More than a dozen people have been killed and hundreds wounded in a series of powerful explosions at a military base in Equatorial Guinea’s largest city of Bata, according to officials.
In a statement on national television, President Teodoro Obiang said the blasts on Sunday were caused by negligence related to the use of dynamite at the military base. No other details were immediately available.
Obiang, who has ruled Equatorial Guinea since 1942, said at least 15 people were killed and 500 wounded in the explosions.
His statement came some two hours after the health ministry said on Twitter that 17 people had so far been confirmed dead, while the number of wounded stood at 420.
There were fears the death toll could rise.
Local television showed groups of people pulling bodies from piles of rubble, some of which were carried away wrapped in bedsheets. There were also media appeals for people to donate blood, saying hospitals are overwhelmed.
Pick-up trucks filled with survivors, many of whom were children, drove up to the front of a local hospital where some victims were filmed lying on the floor.
In the blast area, iron roofs were ripped off half-destroyed houses and lay twisted amid the rubble. Only a wall or two remained of most houses. People ran in all directions, many of them screaming.
“We hear the explosion and we see the smoke, but we don’t know what’s going on,” a local resident named Teodoro Nguema told the AFP news agency by telephone.
‘Catastrophe’
Equatorial Guinea is a small country of some 1.4 million, with the majority of the population living in poverty despite rich oil reserves.
Obiang’s son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, vice president with responsibility for defence and security, appeared in the television footage at the scene inspecting the damage, accompanied by his Israeli bodyguards, according to AFP.
Teodorin, as he is known, is increasingly seen as the designated successor of the 78-year-old president.
Translation: Following the explosions that occurred today in the city of Bata, Spanish nationals are recommended to remain at home, the embassy said.
After the blast, the Spanish embassy in the capital, Malabo, requested its nationals to remain at home. “Following developments in Equatorial Guinea with concern after the explosions in the city of Bata,” said Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya on Twitter.
Separately, the French ambassador in Equatorial Guinea, Brochenin Olivier, expressed his “condolences for the catastrophe that has just occurred in Bata”.


SOURCE :https://www.aljazeera.com:443/news/2021/3/7/four-large-explosions-hit-equatorial-guinea-city-of-bata-reports

Source : https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2021/3/7/in-pictures-pope-francis-historic-visit-to-iraq

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Pope Francis began an historic visit to Iraq on Friday, the first by a pontiff to the birthplace of the Eastern churches from where more than a million Christians have fled over the past 20 years.
The pope’s visit has a highly symbolic value given the importance of Iraqi Christians in the history of the faith and their cultural and linguistic legacy dating back to the time of ancient Babylon, nearly 4,000 years ago.
The systematic persecution of Iraqi Christians at the hands of al-Qaeda and then ISIL (ISIS) in more recent years has pushed tens of thousands to leave and is threatening the community’s survival.
Francis met the dwindling Christian communities of Baghdad, Mosul and Qaraqosh, Iraq’s largest Christian city in the Nineveh Plains, where, in 2014, the ISIL armed group wiped out the remnants of the Christian presence that had survived al-Qaeda’s violent campaigns, causing tens of thousands to flee and find refuge in the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.
In Erbil, the pope met the Kurdish authorities and some of the 150,000 Christian refugees from central Iraq.
Pope Francis prayed for “victims of war” outside a ruined church in Iraq’s Mosul, where ISIL ravaged one of the world’s oldest Christian communities until its defeat three years ago.
With the partially collapsed walls of the centuries-old Al-Tahera (Immaculate Conception) Church behind him, Pope Francis made a plea for Christians in Iraq and the Middle East to stay in their homelands.
The pope, who in 2019 inaugurated a new phase of interfaith dialogue between the Roman Church and Islam, also visited Najaf to meet Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the highest Shia authority in Iraq where Shia Muslims represent about 70 percent of the total population.

Source :

Ahh Dis Blogger Again

Trutherme:


Gowon was a loser then, still a loser today and will end it all as a loser.
I don't give a rat's behind about Gowon or anything that has to do with his evil heart.

