Limpopo father who killed his four sons sentenced to 52-years in prison

Lesiba Kekana, the Limpopo father who killed his four sons, has been sentenced to 52-years in prison. Judge Joseph Raulinga delivered the sentence in the Limpopo High Court in Polokwane on Friday morning. Raulinga said Lesiba Kekana deserves no mercy as he showed none to his children.
“His anger ought to have abated at he drove from Pretoria to Molatlane, and instead of killing them he ought to have had mercy and not murder them, what you did was catastrophic.”
Kekana slit the throats of his four sons after an argument with his wife. During the trail, he gave a chilling account of how he murdered his children, starting with 6 year old Bokang, before moving onto the other children. In a statement read out by his defense, Kekana stated that he wanted to kill himself after he had murdered his sons. He says he tried to stab himself and when that failed, he tried to hang himself. He was stopped by a knock on his door.
At his Thursday court appearance, Kekana said he loved his sons dearly and regretted killing them. He said he killed them because he did not want them to be left destitute. Despite pleading guilty for murder, Judge Raulinga said Kekana would not get a lenient sentence because he ‘slaughtered his sons like sheep’. Kekana has asked for leave to appeal.

What is lurking in your baby’s sippy cup?

A father found a thick layer of mold stuck in the top of his baby son's 'leak-proof' sippy cup. Simon O'kanada of Mirabel in Quebec, Canada, opened the Tommee Tippee cup last week in a bid to work out why his son routinely fell ill. To his horror, clumps of brown residue had congealed inside the contraption right next to the hole where liquid comes out. Posting pictures of the disgusting discover on Facebook last week, O'kanada's friend Marie-Pier told friends that a Tommee Tippee employee 'laughed out loud' when they called to complain about it.
'My friend Simon O’kanada wondered why his son was always sick,' she wrote.
'He broke the anti-spill top of his Tommee Tippee bottle and discovered mold inside the mouthpiece.
'It doesn’t wash and can’t be seen unless it is broken open.

Colombia becomes the fourth South American country to legalize same-sex marriage

Colombia has become the fourth South American country to allow same-sex marriage after a ruling by the country's constitutional court. The Catholic country follows Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay in formally recognizing the rights of same-sex couples to marry.
"The judges affirmed by a majority that marriage between people of the same sex does not violate constitutional order," presiding Judge Maria Victoria Calle told the court.
"The current definition of the institution of marriage in civil law applies to them in the same way as it does for couples of the same sex."

Tiwa Savage gives exclusive interview on marriage drama to Pulse

Tiwa Savage’s husband, Tunji Balogun a.k.a Teebillz went on a rampage when he opened a can of worms on his supposedly blissful marriage to the popular singer. But before the public meltdown, there has been a deep crack in their marriage. It would be recalled that their three-year-old marriage has been having problems since last year when the celebrated singer sacked her husband as her manager. Since then, there have been whispers of things falling apart between them. Also, in 2014, it was rumoured that their marriage had crashed. A pointer to this, was when Tiwa failed to wish her husband a happy birthday on her social media page as it was part of her tradition. It soon came to light that the couple had been having issues in their marriage, and that Tiwa’s family had admonished Teebillz to stop managing his wife and look for another lucrative job.
After Teebillz’s outburst, Tiwa Savage has since released an exclusive interview video stating her own side of the story. Please see below:

Police shoots teen holding a replica toy gun

A 13-year-old boy was shot and wounded by a Baltimore police officer Wednesday afternoon while holding what Police Commissioner Kevin Davis described as a “replica gun.” The boy was being treated for wounds that Davis said were non-life threatening. The teen was shot around 4 p.m. after two plainclothes intelligence officers in an unmarked car observed the boy with what appeared to be a gun, Davis said. The officers identified themselves as police, but the boy fled. Both officers pursued the boy on foot, police said. At some point during the chase, one of the officers fired on the boy, wounding him, Davis said. He wouldn’t say whether the teen was pointing the gun or menacing the officers.

Construction workers in Spain find large Roman coin hoard

Construction workers laying pipes in a park in southern Spain have unearthed a 600kg trove of Roman coins. The bronze coins dating from the late 4th Century were found inside 19 Roman amphoras, a type of jar. They bear images of the emperors Constantine and Maximian and it is thought they may have been used to pay soldiers or civil servants. The Director of the Seville Archaeological Museum Ana Navarro said the discovery had incalculable value.
"It is a unique collection and there are very few similar cases," she said.
"I could not give you an economic value, because the value they really have is historical and you can't calculate that."

