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http://ift.tt/eA8V8J An explosion at a fireworks factory in central India on Wednesday killed 20 workers and injured 10 others, some with serious burns, an official said. Dozens of employees managed to escape unhurt but firefighters spent two hours bringing the major blaze under control in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh state. “A total of 20 charred bodies have been pulled out of the factory,” local administrative chief Bharat Yadav told AFP from the accident site. “The rescue operation is over now, we have cleared the place and thankfully no one is trapped inside,” he added. Yadav said it was unclear what caused the blast, but suspected a worker may have callously tossed a burning beedi (a local type of cigarette) inside. “What exactly triggered the fire is not yet known. It is possible that someone might have thrown a burning beedi,” he told the Press Trust of India. Madhya Pradesh’s Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan offered his condolences on Twitter, announcing compe...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said the unemployment rate in the country rose from 13.9 per cent in the 3 rd quarter to 14.2 per cent in the 4 th quarter of 2016. The NBS made this known in the “Unemployment/Under-employment Report for 4 th Quarter of 2016’’ made available on the bureau’s website on Tuesday in Abuja. The report said that the period under review showed that the population of unemployed was 27.12 million in 3rd quarter, compared to 28.58 million persons in the 4 th quarter. It said that this showed an increase in the number of unemployed labour force by 351,015 persons. According to the bureau, the percentage increase in both the 2 nd  and 1 st quarter of 2016 were slightly lower at 13.4 per cent and 12.1 per cent, respectively. It showed that 26.06 million persons were unemployed in 2nd quarter and while 24.5 million were unemployed in the 1st quarter in the year under review. The report however showed that the underemployed...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J A “large part” of the network behind Monday’s suicide bomb attack at a pop concert in Manchester has been arrested, the head of Britain’s counter-terrorism police said on Friday. Police believe they have “got hold of a large part of the network,” Mark Rowley said, adding that there had been “immense” progress in the investigation. Vía Nigeria News – Nigerian Newspaper – The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2r49QUx

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Apostle Alexander Bamgbola, on Sunday said Nigeria would be great again, urging the people not to relent in their prayers. Bamgbola spoke at the closing ceremony of the annual Greater Grace Conference of the Olivet Bible Church with the theme `Boundless’, at its headquarters in Festac Town, Lagos. He said that the current challenges Nigeria was facing would soon be over because God is interested in the country. “God will restore the lost glory and virtues of the country. This nation shall rise again; not too long, but very soon. “We must pray more, and we will have victory; it shall be recorded in the comity of nations that Nigeria has risen,’’ he said. The Senior Pastor of the Church, Pastor Owen Nlekwuwa, spoke in similar vein, saying the glory and dignity of Nigeria would soon be restored. “The dignity and honour that God has created this nation for will soon rise again and all i...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Apostle Alexander Bamgbola, on Sunday said Nigeria would be great again, urging the people not to relent in their prayers. Bamgbola spoke at the closing ceremony of the annual Greater Grace Conference of the Olivet Bible Church with the theme `Boundless’, at its headquarters in Festac Town, Lagos. He said that the current challenges Nigeria was facing would soon be over because God is interested in the country. “God will restore the lost glory and virtues of the country. This nation shall rise again; not too long, but very soon. “We must pray more, and we will have victory; it shall be recorded in the comity of nations that Nigeria has risen,’’ he said. The Senior Pastor of the Church, Pastor Owen Nlekwuwa, spoke in similar vein, saying the glory and dignity of Nigeria would soon be restored. “The dignity and honour that God has created this nation for will soon rise again and all i...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Turkey is a safe country for reporters who are truly practicing journalism and not engaging in terrorist activities, the minister for European affairs, Omer Celik, said on Thursday. Turkey has 145 media workers in jail, according to the European Federation of Journalists. Among them is Deniz Yucel, a German working for Die Welt newspaper who was arrested in February. Mathias Depardon, a French photojournalist, was detained this week and remains in custody, according to Reporters Without Borders. “Turkey is a safe country for foreign journalists, for real journalists and for those who want to be in Turkey for journalism,” Celik said in Strasbourg, standing alongside Thorbjorn Jagland, the chief of the Council of Europe, the continent’s leading human rights body. He said that Turkey would take measures against people who “under the identity or cloak of journalism get involved in the activities of terrorist organizations.” He also warned reporters on “attending m...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The Kwara House of Assembly on Wednesday passed the People with Disabilities Bill. The bill, which was passed after the House considered its features at the Committee of the Whole, was sponsored by Aishat lbrahim (APC–Ilorin East). The bill, if assented to, would further protect the rights of physically challenged persons in the state and give them more opportunities. The Speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad, directed the Clerk of the House, Alhaji Muhammed Katsina, to produce a clean copy of the bill for Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed’s assent. During Wednesday’s plenary, the Kwara Revenue Court Amendment Bill and the Revenue Administration Bill also passed second reading. Moving the motion, the House Leader, Hassan Oyeleke, said that the new amendment would accelerate dispensation of justice on tax- related matters. The post Kwara House passes People with Disability Bill appeared first on Vanguard News . Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2q32K4e

