Eulogies as Ogbemdudia dies at 84 (Read full details)

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Condolence register at the residence of the late Gen. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia in Benin City, Edo State…yesterday

Former governor of old Midwest and Bendel State (now Edo and Delta State) has died at the age of 84. He was said to have died in a private hospital in Lagos at about midnight on Thursday.

The late Ogbemudia had been down in the last few months and was first admitted into the Intensive Care Unit of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), but was reportedly moved to Lagos on request by members of his family.

Speaking to journalist in his residence at Ihieya in Benin City yesterday, his first son, Sam Ogbemudia Jr said he would miss everything about his father and that his late father has since prepared his grave besides his late mother’s grave said to have died in 1968.

He said his father passed on in in Lagos, shortly before midnight on Thursday, adding that his father represented everything to him right from childhood to adult.

“I learnt so much from him. He was a wonderful man. I will miss everything about him; both his biological children and non-biological ones.

“I will miss everything about him. I, and every other persons that have come in contact with him, have all learnt a great deal from him. He was a father, not just to his children, but also to all. He was a great man.”

He said his late father prepared his grave beside that of his late mother some years ago.

When asked if his late father gave any particular reason for preparing the grave, he simply responded saying, “anybody can do that.”

Ogbemudia was a former Military administrator of old mid-western state from September 1967 – 1975 and later elected civilian governor in the shortlived 3rd Republic of 1983 under the platform of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

Former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rev Peter Obadan described the late administrator as an encyclopaedia of wisdom.

“We give thanks to God for the life he lived on earth, he left qualities that ought to be emulated by politicians, forebears, he was a fearless man, a man that in his hey days actually did a lot for the Midwest region and his records are yet to be beaten and he affected everybody in the Midwest Region. He never discriminated and at a time, I had the opportunity of politically associating very closely with him and it was obvious to me that he was an encyclopaedia of wisdom and has very good knowledge of the political history of this country. We will miss him but his legacies are there and for years to come, he will be remembered even by children yet unborn, it is a painful loss but we give thanks”

The Artistic Director, Afemai Heritage and Culture Alhaji Usman Abidah described the late Ogbemudia as a focused person.

“He has done his best which was very good to all of us the old Bendel, I advise that our current political leaders should take a cue from him. I will not say it is big loss because everyman has his time to spend here on earth and thereafter goes to the beyond”

Former senator representing Edo North, Domingo Obende told The Guardian that “He was a Governor of Governors . He was a great foundational Leader who saw everything good about Edo and Nigeria in his lifetime. We shall definitely miss him beyond measures. May God grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

Former Governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion in a statement issued by his media aide, Mark Nkworji recalled with fond memories the giant strides of the late Dr Ogbemudia, describing him as the chief architect of the great development strides of the now Edo and Delta states, when he governed as military administrator of Midwest state.

He described Dr Ogbemudia as an astute administrator and later, a politician of remarkable pedigree, whose advice and selfless service to Edo and indeed humanity will be greatly missed.

He prayed God to give the family of the late Dr Ogbemudia, Edo and Delta states and indeed all Nigerians the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. Dr Ogbemudia, he said, will be solely missed.

The Edo State chapter of the Sickle Cell Club also described Ogbemudia as a great man. He was the pioneer chairman of the Board of Sickle Cell in the state. A statement by the President of the club in the state, Gregory Aigbonoga said  “He was the first Sickle Cell Treatment & Research Center Board Chairman in 1994. We pray that Almighty GOD gives the family he left behind the fortitude to bear the loss”.

Meanwhile, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Gentleman Amegor described his exit as painful, but eventful while alive.

He said he was consoled with the fact that the late Ogbemudia lived a good life while alive.

“He was my surrogate father and I will really miss him dearly. He was everything to his children and others who were not his biological children.

“We are consoled with the fact that he represented everything good to humanity,”

Residents of Ihieya where the late Ogbemudia house is located described his demise as a great loss.  Ehigie Aigbiremolle, who said he has lived in the area for over 25 years, described the late Ogbemudia as a man with good heart.

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Mona Lisa’s smile decoded: science says she’s happy…Read full details

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The subject of centuries of scrutiny and debate, Mona Lisa’s famous smile is routinely described as ambiguous. But is it really that hard to read?

Apparently not.

In an unusual trial, close to 100 percent of people described her expression as unequivocally “happy”, researchers revealed on Friday.