Kenya to destroy more than 100 tonnes of elephant tusks

Kenya will set fire to more than 100 tonnes of ivory later in a move aimed at showing its commitment to saving Africa's population of elephants. President Uhuru Kenyatta will ignite the first of 11 huge pyres in Nairobi National Park, which are expected to burn for several days. The ivory represents nearly the entire stock confiscated by Kenya, amounting to the tusks of about 6,700 elephants. But some disagree with the approach, saying it can encourage poaching. The burning comes after African leaders urged an end to illegal trade in ivory.

This man allowed a child to die in a hot car while he drank beer and watch TV for 7 hours

Authorities say the northern Virginia man accused of accidentally leaving a 2-year-old girl strapped in a car for hours, leading to her death last week, had no right to drive and drank a beer at his girlfriend's home as the child sweltered inside the vehicle. Investigators say Fields didn't realize that the toddler, reportedly his girlfriend's child, was still in the car when he stopped at the Annandale home for seven hours and watched television. Citing police and court documents obtained Tuesday, news outlets report the unidentified toddler suffered second-degree burns and had a body temperature of 107 degrees on April 20. She was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Statoil helicopter carrying 13 people crashes near Bergen in Norway

A helicopter carrying at least 13 people has crashed near the Norwegian city of Bergen. Police spokesman Morten Kronen said the helicopter "has crashed, it is totally smashed".
He added that there were "reports of an explosion and thick smoke" and that there were people in the sea.
Mr Kronen said the crash took place on the island of Turoey, near Bergen, and did not explain why people had ended up in the water. The Rescue Coordination Center has yet to receive any information about any survivors.

Indian father chops off the hands of teen accused of raping his infant daughter

Don’t mess with some dads. Some fathers will do anything for their children, but one in the Bathing district of India allegedly took the idea of “outlaw justice” to its grotesque extreme. Two years ago, an unnamed then 14-year-old was accused of raping the 7-month-old daughter of Parminder Singh. The girl’s mother walked in on him allegedly molesting the infant in April 2014, the AFP reported. On Tuesday, the now 17-year-old appeared at the Rama Mandi district courts in Punjab, only to have the hearing postponed. Singh approached him with the offer of an out-of-court settlement of some sort. He promised to give the boy a ride to town on the back of his motorbike, The Indian Express reported. But the brick kiln laborer allegedly had no intention of offering any such settlement. Instead, he was allegedly out for revenge.

How quickly can you spot the mistake?

Check the solution after the cut

UEFA suspends Mamadou Sakho for 30 days in the wake of failed drug test

Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho was on Thursday provisionally suspended for 30 days after failing a drugs test, European football's governing body UEFA announced. The France international reportedly tested positive for a fat burner after Liverpool's 1-1 draw against Manchester United in the Europa League on March 17 (You can read the story here).
"Disciplinary proceedings have been instigated against Liverpool FC player Mamadou Sakho, following the UEFA Europa League round of 16 second-leg match between Manchester United FC and Liverpool FC (1-1), played on 17 March," UEFA confirmed in a statement.
It added: "The proceedings relate to a violation of the UEFA Anti-Doping Regulations, after the player failed a doping test at the above-mentioned match.
"The player did not request the analysis of the B sample. UEFA has now suspended the player provisionally for 30 days until a final decision is taken by the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body."
A date for the hearing has yet to be fixed.

Waves of airstrikes in Syria’s Aleppo kills at least 61

At least 27 people, including children, were killed at a hospital in Aleppo, Syria overnight, activists said Thursday, in what Secretary of State John Kerry called a "deliberate [air]strike" by government forces on a "known medical facility." The incident was part of a wave of night-time airstrikes by Syrian warplanes in embattled Aleppo that killed at least 61 people overall. An official from the Syrian opposition claimed Russia may have also participated in the strikes.  Some of the overnight strikes hit the well-known al-Quds field hospital in the Sukkari district in Aleppo, according to Doctors Without Borders, opposition activists and rescue workers. They said 14 doctors and patients were among the dead.

A prank gone wrong got this schoolgirl’s finger amputated!

