No fewer than 50 Nigerian migrants were among the hundreds ofmigrants rescued today in the Mediterranean by Libyas coastguard and an international charity, Doctors Without Borders(MSF).

The Nigerians were aboard a boat with 110 migrants. They were rescued by , a ship being operated by MSF, 21 miles from the coast west of Tripoli. The ship will deliver the migrants, who included 18 women and one child, to Italy.

According to Reuters, more than half the migrants on that boat were Nigerians, with the rest from other sub-Saharan African countries as well as two Palestinians.

(Watch the 19 sec. video posted by MSF:

RT MSF: RT MSF_Sea: The will remain on standby in international waters, ready to rescue other boats in distress. 's Doctor Dan explains.

nicolacois (@nicolacois)

The Libyan coastguard vessels alsointercepted two of the migrant boats, the first an inflatable dinghy that had broken down with 125 people on board off Zawiya, just west of the capital, Tripoli, said Ayoub Qassem, a coastguard spokesman.

The second boat was turned back off Garabulli, east of Tripoli, and had 112 people on board.

The migrants and their smugglers were trying to take advantage of calm seas as they launched a flurry of boats towards Italy.

Meanwhile the coastguard in Zuwara, a former Libyan smuggling hub west of Zawiya, said they had foiled a departure during the night and arrested some migrants whilst others had escaped with smugglers.

The coastguard posted pictures of detained sub-Saharan African migrants sitting in an inflatable rubber boat on the beach in the dark.

Libya is the main departure point for migrants attempting to reach Europe by sea. More than 600,000 migrants have crossed the central Mediterranean to Italy over the past four years as people smugglers took advantage of a security vacuum in Libya.

Since last summer the rate of departures dropped significantly after smugglers in the Libyan town of Sabratha struck a deal with the Tripoli government to halt their activities and were then pushed out of the town by rival armed groups.

Libyas EU-backed coastguard has also stepped up interceptions, often cutting migrant boats off before they can reach international vessels that would bring them to Europe.

Source: NAN

Lobi Stars of Makurdi are now atopNigerian Professional Football League table, three points ahead of Kano Pillars, after beating Katsina United in Makurdi today.

They won the game 1-0 withDavid Tyavkases 69th minute strike.

In contrast, Kano Pillars, who were in the league lead last week, surprisingly lost 0-2 away to Yobe Desert Warriors, thanks partly to Joel Djondang own goal in the 24th minute.

Abdulmalik Mohammed finished off Ali Aliyus assist in the 71st minute to seal the victory for the Damaturu based side.

These are some of the highlights of MatchDay 12, in which debutants Yobe Desert Warriors are now third on the table, with 19 points. Kano Pillars are second with 20 points.

In other developments, Nafiu Kabuga of Wikki Tourists, Bauchi scored the first hat-trick of 2017/2018/Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season against Rivers United.

Kabugas goal in the 57, 59 and 87th minutes saw the hosts secure 16 points in total on 11th position while their visitors are 7th with 17 points.

Elsewhere in Enugu, Ghanaians Nana Bonsu and Fatau Dauda were in goal for Rangers FC and Enyimba International FC of Aba.

Injured Femi Thomas of Rangers was replaced by Bonsu in 32nd minute as the hosts pulled a lone early goal courtesy of Bright Silas, five minutes into the game.

New comers Go Round FC of Amaku, Rivers secured a win against 17th placed Sunshine Stars of Akure with Eta Okon Otop goal in the 34th minute.

The 19th placed Rivers based team are 13 points in 11 matches while their visitors are in the relegation waters with 13 points on 17th.

Thirteenth placed FC Ifeanyi Ubah of Nnewi shared 1-1 spoils with visiting Abia Warriors of Umuahia in another oriental derby.

The Anambra Warriors could not hold on to their Patrick Ikeokwus five minutes goal into the match, paving way for Obi Samsons 67 minute score to gain a point for the visitors.

MFM FC of Lagos brought in their continental A game when they thrashed visiting Heartland FC of Owerri 3-0.

Stanley Okorom first utilized a penalty kick for the Lagos based side eight minutes into the game with Uwaga Chuka goal in the 63rd minute and Giscard Tchato score at exactly regulation time.

Defending champions Plateau United lost 0-1 to Niger Tornadoes of Minna with Isah Hussain 34 minute goal.

