boston Marathon kill 2; injury toll rising

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2 dead, 20 injured after explosions at Boston Marathon today. Below is how CNN is reporting it...

Blasts near the finish line of the Boston Marathon killed two people and injured more than 20others Monday, Boston police said.

The marathon itself, on its Facebook page, referred to the blasts as bombs. Authorities did not say immediately what caused the explosions.

Massachusetts General Hospital said it was treating 19 injured people; Tufts Medical Center reported that it was treating nine people. Combined, that brings the number of injured to at least 28. Police reported 22 people injured.

The explosions sent smoke billowing into the air at Copley Square, turning a site of celebration into a mess of destruction. 

Right engine of British Airways plane stops working before take-off at Abuja Airport

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We got a call this yesterday from one  Ọmọ Oódua reader inside a British Airways flight at the Abuja International Airport. They told us that the BA 8:30 flight to London was preparing to take off when the right engine of the plane just stopped working. They heard a noise and then smoke. The plane had to be towed back to the tarmac.

As at the last time we spoke with one of them, engineers were trying to fix the engine. We even heard the pilot making an announcement. They are not sure if the flight will continue or if it will be cancelled, but they are all still inside the plane at the moment. BA has been given 40 minutes to fix the engine or the flight will be cancelled...for safety reasons. Will keep you .

Update: All passengers have been asked to leave the plane
Update 2: The flight has been cancelled

Photos: BA flight that was cancelled because of engine problems

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The cancelled flight pictured above. Below left are passengers getting refreshments provided by B.A and the other pic are passengers waiting after they left the aircraft before they were told the flight has been cancelled...

Update on breast cancer patient, Debbie Idiagbonya

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By now you all should know who Debbie Idiagbonya is. She is the young lady with breast cancer who traveled to the US in October 2012 for surgery.

Here's an update on Debbie. Her treatment at Howard University Hospital is going really well. We thank God. She's also getting support from a few cancer support groups like African Women Cancer Awareness Association, Zuriworks For Women's Health, Dare to Courage and SEED.

Debbie has started another chemotherapy session which will last for four months before she does her radiation. See a healthy looking and smiling Debbie after the Break..

Video: Overcomers Church founder Rssponds to Solomon Akiyesi's disrupted wedding

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Founder of Overcomers Church, Bishop Moses has addressed the Solomon Akiyesi's wedding scandal. Watch video above then see an updated statement from the church after the cut...

This is a follow up to our statement from Saturday, April 13, following the disrupted wedding of Mr. Solomon Akiyesi to Ms. Uloma Agwu.

In light of the media mayhem that has erupted with tabloids spinning their own version of events, we find it necessary to make a final statement on the matter and hope that listening ears and hearts will understand the decisions we have made as a church.

Rick Ross offers formal apology

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After being dropped from a lucrative endorsement deal with Reebok over his date rape lyrics; “Put molly all in her champagne, she aint even know it, I took her home and I enjoyed that, she aint even know it,", Rick Ross finally offers a real apology...

“Before I am an artist, I am a father, a son, and a brother to some of the most cherished women in the world. So for me to suggest in any way that harm and violation be brought to a woman is one of my biggest mistakes and regrets. As an artist, one of the most liberating things is being able to paint pictures with my words. But with that comes a great responsibility. And most recently, my choice of words was not only offensive, it does not reflect my true heart. And for this, I apologize. To every woman that has felt the sting of abuse, I apologize. I recognize that as an artist I have a voice and with that, the power of influence. To the young men who listen to my music, please know that using a substance to rob a woman of her right to make a choice is not only a crime, it’s wrong and I do not encourage it. To my fans, I also apologize if I have disappointed you. I can only hope that this sparks a healthy dialogue and that I can contribute to it.”

–William Roberts (a.k.a “Rick Ross”)

Ikoyi Golf Club Van plunges into river in Lagos; four peeople missing

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A Hilux van belonging to the Ikoyi Golf Club with registration number KS918AU plunged into the Majidun River in the Ikorodu area of Lagos in the early hours of yesterday morning. Four people, including the Golf Club manager Mr Kolawole Ahmed, was in the van when the accident occurred around 5:30 am as they headed home from work. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) officials and divers that conducted the search and rescue said they are yet to find survivors but will continue with the search.

Unknown Gunmen Kill Younger Brother Of NNPC GMD In Kaduna

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According to SaharaReporters, the younger brother of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director, Engr. Andrew La'ah Yakubu was gruesomely murdered by unknown gunmen in Kaduna this morning.

The gun men in conjunction with their collaborators reportedly trailed the GMD's younger brother from Kaduna town as he set off to Southern Kaduna to attend a funeral in Zangon Kataf local government area of the state.

The deceased was traveling with his wife and little girl before they were ambushed in the middle of the road around Kachia local government area, the fate of the other occupants in his car remains unknown.

“Boko Haram Will Stop Killing, If Jonathan Doesn’t Run For Presidency In 2015″

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The President of Ondo State Unification of Cherubim and Seraphim, Primate Ademisokun Turton has stated that the incessant killings by the outlawed Islamic sect,Boko Haram will come to an end as soon as President Goodluck Jonathan discloses his 2015 political ambition.

The cleric said this in Akure, Ondo state capital at the inauguration of the Unification of the Churches in the state that the insecurity situation in Nigeria will come to an end the moment President Goodluck Jonathan makes it public that he is not re-contesting in 2015.

 According to him, “amnesty or no amnesty, the activities of the sect will continue until our President speaks out on his political ambition come 2015.”