A 14-year-old schoolgirl had her finger amputated after a playground prank went terribly wrong. Lola Bennett almost had her digit torn off when her ring got caught on a spiked fence as she tried to retrieve her school bag. Her bag had been placed there as a joke, but her hand slipped as she climbed to get it back - leaving the teenager in agony. She used a tree stump to reach the strap of her bag but her friendship ring got snagged on the fence and tore her finger apart as pals tried to yank off her shoe. Her horrified friends raised the alarm and ambulance crews dashed to the memorial garden in Kingsbury School, Tamworth. She was rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospital but surgeons were unable to save her middle finger on her left hand which was broken and had severe nerve damage.

For the first time in 13 years, Apple posts first drop in revenue

Apple has reported its first drop in revenue in 13 years after the tech giant sold 10 million fewer iPhones in the first three months of this year than during the same quarter a year ago.
It is the first-ever year-over-year decline in iPhone sales. The slide is putting more pressure on Apple and CEO Tim Cook to come up with its next big product. Cook, of course, has problems many corporate bosses would kill to have. Despite the decline in sales, Apple managed to rack up $10.5bn in profit for the quarter.
“The future of Apple is very bright,” Cook told analysts on a conference call on Tuesday.
But Apple is battling perceptions that its latest iPhones aren’t that different from previous models, at a time when overall smartphone sales are slowing around the world.
Apple also sells iPads, Mac computers and other gadgets, but nearly two-thirds of its $50.6bn in quarterly revenue came from iPhones.

Woman dies in dentist parking lot after removing 16 teeth

A woman died in her dentist's parking lot after getting 16 teeth removed. April Walters, 46, was meant to lose 18 teeth at Southfield Dental Care in Michigan due to an infection.
But the mother-of-one was told towards the end of the procedure that her heart rate was alarmingly high - a staggering 130 bpm. The dentist, Dr Rana Rabban, told Walters' sister Crystal to take her to the hospital. However, when they got to Crystal's car April said she could not breathe and passed out. She was later declared dead in hospital. Walters relies on an oxygen tank due to a number of respiratory and blood conditions, including diabetes, a pulmonary disease, and sarcoidosis - a condition when inflamed cells affect breathing.
Nonetheless, her family insist she was coping with her conditions, which were not life-threatening.
'I just couldn't understand how she walked out happy and fine and just died all of a sudden,'
The family has demanded an explanation from the dentist as they await the results of a post-mortem examination.

Manny Pacquiao steps up security as news of alleged plot to kidnap him leaks

Philippine boxing legend Manny Pacquiao expressed shock Thursday at President Benigno Aquino’s claim that Islamic militants planned to kidnap him, and said the alleged plot should not have been made public. Aquino released a statement Wednesday saying Abu Sayyaf, a notorious kidnap-for-ransom gang that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and beheaded a Canadian hostage this week, had planned to abduct Pacquiao or his children.
“I was alarmed when he announced… the Abu Sayyaf wanted to kidnap me. I’m surprised because all Filipinos are my friends. I love them, especially the Muslims,” Pacquiao said at his residence in Manila. Pacquiao said he had responded to Aquino’s statement by taking security measures to protect himself as well as his wife and five children, who are in his hometown of General Santos. “We added security for my family and me,” he said.

91,000 Zika virus cases reported in Brasil

Brazil's outbreak of Zika, which has been linked to the devastating microcephaly birth defect in newborns, has topped 91 000 cases, health officials said on Tuesday. Between January 3 and April 2, 91 387 suspected cases of Zika were reported, with a disproportionate share (30 286) in the poorer northeast of the country, the Health Ministry said. Three people have died of the mosquito-borne virus, it said. Despite a flurry of research, very little is known about the virus - how long it can hide out in the human body, the degree of risk via sexual transmission, the full list of diseases and disorders it may cause, and all the mosquito types capable of transmitting it.

Nigerian government stops payment of overseas medical trips for officials

The Federal Government of Nigeria yesterday said it would no longer provide resources to any government official to travel abroad for medical attention on cases that could be handled in the country. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 56th Annual General Conference and delegates meeting of Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, in Sokoto, President Muhammadu Buhari, said his administration would not encourage expending hard earned resources on any government official seeking medical care abroad. Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Health Professor Isaac Adewole, said “While this administration will not deny anyone of his or her fundamental human rights, we will certainly not encourage expending Nigerian hard-earned resources on any government official seeking medical care abroad, when such can be handled in Nigeria.”

