Tsunami hits Indonesia's Palu after strong earthquake

A strong tsunami triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake has hit a coastal Indonesian city, officials say.

Waves of up to 2m (6.6ft) high swept through Palu on Sulawesi island, not long after authorities had lifted a tsunami warning.

Video on social media shows people screaming and fleeing in panic and a mosque amongst the buildings damaged.

Officials have reported five deaths - but it is not clear if those were as a result of the tsunami.

Last month, a series of earthquakes struck the Indonesian island of Lombok, killing hundreds of people - the biggest on 5 August killed more than 460.

The 2004 tsunami triggered by an earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra killed 226,000 across the Indian Ocean, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia.

Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because it lies on the Ring of Fire - the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific Rim.

More than half of the world's active volcanoes above sea level are part of the ring.

Invest in Africa's young people: entrepreneurs tell world leaders

Young people in Africa have been recognised as an asset rather than a problem by world leaders who also committed to investing in projects that would provide them with jobs and opportunities.

Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame, who was one of the African heads of state present at the investment roundtable for young people in Africa, said the recently signed African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement would expand opportunities for the youth.

‘‘Bigger markets, free movement of people and the elimination of internal trade will soon be reality on our continent,’‘ Kagame said.

For a long time, governments across the world have been giving aid to Africa. It's now time to convert that aid to trade by investing in Africa's growth.

Other African leaders who were scheduled to speak at the event held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly were Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta, Ghana’s Nana-Akufo Addo, Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari and Sierra Leone’s Julius Maada Bio.

Africa’s youth question

By 2030, there will be about 1.3 billion 15 to 24 year olds on the planet, some 100 million more than in 2015.

Africa’s youth population in particular is rapidly growing and is expected to double to over 830 million by 2050.

While 10-12 million youth enter the workforce in Africa each year, only 3 million jobs are created annually, fuelling unemployment and economic frustration for many young people.

Several initiatives are being implemented by institutions like the United Nations, African Union, African Development Bank and the UK’s Department for International Development, to generate more job opportunities for the youth.

Will Smith bungee jumps out of helicopter for 50th birthday

Bungee jumping probably isn't everyone's cup of tea, but at least he won't forget his big day in a hurry.

And this wasn't a standard bungee jump, the star decided to do it out of a helicopter over the Grand Canyon, watched by his family and friends.

Will shared the moment on his YouTube channel and once he'd made the jump but was still dangling he said: "It goes from pure terror to pure bliss."

Just before the jump he seemed a little nervous, but he soon got into it and blew kisses to the crowd.

His wife Jada Pinkett Smith and his three kids Trey, Jaden and Willow were watching, along with his friend Alfonso Ribeiro, who played Carlton in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Doing a bungee while attached to a helicopter added an extra element of danger because the helicopter is constantly moving.

Hanging off the edge of the helicopter, Will took a little sneak peek down the canyon and shook his head, shouting: "Never look down!"

But once he'd taken the plunge he seemed to have forgotten his fear. Once he made it on the crash mat and was detached from the helicopter his family and friends looked relieved.

They then watched a video of the jump, with Will and Alfonso doing some post-jump analysis.


Will said: "You have to commit.

"Life is hard, you might get hurt, your heart might get broken, you might lose your job, but you've still got to commit."

He performed the bungee jump to raise awareness of the charity Global Citizen, which aims to end extreme poverty by 2030.

Luka Modric ended Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s decade-long domination of football’s individual awards by being crowned FIFA’s best player of the year on Monday. The Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder starred for both club and country as Madrid won a third straight Champions League, and he inspired Croatia to reach the World Cup final for the first time. He beat Ronaldo and Liverpool’s Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah to the prize. Modric’s success means Ronaldo remains tied with Messi having won FIFA’s award in different guises five times each. At 33, Croatia’s run to the final was the culmination of a brilliant career for Modric that had often been overshadowed by Ronaldo’s goal scoring in their time together in the Spanish capital, before the Portuguese left for Juventus in July. ADVERTISEMENT Modric scored twice and also netted in penalty shootout wins over Denmark and Russia, but it was his playmaking ability that caught the eye in winning the Golden Ball for the best player at the World Cup. “It was an unbelievable season, the best season in my life,” said Modric. “I’m still not realising how good a year I had collectively, individually, and I’m very proud for everything I achieved this year and it will be remembered forever.” For a sixth straight season, Ronaldo was the Champions League’s top scorer with 15 goals and also scored four times at the World Cup, including a hat-trick against Spain in a thrilling 3-3 draw to open Portugal’s campaign. However, Portugal’s last 16 exit to Uruguay in Russia and Ronaldo’s failure to score in the semi-finals or final of the Champions League opened the door for Modric.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says he has "no problem" with Paul Pogba despite telling the midfielder he will not captain the club again.

Mourinho told Pogba he is no longer United's "second captain", reportedly because of concerns about his attitude.

"The only truth is that I made the decision for him not to be second captain any more but there is no fallout, no problem," Mourinho said.

"I am the manager I can make these decisions."

Speaking on Sky Sports he added: "No fallout at all, no problem at all, just a decision that I don't have to explain."

World Cup winner Pogba, 25, was told of the decision in the build-up to Tuesday's Carabao Cup exit to Derby.

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Pogba tried to play down his comments in a tweet on Monday.

But in his programme notes for Tuesday's game, which Derby won on penalties, Mourinho said he was unhappy with some members of his squad.

"[The game against Wolves was] an important lesson; a lesson that I repeat week after week after week, a lesson that some boys are not learning," he said.

"Every team that play Manchester United are playing the game of their lives, and we need to match that level of aggression, motivation and desire - 95% isn't enough when others give 101%."

France international Pogba, who was not named in the matchday squad against Derby, watched from the stand as Ashley Young captained the side. Antonio Valencia is United's club captain.

Before the game, Mourinho said: "They are rested. I gave a rest to Luke Shaw, to Paul, to Victor Lindelof, to Antonio Valencia, to David de Gea. I have to play with a good team."

