FRESH 4RM GIM

  The death toll from back-to-back market bombings carried out by the Islamic State group in eastern Baghdad has climbed to 73. Police and health officials say several of the critically wounded died overnight while 112 people remain in hospital. Also, at least five people are still missing after the blast ripped through the crowded Mredi market in the Shiite district of Sadr City, followed by a suicide bombing amid the crowd that gathered at the site.

The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has directed the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to pay the family of a boy that was electrocuted in Abuja a N10 million compensation. The CPC said that the action was due to the AEDC’s technical lapses and gross negligence. This is contained in a statement signed and released by the Head of Public Relations of CPC, Mr Abiodun Obimuyiwa, yesterday in Abuja. The statement said that the directive was issued following a complaint filed by Mr Tade Ayodele.

Somalia’s al Shabaab group bombed a busy junction and a nearby restaurant in the town of Baidoa on Sunday, killing at least 30 people, police and the group said. Al Shabaab often carries out such suicide attacks in the capital and elsewhere in its bid to topple Somalia’s Western- backed government. The group wants to impose its strict version of Islamic rule in the Horn of Africa nation. “The restaurant and the junction were very busy,” Police Major Bilow Nurr told Reuters from Baidoa, which lies about 245 km (152 miles) northwest of Mogadishu.

  Evangelist Bamidele Olomilua has said Nigeria would have been a thing of the passed if GEJ was reelected – Olomilua, a former governor of Ondo state, says President Buhari’s leadership style is applaudable – He says Nigeria needs a firm hand to rule it and that is perfectly found in Buhari – The ex-governor says the emergence of APC has stirred Nigeria towards progress Bamidele Olumilua, a former governor of the old Ondo state and a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), has said that Nigeria is lucky to have a President like Buhari.

Chris Rock at the 2016 Oscars. For some people, 51-year-old comedian Chris Rock was the reason why they tuned in to watch the Oscars following the #OscarsSoWhite controversy and boycott of the event by some top Hollywood stars. Chris kicked off the 88th Academy Awards with a speech heavy on the controversy, a reference to the Black Lives Matter movement, and a whole ton of satire.

Former Super Eagles striker, Emmanuel Emenike, has insisted that he is done with the national team and will not make a return under Samson Siasia. The player, who is currently on loan at West Ham in England, retired from international football last year, while Sunday Oliseh was still the handler of the Eagles. “I’m done with the Super Eagles, and I am making it clear again that I am not going back. “It’s my decision and I am not going to reverse it, I am sorry if I have offended anybody regarding this but no Eagles return for me,” he said, according to SportingLife.

New Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia has announced that he will be recalling retirees, former goalie, Vincent Enyeama and striker, Emmanuel Emenike back to the squad ahead of the clash with the Egyptians on March 25.

Wednesday afternoon, sources confirmed a long running rumor about Donald Trump’s citizenship. After a huge win in Nevada of nearly 20% over Maro Rubio, this news comes with devastating consequences and a great outlook for the Democratic front-runner,

Following the voluntary resignation of Sunday Oliseh on Friday morning, a former striker has been reappointed as the head coach to handle the national team in the person of Samson Siasia.

Gianni Infantino has been elected as the new president of Fifa, having been voted in to replace the disgraced Sepp Blatter atFriday’s election in Zurich.

The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal filed by Chukwuemeka Ezeugo aka Reverend King, general overseer of the Christian Praying Assembly,

  The naira is already devalued whether the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government accepts it officially or not, 28 professional associations registered in the country have said. According to the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, the naira has depreciated significantly against the United States dollar at the parallel market regardless of the President’s recent stance on the matter.

Sony Xperia Z6 release date rumours have started, only two flagship Xperia devices to be launched in 2016 Update – February 25, 2016 – Sony Xperia Z series fans, we have some bad news for you. Looks like the Xperia X6 will never happen as Sony is going to wrap up the Xperia Z series. The Xperia Z5 will be the last of the Z series, which is now being replaced by the all new Xperia X series. The new X series devices will be focused more on improving the Camera, Battery life and Hardware/ Software design. Sony said this in an official statement to XperiaBlog .

“The larger question isn’t going to be answered in the courts, and shouldn’t be,” James B. Comey Jr., the F.B.I. director, said in a hearing of the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday. Credit Jim Lo Scalzo/European Pressphoto Agency The legal wrangling over a federal court order requiring Apple to help law enforcement break into an iPhone intensified Thursday, with the company filing its formal response and asking the court to drop its demand. Other technology companies — Microsoft, Google, Twitter, Facebook and Yahoo — also moved to throw their weight behind Apple in court. The companies said they planned to file one or more briefs backing Apple next week in federal court in California.