Bottom placed Kwara United could not safe the day, drawing 1-1 with visiting El Kanemi Warriors.

El Kanemi who is placed 18th opened scoring via Antonio Desonsa in the 36th minute with the hosts getting the equaliser in the 54th minute.

A total of 16 goals were scored on Match Day 12, with seven home wins and two draws.

Lobi 1-0 Katsina United

Wikki 3-0 Rivers United

FCIU 1-1 Abia Warriors

Kwara United 1-1 El-Kanemi

Tornadoes 1-0 Plateau United

Yobe Stars 2-0 Kano Pillars

Go Round 1-0 Sunshine Stars

Rangers 1-0 Enyimba

MFM 3-0 Heartland

Source: NAN

Two-time Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova had her 14 match winning streak snapped on Sunday at Indian Wells as she lost in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 to world No. 149 Amanda Anisimova.

Kvitova had been playing some of the best tennis of her career.

So it wasnt the kind of third round statement the ninth seed was looking for as she lost in straight sets to the youngest player in the draw.

The 14 straight victories tied her previous career best which she set in 2011-2012. The 28-year-old Czech came into Indian Wells having won the last two tournaments she played in.

This was her first time back at Indian Wells after missing last year while recovering from a stabbing incident during a robbery at her home in December 2016.

Kvitova committed four double faults and had her serve broken five times in the 69 minute match.

The 16-year-old Anisimova, who needed a wildcard to get into the draw, is making her Indian Wells debut.

She moves to the fourth round where she will face either fifth seed Karolina Pliskova or Chinas Zhang Shuai.

Source: NAN

Tiger Woods narrowly missed lifting his first trophy since 2013 at the Valspar Championship, losing to Paul Casey by just one stroke.

This wasdespite Woodsthat put him in contention.

But victory was not to be for the 14 major winner and holder of 79 trophies.

He ended up tied for second, along with Patrick Reed, CBS Sports reported.

Casey, who had not won on PGA Tour since 2009 carded 5-under 66 in the final round to finish at 10 under on the week.

Casey played the last 15 holes in 6 under to grab his first victory since the 2009 Shell Houston Open. He had to wait until the last minute for confirmation, though. Woods missed a 38-foot birdie on the 72nd hole, and Casey took the trophy from the clubhouse.

It might not have been the outcome most people watching and attending were hoping to see, but Casey was certainly emotional and delighted by the victory.

Tiger made it look easy for such a long time, and its not, Casey told Steve Sands of NBC.

Ive won a few times in Europe, but to take this on and get my second victory on the PGA Tour, its emotional. Ive worked so hard. Im so happy for it.

For Woods though, there was something to cheer in his coming up second as it was his best finish on the PGA Tour in 1,659 days.

Source: NAN

Novak Djokovic is still trying to find his old form as he crashed out of Indian Wells tournament in his first match on Sunday.

He lost to 25 year-old qualifier American-born Japanese Taro Daniel in three sets, 7-6 4-6 6-1. Djokovic had won the tournament five times and came to win the sixth.

For me it felt like (the) first match I ever played on the tour. Very weird. I mean, I just completely lost rhythm, Djokovic said after the Daniel upset.

I had some inexplicable, uncharacteristic errors, Djokovic told reporters.

But thats, I guess, its all part of those particular circumstances that Im in at the moment, he added.

In contrast, Roger Federer is still having ball on the court, as the the 36 year-old defeated ArgentineFederico Delbonis in two sets, 6-3 7-6, in a rain delayed match.

Rain on Saturday had delayed the match, with Federer leading 6-3 2-2. Play resumed Sunday evening, with the second set going into tie brake.

Delbonis had defeated Federer at an ATP meeting in Hamburg in 2013, He won 7-6, 7-6.

Federer, whoregained the world No 1 ranking last month, is on a quest to make history in the California desert by winning an unprecedented sixth Indian Wells title. The 36-year-old Swiss marvel continues to defy the ageing process, claiming his 20th grand slam title and sixth Australian Open crown in January.

He has enjoyed a perfect start to 2018 by winning both events he has competed in and taking his career singles title tally to 97. Federer said on Thursday that he wont be taking anyone for granted in this draw.

I didnt come here to lose in the first round or two, he said. I care about the moment. I care about the results.