Following Saturday's 1-1 draw, Pogba said he wanted the team to be able to "attack, attack, attack" at Old Trafford.

"We are at home and we should play much better against Wolves. We are here to attack," he said.

"When we play like [that] it's easier for us."

Pogba, who rejoined United from Juventus for a then world record fee in 2016, fell out of favour last season and suggested he was dissatisfied at Old Trafford.

France boss Didier Deschamps recently said the perception of Pogba as "individualistic" was inaccurate, and that he was misunderstood by fans and the media.

Luka Modric wins FIFA Men’s Player Award

Luka Modric ended Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s decade-long domination of football’s individual awards by being crowned FIFA’s best player of the year on Monday. 

The Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder starred for both club and country as Madrid won a third straight Champions League, and he inspired Croatia to reach the World Cup final for the first time. 

He beat Ronaldo and Liverpool’s Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah to the prize. 

Modric’s success means Ronaldo remains tied with Messi having won FIFA’s award in different guises five times each. 

At 33, Croatia’s run to the final was the culmination of a brilliant career for Modric that had often been overshadowed by Ronaldo’s goal scoring in their time together in the Spanish capital, before the Portuguese left for Juventus in July.

Modric scored twice and also netted in penalty shootout wins over Denmark and Russia, but it was his playmaking ability that caught the eye in winning the Golden Ball for the best player at the World Cup. 

“It was an unbelievable season, the best season in my life,” said Modric. 

“I’m still not realising how good a year I had collectively, individually, and I’m very proud for everything I achieved this year and it will be remembered forever.” 

For a sixth straight season, Ronaldo was the Champions League’s top scorer with 15 goals and also scored four times at the World Cup, including a hat-trick against Spain in a thrilling 3-3 draw to open Portugal’s campaign. 

However, Portugal’s last 16 exit to Uruguay in Russia and Ronaldo’s failure to score in the semi-finals or final of the Champions League opened the door for Modric.

Oil prices surge as Saudis, Russia won't open spigots

Global Benchmark Brent crude jumped more than 3 percent on Monday to a four-year high above $80 a barrel after Saudi Arabia and Russia ruled out any immediate increase in production despite calls by U.S. President Donald Trump for action to raise global supply.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-OPEC states, including top producer Russia, gathered in Algiers on Sunday for a meeting that ended with no formal recommendation for any additional supply boost to counter falling supply from Iran.

“The market’s still being driven by concerns about Iranian and Venezuelan supply,” said Gene McGillian, director of market research at Tradition Energy in Stamford. “The failure of the producers to address that adequately this weekend is creating a buying opportunity.”

Brent crude LCOc1 settled up $2.40 or 3.1 percent at $81.20 a barrel, after touching an intraday high of $81.39, the highest since November, 2014. U.S. light crude CLc1 settled up $1.30, or 1.8 percent, higher at $72.08.

(U.S. oil drilling, production & storage levels: tmsnrt.rs/2OKP4nJ)

OPEC leader Saudi Arabia and its biggest oil-producer ally outside the group, Russia, on Sunday effectively rebuffed Trump’s demand for moves to cool the market.

“I do not influence prices,” Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters on Sunday.

Trump said last week that OPEC “must get prices down now!”, but Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on Monday OPEC had not responded positively to Trump’s demands.

“It is now increasingly evident, that in the face of producers reluctant to raise output, the market will be confronted with supply gaps in the next three-six months that it will need to resolve through higher oil prices,” BNP Paribas oil strategist Harry Tchilinguirian told Reuters Global Oil Forum.

Commodity traders Trafigura and Mercuria said Brent could rise to $90 per barrel by Christmas and pass $100 in early 2019, as markets tighten once U.S. sanctions against Iran are fully implemented from November.

JPMorgan said U.S. sanctions on Iran could lead to a loss of 1.5 million barrels per day, while Mercuria warned that as much as 2 million bpd could be knocked out of the market.

Concerns about production shortfalls are encouraging traders to place more long bets, boosting Brent prices, said Brian LaRose, a technical analyst at United-ICAP.

“This is the seventh time over the last couple of months that we have challenged the highs,” he said, referring to individual monthly contracts, rather than a continuation contract. If Brent prices climb past $82 a barrel, he said prices up to $90 would be a near-term possibility.

Some have said softening demand from trade tensions between the U.S. and China to offset loss of Iranian supply, but Tradition’s McGillian said that unless trade tensions show signs of eroding Chinese demand, oil prices will surge further.

Serena keen to 'move on' from US Open row

Serena Williams says she is trying to "move on" from the meltdown that overshadowed her US Open final loss but remains perplexed at her coach's admission he illegally signalled to her.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion lost the decider in straight sets to Japan's Naomi Osaka after a fiery confrontation with chair umpire Carlos Ramos that she later blamed on sexism.

Williams called Ramos a "thief" and a "liar" in a running row with the Portuguese official that eventually saw her docked a game.

In an interview with Australia's Channel Ten, the American superstar said a male player would not have been treated the same way.

She said women could not get away with "even half of what a guy can do".

"Right now we are not, as it's proven, in that same position," she said in an interview that aired late Sunday.

"But that's neither here nor there. I'm just trying most of all to recover from that and move on."

Williams said she felt "on the cusp of this amazing moment" before the 6-2, 6-4 loss to Osaka.

A win would have taken her to 24 Grand Slams, equalling Australian Margaret Court's all-time record.

The dispute with Ramos began when Williams was issued a warning for coaching, something her coach sitting in the player's box, Patrick Mouratoglou, admitted to doing.

Williams said she had not seen the Frenchman make a gesture and labelled his subsequent admission "a really confusing moment".



"I asked him 'what are you talking about you were coaching?'," she said.

"We don't have signals, we've never had signals. He said he made a motion, and I said 'OK so you made a motion and now you're telling people you were coaching me?'.

"That doesn't make sense. Why would you say that?"

