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Russia conducted several ballistic missile tests on Thursday from “land, air and sea” as part of its strategic nuclear programme, the Defence ministry announced. A “Topol” intercontinental ballistic missile was fired from the Plesetsk testing ground in the northwest of the country and three ballistic missiles were launched by two nuclear missile submarines (SSBNs), two from the Okhotsk Sea, north of Japan, and one from the Barents Sea, in the Arctic Ocean. Russian military forces “have carried out an exercise to manage its strategic nuclear forces,” the ministry said in a statement. Strategic bombers Tu-160, Tu-95MC and Tu-22M3 also took off from several Russian air bases and launched cruise missiles at “ground-based” targets in Kamchatka, eastern Russia, in the Komi Republic, in the north, and on Russian military terrain in Kazakhstan. “All objectives of the training have been successfully completed,” the statement said. ...

A lady, Amadi Onyekachi, who was allegedly molested by an official of Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad says she is happy with the Police “Orderly Room” trial. Onyekachi told the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Ilorin that she was only disappointed that the officer denied ever meeting her until she brought the matter before the Kwara Police Command. “The officer, who molested me lied at the trial, so nothing has really changed. “On the scale of 70 percent, I think I am satisfied with the organisation of the trial and how it went. “I don’t know what the end result is going to be yet because he has lied already, so I am not sure yet if I am going to get justice,” she said. Onyekachi said she was sad because the leader of the patrol team on the day of the incident also denied any contact with her. Onyekachi had recently on the social media informed the public of what she went through in the hands of some police officers, who she claim...

The Nigerian Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services has recommended the consumption of goat milk, saying it is more beneficial to healthy growth than cow milk. The forum in its Fact Sheet on Thursday stated that goat milk contained more protein, a higher level of essential amino acids and could supply the body with more vitamin A than cow milk. The Fact Sheet emphasised that the milk from goat was higher in calcium and phosphorous, adding that it has more potassium. According to it, the milk is also rich in iron, copper, magnesium, manganese and has a lot of antioxidant activity. It also remarked that the protein in goat milk could digest faster and easier than that of cow milk. It, however, noted that most Nigerians do not consume goat milk due to its `nauseating’ flavour and bitter taste, and advised that the udder must be cleaned thoroughly with warm water and the coat brushed well before milking to avoid the bitter taste. “This is to avoid foreign matter from th...

Neymar was handed a one-match ban on Thursday after being sent off in PSG’s explosive 2-2 draw at bitter rivals Marseille at the weekend. The Brazilian forward will miss Friday’s Ligue 1 visit from Mario Balotelli’s Nice. Neymar grabbed a brilliant equaliser in a fiery encounter at Marseille Sunday before his side went down 2-1 with ten minutes to go. Leading the chase for another equaliser, Neymar appeared to lose his cool, picking up two yellows in quick succession for retaliation. His teammate Edinson Cavani levelled with a dramatic injury-time free-kick to save a point for the Ligue 1 leaders. PSG coach Unai Emery has told his 25-year-old star to wise up to provocation tactics. “He is intelligent. He is also aware that he must learn from what happened on Sunday,” said Emery. “I spoke to him about it before the match and we said not to get involved in any provocation. But on the pitch, with the intensity and the aggression, the players are ...

Team Great Britain, boxer Muhammad Ali, has been provisionally suspended from all international and domestic competitions after testing positive for a banned steroid, the international amateur boxing association says. Ali tested positive during a World Series Boxing match between Morocco Atlas Lions and British Lionhearts in Casablanca in April. AIBA said on its website on Thursday it would not make any further comment on the matter until its anti-doping panel had heard the 21-year-old’s case. GB Boxing said that a member of its squad had tested positive for a banned substance, although it did not name Ali. “This is the first time that a member of the GB Boxing squad has tested positive for a banned substance,” the British boxing organisation said in a statement. “GB Boxing is committed to clean sport. “We work in partnership with UK Anti-Doping and our International Federation to provide extensive education and support to our boxers on anti-doping r...