Mall of Africa: The biggest mall in Africa opens for business today

Mall of Africa is a shopping mall located in Gauteng, South Africa. It is the largest single phase shopping mall to be built in Africa with a total retail area of 131 000 square metres, and a gross area of 550 000 square metres. Developed on a scale beyond anything the country has known by leading South African property developer and investor Atterbury, the iconic new Mall of Africa is the largest shopping centre to date.
The mall was constructed at a cost of R5 billion (about $350 million).  Louis van der Watt, CEO of Atterbury said: “In line with the Atterbury vision to create working, shopping and entertainment spaces for everyone to live to their full potential, the development of this breath-taking shopping and leisure destination introduces an unmissable, unmatched retail experience. Mall of Africa’s exceptional scale, design, location and retail mix places it at the forefront of development.”
More pictures after the cut

45 dead as cholera outbreak hits Zanzibar

A Zanzibar health official says a cholera outbreak on the island archipelago has killed at least 45 people since March. Muhammed Dahoma, the director of disease prevention and control at the health ministry, said on Wednesday that 3 000 people have been hospitalised with cholera. The government of Zanzibar has recently taken steps to stem the outbreak, including banning the sale of food and juices in open areas. The government has also established several camps in the islands of Unguja and Pemba where cholera patients are isolated.
Heavy rains continue to pound parts of Zanzibar, clogging sewer systems and exacerbating the cholera problem. The cholera outbreak threatens Zanzibar's lucrative tourism industry, especially if it extends into June when tourism season enters its peak.

I see you!

Photographer Alain Balthazard, 49, who captured the head-turning shot, said owls can pivot their heads up to 270 degrees in a display of surprise and curiosity.

$56m graft lands former Cameroon airline boss in prison for life

A court in Cameroon has jailed for life the former head of the defunct national carrier Camair, Yves Michel Fotso, on conviction of embezzling almost US$56 million.
Fotso, already sentenced to 25 years behind bars in a separate graft case, "took the rap for life," said a source close to the Special Criminal Tribunal, set up in the central African country to try major corruption cases. The judges "found Mr Fotso guilty of embezzling 32.4 billion CFA francs" when he was chief executive of the airline, whose full name was Cameroon Airlines, from 2000 to 2003.
Fotso created three front companies to rent aircraft to the airline when the planes had already been purchased outright with public funds. The judges also found Fotso guilty of making fraudulent withdrawals of funds from a Camair account at the Commercial Bank of Cameroon (CBC). The tycoon consistently protested his innocence. In February, his lawyers decided to boycott hearings at the special tribunal, denouncing procedural irregularities.

Pics: Nurse makes gory realistic cakes inspired by her day job

A keen baker who works as a nurse has brought the workplace into her cakes by creating frighteningly real and gory sweet treats. 30-year-old Katherine Dey's day job in accident and emergency, Rochester New York, has been the inspiration for some truly gruelling works of art, as she blends medical emergencies with cream icing.
More pictures after the cut

Animal lovers react as tourist-carrier elephant drops dead from exhaustion during work

An investigation has begun into the death of a female elephant which collapsed and died at the roadside while carrying tourists to an ancient Cambodian temple. Sambo the elephant collapsed of a fatal heart attack after ferrying two tourists - one at a time - to a temple in the famous Angkor Wat complex. She had been working for 40 minutes in scorching heat that had reached 40 degrees  - and a veterinarian concluded that she had died of a heart attack ‘due to high temperatures, heat exhaustion and lack of wind that would have helped to cool her.’

Mitsubishi admits to rigging dating back to 1991

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, the Japanese car maker, which last week admitted manipulating emissions data in more than 600,000 vehicles, said an internal investigation found such tampering dated to 1991. Company president Tetsuro Aikawa told reporters on Tuesday that the probe was ongoing, suggesting that more irregularities might be found.
“We don’t know the whole picture and we are in the process of trying to determine that,” he said at a news conference at the transport ministry in Tokyo. “I feel a great responsibility.”
Aikawa said so much was unknown that it was uncertain what action the company would take. He said he didn’t know why employees resorted to such tactics to make mileage look better.