Tiger Woods wins Tour Championship

An emotional Tiger Woods completed an astonishing comeback to win the season-ending Tour Championship by two shots and record his first win in five years.

The 42-year-old's victory in Atlanta was his 80th PGA Tour title - only fellow American Sam Snead has more - but his first since August 2013.

Less than a year ago he was 1,199 in the world after spinal fusion surgery - the latest of multiple operations.

"I was having a hard time not crying on that last hole," Woods said.

"I just can't believe I've pulled this off."

Thousands of fans spilled on to the 18th fairway to follow Woods to the green chanting "U-S-A" and "Tiger, Tiger" after his approach found a bunker on the edge of the green.

Woods holed out for par to complete a final round of 71 for an 11-under total before holding his arms aloft in celebration of a brilliant win just days before the Ryder Cup gets under way in Paris.

England's Justin Rose lost his world number one ranking as a result of finishing tied fourth but secured the overall FedEx Cup which determines the season-long PGA Tour champion - the first Englishman to do so.

Rose birdied the 18th at East Lake for a 73 to finish on six under and seal the top-five finish he needed to win the $10m (£7.6m) bonus on offer as FedEx Cup champion.

'I loved every bit of it'

Woods, who was two clear of compatriot Billy Horschel, said: "I had to suck it up and hit some shots. Once I got the ball on the green, it was done. I could handle it from there."

The 14-time major champion's last tournament victory was in August 2013 at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, since when he has had surgery on his back four times

"It was just a grind out there," Woods added. "I loved every bit of it, the fight, the grind and the tough conditions.

"At the beginning of the year, it was a tall order but as the year progressed and I proved I could play, I knew I could do it again."

He came into the final day of the tournament - the last of four FedEx Cup play-off events - with a three-shot lead over Rose and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, who faded from contention with a 74 to finish on five under in a tie for seventh.

Woods birdied his first hole - one of two birdies and three bogeys - with his place at the top of the leaderboard in little danger during the final round.

"It's been tough. I've had a not-so-easy last couple of years," he said. "I've worked my way back. I couldn't have done it without the help of all the people around me.

"Some of the other players knew what I was struggling with. It was really special to see them at the green on 18. It's just hard to believe I won the Tour Championship."

Porsche stops making diesel cars after VW emissions scandal

The German carmaker Porsche says it will stop making diesel cars, and concentrate on petrol, electric and hybrid engines instead.

It follows a 2015 scandal in which its parent company, Volkswagen, admitted it had cheated emissions tests for diesel engines.

Diesel cars over a certain age have been banned in parts of some German cities in a bid to cut pollution.

The Porsche chief executive said the company was "not demonising diesel".

"It is and will remain an important propulsion technology," Oliver Blume said.

"We as a sports car manufacturer, however, for whom diesel has always played a secondary role, have come to the conclusion that we would like our future to be diesel-free.


"Petrol engines are well suited for sporty driving."

Existing diesel car customers would continue to be served, he said.

Porsche did not build its own diesel engines, preferring to use Audi ones.

"Nevertheless, Porsche's image has suffered, Mr Blume said.

"The diesel crisis caused us a lot of trouble."

A German public prosecutor fined Volkswagen €1bn (£900m) earlier this year, after finding the company had sold more than 10 million cars with emissions-test cheating software installed, between 2007 and 2015.

The company had already set aside $30bn (£23bn) to settle fines, compensation and buying back cars in the US.

Porsche is understood to be developing a fully-electric luxury car, with a multi-billion euro investment.

The first car ever designed by its founder, in 1898, was electric. It was rediscovered in a garage a few years ago.

The company's first diesel car was sold just 10 years ago.

DR Congo: Rebels carry out deadly attack in Beni city

At least 16 people, including 12 civilians, killed in a raid in the eastern city of Beni - home to humanitarian workers.

At least 16 people have been killed and eight others injured in a rebel attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo's restive eastern city of Beni, according to witnesses.

Twelve of the dead were civilians and the rest government soldiers, witnesses told the AFP news agency on Sunday. The attack on late Saturday also left five civilians injured, according to a doctor at a local hospital.

The Beni region is under siege from the Allied Defence Forces (ADF), a Ugandan rebel group that has operated in the region since 1995, which has been blamed for hundreds of civilian deaths over the past four years.

Foreign humanitarian workers have been stationed in Beni, in the North Kivu province near the border with Uganda, since early August to deal with a new Ebola outbreak in the region.

"The surprise attack happened in the streets of Beni city," the doctor told AFP. Four of the dead were killed while travelling in a taxi.

According to several witness accounts, the attack started around 16:30-17:00 GMT.

Heavy and light-calibre gunfire was heard for several hours until after midnight local time. It was not known whether the army counterattacked.

The rebels attacked areas near the centre of the trading settlement of several hundred thousand inhabitants.

The ADF group is responsible for the deaths of more than 1,500 people and 800 kidnappings since 2014, according to local civil society organisations.

North Kivu, one of the most populated areas of the DRC, is home to a number of armed groups that kill or abduct civilians.

Gabon's Aubameyang strikes twice as Arsenal win Europa League tie (4-2)

Gabonese and Arsenal forward, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice on Thursday night as the English club side won their opening Europa League game against Ukrainian side, Vorskla Poltava.

Arsenal’s record $74m signing, opened the scoring in the 32nd minute by connecting with fellow African star Alex Iwobi’s pass.

Iwobi plays for Nigeria’s Super Eagles.

Aubameyang would strike again after half-time, while Arsenal’s other goals were scored by Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil in the 4-2 win.

The other English club side playing in this year’s Europa competition, Chelsea also got off to a winning start, thanks to a goal from Brazilian Willian in a 1-0 win over Greek side PAOK Salonika.

The victory was the London club’s first Europa league game since winning the competition in 2013.

Tinubu Vs Ambode: Oshiomhole finally speaks on ‘fight’ between Lagos governor, APC leader

Tesla VP of global supply management resigns

The departure of O’Connor, who joined Tesla in March 2015 from Apple Inc (AAPL.O), follows the exit of a string of senior executives, including Chief Accounting Officer Dave Morton and Chief People Officer Gabrielle Toledano.