Source: NAN

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has resolved to constitute a reconciliatory committee with a view to uniting the students body ahead if its 2018 national convention.

A communiqu issued after NANS meeting at the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) said that the decision to set up such committee was sequel to motion by Mr Friday Adayi, a student of UniAbuja.

The communiqu was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

It was co-signed by Mr Chinonso Obasi, NANS President, Mr Yazeed Yazeed, Chairman, Communiqu Drafting Committee and Mr Ogunwoye Gbemiga, Secretary, Communiqu Drafting Committee.

Obasi, had in a letter dated March 1, addressed to Nigerian students, convened a conciliatory meeting slated for March 10.

The meeting having resolved through robust deliberation on the inevitable unity of NANS, in a motion moved by Mr Friday Adayi, a presidential aspirant from UniAbuja.

Adayi urged legitimate Nigerian students to appeal to stakeholders, particularly former NANS leaders to come together, champion and ensure the unity of NANS.

He was seconded by unanimous acceptance by voice vote of all attendees.

The meeting suggested that former National President of NANS 2007/2008, Mr Yinka Dada, be appointed Chairman of the Conciliatory Committee with the mandate of meeting Obasi, Aruna Kadiri, factional NANS president, zonal coordinators, stakeholders and selected student union presidents within two weeks.

They are to harmonise a united Convention Planning Committee(CPC) that will organise and conduct an election on an agreed venue and date accepted by all parties.

The communiqu said that it was agreed that the CPC members must have current matriculation numbers.

It listed the presidential aspirants in attendance as-Adayi, UniAbuja, Lukman Salahuddeen, Kwara State University, Berido Henry, Benue State Polytechnic, Adio Odunjo Orlando, University of Ilorin, Kwara State and Obande Gideon -who sent a text.

The communiqu said that the presidential aspirants, Abubakar Gambo, an aspirant for office of NANS Senate President and numerous other aspirants for different offices all agreed that there should be a unity convention.

It also appealed to the Governing Council and Management of UniAbuja to revisit the case of the expelled 2007 SUG President of the institution, Mr Igwe Ude-Umanta.

It said that Ude-Umanta was expelled in 2007, adding that 11years was a long time punishment.

The communiqu appealed for an unconditional waiver for Ude-Umanta.

The communiqu said that Nigerian students would resist any form of opposition that might jeopardise the Energizing Education Programme(EEP) of the Federal Government.

Source: NAN

The Nigerian Senate said today that Senator Shehu Sani was in order when he revealed the N45m quarterly allowance that each Senator takes home.

And it quickly added that the information about the emoluments of senators was never a secret.

Senate Spokesman, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said thefigure Sani gave out about running cost of the offices of Senators was contained in various line items and expenditure heads of the budget of the National Assembly which has been made public.

According to him, Senator Shehu Sanidid not disclose anything new.

Sani who represents Kaduna Central disclosed the figure and the N700,000 salary of senators in an interview with magazine. The interview was published last week, triggering social commentaries about the Senators well kept secret.

Abdullahi dismissed any insinuations that Sanis colleague were unhappy with him and said if people had looked critically at the budget of the National Assembly which has since been made public, they would have seen that various line items like travelling , medicals, consultancy and the rest were captured in the budget and they were the funds divided for each Senators use.

Almost all holders of elective and appointive offices have running costs allocated to their offices and that cannot be said to be part of their salaries, Abdullahi stated.

In the interview, Sani said: I think what we can say is that the running cost of a senator is N13.5 million every month.

He was responding to a question on alleged bogus salaries and allowances of Nigerian lawmakers.

According to him, while there is no specific instruction on what the fund should be used for, lawmakers must provide receipts to back up their expenses from the running costs. He added that the running cost is in addition to funds earmarked for each senator for constituency projects.

But what I am saying is that that money (N13.5 million per month) must be receipted for what you do with it. But what you are given to go and spend without any accountability is N750,000.00.

The constituency project itself is given on a zonal basis and almost every Senator will go with a constituency fund of about N200 million, but it is not the cash that is given to you.

You will be told that you have N200 million with an agency of government for which you will now submit projects equivalent to that amount. And it is that agency of government that will go and do those projects for you.

Now, the corruption comes when the projects are not done and the money is taken. But right now, it is difficult to do that because NGOs and transparency groups have come into it. They track every allocation made to you and where they are being used.