Families sue sperm bank over supposedly ‘genius donor’ that turns out to be a ciminal

Three families are suing a sperm bank and its distributor for allegedly telling them their donor was a genius – when in fact he had several mental disorders and a criminal record.
At least 36 women in Britain, Canada and the US are thought to have got pregnant from the donor’s sperm over the last decade. Now three Canadian families have filed a lawsuit saying US-based Xytex Corp and Ontario’s Outreach Health Services misled them.
“It’s horrifying,” said lawyer James Fireman. “These couples were seeking assistance to build a family and were very vulnerable, they put their faith in the (cryobank) industry, and this happens.”
The plaintiffs – whose allegations have not been proven in court – are seeking $11.7m (£8.2m).

Statue of Nelson Mandela unveiled in Palestine

A six-metre bronze sculpture of Mandela, the first of its kind outside South Africa, has been unveiled in the Palestinian city of Ramallah. A gift from the Johannesburg Municipality, it has been erected at a traffic circle that will now aptly be called Mandela Square. The unveiling came after Ramallah mayor, Mousa Hadid, held a joint press briefing with the City of Johannesburg in central West Bank. Johannesburg mayor, Parks Tau, said the Madiba statue was “a symbol of hope and inspiration for the people of Palestine to realise their freedom”.
“Having overcome apartheid in South Africa with support of the international community, it is natural to extend our ubuntu principles as Africans and indeed stand in solidarity with those nations currently experiencing various forms of political and humanitarian unrests,” Tau said.
The statue, a donation from Johannesburg to Ramallah, represents a symbol of solidarity with the people of Palestine.  Hadid said the unveiling would be celebrated as a national day because the statue of Nelson Mandela “unites the people of Palestine and South Africa”.

This statue of Heracles gets removable penis because it keeps getting nicked!

A statue of one of the greatest mythical heroes of all time has had a removable penis attached  because people kept stealing the original. Heracles may be known as the greatest of the Greek heroes and a paragon of masculinity who impregnated 50 women in one night. But a statue of the musclebound hunk has fallen foul of cheeky visitors one time too many. The 3m tall statue of the hero - known in Roman myth as Hercules - was seen without his manhood by many, causing authorities at the park in Arcachon, south-western France where he is on display to think smart. They've come up with a movable member, and it'll only be displayed in all its glory during special ceremonies and public events.

Meet Horizon, the most expensive buffalo in the world

Horizon is worth a staggering £8.5 million and has been tagged the most expensive buffalo in the world. With a 56 inch horn span, Horizon is South Africa's most sought after buffalo bull. Horizon is such hot property that a 25% share in him was sold for over £2.1 million in February to South Africa-based businessman Peter Bellingham. Valuable purely due to his large horn span and impeccable genes, Horizon is a goldmine, with every farmer wanting a piece of the gene pool. One of Africa's big five, Game Reserve owners buy buffalo to attract tourists and Horizon offers them the opportunity to breed the biggest and the best herds.

The story behind the tiny metals on jeans pockets

Have you ever stopped and wondered why we have a weird trio of buttons on the pockets of our jeans?

Known as ‘rivets’, they are placed on areas of the jeans that are most likely to be pulled apart by strain or movement and help hold the fabric together, thereby making them last longer. But their contribution to the history of denim - and how it acquired its massive popularity - is more interesting. In fact, they led to the creation of "jeans".

Incredible dog makes a 12 day 387Km journey back to his original owner after running off from new home

Dogs are said to be man's best and most loyal friend - and in the case of Pero the sheepdog, the old saying is certainly true. The lovable black and white pooch made an incredible 387 Km journey back to his owner after he was handed over to another farm for a trial. Pero was taken to his new home in Cockermouth, Cumbria, by farmer Alan James from the country village of Penrhyncoch, Wales, at the beginning of March. But on April 8, Mr James received a phone call to say that four-year-old Pero had gone missing while herding sheep, and was nowhere to be seen. Twelve days later the father-of-five was shocked when he opened the front door to find his missing sheepdog 322Km away from where he was meant to be.

