Iran quake toll tops 250 as 20 villages are leveled

TEHRAN, Iran - Residents of the zone in
northwestern Iran hit by powerful twin
earthquakes described moments of terror and
panic, with birds crowing loudly in warning
seconds before the ground shook. As the death
toll rose Sunday to more than 250 with entire
villages leveled, rescuers called off searches for
survivors and turned their attention to caring
for the 16,000 people left homeless.
At least 20 villages were destroyed in the
quakes Saturday that were followed by 36
aftershocks, state television reported. Ahmad
Reza Shajiei, a senior government official in
charge of rescue operations, said more than
5,000 tents had been set up to shelter the
thousands of displaced who spent the night
outdoors.
"The moment the earthquake hit, it was like a
snake biting from underground. It was the worst
experience of my life," said resident Morteza
Javid, 47, from Ahar.
Javid said he drove more than a dozen injured
people to hospitals during the night.
State television said at least 250 died. The
semiofficial Mehr news agency quoted a local
official who put the toll at 277. State TV said
44,000 food packages and thousands of
blankets have been distributed in the stricken
area.
Culled from Ali Akbar Dareini report,
Associated Press.

Today's Food for thought

    
Yes, we may wear different clothes, and speak different languages and have different costumes but we all fall in love,all want someone to hold and hug, to have a family, to be happy and successful, not to be afraid of the dark, to leave the long life, die a good death, the be attractive and not to get fat, old or sick. what does it matter if we all wear a suit, a sari, or a grass skirt if deep down we all cry when we are hurt , laugh when we are joyful and stomach rumble when we are hungry?. The veneer can be wiped out in a second and then we are the same, all quite lovely and quite quite human..We are all closer than we think.
Love plenty and Judge nothing...

FOOD: The Insomnia-No-More: A curry that makes you fall asleep

Celebrity Indian chef and TV presenter Gurpareet Bains has made a curry that produces similar effects to sleeping pills.
People have reported feeling "tired and spaced out" within 20 minutes of eating it and a journalist said he was "almost comatose" after a taste test.
Gurpareet says he created the curry to try and help people sleep.
“This dish was designed with one thing in mind - to help people with insomnia.
"Its ingredients have been used for millennia for their tranquilising properties, and our research has shown it to work incredibly well,” he told reporters.

Hyenas That Think Outside the Box Solve Problems Faster

Innovative problem solving requires trying many different solutions. That's true for humans, and now Michigan State University researchers show that it's true for hyenas, too.
 
The study, published in the current issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, presented steel puzzle boxes with raw meat inside to wild spotted hyenas in Kenya. To get the meat, the hyenas had to slide open a bolt latch. Even though most of the animals had many opportunities to open the box, only nine out of 62 hyenas succeeded. The successful hyenas tried more solutions, including biting, flipping or pushing the box, than the ones that failed, said MSU zoology graduate student Sarah Benson-Amram.
Another requirement for success was not being afraid to approach new things. The wild hyenas had never seen a steel puzzle box before. And those hyenas that quickly contacted the box when they first saw it were more successful solving the problem than those hyenas that were slower to approach it. Although contacting unknown objects can be quite dangerous for wild animals, this research shows that risk-taking also has some benefits.

SPORT: German weightlifter drops barbell on his head, walks away

Defending weightlifting gold medallist Matthias Steiner walked away from a terrifying incident on Tuesday when he dropped a barbell weighing 432 pounds on his neck during the Olympic 105+ kg competition.
The German was attempting to snatch 196 kg when his knees and arms buckled, causing the massive weight to fall on top of his head. Steiner collapsed under the barbell and instantaneously flopped while its mass bent his neck and head. He was immediately tended to by medical officials and somehow got to his feet, saluted the crowd and walked off under his own power.
He didn't return to the competition. The Associated Press reports Steiner went to the hospital for precautionary X-rays.
Steiner knew it was going wrong early in the lift. He tried to snatch anyway.
Organizers brought out a shade to block the crowd from seeing physicians and trainers attend to Steiner.
Thanks for the modesty, IOC. Once you've seen a 320-pound man drop 1.5 times his body weight on top of his head and flop around like a rag doll, it's good to cover him up. Wouldn't want to invade his privacy. (Meanwhile, the people sitting on the sides of the arena get a birds-eye view.)
But you can't keep a super-heavyweight weightlifter down. Steiner popped to his feet soon after and walked off to the cheers of the crowd.
SEE AS E HAPPEN..