The company said last week its vice president of worldwide finance and operation Justin McAnear would leave the company in early October.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

News of his departure was first reported by Bloomberg. Select company insiders also knew he had resigned, according to a person familiar with the matter. Neither Tesla nor O'Connor responded to requests for further information.

O'Connor, who joined Tesla from Apple in 2015, is the latest high-ranking Tesla employee to exit the company amid a tumultuous year. Chief Accounting Officer Dave Morton resigned after about a month on the job there, while the company's prior HR boss Gaby Toledano said she would not return after her earlier reported leave of absence.

At least 42 executives have left Tesla in 2018, according to a tracker maintained by Tesla short-seller Jim Chanos, including 59 in the last 12 months. The company laid off at least 9 percent of its workforce in June — the same month 13 executives left the company, according to Chanos' list.

In recent quarters, Tesla has battled through production delays, swinging stock prices, and a DOJ probe following controversial conduct of its CEO and chairman Elon Musk.

At the same time, Tesla's Model 3 electric sedan became the most popular electric car in the U.S., and a top-selling vehicle overall. The rear wheel drive version of the Model 3 today attained a perfect 5-star safety rating from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Shares in Tesla have declined around 7 percent from around $321 at the start of 2018 to a closing price of $298.33 today.

Ronaldo's sister: 'They want to destroy him'

Cristiano Ronaldo's sister, Katia Aveiro, has come out in defence of the Juventus forward after his red card in the 2-0 win against Valencia on Wednesday.

Ronaldo was dismissed on his Champions League debut for Juve after a clash with Jeison Murillo was spotted by the assistant referee and communicated to German referee Felix Brych, who drew a red card from his top pocket.

The Portuguese forward was reluctant to leave the field at the Mestalla and appeared to be on the verge of tears as he finally walked to the tunnel in disbelief.

She wrote on Instagram: "A football disgrace...justice will be done...they want to destroy my brother, but God never sleeps...disgraceful."

Aveiro posted further images of the incident on her Instagram story with similar captions.
It was Ronaldo's first red card in 154 Champions League games, and the decision means he could miss a return to Old Trafford when Juventus play Manchester United next month if he gets at least a two-match ban.

UEFA rules state that a player who is sent off is suspended for the next match in the competition but if the episode is deemed a "serious offence," he could miss more games.

Blaise Matuidi defended Juve teammate Ronaldo and demanded the red card be rescinded.

"It's very harsh. I think if you have seen the pictures, you'll have seen that it's incomprehensible," Matuidi said. "I hope that they [UEFA's disciplinary commission] will look at it and that they will have something positive for him, because he doesn't deserve that."

Ronaldo, who was predictably given a hostile reception by the home crowd, could be seen mouthing the words, "I didn't do anything," as he trudged back to the dressing room following the incident.

"He was sad after the match, very sad," Matuidi added. "And we are all sad for him."

Meanwhile, Valencia coach Marcelino said Ronaldo was "very affected" by his red card and even cried on his Champions League debut with Juventus.

"Cristiano was very affected for his sending off, I saw him crying," Marcelino, who spoke to Ronaldo after the episode, told Cope. "He said he had done nothing wrong. The truth is that I was not able to see anything."

Nigeria's Davido campaigns for opposition PDP

Nigeria’s Afropop sensation, Davido is causing political shockwaves in home sate of Osun where he is campaigning for the candidate of the opposition People’s Development Party (PDP) in the race to be governor.

The multi-millionaire singer-songwriter and record producer, has been posting pictures and videos on his social media, endorsing his uncle, Ademola Adeleke who is running on the PDP ticket.

Billboards in the state also show pictures of the singer in traditional dress, leaning on an empty black leather chair next to the Nigerian flag.

“I, Davido, support Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke as governor of Osun State,” the roadside advertisements read.

Adeleke, dubbed “the dancing senator” because of his penchant for dancing in public, must be hoping his high-profile nephew can win him as many voters as he has music fans.

The 58-year-old politician is running for the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against Gboyega Oyetola of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Candidates from no fewer than 48 parties are vying to replace APC Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who is stepping down after a maximum of two four-year terms.

Saturday’s poll is the final major electoral test before Nigerians vote for a new president, parliament, governors and state legislatures in February and March next year.

Davido the politician?
Davido, real name David Adedeji Adeleke, recently signed up for the yearlong compulsory national service,and entertained his colleagues at the swearing-in event.

While Davido may be better known as one of Nigeria’s most successful musical exports, Davido also comes from a well-known political dynasty.

His grandfather, Raji Ayoola Adeleke,was a senator between 1979 and 1983 while another uncle, Isiaka Adeleke,was Osun’s first civilian governor from January 1992 to November 1993.

The performer’s father, Adedeji Adeleke, is a wealthy businessman with interests in banking, property, education, shipping, haulage and oil and gas.

Some people see a political future for Davido.

Nigeria suspends plans for new national carrier

The Nigerian government has temporarily suspended plans to start a new national carrier, months after launching the name and logo of Nigeria Air at an event in the United Kingdom.

Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika announced on Wednesday via Twitter that the Federal Executive Council had taken the decision. he did not give any further details for the decision.

“I regret to announce that the Federal Executive Council has taken the tough decision to suspend the National Carrier Project in the interim. All commitments due will be honoured. We thank the public for the support as always,” his tweet read.

The federal government’s attempt to revive a collapsed national flier led to the unveiling of a name and logo in the United Kingdom at the Farnborough Airshow in July 2018.

Sirika at the time said it will not be until December this year before Nigeria Air’s first flight hits the skies. The carrier’s tagline is: “Bringing Nigeria closer to the world.”

The Bloomberg news portal has also reported that Africa’s most successful airline, Ethiopian Airlines, was in talks to have a stake in Air Nigeria. Whiles government noted that it needed a strategic partner to invest $300m in the project.