Rafael Nadal wins Barcelona Open

Rafael Nadal maintained his ominous claycourt form by seizing back the Barcelona Open title from Kei Nishikori with a 6-4 7-5 victory, matching Guillermo Vilas’s record title haul on the surface. A week after reclaiming the Monte Carlo crown, the 29-year-old Spaniard returned to another of his favourite hunting grounds to end Nishikori’s two-year hold on the trophy and take his tally in the Catalan capital to nine.
“It’s a very special week playing in my homeland,” said Nadal. “This is a very important and historic tournament on the calendar.”
Playing with the kind of authority that once made him almost unplayable on European clay, Nadal looked poised for a comfortable victory until Nishikori broke back in the second set to make Nadal dig deep.
Nadal moves into second place in the 2016 point race to the World Tour Finals in London. He earned his first back-to-back titles in successive weeks since Toronto and Cincinnati in August 2013.

At least eight killed as severe storms with golf-size hailstones hit northern Myanmar (Burma)

Violent storms that saw hailstones the size of golf balls rain down across the north of Myanmar (formerly Burma) have killed at least eight people, toppled pagodas and damaged thousands of buildings, according to officials. The freak storms struck across five states and regions on April 22 and 23 after weeks in which temperatures regularly topped 40 Celsius. Meteorological experts say more wild weather is expected through to tomorrow, after which high temperatures will be the norm.
“From what we know now there are eight people killed and 7500 houses destroyed during these days,” said Daw Phyu Lei Lei Tun, a director in the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. She added that the toll may increase as more information becomes available.

Nigeria and 59 other nations set to sign sanction on looters

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria

The Federal Government of Nigeria and 59 other nations will in May sign agreement on the sanctions to be imposed on corrupt political and public office holders. President Muhammadu Buhari will join 59 other world leaders in the United Kingdom to seal the pact by which any of the 60 countries involved would no longer be a “safe haven” for treasury looters. Some of the sanctions that may be imposed on culprits include:
•    travel restriction or denial of entry visa into the 60 countries;
•    rejection of request for political asylum by corrupt political and public office holders;
•    likely loss of citizenship;
•    no more approval of naturalization for any corrupt person;
•    no establishment of shell companies abroad; and
•    the corrupt will not be allowed to operate foreign accounts in any of the 60 nations.

Tottenham's Dele Alli wins PFA Young Player of the Year award

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli was named the PFA Young Player of the Year after registering 10 goals and 12 assists in his debut campaign in the Premier League. The 20-year-old beat teammate Harry Kane to the prize, as well as Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland, Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho and Everton duo Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley.

Malawi hospital runs out of medication as STD cases increases

Health officials at Malawi’s Lilongwe district are reportedly on high alert following the high prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases which have hit at least 9 000 young people in the last four months, reports Nyasa times. Spokesperson for the Lilongwe district health office (DHO), Richard Mvula, said that most of the “affected” people in the district were suffering from gonorrhoea and syphilis. He said that the most vulnerable group were young girls, between the ages of 19 and 25.
In a previous report, the Nyasa Times revealed that a small tea town in southern Malawi, Tyholo, had an HIV prevalence of at least 18%. Officials in Tyholo claimed that the majority of young people in the area were engaging in unsafe sexual intercourse, which resulted in unsafe abortions and HIV. Mvula further claimed that a nearby hospital was running out of “important” drugs meant to treat the patients.

Papa Wemba 'the king of Congolese rumba' dies after collapsing on stage during concert

Papa Wemba, known around the world as the "king of Congolese rumba", has died after collapsing during a concert. The musician fell ill on Saturday and collapsed while performing at a music festival in Abidjan in Ivory Coast on Sunday. He was 66. Papa Wemba was taken to a nearby clinic after collapsing but could not be resuscitated and died on the way. Congo's cultural minister described the musician, whose real name was Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba, as 'a self-made man, a role model for Congolese youth.' The musician rose to fame in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa during the 1970s with the band Zaiko Langa Langa. The band are known for its guitar-based fusion of Latin and African dance styles, which inspired a generation of African musicians. The cause of his death is not known yet.

ISIS freezes 45 members to death in Mosul

ISIS have reportedly killed 45 of their own fighters by locking inside a forensic freezer after they attempted to flee during a battle in Iraq. Sources said that the 45 members were put alive in morgue freezers in Mosul and were left for 24 hours where they were left to die slowly. This is not the first time that an act of terror has been carried out by terrorists against their fellow-fighters. After their agonising deaths, the bodies of the victims were allegedly stretched out along the sides of the road to act as a warning to any other ISIS defectors, according to the Daily Mirror.
The claims come as at least 12 people were killed in two separate car bomb attacks in Baghdad targeting security forces, police sources said today. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blasts which wounded a further 39 people, but ISIS regularly carries out attacks in the Iraqi capital, including one on Friday at a Shi'ite mosque.