BATCH C IS OUT...

This is to announce that the well anticipated Babcock University undergraduate admissions for Batch c is finally out..pls log on to www.babcock.edu.ng..GOODLUCK...

BABCOCK UNIVERSITY

ILISHAN-REMO, NIGERIA

2012/2013 UNDERGRADUATE PROVISIONAL ADMISSIONS

As a result of the online Post-UTME screening exercises held recently at various centres in Nigeria, the candidates LISTED IN BATCH C below have been offeredProvisional Admissions into Babcock University ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS, for the 2012/2013 academic session.
Please note that the offer will be withdrawn if at any time it is discovered that a candidate does not meet the stipulated requirements.
If your name does not appear under the course you applied for, please search for your name in courses related to the one you applied for. ENSURE YOU CAREFULLY READ THE GUIDELINES PERTAINING TO YOUR BATCH.

Ijebu artisan hangs self over N750,000 debt.

   
IJEBU-ODE—A 42-year-old artisan was reported to have committed suicide on Monday night in Erigo, a suburb of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, over a N750,000 debt.
According to reports, the self-employed artisan and father of two, hanged himself in his residence  when his wife and children were out of the house.
It was also gathered that the artisan’s earlier attempts to kill himself were aborted because people  intervened.
During a visit at the late artisan’s residence in Odutola Ogunleye Street in Erigo, hundreds of sympathisers were seen discussing the tragedy.
The artisan was said to have taken the loan from a new generation bank in Ijebu-Ode, where his wife worked  before her sack.
It was also learnt that it was the shame of his inability to repay the loan, which he used to complete his house, that moved him to commit suicide.

Kogi church attack: Police nab 4 suspects, traditional rulers

Barely 48 hours after gunmen attacked Deeper Life Bible Church in Otite, Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State, leaving 20 worshippers dead and several injured, Kogi State Police Command, yesterday, announced that it had arrested the leader of the gang at Ibillo, EdoState.
Three other suspects and some traditional rulers were also arrested over the incident.
Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Katsina said: “Some of the traditional rulers arrested from the area were already making useful statements and were being sorted out. Whoever is found culpable would be made to face the law.”
A statement by Force Spokesman, CSP Frank Mba, on the breakthrough said: “Acting on intelligence, crack detectives investigating the case stormed a criminal hideout in Idare Hills of Okene, suspected to be a safe haven for the hoodlums wreaking havoc in the state.
“On sighting the Policemen, the hoodlums opened fire on them, prompting a gun duel. In the ensuing battle, the gang leader identified as Yekini Isah of Obehira area of Okene, sustained injury on his head.
“Though he initially escaped from the scene, he was trailed and arrested in a hideout at Ibilo inEdoState, where he was receiving treatment from traditional healers for his gun wounds.
“Two other suspects, including a female, were arrested during the operation. One AK-47 rifle with 30 rounds of live ammunition was also recovered from the criminals.”

Tragedies in Abuja.

 
ABUJA—THREE persons yesterday lost their lives with nine others in critical condition when an uncompleted two-storey building collapsed in Abuja.
The building which used to accommodate over 50 artisans from various walks of life is located at 3 Ademola Adesuga street in Dutse Alhaji,Abuja. The building was said to have been abandoned for many years before it collapsed between 3.30am to 4p.m yesterday.
Mr Ahmed Tijani, a resident of the area confirmed that the building was occupied by more than 50 artisans such as motorcyclists, water vendors, and refuse disposal boys a.k.a  ‘Boula boula.’