Four senior police officers, including the Commander of the Anti-Bomb Squad of the Adamawa State Police Command, were killed on Thursday when some bombs exploded at the Jimeta Divisional Police Headquarters in Yola. The blast was said to have occurred at about 11.44am on Thursday when some bombs seized from terrorists suddenly went off. It was gathered that the bombs were affected by a heat wave where they were kept in the armoury.

  The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board says more than 1.85 million candidates applied for this year 's UTME on its Computer-Based Test (CBT) platform. The board's Registrar, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, announced this in a statement emailed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos. The statement said that this year's figure was an improvement on the 1.47 million candidates who applied for the same examination in 2015.

  Sunday Oliseh has quit as Nigeria’s football coach after claiming violations of his contract and receiving too little help from the national federation for next month’s crucial 2017 Africa Cup of Nations clash with Egypt. Nigeria host seven-time African champions and group leaders Egypt on March 25 in Kaduna before a return fixture days later, with only the overall group winners guaranteed automatic qualification to the 2017 Nations Cup in Gabon. “Oliseh has resigned as Super Eagles coach after he did not enjoy the right support from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF),” a top official said on Friday.

After several weeks of controversy between the Chief Coach of Nigeria’s national team, Sunday Oliseh and his employers, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF),

Militants under the aegis of Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), have vowed to blow up more pipelines in Delta state – The NDA says it will keep vandalizing pipelines until the Federal Government meets with their terms – They claim that the government is exploiting the Niger Delta people The NDA which claimed responsibility for blowing up the Forcados terminal pipeline in Delta state, recently, has served notice of attacks on more oil installations in the region until the FG addresses its grievances. “Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Forcados terminal is our latest casualty.

Donald is right at home in Westeros. What do you get when you put a power-hungry Donald Trump in a power-hungry TV show? You get a hilarious parody of the Republican presidential candidate, whose talking head was superimposed on a number of characters from the hit HBO TV series Game of Thrones. Insiders, an ABC political news show helmed by satirist Huw Parkinson, has long used video mashups that meld pop culture references and skewered politicians into entertaining bits.

The scarcity of foreign exchange for importation of raw materials by local industries is adversely affecting the sector as over 50,000 workers have lost their jobs in Abuja in the last two months. The President, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Tony Ejinkeonye, confirmed the job losses in an exclusive interview with our correspondent in Abuja. Similarly, the President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Frank Jacobs, said that about 10 companies had formally notified the association about their intention to shut down operations before the end of this month.

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a visually impaired man, Dr. Samuel Ankeli, as his Senior Special Assistant with responsibility for his dealings with persons living with disability. Dr. Ankeli headed the Directorate of Persons with Disability at the Buhari/Osinbajo APC presidential campaign headquarters, the first of any such department in a political party in Nigeria. He led a team that successfully mobilised a large number from the more than 24 million disabled persons in the country to support the All Progressives Congress candidate and his running mate during the 2015 presidential election campaign.

Comrade Peter Esele is the immediate past president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC). TUC is one of the two pivotal and foremost Organized Labour Movement umbrellas for workers in Nigeria. In this interview, Esele explains why he is aspiring to succeed Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as Governor of Edo State in 2016 on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and why Edo people are one. SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN reports. What is it that brought you here today? I am interested in the position (of governorship ticket) to be chosen by the delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as its gubernatorial aspirant in the next election. That is why I am moving around.

  Apple Inc on Monday urged the creation of a government panel on encryption, the latest salvo in a standoff over a locked iPhone linked to the San Bernardino shooting that has escalated into a public relations battle between the revered technology company and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook also sent a letter to employees Monday morning, making clear the company's hardline stance refusing to make software to unlock the phone addresses broader issues, not just a single device linked to a grisly attack.

Midfielder John Obi Mikel wants interim manager Guus Hiddink to extend his stay at Chelsea beyond the current season, despite the Dutchman confirming his intention to leave the club in May. Hiddink replaced Jose Mourinho in December and has lost just once in 13 games in all competitions with the same squad that suffered their worst start to a league season since 1978 under the Portuguese. "Obviously, definitely I want him to stay," Mikel, who has featured in 11 games for Hiddink after falling out of favour under Mourinho, told British media.

DESPITE opposition from some quarters, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff, yesterday declared that he would not resign his new appointment. The Board of Trustees of the PDP rose from a meeting in Abuja yesterday night stating that it had rejected Sheriff as national chairman of the party. Addressing journalists shortly after the meeting, the BoT led by its acting chairman, Senator Walid Jibril, ‎said in a paragraph statement:

File (Bang) Khloe Kardashian says remarrying Lamar Odom would be 'the best dream'. The 31-year-old reality TV star has been looking after her estranged husband since he collapsed at a Nevada brothel last year following an alcohol and drugs binge and while they are currently just friends, Khloe isn't ruling anything out.

