Twin bomb blasts have rocked Jos

Abuja - Twin bomb blasts on Thursday rocked Jos, the capital of Plateau state in north-central Nigeria, killing at least 31 people, the newspaper Vanguard reported.

Reports said the bombs exploded at a makeshift market near a busy motor park and a fast food restaurant.

"The bodies recovered so far are 31, but rescue workers are at the scene and the figures may change," Vanguard quoted a spokesman for Plateau state governor as saying.

Thousands flee Boko Haram

Yola - Dauda Bello came face-to-face with Boko Haram militants but managed to escape their hail of bullets, fleeing to safety after a marathon drive on a brutal mountain road.

"It was terrible... [Boko Haram] was firing in every direction," he told AFP in Yola, the capital of northeast Nigeria's Adamawa state, where he fled from the town of Mubi in late October.

Bello is just one of more than 1.5 million Nigerians forced from their homes by the raging Islamist insurgency, which has left 13 000 dead since 2009 and raised fears of a humanitarian crisis.

Sierra Leone doctors die of Ebola

Freetown — Two more Sierra Leonean doctors have died from Ebola, further depleting the West African country's ability to respond to the devastating outbreak, health officials said on Saturday.

The deaths bring the number of Sierra Leonean doctors killed by Ebola to nine. The disease is spread through the bodily fluids of people showing symptoms and people who have died of the disease. Because transmission requires close contact with those fluids, health workers are among the most at risk of contracting it and hundreds have become infected in this outbreak.

Khloe Kardashian and French Montana split... again!

Los Angeles - Khloe Kardashian and French Montana have split for a second time.

The 30-year-old reality star is said to have called time on her on/off romance with the rapper, who she split from in September after eight months of dating before reuniting in November.

A source told Us Weekly: "Khloe just wasn't ready after Lamar and it was getting too serious."

Nigeria-US training cancellation 'logistical, not political'

Abuja - Nigeria on Friday said that a decision to cancel US training of its soldiers to fight Boko Haram was a logistical, not a political decision.

The US Embassy in Abuja announced on Monday that the Nigerian government had halted a training programme of an army battalion, which would have developed into a unit to take on the militants.

Kim Kardashian West's wedding photo made history on Instagram!

Los Angeles - Kim Kardashian West's wedding photo has become the most liked Instagram post.

The shot of the reality TV star and her husband, rapper Kanye West, has made history on the social media site after a photograph of them sharing a smooch while tying the knot in Florence, Italy, on May 24 attracted a huge 2.4 million 'likes'.

Coroner puts TB Joshua building hearing on hold

Lagos - A coroner on Friday put on hold an inquest into the deaths of 116 people in a church building collapse in Nigeria's commercial hub after hearing an application to suspend proceedings.

The inquest in the city has been hearing from witnesses involved in the investigation into the 12 September tragedy at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).

Mugabe alleges US plot against him

Mugabe alleges US plot against himHarare - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has accused his vice president of plotting with the United States Embassy in the country to remove him.

Speaking at the ruling party Zanu-PF's annual conference on Saturday, Mugabe said Joice Mujuru has attended secret meetings at the embassy in Harare.

Nigeria detains Russian cargo plane

Kano - Nigeria detained a Russian cargo plane and its French-speaking crew on Saturday after it made an unauthorised landing in the northern city of Kano with military hardware bound for neighbouring Chad, a security source said. An air force spokesperson confirmed the plane had been detained but gave no further details.

The plane had been travelling from Bangui, the capital of Central African Republic, to the Chadian capital N'Djamena but was forced to make an emergency landing in Kano because N'Djamena airport was closed, the security source said.

Prison break frees 200 inmates in Nigeria

Abuja - Gunmen broke into a prison in the central Nigerian city of Minna, freeing around 200 inmates, a police spokesperson and security sources said.

The sources said the gunmen stormed the facility late on Saturday in Niger state, near to the capital Abuja. Islamist sect Boko Haram and al Qaeda-linked group Ansaru have been behind several prison raids in recent years, although it was unclear whether they had anything to do with this one.

Prison break frees 200 inmates in Nigeria

Abuja - Gunmen broke into a prison in the central Nigerian city of Minna, freeing around 200 inmates, a police spokesperson and security sources said.

The sources said the gunmen stormed the facility late on Saturday in Niger state, near to the capital Abuja. Islamist sect Boko Haram and al Qaeda-linked group Ansaru have been behind several prison raids in recent years, although it was unclear whether they had anything to do with this one.

Below is a press statement from the office of former Lagos state governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu...

For a while now, I have noticed and read many published political stories on Lagos politics in particular and the personalities involved that are either concerted, unsubstantiated, pure conjectures or outright falsehood. In this instance, I reference a recent story ran by a major newspaper concerning my successor and me. 

Tracy Morgan is still fighting the road to recovery

Los Angeles - Tracy Morgan is still "fighting to get better" following his car crash in New Jersey in June.

The former 30 Rock star, who suffered brain injuries, a broken femur, broken nose and broken ribs when a Walmart truck smashed into the limo bus in which he was travelling in with friends in New Jersey, is trying to get back to the person he once was.

Rosamund Pike to star in The Mountain Between Us

Los Angeles - Rosamund Pike is in talks to star in The Mountain Between Us.

The Gone Girl actress is said to have entered into early negotiations to appear in the Fox 2000 and Chernin

Entertainment adaptation of Charlie Martin's novel, which follows two plane crash victims as they attempt to survive in the mountains.

Nicki Minaj looks smoking hot on her latest mag cover

Los Angeles - Another week, and another magazine with Nicki Minaj on the cover.
Seems like nothing can stop this high flying mega star who seems to be very much in demand of late.

Angelina Jolie says she's not ready to retire yet

Los Angeles - Angelina Jolie plans to star in "a few more" movies.

The 39-year-old star, who previously revealed she wants to focus on directing and her humanitarian work in the future, says she isn't ready to retire from the big screen just yet.

Discussing her future acting plans, she said: "I'll do a few more."

Ex-pop star Gary Glitter denies child sex charges

London - Former British pop star Gary Glitter denied a string of sex offences against three underage girls as he appeared in a London court on Tuesday and will face trial in January.

The 1970s glam rocker faces a total of 10 charges related to the alleged crimes committed between 1975 and 1980.

The 70-year-old, whose real name is Paul Gadd, spoke to enter not guilty pleas at the Southwark Crown Court.

Bono cheats death as plane loses hatch before landing

Los Angeles - Bono cheated death on Wednesday when a door fell off the private jet he was travelling in.

The U2 frontman was on board a Learjet 60 D-CGEO with four friends flying from Dublin, Ireland to Berlin, Germany when the tailgate of the plane became detached at 8 000ft, but the party - which did not include the rest of the group - didn't realise what had happened until they landed.

Argentina judge summons Justin Bieber for questioning over alleged attack

Buenos Aires - An investigative judge in Argentina is summoning Justin Bieber for questioning.

Bieber has been accused of sending bodyguards to attack a photographer outside a Buenos Aires nightclub during a South American tour last year.

Judge Facundo Cubas asked Interpol on Thursday to use all "necessary means" to notify the singer that he has 60 days to appear before the court in Argentina. The judge says that if Bieber fails to comply, an international arrest order will be issued.

Bill Cosby won't address sex claims - lawyer

Los Angeles - A lawyer for Bill Cosby says the comedian will not dignify "decade-old, discredited" allegations of sexual abuse with any comment.

In a statement released to The Associated Press and posted online, attorney John P Schmitt said the fact that the allegations are being repeated does not make them true.
He doesn't intend to "dignify" the allegations with a comment.