“We really were astonished,” neuroscientist Juergen Kornmeier of the University of Freiburg in Germany, who co-authored the study, told AFP.

Kornmeier and a team used what is arguably the most famous artwork in the world in a study of factors that influence how humans judge visual cues such as facial expressions.

Known as La Gioconda in Italian, the Mona Lisa is often held up as a symbol of emotional enigma.

The portrait appears to many to be smiling sweetly at first, only to adopt a mocking sneer or sad stare the longer you look.

Using a black and white copy of the early 16th century masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci, a team manipulated the model’s mouth corners slightly up and down to create eight altered images — four marginally but progressively “happier”, and four “sadder” Mona Lisas.

A block of nine images were shown to 12 trial participants 30 times.

In every showing, for which the pictures were randomly reshuffled, participants had to describe each of the nine images as happy or sad.

“Given the descriptions from art and art history, we thought that the original would be the most ambiguous,” Kornmeier said.

Instead, “to our great astonishment, we found that Da Vinci’s original was… perceived as happy” in 97 percent of cases.

– All in the context –

A second phase of the experiment involved the original Mona Lisa with eight “sadder” versions, with even more nuanced differences in the lip tilt.

In this test, the original was still described as happy, but participants’ reading of the other images changed.

“They were perceived a little sadder” than in the first experiment, said Kornmeier.

The findings confirm that “we don’t have an absolute fixed scale of happiness and sadness in our brain” — and that a lot depends on context, the researcher explained.

“Our brain manages to very, very quickly scan the field. We notice the total range, and then we adapt our estimates” using our memory of previous sensory experiences, he said.

Understanding this process may be useful in the study of psychiatric disorders, said Kornmeier.

Affected people can have hallucinations, seeing things that others do not, which may be the result of a misalignment between the brain’s processing of sensory input, and perceptual memory.

A next step will be to do the same experiment with psychiatric patients.

Another interesting discovery was that people were quicker to identify happier Mona Lisas than sad ones.

This suggested “there may be a slight preference… in human beings for happiness, said Kornmeier.

As for the masterpiece itself, the team believe their work has finally settled a centuries-old question.

“There may be some ambiguity in another aspect,” said Kornmeier, but “not ambiguity in the sense of happy versus sad.”

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‘I have never been this sick’ (Read full details)

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Nigerian President Mohammadu Buhari (C) shakes hands with state officials upon his arrival at the Nigerian Airforce base in Kaduna, on March 10, 2017. Buhari arrived back in Nigeria on March 10 after nearly two months in London receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment. The 74-year-old landed at the airport in the northern city of Kaduna at about 7:40 am (0640 GMT) and was flown by helicopter to the capital, Abuja. PHOTO: STRINGER / AFP

• To Rest As Osinbajo Continues Acting
• Transmits Letter To N’ Assembly On Monday
• I Had Very Challenging Times In Borrowed Robes, Osinbajo Admits

President Muhammadu Buhari arrived the country after 49 days of undergoing medical treatment in the United Kingdom (UK).

Buhari, who landed at the Air Force Base in Mando, Kaduna and was received by top state government officials led by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Yusuf Bala Barnabas Bantex, wore a navy blue Kaftan and Zanabukar cap to match.

The Air Force plane that conveyed the President, with number N5 FGT, landed at the Air Force Base tarmac at exactly 7:47am.

He alighted from the aircraft at 7.55am and was received by Bantex and other top military officers with handshakes.

He then walked about 50 meters to a waiting helicopter that conveyed him to Abuja.

Speaking to journalists, Bantex said the President was hale and hearty, contrary to speculations, saying: “I am happy to receive him. He is going to Abuja to resume duty.”

In Abuja, Buhari landed at the helipad located within the Presidential Villa at exactly 8:43am yesterday and proceeded to meet and shake hands with top government functionaries.

He was later chauffeur-driven to the First Lady Conference Hall where he held a meeting with the service chiefs and other top government officials.

Addressing the brief meeting, which held in the First Lady’s Conference Room, the President said he had never been so weighed down by sickness throughout his life, both as a young man and as a serving military officer in the Nigerian Army with all of its ups and downs.

“I couldn’t recall being so sick since I was a young man, including in the military, with its ups and downs.

“I couldn’t recall when last I had blood transfusion. I couldn’t recall honestly, I can say in my 70 years,” he said.