A Consultant Psychiatrist with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital , Idi- Araba, Dr Erinfolami  Rasheed, has  said that one in five Nigerian adults is living with a  mental challenge. Rasheed spoke at a seminar organised by the department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, to mark the World Mental Health Day. The event was themed, Mental Health and The Work Place. This, he noted, means that one out of every five worker is suffering from a mental illness. The consultant also described the hostile work environment as a major factor why workers  are developing mental problems in recent times. Apart from poor working environment, he said that if workers were not getting what they deserved at their places of employment; it could lead to mental issues. The psychiatrist advised employers to set reasonable targets for their workers, while creating avenues for them to be rewarded for meeting such demands. He said, “If the target set by the em...

SUNDAY Everton 2 (Rooney 12, Niasse 90+3) Arsenal 5 (Monreal 40, Ozil 53, Lacazette 74, Ramsey 90, Sanchez 90+5) Tottenham 4 (Kane 4, 56, Son 12, Alli 45+3) Liverpool 1 (Salah 24) SATURDAY Chelsea 4 (Pedro 12, Batshuayi 71, 90+5, Azpilicueta 87) Watford 2 (Doucoure 45+2, Pereyra 49) Huddersfield 2 (Mooy 28, Depoitre 33) Manchester United 1 (Rashford 78) Manchester City 3 (Aguero 30-pen, Otamendi 73, Sane 75) Burnley 0 Newcastle 1 (Merino 86) Leicester Southampton 1 (Boufal 85) West Brom 0 Stoke 1 (Diouf 63) Bournemouth 2 (Surman 16, Stanislas 18-pen) Swansea 1 (Mawson 56) Leicester 2 (Fernandez 25-og, Okazaki 49) FRIDAY West Ham 0 Brighton 3 (Murray 10, 75-pen, Izquierdo 45+2)

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency says it has recovered the body of Mr Oluseye Adekunle, who allegedly jumped into a Lagos lagoon on Friday. The LASEMA General Manager, Mr Adesina Tiamiyu, told journalists in Lagos that a fisherman saw Adekunle’s floating body on Sunday morning by a river bank in Lekki. He said that the deceased had  jumped off the Lekki/Ikoyi Bridge into the lagoon. Tiamiyu said that a coordinated effort of LASEMA, Lagos State Waterways Authority and Marine Police recovered the floating body at 5.00am and handed it over to the Lagos State Health Environmental Monitoring Unit. “The body has been taken to Lagos Mainland Hospital Mortuary for deposition. “Police will carry out further investigations on the matter,’’ he said. Tiamiyu said that relevant agencies and the family of the deceased were consulted after the recovery to confirm the identity. He said that the recovery exercise closed at 11.30am.

Ronald Koeman accepted he faced an uncertain future as Everton manager after a 5-2 loss at home to Arsenal on Sunday sent the Merseyside club into the bottom three of the Premier League. A fifth defeat in nine league matches added to the growing pressure on the Dutch boss, with Everton’s position made worse by the fact the Goodison Park side spent £150 million ($198 million, 168 million euros) on new players in pre-season. Asked whether Sunday’s loss, which left Everton in the relegation zone on goal difference, would spell the end of his time with the Liverpool club, Koeman told Sky Sports: “I don’t know.” He added: “I told the players I believe in them, the commitment of the players. But if you are negative thinking — and everybody is doing that in this moment — all these kinds of decisions are not in my hands. “That is normal because that is football. We have played nine Premier League games, against the first five of the Premier League last season, but this is not the position...

SUNDAY Everton 2 (Rooney 12, Niasse 90+3) Arsenal 5 (Monreal 40, Ozil 53, Lacazette 74, Ramsey 90, Sanchez 90+5) Tottenham 4 (Kane 4, 56, Son 12, Alli 45+3) Liverpool 1 (Salah 24) SATURDAY Chelsea 4 (Pedro 12, Batshuayi 71, 90+5, Azpilicueta 87) Watford 2 (Doucoure 45+2, Pereyra 49) Huddersfield 2 (Mooy 28, Depoitre 33) Manchester United 1 (Rashford 78) Manchester City 3 (Aguero 30-pen, Otamendi 73, Sane 75) Burnley 0 Newcastle 1 (Merino 86) Leicester Southampton 1 (Boufal 85) West Brom 0 Stoke 1 (Diouf 63) Bournemouth 2 (Surman 16, Stanislas 18-pen) Swansea 1 (Mawson 56) Leicester 2 (Fernandez 25-og, Okazaki 49) FRIDAY West Ham 0 Brighton 3 (Murray 10, 75-pen, Izquierdo 45+2)