Abuja announced in 2017 that it was investing about $5m (£3.8m) to build a new national airline. The last one Nigeria Airways ceased operations over a decade ago.

“Nigeria has unfortunately not been a serious player in aviation for a long time. We used to be a dominant player, through Nigeria Airways, but sadly not anymore,” Mr. Sirika said at the time.

“It is a business, not a social service. The government will not be involved in running it or deciding who runs it. The investors will have full responsibility for this,” he added.

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis leaves for AC Milan

Ivan Gazidis has left his role as Arsenal chief executive to join Italian club AC Milan.

The 53-year-old, who helped appoint Unai Emery in May as Arsene Wenger's successor as manager, will begin his new role on 31 October.

Gazidis said that the decision to leave after 10 years at the Gunners was "the hardest of my life".

"Change and succession is not only inevitable for a club like Arsenal - it is necessary," he said.

Raul Sanllehi, who was head of football relations at Arsenal has been appointed head of football, and Vinai Venkatesham moves from chief commercial officer to managing director.

Ronaldo scores first Juventus goals in win yesterday

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first two goals for Juventus as the Italian champions maintained their perfect start to the season.

Ronaldo, goalless in his first three games since his move from Real Madrid, tapped in shortly after half-time.

The 33-year-old then finished off a rapid counter-attack by shooting into the bottom corner after 65 minutes.

Sassuolo pulled one back in added time via Khouma Babacar and Douglas Costa was sent off but the hosts held on.

Juve's Brazilian winger was dismissed after a video assistant referee intervention for spitting at Federico di Francesco, having aimed a headbutt at the same player and appeared to try to elbow him.

Ronaldo could have completed a hat-trick late on but missed two easy chances from inside the penalty area.

The win is Juventus' fourth from four games this season.

Nigeria army records more successes against Boko Haram

The Nigerian Army on Sunday (September 16) reported a new round of success against Boko Haram terrorists in the country’s northeastern Borno State.

The army via is Twitter handle said troops of the 222 Battalion had fought off an ambush by the terrorists. An intense exchange of fire resulted in deaths on the part of the aggressors whiles some “escaped with gunshot wounds.”

The incident reportedly took place along the Maiduguri – Bama axis as the troops were on a clearance patrol in support of Operation Rainbow – a subset of the wider operation Lafiya Dole (Peace by all means – hausa).


“As a result, 1 x GPMG and 2 X AK 47 and several rounds of ammunition belonging to the terrorist were recovered. As at the time of filing this report, troops were still exploiting the general areas in search of some BHT’s who escaped with gunshot wounds,” the handle tweeted. BHT is an abbreviation for Boko Haram terrorists.

Photos shared by the army showed troops along a road stretch and in a bush with some killed terrorists.

Fujikawa becomes first openly gay male pro golfer

Tadd Fujikawa, the youngest American to make the cut in a US PGA Tour event, became the first openly gay male professional golfer, making the revelation in an Instagram post.

The 27-year-old from Honolulu said he had been pondering about going public for some time before telling the world he is gay.

"I thought that I didn't need to come out because it doesn't matter if anyone knows," Fujikawa wrote. "But I remember how much other's stories have helped me in my darkest times to have hope. I spent way too long pretending, hiding, and hating who I was.

"I was always afraid of what others would think/say. I've struggled with my mental health for many years because of that and it put me in a really bad place.

"Now I'm standing up for myself and the rest of the LGBTQ community in hopes of being an inspiration and making a difference in someone's life."

Fujikawa made the cut in his hometown PGA event, the Sony Open in Hawaii, in 2006 as a 16-year-old amateur, shooting 66 in the second and third rounds on his way to sharing 20th.

Only China's 14-year-old Guan Tianlang, who was 58th at the 2013 Masters, and 15-year-old Canadian Bob Panasik, who shared 66th at the 1957 Canadian Open, made a PGA cut while younger than Fujikawa.

Fujikawa has competed in 17 US PGA events, the most recent of them last year as a Sony Open qualifier. He played five pro events last year in Canada and last year captured the Hawaii State Open, his first pro victory in seven years.

Fujikawa said he wanted to champion acceptance for gay children, teens and adults in society, saying, "I will continue to do my best to bring more awareness to this issue and to fight for equality. We must liberate and encourage each other to be our best selves, whatever that may be.

"It's the only way we can make this world a better place for future generations. Let's do our part to make this world a better place."

Fujikawa played his only major at the 2006 US Open at age 15, missing the cut. In 2009, he fired a third-round 62 at the Sony Open before finishing 32nd.

Dollar sags after weak U.S. data, Turkey rate hike lifts emerging currencies

The dollar sagged on Friday after weaker-than-expected U.S. inflation data further burdened a currency already weighed down by signs of reduced trade tensions between the United States and China.

Emerging currencies such as the South African rand and the Mexican peso held to gains after surging in relief after Turkey’s central bank implemented a large increase in interest rates.

The greenback took a hit overnight after the U.S. consumer price index (CPI), the government’s broadest inflation gauge, rose just 0.2 percent in August and less than the 0.3 percent projected by analysts in a Reuters poll.

The dollar also felt additional pressure as the euro gained after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi suggested on Thursday at a post-policy meeting news conference that low inflation was less of a worry.

“The dollar has sagged mainly due to the soft U.S. CPI. The euro’s bounce also weighed on the dollar, but Draghi’s views cannot be described as hawkish on the whole. There appears to have been some knee-jerk reaction to his comments on inflation,” said Masafumi Yamamoto, chief forex strategist at Mizuho Securities in Tokyo.

The ECB kept policy unchanged as expected on Thursday, staying on track to end its bond purchases this year and raise interest rates next autumn.


The dollar’s index against a basket of six major currencies stood little changed at 94.563 after slipping 0.3 percent on Thursday, when it touched 94.428, its lowest since Aug. 31.

Safe-haven demand for the dollar eased this week on news that the White House had invited Chinese officials to restart trade talks. Beijing welcomed the invitation with the two countries now reported to be discussing the details.