A loser dat crush Una Ass. u know d real loser or I should mention name ?

introvert2:
. well,that is your opinion sir.

no dats d Truth, Leo is d real GOAT

topstone4:

This is nothing special. Many other cities in Nigeria have these

u mean eastern cities ?

don't fool urself everybody know dis, we Hausa's hate Igbo and Igbo's hate us, if u know you know

Felabrity:

PayPal blocked Western union, Tight Bitcoin transaction, blocked

They will always find another way

u mean u will always find anoda way

cc: lalasticlala

Federal Polytechnic Daura, Katsina state.

Federal Polytechnic Kaltungo, Gombe state

Federal Polytechnic Wannune, Benue state

Federal Polytechnic Monguno, Borno state

Federal Polytechnic Shendam, Plateau state

Federal Polytechnic Ayede, Oyo state.

Federal Polytechnic Ugep, Cross River state.


HEALTH CARE


Airforce Reference Hospital, Daura

Naval Reference Hospital, Calabar

Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Maiduguri (ongoing)

NAF Base Stand Hospital Bauchi

Women & Children Hospital, Daura

Cancer Treatment Center, Abuja

Cancer Treatment Center, Lagos

Diagnostic Centers, KANO

Diagnostic Centers at the Federal
Medical Centre, Umuahia.

Modern Medical Diagnostic Centre at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH)


EDUCATION


Nigerian Maritime University Okerenkoko, Delta state

Nigerian Army University Biu, Borno state

University of Agriculture Zuru, Kebbi state

University of Transportation Daura, Katsina state

Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology, Kano (completed)

New Science Complex at Gombe state University (funded by CBN)

World-Class Library at ABU, Zaria

World-Class Library at KWAPOLY, Ilorin

Ahmadu Bello University Business Scool, Zaria

Airforce University, Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi state.


INFRASTRUCTURE


Baro Inland Water Port

Ibadan Dry Port

Kaduna Dry Port

Lekki Deep Sea Port (ongoing)

Ajaokuta-Kaduna Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline (600+km, ongoing)

Transformer Plant (50 Engineers are currently in China for training)

Escravos-Lagos pipeline project phase 2 (36’x342km)

NPA-revived Eastern ports in Cross River, Rivers and Delta states

15 Fertilizer Plants revived
Buhari Quarters (Housing Estates in every state except Lagos and Rivers states).

Second Niger Bridge (ongoing)

Bonny-Bodo Bridge, Rivers state

Loko-Oweto Bridge, Benue state

Ibbi Bridge, Taraba state

Enugu-Calabar-Cameroon Highway

Completion of NDDC headquarters after 21 years

Building of NCDMB skyscraper headquarters, Yenagoa

Building of independent power plants in Aba, Lagos Island elsewhere to provide 24/7 electricity to thousands of shops.


MODULAR REFINERIES


Niger Delta Petroleum Resources modular refinery, Rivers state

OPAC modular Refinery, Delta state

WalterSmith Refinery Limited, Imo state


RAILWAY PROJECTS


Abuja Metro Train

Abuja-Kaduna Train (95% completed inherited)

Warri-Itakpe Train (Kogi-Edo-Delta state)
Lagos-Abeojuta-Ibadan

Lagos-Ibadan train linked to Apapa Port
Train Assembly Plan, Kajola, Ogun state
Railway Maintenance and Repairs village


AVIATION


New Abuja Airport Runway

New Abuja Airport Terminal

New Lagos Airport Terminal

Port Harcourt Airport Terminal

Enugu Airport Runway & Terminal

Aminu Kano Airport Terminal

Maiduguri New Airport Terminal


PENSION/GRATUITY


N30,000 Minimum Wage

Pension Arrears payment to civil servants
Bailout to 27 States

Ex-Biafra soldiers & Policemen entitlements paid

Retired Police pensions paid

Airways Retirees pensions settled

NITEL/Mtel Staff Pensions cleared


SOCIAL INVESTMENT


N-Power for 1.5m graduates

School Feeding Programme for Pry 1-3 pupils in public schools

TraderMoni

FarmerMoni

Modified Home-Grown Feeding programme

Extended Special Public Works Programme 1000 persons from every LGA (774,000 people)

Survival Fund for artisans, firms and petty traders.


