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Japan bullet train 'self-immolation' fire kills two

<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="null" src="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/182DA/production/_83943099_4c18a14a-3d0a-4d52-a1e7-de682da5b82b.jpg" /></div><div><div class="story-body__introduction" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 28px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A man has died after setting himself on fire on board a Japanese Shinkansen bullet train.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 23px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another passenger, a woman in her 50s, was also killed and more than 20 injured, two seriously.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Witnesses said the man, reportedly aged 71, had poured fuel over himself in the first carriage of the train and used a lighter to ignite it.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Most of the 1,000 people on board escaped the smoke-filled carriages when the train made an emergency stop.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The train, a super-fast Nozomi going from Tokyo to Osaka, was near Odawara city south of the capital, when the emergency stop button was pressed.</span><br /><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All trains on the Tokyo-Osaka high speed line were stopped - signs at Odawara station said staff did not know when it would resume operating.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Officials have given no indication of the man's motives but are treating the incident as a suicide.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One unidentified witness said the man had been carrying a petrol container "and sprayed liquid across the seats and then all over himself and then set himself on fire".</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"The fire spread all over the place immediately," he told Reuters.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.6rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="null" src="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/BC37/production/_83938184_83937467.jpg" /></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-family: Helmet, Freesans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.6rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="null" src="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/E347/production/_83938185_83937465.jpg" /></div></div>

Japan bullet train 'self-immolation' fire kills two

A man has died after setting himself on fire on board a Japanese Shinkansen bullet train. Another passenger, a woman in her 50s, was also ki...

6/30/2015 06:22:00 pm

Fresh case of Ebola recorded in Liberia

<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxfi-YTloT-kOkaNjC3XKfhJy8v1tcpyTN-wb-6KPJsthSt8is2zXWB_StFYvYCr6HP6Dj6ePN2z1CWL0Wltc0wO9K49YZZ4JTXAllFygyeNTMaJgf7v8_h5lEVYrNB38fok0N5idn7I/s400/unnamed.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Liberia has been hit with a fresh case of Ebola. According to the Liberian Deputy Health Minister, Tolbert Nyensuah, a 19 year old man died of the deadly virus. And they are saying it's possible he infected close friends or relatives before he died.</span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">"A new case of Ebola has been reported in Margibi County. The person has died and was confirmed positive before death. He has been buried" Nyensuah said</blockquote><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"></span><br /><a name='more'></a>Family members of the deceased have been quarantined so as to stop the spread of the virus. Liberia was declared Ebola free on May 9th by the World Health Organization. A total of 11,207 people died from Ebola in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone since the outbreak began in December 2013.

Fresh case of Ebola recorded in Liberia

Liberia has been hit with a fresh case of Ebola. According to the Liberian Deputy Health Minister, Tolbert Nyensuah, a 19 year old man died ...

6/30/2015 06:18:00 pm

Aregbesola pays workers December salary

<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola" src="http://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Osun-State-Governor-Mr.-Rauf-Aregbesola-360x225.jpg" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Osun State, Mr. Jacob Adekomi,  said on Tuesday, that Governor Rauf Aregbesola has approved the payment of December, 2014 salary for workers in the state.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adekomi, who said this at a press conference he addressed after a meeting with the government delegation led by Chief of Staff, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, added that the governor also approved the payment of the 30 per cent balance</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">of November salaries of some workers who were yet to be paid in full.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a name='more'></a>The NLC boss, however, said workers would not suspend their strike despite the payment of their one month salary out of seven months.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Head of Service, Mr. Sunday Owoeye, also confirmed that workers had started receiving alerts for balance of November and December 2014 salaries.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He said this in response to an inquiry earlier sent to him by our corespondent through text message.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Owoeye’s text read, ” They are already receiving alerts for balance of November, and part of December, 2014. A journey of 1000km starts with one step.  The man who removes a mountain starts by carrying stones away.”</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But Adekomi explained that most workers would not get anything from the one month salary paid because their banks would use the meager money for loan repayment and interest.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">According to Adekomi, most workers will not have anything left to feed themselves let alone transport themselves to their places of work and because of this, he stressed that the strike would continue.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The NLC chairman said, ” We appreciate the efforts of the government to see that salary and pension arrears are settled without further delay . Our negation with government is that out of eight months owed us, the minimum we can take is give months to resume work.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“As it  is now, the strike continues while negotiations also continue. I appeal to all workers in the state to continue to stay at home until further notice.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“This payment is as good as no payment, because all deductions must have been made by our various banks. Because of this , there won’t be money for us to transport ourselves to work and feed our families.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Until we have enough money to feed and for our transportation to work, we will not resume work. The strike continues.”</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The governor had <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #0c0c0c;">on June 14</a> promised to pay workers salaries  in a statement made available to our correspondent by his media aide, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Most workers were  being owed seven months salaries but the statement was silent on whether the governor would pay all outstanding salaries  or he would pay part.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The statement read in part, Before  the end of June, workers would be paid their salaries.”</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The governor stated that he had a great dream for the state and that was why he was in a hurry to begin many programmes which had earned him applause even outside the country.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He said further,  “The dream has not gone awry and it is a clear vision that Osun must be on its feet, self-reliant and be a reference point in Nigeria. The race to ensure development within the first term of Aregbesola was informed by the fear of what is happening now.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Aregbesola wanted an Osun that is self-reliant. That Osun, almost two decades after its creation, could not boast of tax-paying companies speaks volume about the magnitude of the works that awaited the Aregbesola administration.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“But he did not shy away from this task of industrialisation. Within his first term, his government had caused investors to bring up companies such as the Omoluabi Garment Factory, Osogbo, Adulawo/RLG Technology company in Ilesa.”</span></div>

Aregbesola pays workers December salary

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Osun State, Mr. Jacob Adekomi, said on Tuesday, that Governor Rauf Aregbesola has approved t...