PHOTO OF THE DAY..

                                      
I have received many comments about guys carrying their wives during weddings, when i saw this pix, i had a rethink, MUST MEN ALWAYS BE THE ONES TO CARRY THEIR WIVES DURING WEDDING CEREMONIES?..Whats your take on this...

Pastor Adeboye debunks the “Red Wears” rumou

There was this rumour all over the social media as well as broadcasts on Blackberry Messenger and whatsapp about the dress-code for the on-going RCCG convention. You might have seen it too. The message reads:

It was just pass across that we should not put on red dress tomorrow or anything that contain red, either shoe, shirt, trousers, pant, skirt, glasses, head warmer, boxers, cap, e.t.c. They will not use our blood to redeem Nigeria. It is truth ooo! Please, re-broadcast this to save others.

Olympics: Team GB Olympic superfan dies while watching cycling

An Olympic super-fan who had hoped to attend an event on every day of the London Games has died while watching the cycling in the Velodrome...so sad..

Conrad Readman from Colchester took two weeks off work and had tickets for every day of the Olympics, but suffered a suspected heart attack while watching Victoria Pendleton and the men's team pursuit last Friday.

The 49-year-old, who had been to the opening ceremony and seen many of Team GB's gold medal moments, was found ill in the venue's toilets before being sent to hospital, where he died.
Mr. Readman lived at home with his mother Joan. She told the Colchester Gazette of her devastation at the news.
"He had been looking forward to the Olympics ever since it was announced. There was never a day he was not excited about it," she said.
"He was coming home every night so excited and telling me about everything he had done.
"He had never had a problem with his heart and had not been to a doctor in 15 years. He died doing something he loved so I am happy he was where he was, but I can't watch any of it now."
Tim Peyton, his employer, added: "I have worked with him since 1982 and am shocked. He was a lynchpin for us. Clients and staff liked him.
"He will be sorely missed."
Mr. Readman was also a keen football fan. He had a season ticket with Tottenham and travelled the world to watch England play.

Photo of the Day..

      pix snapped in Pretoria, South Africa

This Pix looks scary...but to me, the end time is at its zenith is its message, what do you think?..

Asari Dokubo spits fire, threatens to bomb Hausa's in Niger/Delt

What the former Ijaw Youth Council president and founder of Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force said while addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday:

The arrogance of B/H is un-islamic. The type of bomb they are using is small small pikin bomb. If we begin, nobody will stay in Abuja. 

We don’t manufacture bomb but we buy bombs & dynamites. I started armed struggle in the N/Delta. It's because of GEJ that we at quiet. Soon, we will not be able to guarantee our patience any more. If Ijaw people should retaliate, every household in the North will cry. It is the North that needs peace more than us.

SPORTS: Makhloufi destroys field to win Olympic 1500m gold

Leonel Manzano of the United States snatched silver 0.71s behind, with Morocco's Abdalaati Iguider taking bronze.

Makhloufi was reinstated to the final on Monday after initially being disqualified by the IAAF for not trying in his 800 metres heat.
His decision to rest his legs paid off as he sprinted away from the pack in an otherwise mid-paced race, finishing in a time of 3:34.08.
"It's the will of God. Yesterday I was out, today I'm in," Mahklouf said afterwards. "This is a gift for the Algerian people and for the whole of the Arabic world."
Kenya's favourites flopped, with Silas Kiplagat fading to seventh and defending champion Asbel Kiprop struggling with a hamstring problem in last place as they paid the price for failing to dictate a quick pace that would surely have kept the big-finishing North Africans and American out of contention.
Eyebrows have been raised at Makhloufi's two 1,500 runs in London, but he has form in similar circumstances - he won gold in this year's 800 at the African Championships with a quick finish after the East Africans got their tactics wrong.