AGRICULTURE


WACOT (Largest Rice Mill in Africa), Kebbi state

OLAM (largest Feed Mill in Africa), Kaduna state

SUNTI (Largest Sugar Company in Africa), Niger state

200,000 Capacity Yam Storage Facility, Benue state

Shea-butter Production and the Fashion Industry), Oyo state.

Buhari is an outright success...

He is progressively succeeding against all odds.
#MayNigeriaSucceed
#NextLevelChallenge

Credit - Valiant Samson Idowu-Alaba
#iStandWithBuhari


WE STAND WITH A MAN OF HONOR CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY.



Source : https://mobile.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3998436643576549&id=986384794781764&refid=17&ref=opera_speed_dial_freefb&_ft_=mf_story_key.3998436643576549%3Atop_level_post_id.3998436643576549%3Atl_objid.3998436643576549%3Acontent_owner_id_new.986384794781764%3Athrowback_story_fbid.3998436643576549%3Apage_id.986384794781764%3Aphoto_id.3998436233576590%3Astory_location.4%3Astory_attachment_style.photo%3Atds_flgs.3%3Aott.AX_V5rHKwNqtDBSV%3Athid.986384794781764%3A306061129499414%3A2%3A0%3A1614585599%3A6129872566190791484&__tn__=%2As-R

she's on drugs for real ���

JohnnyPalmer:
She looks like she's on drugs
What do i know

toh

Arewa1stSon:
meyasa kikayi wanan mumunan posting?? Bayan amatsayinki na bahaushiya kinsan cewa akwai fulanin jaji da gida?

Bayan Kuma kinsan cewa yawancin matsalar tasaro fulanin mu ne na jeji, Wanda acikin su ma akwai Hausawa.

Kiji tsoron Allah...duk yan Arewa matsalar mu daya ce! Tasaro...

Yakamata mu hada Kai mu kuputar da Arewa a halin da take ciki... Bawai mu ta kucecekuce ba!

duk ayiwa juna hakuri, muyi focusing akan matsalarmu [tsaro]

to

shege45:
I have never experienced Racism where I am

we don't have racist here in Nigeria

spaghetti

pics

more

Myanmar’s army declared a state of emergency on Monday as it carried out detentions of senior government leaders in response to alleged fraud during November’s general election.

A video address broadcast on military-owned television said power had been handed to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

Here is the statement read out on Myawaddy Television (MWD):

“The voter lists which were used during the multi-party general election which was held on the 8th of November were found to have huge discrepancies and the Union Election Commission (UEC) failed to settle this matter.
Although the sovereignty of the nation must derive from the people, there was terrible fraud in the voter list during the democratic general election which runs contrary to ensuring a stable democracy.

A refusal to settle the issue of voter list fraud and a failure to take action and follow a request to postpone lower-house and upper-house parliament sessions is not in accordance with Article 417 of the 2018 constitution that refers to ‘acts or attempts to take over the sovereignty of the Union by wrongful forcible means’ and could lead to a disintegration of national solidarity.
Due to such acts, there have been a lot of protests going on in townships and cities in Myanmar to demonstrate their mistrust toward UEC.

Other parties and people have also been found conducting different kinds of provocations including displaying flags which are very damaging to national security.

Unless this problem is resolved, it will obstruct the path to democracy and it must therefore be resolved according to the law.

Therefore, the state of emergency is declared in accordance with Article 417 of the 2008 constitution.

In order to perform scrutiny of the voter lists and to take action, the authority of the nation’s law making, governance and jurisdiction is handed over to the commander in chief in accordance with the 2008 constitution Article 418, sub article (a).