Meet The Mother Who Breastfeeds Pet Monkey

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Namita, a middle-aged woman who lives in India’s north-eastern Tripura state and is a government worker, describes Buru, her pet monkey, as her third child.

“Yes, I breastfeed him. He is my son,” says Namita, caressing the monkey.

More than four years ago, her woodcutter husband found a dying baby monkey under a tree after a fierce storm. He brought the animal home in Chandrapur village on the outskirts of the Udaipur town in Tripura’s South District.

“The monkey fell ill after the storm in which it lost its parents. I decided to bring him up with my daughters,” says Namita.

FG to release white paper on NECO – Wike

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Federal Government will soon release the white paper on the Steve Oransaye-led Presidential Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government parastatals, commissions and agencies.

The Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, who said this in Abuja, added that this would clear the speculations on the recommendation to scrap the National Examinations Council.

Wike, who spoke with reporters after monitoring the 2013 national common entrance examination at Junior Secondary School, Wuse-Abuja, said agitations over the report were unnecessary as government would consider an alternative measure, if NECO eventually get scrapped.

Meet The Chinese Man That Lives With Snakes In The Zoo (photos)

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A zoo owner in the Philippines has taken the rather drastic step of sleeping with his collection of snakes as he prepares to usher in the Chinese ‘Year of the Snake’.

Emmanuel Tangco appears to have a rather unusual relationship with the reptiles and has been pictured covered in the snakes at Malabon zoo in Malabon, Metro Manila.

Ojukwu would have died in plane crash –Son

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Late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s son, Debe, who is a lawyer and businessman, speaks to OLUFEMI ATOYEBIon the life of the former Biafran leader

You have the semblance of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who is your father. What other things did you inherit from him?

My late father was the grand patron of Odinana Nnewi when he was alive but after his death, I was elevated to fill that position. I am a legal practitioner and international businessman. I also deal in real estate business. I am the President-General of Umudi Nnewi Development Association. We are from Nnewi North which is made up of four towns in Anambra State. I am also the Chairman of Nnewi Improvement Union in Lagos. So I am a leader just like my father.

Six-yr-old girl narrates how three men took turns to defile her while her 2 year old cousin watched

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“My uncle (her aunt’s husband) and I were going to the shop. ‘Oluwatobi saw us. He then greeted my uncle. I also greeted him.

“ But the next day, my uncle told me to stay at home and do my home work. My uncle said he would be back at home that he wanted to collect money from his shop.

“I went downstairs to buy biscuit. Oluwatobi then saw me and greeted me. He said, ‘fine girl, how are you?’ I said ‘fine.’”

Baby boy dumped in refuse, burnt to death

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An unidentified lady Friday morning dropped a baby in a refuse cart along Rukuba Road in the Plateau State capital  and the baby later burnt to death.

The lady was said to have alighted from a tricycle popularly called Keke NAPEP and dropped a carton in the refuse bin but unknown to those around, the carton contained a baby.

It was unclear if she was the one that ignited the fire or if it came from ashes poured into the bin by other people, but the fire was seen several minutes after she had dropped the carton and left, according to residents of the area.

R.I.P: Late veteran actor Justus Esiri laid to rest

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The veteran actor who died on Friday February 19th was buried yesterday April 12th in Oria-Abraka, Delta State. RMD, Kanayo O Kanayo, Bob Manuel Udokwu and a few other Nollywood stars were at the burial. May his soul continue to rest in peace. Ase !!!

Jay-Z Replies Cuba Trip Critics and Implicates Obama

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Rapper/business mogul Jay-Z’s latest track most likely won’t be one President Obama would listen to more than once.

Jay on Thursday released a single “Open Letter,” in which he fires back at critics of a recent trip he and wife took to Cuba to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary.

The lyrics go like this: “I done turned Havana into Atlanta,”. “Boy from the hood, I got White House clearance… Politicians never did s–t for me except lie to me, distort history… They wanna give me jail time and a fine. Fine, let me commit a real crime.”

 

Three Cuban-American congressional lawmakers had questioned the legality of the trip this week because of a U.S. ban on travel to Cuba. As it turned out, the couple claims that they had received clearance from the Treasury Department as required, but Obama had nothing to do with it, White House spokesman Jay Carney assured reporters Monday.

P-Square: ''So Many Fraudsters Claiming to Be US! Beware!''

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 Last year, a Nigerian fraudster duped a French promoter of a whopping $100,000 after he opened bogus accounts on Twitter and Facebook and claimed he had the franchise to manage P-Square for two years in France.

It would seem more people have toed the path of the unfortunate show promoter who has since learnt that when it comes to Naija, the Internet is not a very good place to do business as it is crawling with fraudsters.

Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg To Visit Akwa Ibom Next Month

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Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is to visit Akwa Ibom in next month, the Niger Delta Young Professionals, a non governmental group, has said.Facebook is a social networking service launched in February, 2004, with over one billion active users.The Chairman of the Niger Delta Young Professional, Mr Moses Siasia, made the announcement when he paid a courtesy visit on Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom on Friday.Siasia said that Zuckerberg had been invited as one of the guest speakers during his groups youth economic summit, scheduled to hold in Uyo from May 28 to May 29.

Photo: Nigerian Man In The UK Rap-és An 11 Yr Old British Girl And Vídeo Tap-és It

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S-éx offender Opemipo Jaji, 18, has been accused of repeatedly raping an 11-year-old schoolgirl in a park and then bragged he would show a vídeo of the attack to her family and friends.

 The girl told police in a vídeo interview played to the court that the attack happened after she had got off a bus.

She said she was walking along a road in Enfield, north London, when a man dragged her into Jubilee Park and repeatedly rap-éd her.