The President, who said he received the best of treatment while on medical vacation in the UK, stated that he had also rested as much as humanly possible, adding that Osinbajo would continue while he rests.

He commended Osinbajo for effectively piloting the ship of state while he was away in London, adding: “I am pleased that the Vice-President enjoyed this break and he has to do much more this time around.

“I deliberately came back towards the weekend, so that the Vice-President will continue and I will continue to rest,” he said.

Buhari also thanked Nigerians who he said prayed and continued to pray for his good health while he was away, saying the development was “a testimony that in spite of the hardship being experienced, Nigerians support the government in its efforts to tackle our country’s challenges.”

He added: “The best way for me to pay you all is to re-dedicate myself to serving you, protecting your interest and keeping your trust. I thank you very much.

“I feel much better now. I am feeling much better now. There may, however, be need for further follow up within some weeks.”

Earlier in his remarks during the meeting, Osinbajo thanked Buhari for the confidence reposed in him by handing over the reins of governance to him in the capacity of Acting President.

Osinbajo who admitted that he “had a very interesting and challenging time” while Buhari was away, also thanked the President for what he described as “the good support” while piloting the affairs of the country for the almost two months of acting.

“Mr. President, again, on behalf of FEC, we welcome you back home. We are very grateful to God that you are back home hale and hearty.

“Mr. President, I must say that personally, this has been a very interesting few days for me. First, I want to thank you very much for the confidence reposed in me by handing over the reigns of governance to me in the capacity of acting President.

“I think more importantly is that you demonstrated the belief in our system, which is even more important than anything else.

“The constitution, which we all swore to, is important, because it outlines the code of conduct. I want to say not only am I, but I am sure the entire nation is grateful to you.

“For me, I must say that it has been an interesting period, going around the nation in borrowed robes. I must say I had a very interesting and challenging time, but above all, the President gave us the good support.”

Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, described Buhari’s return as a day of joy, saying it has vindicated the government’s position, while also thanking Nigerians for the prayers that kept the government going.

Mohammed thanked Osinbajo for giving the executive a sense of belonging and prayed that God would continue to heal the President Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Abayomi Olonishakin, on behalf of the service chiefs and armed forces of Nigeria, thanked God for granting the President journey mercies back to Nigeria.

Olonishakin assured that Buhari’s desires for the country, in terms of security, would be achieved, even as he appreciated the President’s support for the armed forces.

Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari also welcomed the President on behalf of the 36 state governors.

Adesina, in a tweet on his handle yesterday afternoon, said the President would transmit a letter to the National Assembly on Monday to make his return to work formal and constitutional.

“PMB will Monday transmit letter to National Assembly on his return to the country. That makes his return to work formal, and constitutional, he twitted..

Several journalists, who trooped into the airport as early as 5:00am yesterday, were not allowed access to the tarmac when Buhari landed. Only a few reporters and photographers were allowed to cover the occasion..

Adesina had in a statement on expiration of the 10 days confirmed that the President was extending his stay in the UK to “complete the test circle before returning.”

There were indications that the President might later return to the UK for further treatments.

Specifically, Buhari was expected to resume from his vacation on Monday, February 6, but he wrote to the National Assembly informing the parliament of his desire to extend his leave to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors.

The Presidency’s failure to come up with a categorical statement on when Buhari would return to the country continued to fuel agitations, with many Nigerians demanding hourly bulletin on the President’s status, as was the case when the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was indisposed.

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Trump dismisses dozens of Obama-era federal prosecutors…Read full details

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High-profile Manhattan prosecutor Preet Bharara was among 46 federal prosecutors asked to resign by the administration of US President Donald Trump. PHOTO: AFP

The administration of US President Donald Trump on Friday moved to clean house at the Justice Department, demanding the resignations of 46 federal prosecutors appointed during the two terms of his predecessor Barack Obama.

Presidents often order political appointees in several agencies to resign when they take office, but the abrupt nature of the move caught some by surprise — especially given that so many were asked to leave at once.

High-profile Manhattan prosecutor Preet Bharara was among those asked to leave — even though he met with Trump before the Republican took office and said he was asked to stay on.

Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said Attorney General Jeff Session had asked “all remaining 46 presidentially appointed US Attorneys to tender their resignations in order to ensure a uniform transition.”

“Until the new US Attorneys are confirmed, the dedicated career prosecutors in our US Attorney’s Offices will continue the great work of the department in investigating, prosecuting, and deterring the most violent offenders.”

