Boko Haram kills nearly 80 in Nigerian villages

Kano: Suspected Boko Haram gunmen shot dead nearly 80 people in separate attacks on three villages at in Nigeria`s restive northeast Borno state at the weekend, a vigilante and residents said Monday. Vigilant Babakura Kolo said 68 people were killed in the attack on Banu village late Friday while residents said another 11 people were shot dead in two other villages in the state on Saturday and Sunday. afp

Greek forces pick up 2,500 migrants in 3 days

athens: Greece's coast guard picked up nearly 2,500 migrants from the sea in dozens of search and rescue operations, part of a relentless flow of people seeking the safety of Europe after facing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Greece has been overwhelmed by record numbers of migrants this year, the vast majority from Syria and Afghanistan, reaching its eastern Aegean islands from the nearby Turkish coast. afp

Defiant Malaysian PM refuses to step down

Kuala Lumpur: Beleaguered Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (pic) on Monday refused to resign over a $700 million financial scandal and scorned protesters who took to the streets at the weekend to call for his dismissal over the issue, saying he will not let instigators destroy the nation. Reuters 

Prince Charles lobbied Scottish government 

LONDON: Britain's Prince Charles privately lobbied the Scottish government to give funds to a food brand patronised by him, according to newly released memos. Written between July 2007 and July 2010, the "black spider memos", a reference to Charles' handwriting, reveal the Prince's attempts to influence Scottish government's policy.  PTI

Facebook mention in prayer outrages Egyptians

CAIRO: Egyptians in a Nile Delta province are outraged after a cleric allegedly changed a line in the traditional Islamic call to dawn prayers to mention Facebook. Instead of saying "prayer is better than sleep" twice, as he was supposed to, Shiekh Mahmoud Maghazi of Beheira province allegedly said: "Prayer is better than Facebook".  The country's Religious Endowments Ministry suspended Maghazi after the ourage. afp

Indian-origin man jailed for girlfriend’s death in BMW

LONDON: A 36-year-old Indian-origin man has been jailed for seven years for causing the death of his girlfriend when he engaged in a sex act with her behind the wheel in his BMW.  Minesh Parbat was driving at 60mph when he crashed in West Sussex in March last year. His girlfriend and mother-of-two, Lisa Watling, was thrown from the car and the 28-year-old died later in hospital from her injuries. pti