Fiat Chrysler recalls 1.1 million cars worldwide

Fiat Chrysler said Friday it's recalling more than 1.1 million cars and midsize SUVs worldwide because drivers can't tell if they've put the vehicles in park. The confusion can increase the risk of a rollaway accident. The recall covers the 2012-2014 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans and the 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV. FCA is recalling 811,586 vehicles in the U.S.; 52,144 vehicles in Canada; 16,805 in Mexico; and 248,667 outside North America. The vehicles have an electronic shift lever that moves forward or backward to let the driver select the gear instead of moving along a track.

Riyad Mahrez becomes the first African to win PFA player of the year award

Riyad Mahrez won the PFA Player of the Year award and then dedicated the prize to all his Leicester team-mates. Mahrez was presented with the prestigious trophy at the Grosvenor Hotel in London on Sunday after contributing 17 goals and 11 assists to the Foxes' fairytale campaign. Mahrez was flown down by helicopter to the ceremony from the King Power Stadium, where Claudio Ranieri's side had earlier thrashed Swansea 4-0 to move eight points clear at the top of the table. The Algerian held off competition from Dimitri Payet, Harry Kane, Mesut Ozil and fellow Leicester men Jamie Vardy and N'Golo Kante to win the award, but dedicated the success to his team-mates.
Mahrez has been instrumental in his team's remarkable rise and he now joins a glittering list of former winners that includes Kenny Dalglish, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

President Idriss Déby of Chad wins 5th presidential election

President Idriss Déby of Chad won a fifth term in office, the national election commission announced late Thursday, soundly defeating more than a dozen challengers to remain leader of a country that is central to Africa’s fight against Islamic militants. Mr. Déby earned 61.5 percent of the votes cast on Election Day, April 10, according to provisional results that need to be ratified by the Constitutional Council. He needed more than 50 percent to avoid a runoff. The announcement came one day after a visit by Samantha Power, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, and by top American military officials that highlighted Chad’s prominence in the fight against Islamic extremist groups like Boko Haram. The country serves as the headquarters for a five-nation regional force intended to defeat the Nigeria-based group, which has carried out multiple attacks on Chad’s territory, including suicide bombings in the capital, Ndjamena.
Mr. Déby appeared before hundreds of supporters in the capital just after the commission’s announcement, thanking them for the win while urging them to wait for the Constitutional Council’s ratification. “It’s your victory,” he said.

Ecuador’s earthquake death-toll passes 650

The death toll from Ecuador's devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake last week has risen to 654 people, the government has announced. The quake of April 16 - the worst in nearly seven decades - injured around 12,500 people and left 58 missing along the country's ravaged Pacific coast.
"These have been sad days for the homeland," President Rafael Correa said during his regular Saturday television broadcast. "The country is in crisis."

Pins and Needles: what it is and how to get rid of it!

Sitting on a couch for a long period of time, you suddenly notice cold numbness in your legs and feet, almost as if they’ve fallen asleep long before you. A ninja kick or two usually sorts the nasty numbness, but what is with the uncomfortable stinging, tingling prickly sensation that follows? The exact mechanics behind this strange sensation most people call pins and needles is still uncertain, comments Stellenbosch University medical physiologist Dr Derick van Vuuren. He says pins and needles (called parasthesia from the Greek word meaning "disordered perception”), usually happens when sensory nerves, especially ones involved with the perception of touch and pain, are compressed.
“The sensation itself is your body’s way of telling you that you need to relieve that compression,” he explains.