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Dayo Johnson Akure A house wife Foluke Ojo has asked a Magistrate Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo state capital to dissolved her 14 year old marriage with Busuyi over allegation of a request for too much sex by her husband. Foluke had approached Court seeking dissolution of the marriage saying she was tired of the union. The couple told the Court that they were no more enjoying the 14 year old marriage and agreed on its dissolution. . On her part, Folake alleged that her husband was no more taking care of her and the family members again hence her love for him had gone awry and prayed the court to grant her prayer. The applicant alleged that she cannot tolerate the request for excessive sex from her husband adding that anytime she turned him down she would be beaten blue black. The post Wife seeks dissolution of her 14yrs old marriage over husband’s excessive sex request appeared first on Vanguard News . Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2q2pK1p

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Some shareholders on the Nigerian Stock Exchange  (NSE) on Friday berated the Securities and Exchange Commission  (SEC) on the dissolution of the board of Ikeja Hotels Plc. They told the Newsmen on Friday that the dissolution of the board by the apex capital market regulator was belated, saying that the step was long overdue. Mr Godwin Anono, Chairman, Nigeria Professional Shareholders Association, said that the disolution of the board by SEC was late in coming, stressing that the infighting among the board members had been there for too long. Anono said that the shareholders had expected SEC to dissolve the board a long time ago to safeguard shareholders’ interests. He said that the decision was not too bad, but should have been done earlier before now. Anono advised SEC to ensure that the interim management appointed for the company would not stay more than necessary. He said that from experience, many interim boards instituted by regulators liked...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Surulere area of Lagos State, Mr Afeez Kasunmu, on Thursday urged Lagos residents to elect only candidates that were ready to work with the people into office in the July 22 local government election in the state. Kasunmu, a chairmanship aspirant in the council area, told the newsmen in Lagos that leaders, especially at the grassroots, must be passionate about the plight and welfare of the people. The former Secretary to the Local Government said that the welfare of the people and security remained the primary responsibility of any leader in government. “Government at the grassroots must listen to the yearnings and demands of the people and find ways to actualise them. “We need to be taking everything back to the drawing board with the people. We need to develop people from the grassroots. “The most important thing is to make use of the fourth tier of government — the CDCs (Community Development Committees) a...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, has applauded the agricultural initiatives of the Federal Government saying they are yielding positive results in Igbo speaking states. Ohanaeze Ndigbo is the apex socio-cultural organisation of Igbo speaking states in Nigeria. Addressing newsmen in Enugu on Wednesday, Nwodo contended that with the implementation of the initiatives, the federal government had taken the best move to take the people out of recession. He said that the various agricultural schemes embarked by the government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were a huge success. The Ohanaeze chieftain said that the CBN governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, should be commended for the intervention of the apex bank in various empowerment programmes aimed at stimulating the economy. Nwodo said: “we want to use this opportunity to salute the governor of the Central Bank. “This gentleman has had one of the most difficult challenges that have faced any...