Later Friday, another Justice Department spokesman, Peter Carr, said Trump had asked two to stay on — current acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente and the man he picked to take over that position, Rod Rosenstein.

“The President called Dana Boente and Rod Rosenstein tonight to inform them that he has declined to accept their resignation, and they will remain in their current positions,” Carr said.

It was not immediately clear if other resignations would eventually be declined.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he was “troubled” to learn of the mass request for resignations, especially that of Bharara, and said it had not been done in an “orderly fashion” as seen in the past.

“By asking for the immediate resignation of every remaining US Attorney before their replacements have been confirmed or even nominated, the president is interrupting ongoing cases and investigations and hindering the administration of justice,” Schumer said in a statement on Facebook.

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Return of the King: ‘Kong: Skull Island’ revives iconic ape…Read full details

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Eight decades since furry wrecking machine King Kong first stomped into theaters, the giant ape with a predilection for bottle-blonde damsels in distress makes his cinematic comeback this weekend.

“Kong: Skull Island” is expected to be a huge worldwide hit, leveraging a global fan base built up through a series of sequels, reboots and spin-offs that has turned the character into a cinematic icon.

“Going back to the classic 1933 ‘King Kong’ starring Fay Wray, this beauty and the beast tale has held a particular fascination for audiences and has continued to inspire filmmakers over the decades,” Paul Dergarabedian, of media analytics firm comScore, told AFP.

“Though superheroes seem to rule the earth, monster movies will always have a place in the hearts of audiences, and this latest version should benefit from that interest.”

Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, a newcomer to big studio properties, the latest Kong monster mash features a stratospherically famous cast led by Samuel L Jackson, Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and a svelte John Goodman.

Set in 1973, with US involvement in the Vietnam War ending, explorer Bill Randa (Goodman) persuades a senator to let him gather a team to explore the seismology of a mysterious Pacific island isolated by storms.

– Murderous havoc –

“Jurassic World” meets “Apocalypse Now” as Randa’s military escort — a motley band of brothers led by the brooding Lt Colonel Preston Packard (Jackson) — give the big guy and an array of other scary monsters plenty to chew on.

Along for the ride is Captain James Conrad, an SAS tracker turned mercenary (Hiddleston), and plucky anti-war photojournalist Mason Weaver — Brie Larson in her first role since her Oscar-winning performance in “Room.”

The comic relief is provided by John C. Reilly’s deliciously impish portrayal of half-crazed World War II pilot Hank Marlow, who has been marooned on the island for 29 years.

Kong, meanwhile, shares his home with vicious lizard-like creatures that have been skulking in a primordial hollow beneath the island, occasionally surfacing to wreak murderous havoc among a small community of human natives.

There’s a spider the size of a multi-story parking garage, a flock of birds with beaks shaped like chainsaws, gargantuan water buffalo and a giant squid the size of, well, a giant squid.

The original “King Kong” received universal acclaim and to this day is ranked by movie website Rotten Tomatoes as one of the best reviewed horror movies of all time.

“Son of Kong” was rushed out nine months later and panned, while two commercially successful remakes were released to mixed reviews — a 1976 version starring Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange and a 2005 CGI-fest by “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson.

– ‘Pure cinematic cash’ –

Then there were the spin-offs — the Japanese-American cult hit “King Kong vs. Godzilla” (1962), the less popular “King Kong Escapes” (1967) and critical and box office flop “King Kong Lives” (1986).

“Although monster movies haven’t completely made a definitive comeback yet, Kong’s appeal this time around seems to be driven by fan interest in a more action-driven, light-hearted adventure film than past iterations,” said Shawn Robbins, a senior analyst at BoxOffice.com.

Filmed in Hawaii, Vietnam and Australia’s Gold Coast, “Skull Island” casts Kong as a 100-foot (30-meter) biped who strides his territory like a colossal human, in contrast with the more realistic but less fun knuckle-walking, 25-foot monster of the 2005 movie.

The movie originally was supposed to be a Universal feature but in 2015 the studio announced it was letting the Legendary Pictures production move to Warner Bros. as the two companies were already planning “Godzilla vs. Kong” for release in 2020.

Jeff Bock, a senior box office analyst for Exhibitor Relations, said “Skull Island” could expect to gross upwards of $50 million in its opening weekend, enough perhaps to topple hit “X-Men” spin-off “Logan,” Hugh Jackman’s final movie as the X-Men mutant Wolverine.