Pics: Over 300 boys undergo mass circumcision in the Philippines

In the Philippines circumcision is a tradition for boys who are just about to enter their teenage years. Uncircumcised boys often end up being teased by their peers but as these images show, the price of social acceptance is a painful one.  Circumcision is traditionally associated with Muslim and Jewish culture but the ritual of 'tuli' is common in the Philippines, where the majority of people are Roman Catholic. This week 300 boys began the traditional journey into adulthood in a single mass circumcision exercise at a school in Marikina City, east of the Filipino capital Manila. Afterwards they are encouraged to wear loose skirt-like clothing and in the local Tagalog language the swelling which follows the operation is known as pangangamatis, which translates as 'becoming like a tomato'.
More pictures after the cut

Pics: The International Art Festival of Tattoos in Shanghai

The International Art Festival of Tattoos is being held for five days at the Everbright Convention & Exhibition Center in the bustling city of Shanghai. Plenty of skin was on show at this tattoo festival in China with fans coming from around the world to marvel at the array of stunning inking and seize the chance to add their own pieces of body art.
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Liverpool’s Mamadou Sakho suspended after failing drug test

Liverpool star Mamadou Sakho won’t take part in any first-team matches after UEFA opened up an investigation into failing a drugs test. French publication RMC Sport have revealed that the defender has been taking a ‘fat burning’ drug in a personal capacity, that has broken stringent regulations. The Reds are now investigating the incident and the 26-year-old will remain suspended for matches until club officials and UEFA are satisfied. Sakho’s Liverpool team-mate Kolo Touré tested positive for diet pills while at Manchester City in 2011 and was handed a six-month suspension by the Football Association.  Sakho is keen to prove that this has been an accident and is generally considered a consummate professional by the club.

Pet dog mauls 3-day-old baby to death

Polo, the pet dog that mauled a baby to death

The police has confirmed that a 3-day-old boy was mauled to death by the family dog while they were in bed with the child’s parents. The parents were in bed watching TV with their newborn son and dog Thursday night when the mother coughed. The coughing startled the dog and it unexpectedly bit the baby, Sgt. Tu Nguyen said. He said the parents pulled the animal off and took their only child to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“At this time, we’re looking at this as nothing more than a tragic incident,” said Nguyen, a member of the child abuse unit.
An autopsy is underway to determine the cause of death. Animal control officers took the 2-year-old dog, a neutered male American Staffordshire terrier-mix named Polo, into custody, said Dan DeSousa, deputy director of the county Department of Animal Services. The dog will be held in quarantine for 10 days to determine whether it has rabies. It will be up to the owners to decide whether to reclaim the dog, DeSousa said.

Beware of 7 most prevalent distractions while driving

While there are many different distractions that constitute distracted driving, the AA highlights the following as the most prevalent:

1. Talking on cellphones, or texting while driving
2. Eating while driving
3. Putting on ties or other clothing while driving, or changing clothes when driving
4. Applying make-up while driving
5. Looking to the backseat to engage passengers, especially children
6. Setting GPS devices while moving
7. Searching for items in various areas of the car while driving

Be warned!

Pics: Cycle-way built for Rio Olympics collapses

At least two people were killed after a cycle-way built for this summer's Rio Olympics collapsed into the sea. A 50metre section of the bike lane in the Brazilian city was reportedly smashed up when a huge wave crashed into it. Search operations involving helicopters are underway to find the people who could not be accounted for. The 3.9km cycle route - which had no events planned on it for the Games - was opened earlier this year and runs along the edge of the Rio coastline.
Witness Damiao Pinheiro told O Globo newspaper: "People stopped on the bike lane. They were taking pictures of the waves - they were huge. Then I saw the biggest one ever.
"It lifted the cycleway and a piece came off. I saw the people falling. It is really sad."
Two bodies were recovered from the sea and laid out on the beach below the path. Ademir Guedes, who was cycling along the route before being warned of the danger, said: "I thought he was joking. I never imagined a newly built bike path would collapse.
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Boxer Nick Blackwell retires after brutal bout put him in a coma

Nick Blackwell has retired from the sport after sustaining serious head injuries in his British middleweight fight against Chris Eubank Jr. The 25-year-old collapsed with bleeding on the brain after the 10th-round defeat on March 26 and was placed in an induced coma in a London hospital. He woke from the coma a week later and wrote on Twitter he was "on the mend." But taking to the social media site again he tweeted Monday, "No that's me done," after being asked if he would be making a comeback.
"I can't put my friends and family and self through that again."
Blackwell, who says he wants to stay involved in the sport, also responded to a tweet from Eubank Jr., saying he holds "no hard feelings" towards his opponent.
Eubank's father Chris was involved in an infamous 1991 world title fight which put Michael Watson in a coma for 40 days and left him with life-changing injuries.