The state of emergency is effective nationwide and the duration of the state of emergency is set for one year, starting from the date this order is announced in line with Article 417 of the 2008 constitution.”

SOURCE: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/1/full-text-of-myanmar-army-statement-on-state-of-emergency

For almost a quarter of a century, Tunisia’s drug laws have mandated long prison sentences for drug offenses resulting in large numbers of low-level offenders in Tunisian prisons. Long prison sentences are cruel, disproportionate, and counterproductive punishment for recreational users.People convicted for drug use or possession leave prison with a criminal record that often prevents them from gaining employment and subjects them to social stigma and police harassment.
Law n.92-52 on Narcotics (referred to as Law 52), adopted in 1992, requires courts to impose a minimum mandatory sentence of one year in prison on any person found guilty of use and possession of an illegal drug, including cannabis. The law imposes a minimum sentence of five years in prison on repeat offenders. For both offenses, judges have no discretion to reduce the sentence in light of mitigating circumstances. Even in cases involving possession of a single joint, judges lack authority to impose alternatives to incarceration such as community-based sanctions or other administrative penalties.
As of December 2015, 7,451 people were prosecuted for drug related offences in Tunisia’s prisons, and 7,306 men and 145 women, according to the Justice Ministry’s General Administration of Prisons and Rehabilitation. Around seventy percent of these – about 5,200 persons, were convicted of using or possessing cannabis, referred to in Tunisia as “zatla.” Drug offences represented 28 percent of the total state prison population.
Human Rights Watch has documented how state enforcement of criminal drug law in Tunisia has resulted in serious human rights violations. Human Rights Watch interviewed 47 people in several locations in Tunisia, including young residents of working-class neighborhoods, students, artists, and bloggers. The interviews showed that abuses accompany enforcement of
Tunisia’s drug control policies, such as beatings during arrest and interrogation, rude, insulting and threatening police behavior, mistreatment during urine tests and searches of homes without judicial warrants.
Once a person is convicted under Law 52 and sent to prison, another kind of ordeal begins. In its last report on Tunisia, the Office of The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights cited significant overcrowding in Tunisian prisons, suggesting that some prisons were at 150 percent capacity. Therefore, a person convicted of smoking a joint has to share an overcrowded cell with persons imprisoned for serious crimes.
Precious law enforcement and court resources are expended processing thousands of cannabis possession arrests each year – resources that could be reallocated to handling more serious offenses.
The oppressiveness of the drug law is compounded by the abuses that frequently accompany criminal arrests in general. Tunisia’s code of criminal procedure gives the police broad discretion to arrest persons without reasonable suspicion of illegal behavior. After being placed under arrest, suspects have no right to a lawyer during the first six days they are held in custody before they must be presented to a judge. During this initial period, detainees are particularly vulnerable to mistreatment by law enforcement agents because they cannot receive visits by family members or a lawyer, including during their interrogation by police.
Calls by civil society groups and human rights activists for the revision of Law 52 have been growing for months. During the presidential and legislative electoral campaigns of 2014, the ultimately victorious candidate for president, Beji Caid Essebsi, said that he favors eliminating prison terms for first-time offenders. On December 30, 2015, the government approved a new draft drug law. At time of writing, the draft has yet to be sent to the parliament for discussion and voting.
Human Rights Watch welcomes the draft law’s abolition of prison terms for first-time offenders in drug use or possession cases and its abolition of mandatory sentences for both first-time and repeat offenders, the discretion it grants judges to impose punishments less harsh than prison time, and the greater emphasis it places on access to treatment services.
Despite these improvements, a number of concerns remain.
By maintaining the option of prison sentences of up to one year for repeat use and possession of illegal drugs, the bill ignores calls from international experts on human rights and health urging countries to eliminate custodial sentences for drug use and possession.
Governments have a legitimate interest in preventing societal harms caused by drugs.
However, criminalizing personal drug use per se clashes with a person’s right to privacy and basic concepts of autonomy underpinning all rights.
The decision to use drugs, like the decision to consume alcohol or tobacco, is a matter of personal choice and an exercise of an aspect of the right to privacy under international law, a cornerstone of respect for personal autonomy. Limitations on autonomy and the right to privacy may be imposed, but are justified only if they meet the criteria of legitimate purpose, proportionality, necessity, and non-discrimination. The criteria of proportionality and necessity require governments to consider what means are available to achieve the same purpose that would be least restrictive or pose minimal interference with respect for and the exercise of human rights.
Human Rights Watch believes that arguments for criminalization of personal drug use or possession of drugs for personal use rarely, if ever, meet these criteria. Arrest, incarceration, and a criminal record with possibly life-long consequences are inherently disproportionate government responses to someone who has done nothing more than use recreational drugs.
The draft law contains provisions that may violate the right to free expression and of privacy. The draft adds a new offense of “public incitement to commit drug-related offenses,” which entails half the sentence of the underlying offense.
This new provision, as written, could be used to prosecute members of civil society groups that advocate for the decriminalization of drugs, rappers and singers who sing about drugs, organizations providing services to reduce drug related harms, and others who express themselves peacefully about drugs. The draft has also considerably expanded the special investigative measures available to the police when conducting anti-drug operations, such as surveillance, phone tapping and interception of communication.