  At 106 years old, she's seen more than a dozen presidents come and go, but Virginia McLaurin says she can finally die happy after meeting President Barack Obama. Video of the centenarian shaking her groove with excitement quickly went viral on the Internet after last week's Black History Month reception at the White House. The grandmother told The Associated Press that when she saw the president and first lady Michelle Obama in the flesh, "I was so happy, I started dancing." "I've come a long ways, a long ways," McLaurin said in an interview outside her Washington home. "I just didn't think I'd ever live to go this far in the world."

Premier League is our biggest rival - Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu The Premier League is a greater threat to Barcelona than traditional rivals Real Madrid, according to Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu. The 20 top-flight teams in English football will share £5.136bn for live domestic TV coverage from next season, with even the bottom club getting £99m. That financial power concerns Bartomeu.

  The prime minister says his only agenda is what is best for the country Leaving the European Union would threaten jobs and put the UK's economy at risk, business leaders from some of Britain's biggest companies have said. Bosses - including those of BT, Marks & Spencer and Vodafone - signed a letter published in the Times, saying an EU exit would deter investment in the UK. However, Leave.EU said leaving would cut "unnecessary" regulation and costs.

FA Cup highlights: Shrewsbury 0-3 Man Utd  Louis van Gaal allowed himself a rare smile as he conducted his post-match media briefing by the side of the pitch at Shrewsbury Town's Greenhous Meadow. The haunted look that followed the Premier League defeat at Sunderland and the humiliating Europa League loss at Danish minnows FC Midtjylland was temporarily replaced by the satisfaction of an easy 3-0 win at the League One strugglers in the FA Cup fifth round. The respite only lasts until Thursday when they must beat Midtjylland at Old Trafford to keep those European aspirations afloat - but is it already too late for Van Gaal to salvage his Manchester United career?

Water supply has been partially restored in the Indian capital, Delhi, where up to 10 million were affected after protesters sabotaged a key canal. The army took control of the Munak canal in neighbouring Haryana state on Monday after Jat community protesters, angry at caste job quotas, seized it. Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra said the "crisis was still not over" and urged people to use water carefully. The city's schools, which were closed because of the crisis, have reopened.

THE leadership crisis in the Senate re-echoed at the weekend as some senators opposed to the Senate Presidency of Abubakar Bukola Saraki (the Unity Group) vowed to prevent its spokesman, Kabiru Marafa, from being suspended from the Senate. The Senate had last week Tuesday mandated its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate Marafa’s alleged offensive remarks against the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly. In the said remarks, Marafa, among others, kicked against the N4.7 billion car purchase plan of the Eighth Senate and alleged secrecy of accounts of the entire National Assembly.

  The 2015/2016 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), kicked off with champions Enyimba losing 1-0 to Rivers United in Port Harcourt. Frederick Obomate’s 64th minute free kick, ensured the hosts recorded their second win against the Peoples Elephants in seven years. Newcomers, MFM FC shocked Nasarawa United 1-0 at the Aper Aku Stadium in Markudi. Musa Newman and Chukwuka Emmanuel gave the debutants a two-goal lead, before Ifeanyi Nweke pulled one back.

  The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has congratulated former Senate President, Senator David Mark for emerging victorious in last Saturday’s re-run polls. Mark ,a candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defeated his closest rival, Mr. Daniel Onjeh of All Progressives Congress (APC) after winning in five of the nine local government areas of Benue South Senatorial district. According to the results announced by the INEC Returning Officer, Professor Isiaka Eneji, Mark had 18,468 votes in Otukpo, his native local government, while Onjeh polled 12,203. In Obadigbo LGA, Mark scored 6,844 while Onjeh scored 8,882. Others are Ado LGA, Mark 6,513, Onjeh 6,370; Agatu LGA, Mark 7,986, Onjeh 3,456; Okpokwu LGA, Mark 11,935, Onjeh 6,830; Apa LGA – Mark 9,191, Onjeh 4,942.

• Wenger wary of Suárez in Tuesday’s Champions League visit of Barcelona • Hull City’s Steve Bruce says promotion is priority despite 0-0 FA Cup draw   Hull City’s Eldin Jakupovic saves a shot from Danny Welbeck of Arsenal in the FA Cup. Photograph: Jason Dawson/Rex/Shutterstock Understandably, there have been times when Arsène Wenger has allowed the “what if” scenario to play out in his mind. What if that infamous £40m plus £1 bid for Luis Suárez had been accepted by Liverpool? “It happened to me before but not now,” the Arsenal manager mused.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in older men with nearly one quarter of a million new cases discovered each year. It is the second most cause of death in men with over 25,000 deaths each year.