“The iconic ape is pure cinematic cash for Warner Bros., which is expecting a colossal hit worldwide along the lines of $500 million-plus,” said Bock.

“Why else would you dump $190 million into a film, combined with an advertising campaign that rivals even the biggest summer blockbuster?”

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Stephin Merritt tells life in 50 songs, weird diseases and all…Read full details

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This file photo taken on June 1, 2009 shows Composer Stephin Merritt as he attends the celebration for the world premiere of the musical, "Coraline" at Telsey + Company Studios in New York. Creating a memoir in the form of one song for each of his 50 years on Earth, Stephin Merritt has revealed his unorthodox living arrangements, his disgust for surfing and his knack for catching "weird diseases." And he says almost nothing of The Magnetic Fields, the band that made him a counterculture icon.<br />Neilson Barnard / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP

Facing the task of summing up his 50 years on Earth through songs, Stephin Merritt has revealed unorthodox living arrangements, disdain for surfing and his knack for catching “weird diseases.”

And he says almost nothing about The Magnetic Fields, the pop band that made him a counterculture icon.

Merritt, known for his bitingly sardonic lyricism sung in a deep, bass voice over music that dips into virtually every genre, has written one track for each year of his life on The Magnetic Fields’ latest work, “50 Song Memoir.”

The songwriter enjoyed his biggest success with another sprawling project — 1999’s “69 Love Songs” — and quickly took up “50 Song Memoir” when his label chief proposed the idea at the oyster bar of New York’s Grand Central Station.

Merritt has rarely described his music as autobiographical — topics for past songs include the depression of a Chinese emperor and the death of Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure — and sought to revive his memory.

His mother charted out his first 25 years and his manager made a timeline for the following 25. Merritt picked out major moments — and does not even mention The Magnetic Fields.

“You could probably listen to the album without realizing it was about a musician,” Merritt, who is now 52, told AFP.

Merritt, who often crafts songs with a ukulele and without percussion, played more than 100 instruments on “50 Song Memoir” — at least according to his label, Nonesuch, as Merritt said he hadn’t counted.

“My next album — ‘Stephin Merritt, the Next 50 Years’ — will have to be entirely instruments I never used before, I guess,” he said in a dry deadpan much like his lyrical delivery.

– Dive bars and fetishism –

“50 Song Memoir,” which is out Friday, features accounts of Merritt’s itinerant childhood as his free-spirited mother moved him to Hawaii and a Vermont commune and how he wound up in a cramped, insect-infested New York apartment.

He pens a love song to New York, “Have You Seen It In The Snow?,” for 2001, the year of the September 11 attack, and relates a furtive attempt by the father he never knew to get in touch.

But for an artist whose early albums told bleak tales of unrequited love and whose side bands include The Gothic Archies, Merritt’s musical memoir is strikingly upbeat.

Merritt paused when presented with that assessment and said: “At least I’m happy to hear that you don’t consider it relentlessly downbeat. I have another band for that.”

The album ends in 2015 when Merritt reveals that, at long last, he has found love — of a sort. The song is “Somebody’s Fetish,” in which Merritt announces the discovery that “nothing’s so weird that nobody does it.”

“Everyone tickles somebody’s fancy / From 23rd Street down to Delancey,” he sings of a prime stretch of Manhattan.

On “Weird Diseases,” Merritt lists his medical traumas — “nearly fatal anal cysts, maybe Asperger’s if that exists.”

“Be True to Your Bar” is an ironic torch song in which Merritt exhorts tipplers to keep at it.

Merritt, who composes inside dive bars, said he had seen too many watering holes close — but acknowledged the issue was partially self-selection.

“Bars decline all the time; I have to keep changing them. Also, I tend to like bars that are in decline, so they are short-lived.”

– No fan of online music –

Merritt revisits controversy in his song for 2006 when music critic Sasha Frere-Jones, then at The New Yorker, suggested subconscious racism by Merritt over a lack of interest in black artists.

Merritt said the track, “‘Quotes,’” was more broadly about his frustration at inaccurate citations, especially in the British press, after a friend voiced anger at purported comments by Morrissey.

“I have said a tiny fraction of the more interesting things that people have attributed to me,” Merritt said.