The euro was steady at $1.1691 after gaining more than 0.5 percent overnight when it brushed a two-week high of $1.1701.

The Turkish lira was a shade weaker at 6.137 per dollar after ending the previous day on a gain of more than 4 percent.

The lira surged after Turkey’s central bank raised its benchmark one-week repo rate by 625 basis points to 24 percent on Thursday.

Following the lira’s rally, the South African rand gained 1.3 percent against the dollar on Thursday and the Mexican peso rose 1 percent.

China’s yuan stood little changed at 6.8452 in offshore trade. The yuan has gained nearly 0.4 percent on the week amid the ebb in U.S.-China trade concerns.

The Australian dollar, seen as a proxy of China-related trades as well as a barometer of risk sentiment, was flat at $0.7191.

The Aussie was headed for a 1.1 percent gain on the week, having pulled back from a 2-1/2-year low of $0.7085 plumbed on Tuesday.

For the yuan and Aussie, immediate focus was on China’s retail sales and industrial production data due later in the session.

The dollar was up 0.1 percent at 112.03 yen after rising to 112.08 yen, its highest since Aug. 1, with rising equities dimming the Japanese currency’s safe-have allure.

Heidi Klum says Drake tried to date her

Drake may want to work on his timing.

Heidi Klum appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" Tuesday and said the rapper reached out to her for a date, but she ignored his texts. "Sorry, Drake! Snooze you lose! You know what I mean," Klum told DeGeneres. "He was basically a week too late."

As context, Klum had appeared on the talk show back in February and played a game of "Who'd You Rather," in which she had name her preference between two male celebs.

Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn cut ties with 'Project Runway' for new Amazon show Klum consistently picked Drake until the final choice when she selected actor Joaquin Phoenix


She said she was single at the time, but Klum has since been dating musician Tom Kaulitz.

Her new love is the reason she didn't give Drake a chance, Klum explained to DeGeneres.

"Someone who I know knows [Drake] and I guess he asked to have my number, and then he texted me," Klum said. "I was like, 'Oh, my gosh. This is so weird!' But I never texted him back, because I found the love of my life."

0 Heidi Klum says Drake tried to date her

APC vs PDP: Gov Ishaku fires back at Oshiomhole for calling him absentee governor

Taraba Governor, Darius Ishaku has said the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole is not at peace with Taraba state due to the fear of impending defeat.

Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also warned Oshiomhole to watch his utterances, saying he is “never absentee governor.”

The Senior Special Assistant to Ishaku on on Public Affairs, Emmanuel Bello, in a statement on Tuesday, was reacting to the declaration by Oshiomhole that APC would give Taraba state a “resident governor” in 2019.

According to Bello, the APC national leadership was scared of the rising profile of Ishaku, especially as it cannot seem to find a challenger within its fold to confront the incumbent in the 2019 election.

He said since Oshiomhole was aware that he cannot take Taraba State the way he did in Ekiti state due to Ishaku’s popularity, the APC chairman “is now resorting to a campaign of calumny.”

Bello said, “Taraba state already has a resident, people oriented governor who is at home with the populace and doing a great job. This is the second time Adams Oshiomhole is vibrating and engaging in his trade mark unchecked vituperations against imaginary foes.

“The first time he spoke about Taraba governor, he said the mandate was stolen through rigging. He then announced that it was the time of the APC to also rig. The statement must have embarrassed even APC members in Taraba.

“How could a former governor and national leader of a party blatantly announce it has plans to dig using the electoral body and security forces? But there he was in all his infamy boasting of their ability to rig.

“Now he is calling governor Ishaku an absentee governor. This is a man with a terrible record in Edo state. Those records are in the public domain. This is a governor who elevated intimidation, abuse of office and exploitation to high heavens while he held sway in Edo.

“The governor is never absent. He may physically travel out of the state. But he keeps in touch with his team. Modern governance has made that very possible. No effective leader would stay in one place for too long. Interactions and the need to find development partners requires some form of travelling by serious executives.

“That is what this governor does. His recent trip, for instance, saw him forging strategic alliances with key countries in the areas of agriculture, education and health. The Kenyan model for inner city water scheme is one of the highlights of his administration. And it was a product of a state visit to Kenya.

“These are but a few benefits of such trips. Not the empty trips embarked by the leader of Oshiomhole’s party which has now left Nigeria the poverty headquarters of the world.”

Most big exporters failing to check foreign bribery - Report

Countries that strictly enforce a worldwide pact against foreign bribery are far outnumbered and outweighed by those that turn a blind eye, a report published Wednesday by watchdog Transparency International found.

TI charged that 22 countries accounting for 39.6 percent of global exports practise "little or no enforcement" of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) 1997 Anti-Bribery Convention, which requires signatories to criminalise bribery of foreign public officials.

The list of slackers includes non-signatories like China and India, but also members of the pact like Mexico, Japan or Finland.

That compares to just seven countries, weighing in at 27 percent of global exports -- the United States, Germany, the UK, Italy, Switzerland, Norway and Israel -- classed as "active" enforcers of the agreement, the highest rating.

Since TI's last report in 2015, eight countries improved their level of enforcement, with Israel shooting from the lowest to the highest bracket as it successfully concluded its first-ever foreign bribery case and opened a slew of new ones.


But four countries also slid back in the classification, while China -- rated for the first time -- entered at the lowest level.

"The convention's fundamental goal of creating a corruption-free level playing field is still far from being achieved, due to insufficient enforcement," the authors wrote.

As the world's doughtiest exporter at 10.8 percent of the global total, they singled out China as a country with "special responsibility".

"China's performance regarding international anti-corruption standards influences attitudes and behaviour in other major exporting countries," the authors wrote.

Brazil's Lula ends presidential bid, running mate Haddad takes his place

Brazil's most popular politician, imprisoned former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, on Tuesday ended his legal battle to run for the top office in next month's election.