Facebook Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said he sees Apple Inc. as a “significant” future competitor as the two companies begin to build out rival business lines.
Zuckerberg discussed Facebook’s key product areas on Wednesday during a fourth-quarter earnings call, and said he expects there to be “very significant competitive overlap” with the iPhone maker on several of them, including private messaging and augmented reality glasses. He criticized Apple’s iMessage, suggesting it offered weaker privacy than Facebook’s WhatsApp, and implied iMessage’s market dominance in the U.S. was the result of unfair advantages provided by Apple.
“IMessage is the most popular service in the U.S. I think because of the fact that they pre-install it and give their app several advantages that other apps don’t have,” Zuckerberg said.
The CEO also said that Facebook and Apple are likely to become direct rivals on the “next computing platform,” referring to virtual and augmented reality headsets. Facebook already offers VR headsets from its Oculus unit, and both companies are building AR glasses. “I think we would expect to see them as more of a competitor there as well,” he added.
Facebook has attacked Apple in recent months, primarily over expected changes to Apple’s iOS 14 mobile software, which will make it harder for the social network to track users and show them ads based on their past online activity. Apple has said it is making the move to protect user privacy, and Facebook has argued that the opt-in requirement will hurt small businesses that rely on targeted advertising for sales. Facebook told analysts Wednesday that the iOS changes could curb its revenue growth.
“Apple may say that they’re doing this to help people, but the moves clearly track their competitive interests,” Zuckerberg said.
The threat to revenue growth from Apple’s changes to iOS were part of a broader warning from Facebook about “significant uncertainty” for its business heading into 2021. The Menlo Park, California-based company said sales gains may slow in the second half as pandemic lockdowns — and the accompanying growth in traffic and ad revenue — ease.
For now, the company is still benefiting from a surge in online shopping and digital advertising during the Covid-19 crisis. Facebook reported fourth-quarter sales jumped 33% to $28.1 billion, and monthly average users on its flagship site rose to 2.8 billion.
Apple also reported quarterly earnings on Wednesday, with revenue jumping 21% to $111.4 billion, propelled by the iPhone 12.


SOURCE : https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/1/28/bb-facebook-vs-apple-social-media-giant-sees-future-competitor

Yankee101:
Useless campaign strategies won't work

This is neither ultra nor modern

How many traders lost their stalls and didn't get any allocation in the new one?

How many property owners where adequately compensated?

So his religious bigotry, political and economic isolation of kaduna south don't matter anymore?

kill urself fool

triple996:

9ive one I stay in unguwan rimi,close to the market bt am currently serving (nysc)

Great k huta avinka

triple996:
9ice one ma guy Which part of kaduna are you staying

Tudun wada

kd

my kaduna