In the nearly two decades since “69 Love Songs,” album sales have tumbled as online music takes root. Merritt said he has given no thought to commercial prospects for “50 Song Memoir” which weighs in at five CDs or LPs.

“The only way that I know how to listen to music online is YouTube on the phone, which is kind of like asking your neighbors to play a record while you sit at home and listen to the wall,” he said.

“I have a pop group, and I expect to have some sort of drum sounds on at least half of the tracks on the record. That is enough commercial consideration for me.”

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‘Game of Thrones’ announces winter is coming – in summer…Read full details

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“Game of Thrones” returns for its season seven premiere on July 16, HBO announced Thursday in an elaborate marketing stunt which elated and bemused fans of the hit fantasy show.

In a gimmick described by the New York Times as “memorably misguided,” the US cable network revealed all in a Facebook Live video showing a block of ice which viewers had to melt by commenting “Fire” to reveal the date.

The process was supposed to take a touch under 15 minutes — already a long time to be concentrating on a block of slowly melting ice — but the video malfunctioned several times, drawing out the process to more than an hour.

The debacle sparked snarky posts on Twitter, where #GoTS7 remained one of the top trending hashtags worldwide for hours after the announcement.

“Whoever is in charge of the @GameofThrones S7 premiere date reveal is getting a visit from Septa Unella,” tweeted one frustrated fan, invoking the brutal nun of the show’s fifth and sixth seasons.

“Next year, @HBO, a press release will do,” said fan account @BeautyBrienne.

“Game of Thrones” tells the story of noble families vying for control of the Iron Throne, all the while keeping one eye on the “White Walkers” leading hordes of the undead toward an invasion from the North.

Since its debut in 2010, the fantasy epic — which has 38 Emmys, more than any other narrative show in history — has been the target of criticism for senseless violence and, more controversially, its pervasive use of rape as a dramatic device.

The adult themes have not deterred viewers of the show, which has grown its audience in the US to more than 25 million, and is breaking records across the world.

Season six of “Game of Thrones” was the first to move beyond George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” novels.

Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss last year announced a shortened run of episodes for the final two seasons after HBO had already confirmed season seven would return in summer, a departure from the usual April premieres.

The show has been teasing winter’s arrival since its pilot episode, and with the season six finale entitled “The Winds of Winter,” the camera crew has been forced to wait for colder weather.

Benioff told fans at San Diego Comic-Con in July last year shooting would not finish until February and that “there’s no way to get the show out there until summer.”

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Odoh stakes Nigeria’s claim to Kenya Open’s 220,000 euros…See full details

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Andrew Oche Odoh will fly Nigeria’s flag at the 200, 000 euros Kenya Open, which tees off…on March 23.

Fresh from an impressive outing at the Sunshine Tours, Nigeria’s shining star, Andrew Oche Odoh, will join other leading players from across the world to contest for honours at the Kenya Open, which tees off on March 23.

Odoh, Nigeria’s only player on the official World Golf Ranking, has signed up for the 220, 000 Euros purse competition billed for the Muthiaga Golf Club in Kenya. It will end on March 26.
 
This will be Odoh’s fourth appearance at the only Challenge Tour event on the continent and he believes his chances are bright.“I have had fairly sweet memories in my past Kenyan Open appearances.  I made cut twice and I believe the Muthiaga Golf Course has some unique features that I am at home with. Add that to the fact that I have a blend of ups and downs at some of the toughest fields this year. I think it is not too much to hope for a good outing when the event tees-off,” he said.

 
The Professional Golfers’ Association of Nigeria presented Odoh since he is the only top ranked member of the association that showed willingness to be part of the event.
 
A strong finish at the event would also count for Odoh’s placement on the World Golf ranking, which is currently at 1889.The 2017 Barclays Kenya Open will be the 25th time the tournament has been part of the Challenge Tour’s schedule, making it the second-longest-running event on the Road to Oman.

The tournament dates back to 1969, and its illustrious list of champions before it became a Challenge Tour event in 1991 include Seve Ballesteros and Ian Woosnam.

The tournament returns to Muthaiga Golf Club this year after a stint at fellow Nairobi venue, Karen Golf Club, with competitors hoping to follow in the footsteps of 2016 winner Sebastian Soderberg, who followed this victory by qualifying for the U.S. Open and finished the year by earning a European Tour card.

Meanwhile, Kenya has chosen 22 of the best players for the event following a series of qualifiers at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club, Sigona and Vet Lab.
 