Senator Gleisi Hoffmann, head of the leftist Workers Party (PT) that Lula founded, made the announcement in the southern city of Curitiba, where Lula has been jailed on corruption charges since April.

Lula had stepped aside to allow running mate Fernando Haddad to stand for the presidency, Hoffman said.

A letter from the ex-president was read out to supporters who have been keeping vigil outside the federal police headquarters where Lula - who maintains his innocence - is being held.

"A man can be unjustly imprisoned, but not his ideas," Lula wrote in the letter, read aloud by founding PT member Luiz Eduardo Greenhalgh. "We are millions of Lulas and from today Fernando Haddad will be Lula for millions of Brazilians."

Lula, serving a 12-year sentence for a graft conviction, was president from 2003-2010. He is ineligible for office under Brazil's "Clean Slate" law, which prohibits candidates from running if they have convictions that have been upheld on appeal.

Support for Haddad, a 55-year-old former mayor of Sao Paulo, is rising, according to an opinion poll released on Monday, but he does not have the national name recognition of Lula and remains in third place.

He will need all the political power that Lula's backing can offer to make it into a likely runoff vote, which would take place between the top two finishers in the Oct. 7 first round ballot if none wins a majority.

Haddad's running mate is Manuela D'Avila, 37, a member of the Communist Party of Brazil.

Polls have shown that about half of Lula's legion of followers are likely to vote for whomever he names as his successor atop the PT ticket.

Passing the baton

Lula had hoped the Supreme Court would agree to an appeal for more time after the top electoral court last week gave the party until Tuesday to decide on its candidate.

But he finally decided it was time to pass the baton to Haddad on the deadline set by the court and not run the risk of votes for his party's ticket being annulled by the electoral court.

Lula, who controls the PT he founded and determines its election strategy from his jail cell, has kept his candidacy alive for as long as possible, hoping to maximize the transfer of votes to Haddad.

Monday's Datafolha poll showed that transfer has begun. While still in the single digits, support for Haddad increased from 4 percent to 9 percent, the biggest gain among the 13 candidates running for president.

The same poll also showed strengthening support for another leftist, Ciro Gomes, while far-right law-and-order candidate Jair Bolsonaro increased by 2 percentage points to 24 percent, less than many expected after he survived a near-fatal stabbing last week.

Monday's poll also confirmed previous surveys showing Bolsonaro would lose to every major candidate in a probable run-off vote - with the exception of Haddad, with whom he was in a technical tie.

The potential for a leftist run-off victory spooked financial markets on Tuesday, with the real currency slumping 1.6 percent against the U.S. dollar and the Bovespa benchmark stock index down 2.3 percent.

"Bottom line: one space in the run-off looks guaranteed for Bolsonaro," Juliano Ferreira, a strategist at brokerage BGC Liquidez, said in a research note. "Once he's there, his chances of losing look stronger, to whomever it might be."

Music feuds: Cardi B, Nicki Minaj and 8 other pairs who do not get along

She likes dollars, she likes diamonds, she likes throwing high-heeled shoes at people she doesn't like very much.

Cardi B's ongoing feud with Nicki Minaj turned physical over the weekend as the pair clashed at a New York Fashion Week event.

Footage posted on TMZ showed the pair trading verbal insults, with Cardi eventually throwing a red-heeled shoe at Minaj after allegedly being elbowed in the face by a security guard.

Minaj appeared unscathed from the incident.

The exclamation mark key on Cardi's smartphone took a much worse battering as the rapper continued the beef on Instagram, in a post which also featured a great deal of bad language.

It's certainly not the first music industry feud in history. It's not even the first Nicki Minaj feud with another female rapper in history.

Here's a look at some of the others.

1. Lady Gaga v Madonna

When Lady Gaga dropped Born This Way in 2011, a few people thought it sounded vaguely familiar.

One of those people was Madonna, who thought it was so similar to her 1989 hit Express Yourself that she performed putting the two songs together as a mash-up on tour.

"The only time I ever criticised Lady Gaga was when I felt like she blatantly ripped off one of my songs," Madonna said in 2015.

"It's got nothing to do with 'she's taking my crown' or 'she's in some space of mine.' She has her thing. I do think she's a very talented singer and songwriter. It was just that one issue."

That one issue, however, was enough to spark a feud which lasted several years.

Gaga - real name Stefani Germanotta - addressed it in her documentary Five Foot Two, released last year, suggesting that she was disappointed that Madonna didn't speak to her about it directly.

"No matter how much respect I have for her as a performer, I could never wrap my head around the fact that she wouldn't look me in the eye and tell me that I was reductive or whatever," she said.

2. Noel Gallagher v Liam Gallagher

As a band, Oasis were no strangers to scrapes.

An infamous chart battle in 1995 saw Oasis's Roll With It go up against Blur's Country House in a race for the number one spot - a contest Blur eventually won.

The competition was so high-profile it even made headline news, much to the bemusement of a somewhat younger-looking John Humphrys.

But there was another Oasis feud still to come - this time an internal one.

In 2009, the year Noel quit the band, he told Q his brother Liam was "rude, arrogant, intimidating, and lazy", adding: "He's the angriest man you'll ever meet. He's like a man with a fork in a world of soup."

Last year, Liam said Noel was absent from the premiere of a documentary film about the band because he was probably in one of his "really big houses, eating tofu and having a face peel".

Their brotherly battle rumbled on last year when Liam criticised Noel for not appearing at One Love Manchester - a concert to benefit the victims of the suicide bombing in the city.

But Noel defended himself by saying he was never asked to play at the show, adding that he'd donated the royalties from Don't Look Back In Anger to the Red Cross's Manchester Emergency Fund.

3. Kanye West v Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift's beef with Kanye West dates back to 2009 - and specifically, that year's MTV Video Music Awards.

Kanye wasn't too impressed with Taylor winning video of the year for You Belong With Me. He thought it should've been Beyonce's Single Ladies instead.

And, as we know, Kanye is not the type to bottle up his feelings.