6/30/2015 06:15:00 pm

Matti Makkonen Popularly Known As The “Father Of SMS” Dies At 63

<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="wpid-img20150630_165459.jpg" height="372" src="http://www.360nobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/wpid-img20150630_165459-740x431.jpg" width="640" /></div><div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Matti Makkonen, who is popularly known as the “father of SMS,” has died from illness at the age of 63.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; margin-bottom: 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Matti who hails from Finland pitched the concept of text messaging over cellular networks in 1984 and helped get the ball rolling on the technology in its earliest days.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; margin-bottom: 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He was quick to downplay his involvement and saw SMS as a “joint effort” between many people (Friedham Hillebrand developed the 160-character format in 1985, for example), but much of the initial credit belongs to him.</span></div>

Matti Makkonen Popularly Known As The “Father Of SMS” Dies At 63

Matti Makkonen, who is popularly known as the “father of SMS,” has died from illness at the age of 63. Matti who hails from Finland pitched ...

6/30/2015 06:12:00 pm

MI & Ice Prince announced as new CEO & VP of Choc City music label

MI & Ice Prince announced as new CEO & VP of Choc City music label

Former Chocolate City music label CEO Audu Maikori made the announcement just now on social media. The new CEO is MI Abaga while the New Vic...

6/30/2015 06:10:00 pm

Jega bows out of INEC, hands over to Wali

<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz75ArwoiQedyspFvs2ilhFhfI_bu1F4lpMJ401PeurvTv9dfauVS70VY5qCvAR8Alx7SLV3c0ME52Gy6uSNutg1ByR1qGpW6jQy7I05y20-ZjOPdslM_np9LW_vi9Ipa3qsRg2f34I3c/s400/00.jpg" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Prof. Attahiru Jega on Tuesday bowed out of office as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He handed over to Mohammed Wali, a national commissioner of the INEC from Sokoto State, whose five-year tenure will also expire on August 11, 2015.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jega was appointed chairman of the commission by former President Goodluck Jonathan on June 30, 2010.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He conducted two elections – 2011 and 2015.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></span></div><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Speaking briefly at the end of the closed-door handing over ceremony at the Commission in Abuja,  Jega said the future of the country and commission was bright.</span><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He said he was grateful to God and the country for the opportunity to serve.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He said, “We feel great; we thank God Almighty for the opportunity to serve the country. The future is bright for the commission and the country.”</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, confirmed to journalists that Jega handed-over to Wali.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wali is expected to act pending the appointment of a new chairman by President Muhammadu Buhari.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She also added,  “We believe we will soon hear what will happen next from the president.”</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ogakwu said, Jega, while handing over, encouraged the commission to keep the flag flying.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Jega said in whatever we have achieved, we should keep it up and do more, adding that there is still a lot to be done,” she said.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jega left the commission with six national commissioners whose tenures also expired on Tuesday.</span></span></div>

Jega bows out of INEC, hands over to Wali

Prof. Attahiru Jega on Tuesday bowed out of office as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission. He handed over to Mohammed ...

6/30/2015 05:57:00 pm

Former NBA star and friend of Justin Bieber is found dead in his pool after tripping, hitting his head and falling in

<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Justin Bieber's friend and NBA star Jackson Vroman found dead in LA pool" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/06/30/15/article-3144560-2A1C7F1400000578-716_308x412.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jackson Vroman, 34, pictured in his playing days, was at his home in Los Angeles County, California, on Monday when he drowned, the coroner's office confirmed. The naturalized American Lebanese player who was friends with a host of celebrities, including Justin Bieber, pictured with him top left in inset picture, and NFL star Reggie Bush, was the 31st pick in the 2004 NBA Draft and went on to play for Phoenix Sun and New Orleans Hornets. </span></span></div><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dan Bilzerian, a popular social media figure dubbed the 'King of Instagram', first revealed the cause of his death. 'He was sitting down, he got up to go inside the house, tripped on the stairs, hit his head and drown [sic] in the pool,' he wrote. May his soul rest in peace.</span>

Former NBA star and friend of Justin Bieber is found dead in his pool after tripping, hitting his head and falling in

Jackson Vroman, 34, pictured in his playing days, was at his home in Los Angeles County, California, on Monday when he drowned, the coroner&...

6/30/2015 05:50:00 pm

Haunting images of the crumbling palaces of Africa's dictators where despots once lived like emperors

<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Inside the crumbling palaces of Africa’s dictators" height="264" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/06/30/14/article-3143398-2A1C556900000578-699_964x399.jpg" width="640" /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The palaces in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic were once glittering symbols of the corruption of their owners, but are now little more than shells. In what was once Zaire, Mobuto Sese Seko spent $400million building grand compounds, complete with extravagant swimming pools (pictured empty today, left).<a name='more'></a> he also poured money into his home town Gbadolite, constructing a luxurious hotel to welcome presidents and businessmen alike (interior pictured top right and crumbling exterior bottom right). Yet now Gbadolite is a snap shot of a moment in time, with the cranes which were once a symbol of its wealth and prominence hanging over buildings which will never be finished after the town's most famous son was chased from the country.</span></span></div>

Haunting images of the crumbling palaces of Africa's dictators where despots once lived like emperors

The palaces in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic were once glittering symbols of the corruption of their own...

6/30/2015 05:46:00 pm

BVN Registration Has Been Extended

BVN Registration Has Been Extended

The central bank of Nigeria (CBN) has extended the deadline for the bank verification number (BVN) registration to October 31, 2015. The ban...

6/30/2015 05:37:00 pm