. 'Man Utd in difficult situation' Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal put his side's 2-1 defeat by FC Midtjylland down to Murphy's law. Memphis Depay put the visitors ahead in the first leg of their Europa League last-32 tie, but Pione Sisto and Paul Onuachu gave the hosts victory. Van Gaal, already without 13 players, lost David de Gea during the warm-up and used an adage that means anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

  Donald Trump leads the polls in South Carolina Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has heaped praise on Pope Francis, hours after the pontiff questioned his Christian faith. The Pope had said Mr Trump's proposal to build a wall on the US border with Mexico was not Christian, provoking a strong response from the businessman. But hours later, at a town hall event in South Carolina, the billionaire hotel developer was more conciliatory. Republican voters in the US state will make their presidential choice in days.

The naira has on Thursday experienced further depreciation and is now valued at 391 against a dollar   Wole Soyinka Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka has made a call for an emergency economic meeting to help the country solve its current challenges especially as it relates to the constant depreciation of the naira. He made the call when he visited the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Abuja on Thursday, said experts and consumers should be invited to the meeting. He said, “The economic condition of a nation and of a people does not deteriorate overnight. Something came before that deterioration.

Kim Kardashian was about to give birth to baby son Saint in a preview on Thursday of the upcoming episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. 'My water just broke,' the 35-year-old reality star told her momager Kris Jenner. 'What!,' Kris responded. Sneak peek: Kim Kardashian announced that her 'water just broke' in a preview released on Thursday of the upcoming episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians Kim earlier was shown at Kris's house playing with an Amazon Echo machine and asked it who her sister Kourtney was.

(NDTV) Pope Francis forcefully injected himself into the U.S. presidential campaign on Thursday, assailing Republican candidate Donald Trump's views on U.S. immigration as "not Christian" in a sign of growing international concern at the billionaire businessman's election prospects. Trump struck back. No stranger to controversy, the longtime party front-runner in national opinion polls dismissed the leader of the world's Roman Catholics as "disgraceful" for questioning his faith. He said he was a proud Christian.

A Boko Haram market destroyed by Nigerian troops in Gulumba, Borno State... on Thursday. Photo: Defence Headquarters The Nigerian Army has rescued 195 persons held hostage by the Boko Haram sect. The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in an electronic mail on Thursday that soldiers also recovered 300 cows, 200 sheep and 130 goats stolen by the insurgents.

A Boko Haram market destroyed by Nigerian troops in Gulumba, Borno State... on Thursday. Photo: Defence Headquarters The Nigerian Army has rescued 195 persons held hostage by the Boko Haram sect. The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in an electronic mail on Thursday that soldiers also recovered 300 cows, 200 sheep and 130 goats stolen by the insurgents.

A Boko Haram market destroyed by Nigerian troops in Gulumba, Borno State... on Thursday. Photo: Defence Headquarters The Nigerian Army has rescued 195 persons held hostage by the Boko Haram sect. The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in an electronic mail on Thursday that soldiers also recovered 300 cows, 200 sheep and 130 goats stolen by the insurgents.

Femi Fani-Kayode has written a powerful piece on the emergence of Ali Modu Sheriff as Acting Chairman of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. On the 16th of February 2016, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) adopted Senator Ali Modu Sheriff (aka SARS), a two-time ANPP Governor of Borno state, a former ANPP senator, the former Chairman of the All Peoples Congress (APC) Board of Trustees and the indisputable founder of Boko Haram as its Acting National Chairman. Modu-Sheriff is also the erstwhile godfather and sponsor of Governor Shettima Ali, the present APC Governor of Borno state (until they fell out), He is a man that has a very deep and profound relationship and association with Idris Deby, the President of Chad and he is a man whose son is married to the daughter of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Lionel Messi scored his 300th goal in La Liga from a total of 335 appearances. For years now, Lionel Messi has been considered one of the best footballers ever to play the game. Although comparing the Argentine genius to legends such as Diego Maradona, Pele or Johan Cruyff seemed outrageous at first, his impressive stats in terms of Ballon d'Ors won (five), collective titles conquered (26) and goals scored (439) at only 28 years of age prove that he truly deserves to be considered in such high-calibre company.

Super blogger Linda Ikeji recently shared the happy news that she had purchased 2 Hermes Birkin bags with her fans via social networking site – Instagram.