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J Stash – Can’t Lose [Mp3 + Lyrics]

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J $tash has spent the past few months rolling out new videos in support of his latest mixtape No Distractions, but thankfully that changes here today. With a new mixtape on the way called Relax Or Get Murked Vol 2, the Florida rapper decides to come through today and share its first offering called “Can’t Lose”Produced by Mark Gee & Hollywood Banger, take a listen to the hard-hittin’ trap cut & let us know what you think. If you’re a fan, be sure to hit J $tash on twitter @Imjstash for all his latest news & music updates

Take A Listen Below

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Blended Babies – Magic Ft Asher Roth & Fat Tony [Mp3 + Lyrics]

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Blended Babies are one of the most underrated production teams in the game, and have been for the last few years. From Kid Cudi’s “The End” and Freddie Gibbs’ “Oil Money” to collaborative projects with Anderson .Paak and Asher Roth, JP and Rich Gains’ sound is a gorgeous blend of grit and groove. Though they’ve never sought the spotlight, Blended Babies just put out a new album called 7 that deserves your attention

A testament to Blended Babies’ range, the 10-track project is a mix of rap, R&B, rock and soul featuring collaborations with the likes of Boldy James, Jon B. and Finding Noyvon. However, it’s the hypnotic “Magic” — featuring Asher Roth and Houston rapper Fat Tony, who previously linked up on 2015’s “Sushi”— that’s putting us in a trance right now

Take A Listen Below

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Barcelona believe in PSG ‘miracle’ mission…See full details

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Paris Saint-Germain's Argentinian forward Angel Di Maria (C) shoots next to Barcelona's Portuguese midfielder Andre Gomes (R) during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona on February 14, 2017 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris.<br />CHRISTOPHE SIMON / AFP

Three weeks on from suffering a 4-0 humiliation at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona still believe that a Champions League “miracle” is possible at the Camp Nou on Wednesday.

Since that fateful night in Paris, Barcelona have regained both leadership of La Liga and their confidence ahead of the last 16, second leg.

And despite the news that Luis Enrique will no longer be their coach next season, Barca showed no negative effects as Lionel Messi led a 5-0 destruction of Celta Vigo on Saturday in arguably the club’s best performance of the season.

“Hopefully we can produce a miracle,” said midfielder Ivan Rakitic.

No side has ever overturned a 4-0 deficit in the knock-out stages of the Champions League.

“Evidently, it is very difficult, we are not stupid,” accepted Enrique.

Yet, by announcing his decision to go at the end of the season, Enrique has calmed the waters that raged as Barca were torn apart by a faster, more determined and precise PSG, who enjoyed the glorious European night they had long waited for since Qatar Sports Investments starting pumping millions into the club six years ago.

Not everyone believes the tie is over, though.

“My advice to you, knowing Luis and the players a little, is not to talk too much, because they will be back and prove you wrong,” former Barca and now Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola had said about the first leg.

At the time very few, even in Barcelona, believed that. Now, 21 days on, they very much do.

Enrique spoke on Friday of the “relief” at ending speculation over his future.

And in following up a 6-1 thrashing of Sporting Gijon with the dismantling of Celta at the weekend, Barca had the air of a team with a weight removed.

“If the stars align we can turn that game around,” Enrique added as he announced his decision last week.

“With this team you have to always believe,” said Barca sporting director Robert Fernandez.

“We have a hugely difficult result against us against a magnificent team, but in football anything can happen.”

If there is one side in world football with the firepower to dream it is Barcelona.

On top of Messi, Neymar has come back into goalscoring form in the past week, whilst Luis Suarez already has 26 goals this season.

Indeed, the results from over a third of Enrique’s home games as Barca coach would be good enough to at least force the game to extra time.

That record includes all three of Barca’s Champions League games this season as they dismantled Celtic (7-0), Manchester City (4-0) and Borussia Moenchengladbach (4-0) by a combined score of 15-0.

Meanwhile, Suarez is seeking inspiration from one of the best displays of the Enrique era as last season Barca thrashed eternal rivals Real Madrid 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu with Messi only available for the last half hour on his return from injury.

“If we were capable of scoring four goals against Madrid at the Bernabeu, why can’t we score four against Paris at the Camp Nou,” the Uruguayan told Spanish radio station Onda Cero.

“If we score two then they can begin to get nervous that we can pull it off because we know we are capable of it.”

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