So, its becoming difficult for what used to happen in the past to happen now.

But I can tell you that I would love a situation where we do away with running costs, constituency projects and leaves senators and members of House of Reps with salaries.

And also, the public should be informed that nobody should come to any senators house asking for any kobo. That also would be helpful.

Source: NAN

A wealthy Turkish socialite, Mina Basaran and seven of her friends were among the 11 people killed on Sunday when a private plane bringing them home from a Dubai bachelorette party crashed into an Iranian mountainside.

The plane was owned by the private holding company of her father, the Turkish businessman Huseyin Basaran, and carried eight passengers and three crew, an official for Turkeys transport ministry said.

Those on board were all flying back from a party ahead of Minas planned wedding next month.

Huseyin Basaran, a former deputy chairman of Trabzonspor football club, owns businesses that span yachts to energy.

One of his companies is the top shareholder in Bahrain Middle East Bank BSC, a small investment bank. His construction projects include a series of luxury apartment blocks on Istanbuls Asian side called Mina Towers, named after his daughter.

The last photo on 28 year-old Mina Barasans Instagram account showed her surrounded by seven other young women, all wearing robes and sunglasses. The post, tagged #minasbachelorette, said it was taken at the One and Only Royal Mirage luxury hotel in Dubai.

By late on Sunday evening, just a few hours after news of the crash, there were more than 7,000 comments on the photo.

The wreck of the jet and the bodies are found. They will be carried down from the mountain when sun comes up. My condolences to those who lost their loved ones, the head of the Turkish Red Crescent, Kerem Kinik, said on Twitter, citing his Iranian sister organisation.

Kinik had earlier told Reuters there was no chance of any survivors, given the aircraft was a jet and it was flying in snowy weather, although he was unable to officially confirm fatalities.

Calls to Basaran Holdings office in Istanbul went unanswered.

Reza Jafarzadeh, spokesman for Irans Civil Aviation Organization, told state television the jet had crashed near the southwestern city of Shahr-e Kord.

Local residents who had reached the site of the crash said there appeared to be no survivors and victims bodies were burnt, ISNA news agency reported, quoting Mojtaba Khaledi, spokesman for Irans emergency services.

ISNA earlier quoted emergency services as saying the wreckage was burning and was clearly visible.

Emergency crews had a difficult approach to reach the crash site because of the mountainous terrain, ISNA said.

Source: NAN

A Bangladeshi aircraft carrying 67 passengers and four crew crashed on Monday while coming in to land at the airport in the Nepali capital, Kathmandu, an airport official said.

He said that 17 people on board had been rescued.

The state of the other people on the flight from the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, operated by US-Bangla Airlines, was not clear, airport spokesman Birendra Prasad Shrestha said.

We are trying to bring the fire under control. Details are awaited, he said

He added that the airport had been shut down and all other flights diverted.

Were now concentrating on evacuating the passengers.

Television images showed smoke rising from the crash site.

Mountainous Nepal is notorious for air accidents. Small aircraft often run into trouble at provincial airstrips.

Read More at :https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-nepal-crash/bangladesh-plane-carrying-71-people-crashes-in-nepal-idUKKCN1GO0WT

Source: NAN

An oil and gas expert, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, on Monday urged the Federal Government to create an enabling environment for investors to build more refineries instead of depots.

Korodo, the immediate past Chairman, Lagos Zonal Council, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

What are we doing with over 100 depots, while we have just four refineries with a population of 180 million?

We should be thinking of how to get more refineries to refine more products than keep building more tank farms.

Go to Apapa now, when I joined the oil sector in 1982, we had only seven tank farms in Apapa, but today, we have more than 62 tank farms in the place alone.

In Lagos alone, we have more than 80 tank farms, while we have over 30 depots in other states of the federation.

What are we doing with all these depots when we dont have refined products? he asked.

He said the countrys founding fathers meant well for the nation when they built three refineries and one storage facility in Lagos in the 70s.

Atlas Cove storage was built in Lagos to receive products from the refineries to serve the people in the Western part of the country.

Refinery was built in Warri, Delta State to serve the people in South-South part, while Port Harcourt Refinery will serve the people in South Eastern part.

The Kaduna refinery was built to serve the people in the North.

Unfortunately, the subsequent government messed up the whole plan and allowed these entire infrastructure to decay, Korodo said. (NAN)

Source: NAN