The rapper took to the stage during Taylor's acceptance speech, grabbed the microphone, and said: "Taylor, I'm really happy for you, and I'mma let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!"

The pair later made up, but a few years down the line, West claimed in his single Famous that the run-in had helped Swift's career.

Taylor claimed she had never given West's lyrics her blessing before the song was released, but then the rapper's wif

Angola ruling MPLA party elects woman as deputy president

The big news in Angolan politics this weekend was the final retirement of Jose Eduardo dos Santos, the country’s long-serving president and also the assumption of full control of government and party by incumbent Joao Lourenco.

There was, however, another key development that saw a woman take the position of deputy president of the ruling party – the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola, MPLA.

“Luisa Damiao is the new Deputy President of Angola’s ruling party MPLA, following election on Saturday night. She is an MP and former journalist,” a journalist and researcher with Human Rights Watch, Zenaida Machado, posted on Twitter.

She becomes topmost female official of the party. The top echelons had previously being largely dominated by men. “I was told that she is also a strong supporter of women’s rights. We will judge her by her actions,” Machado added.

Lourenco, who received 98.59 percent of the vote, vowed in his closing speech that members of the party would not be immune in his drive to stamp out graft.


“In this crusade (against corruption), the MPLA should take the lead, occupy the first trench, and be at the vanguard, even if the first to fall are party members or other leaders of the party,” he said to loud applause.

Lourenco faces numerous challenges. Angola’s economy has still not recovered from the oil price slump in 2014, with falling production eroding the benefit of higher prices.

The currency has fallen over 40 percent against the dollar since a dollar peg was abandoned in January, and attempts to diversify the economy away from oil are yet to show success.

Luanda has requested IMF help, totaling an expected $4.5 billion over three years.

Beyoncé turns 37 and proves she only gets better

The superstar singer turned 37 earlier this week. In a message posted to her Instagram account on Thursday, Queen Bey recapped some of her most recent milestones.

"At 36, I became a new mother of 3. I breastfed twins," she captioned a photo with husband Jay-Z. "I renewed my vows with my husband of ten years. I came back home to the stage to do Coachella, after pregnancy. Then my husband and I released our album together, Everything Is Love. And we've been touring with our family around the world, and loving it.

This year has been monumental for me. I thank God for everyone in my life". she said.


Thank you for all the positivity and for the beautiful birthday wishes. I'm looking forward to continuing to learn from my past, living in the present, and surrendering to the future."

Beyoncé also posted dozens of photos from the past year on her website. While 36 may be hard for her to top, leave it to Beyoncé to show the rest of us how it's done.

Modric reveals what Ronaldo told him after winning UEFA Player of the Year Award

Real Madrid midfielder, Luka Modric has revealed that ex-Los Blanco teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo congratulated him on winning the UEFA Player of the Year Award.

Recall that Modric, last month won UEFA’s Men’s Player of the Year ahead of Ronaldo and Salah.

Ronaldo refused to attend the presentation after learning that he did not win the award.

Modric, however, has revealed that Ronaldo was humble in defeat.

“Cristiano sent me a message, congratulated me and told me he is happy for me and I deserved it,” Modric told RTP3

“He also said he can’t wait to meet me again. I am happy to be in another big award final, we’ll see what will happen.

“I have a good relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo and we’ll have good relationship in the future too. ‘Individual awards are important but I am not obsessed with them.”

Oil prices climb as U.S. crude inventories drop

Oil prices rose on Friday after U.S. crude inventories fell to their lowest levels since February 2015.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were at $67.90 per barrel at 0056 GMT, up 13 cents, or 0.2 percent, from their last settlement.

International Brent crude futures LCOc1 climbed 12 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $76.62 a barrel.

“Oil inventory data released last night showed a larger-than-expected draw in crude inventories,” said William O’Loughlin, investment analyst at Australia’s Rivkin Securities.

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories fell by 4.3 million barrels to 401.49 million barrels C-STK-T-EIA in the week to Aug. 31, the lowest since February 2015, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data showed on Thursday.


Despite that, analysts said prices were curbed by a rise in refined product stocks and a relatively weak U.S. peak fuel consumption season this summer.

Gasoline stocks USOILG=ECI rose by 1.8 million barrels, while distillate stockpiles USOILD=ECI, which include diesel and heating oil, climbed by 3.1 million barrels, the EIA data showed.

“Gasoline and distillates inventories both rose substantially. The U.S. summer driving season has proven to be a lackluster one in terms of gasoline demand,” said O’Loughlin.

U.S. crude oil production C-OUT-T-EIA last week remained at a record 11 million barrels per day (bpd), a level it has largely been at since July.

Some steps, decisions by Buhari govt are wrong, but Nigerians should ignore – Keyamo

The Director of Media for the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Festus Keyamo, on Friday admitted that not all “steps and decisions” taken by President Muhammadu Buhari government that are right.

Keyamo said despite some of the errors,Buhari’s personal integrity stands tall above all his political opponents.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria stated this in a series of tweets, via his Twitter handle.

He also alleged that there was a gang up against the President, ahead of 2019 elections.

Keyamo wrote: “Let’s be clear that the present government may not have gotten EVERY decision right or taken EVERY step right since 2015, but we urge Nigerians to put the sincerity and personal integrity of Mr. President on an overall scale against those of his opponents in 2019 and see where the scale tilts.

“Some of us are prepared to be misunderstood, abused and maligned by a few for the position we have taken today about the future of our country because we see behind the scenes and WE KNOW THE TRUTH. It is better to be vindicated by posterity than to be applauded wrongly at the moment.

“There is a sickening gang-up of some pseudo-religious leaders, pseudo-journalists and pseudo-professionals, posing as opinion moulders, who benefited from the largesse of the old system who are hell-bent on returning to the old order of meager infrastructure, but heavy handouts.

“If the masses have the opportunity to hear in private why some power elite oppose PMB, they would be shocked to their marrows that it has nothing to do with good governance. It’s all about ‘how has this govt benefited me?!’ Some of us they speak with in private just can’t buy .”