A painting thought to be the stolen work of renowned Spanish artist Salvador Dali has been recovered by the Lebanese authorities. Four people were arrested for allegedly trying to sell on the picture, known as Portrait of Mrs Reeves. Police confiscated it last Friday after an investigation in the Cola neighbourhood of the capital, Beirut. Art experts say the picture, if authentic, is a minor work from a series of high society portraits. The piece was probably stolen from a neighbouring country, Lebanese police said. Art historian Lawrence Saphire told Lebanon's Daily Star newspaper that such pictures attributed to Dali usually sold "for a few hundred thousand dollars because they are not considered serious paintings". He suggested it was one of the portraits Dali was commissioned to do of high society ladies when he was in America.

Papaya also known as pawpaw is a cerise-orange coloured juicy fruit, which is not only fragrant and delicious but also very healthy. It has been famous for hundreds of years and it was once called the “fruit of the angels” by Christopher Columbus. Papaya is a natural source of vitamins and minerals that are essential for the normal functioning of the body. It is famous for the luscious taste and sunlit colour of the tropics and can be eaten as a fruit in raw form, a smoothie, a milkshake, and as a vegetable in various recipes. Better digestive health Papayas are commonly used to aid digestion. The presence of papain, a digestive super enzyme, improves digestion by breaking down proteins and also cleanses the digestive tract. This ensures a reduced conversion of protein into body fat. If the protein in our diet is not digested properly, it may cause arthritis, constipation, diabetes, high blood pressure and other related health conditions. Promotes weight loss Papayas are also good...

Former Nigeria goalkeepers Joe Erico, Ike Shorunmu and Joseph Dosu have said the return to training of former Super Eagles captain, Vincent Enyeama, is not a threat to the Russia 2018 World Cup chances of Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Daniel Akpeyi, who played in the Eagles’ qualifiers. Nigeria qualified for football’s showpiece event with a match to spare after beating Zambia 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Uyo earlier in October. Eagles’ coach Gernot Rohr was faced with goalkeeping problems when Carl Ikeme, who had been the team’s first choice keeper since Enyeama’s retirement in 2015, was diagnosed with acute Leukaemia. Enyeama has been approached by Rohr to return to the Eagles with the calls becoming persistent after Ikeme’s sickness. But in April, the 35-year-old ruptured his knee in Lille’s 2-0 loss to Rennes – and has been replaced in this season’s games by Mike Maignan. Rohr has had to make a choice between South Africa-based Akpeyi and IfeanyiUbah’s Ezenwa, who have given differe...

The father of the wife of the Vice-President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, Elder Olutayo Soyode, says in spite of his daughter’s position and the exalted office of her husband, he dreads going to Aso Rock for a visit. He said going to the villa was like going to jail, given the way his movement would be monitored and he would need to sign various forms before he could go out, for security reasons. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Saturday PUNCH on Friday, the 74-year-old said he loved to be free and he wasn’t the type to sit in one place and be watching television under heavy security. Soyode, who was a close associate and son-in-law to late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, explained that it was the will of God that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo rose from being a university lecturer to become the Vice-President, and that all her daughter wanted to be was a confectioner despite being a qualified lawyer. He recalled that by the time his late wife, (Dolapo’s mother) was delivered of Dolapo in the United ...

Rivers Govt, Real Madrid Agree On Football Academy Rivers State government and Real Madrid have agreed to set up a football academy in Rivers State, South-south Nigeria. The state governor, Mr Nyesom Wike, who toured the training facilities at the Spanish club on Monday, met with Real President, Florentino Pérez, two days after. Governor Wike had also met with officials of the club and some players, including Real Captain Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo. He was accompanied on the visit by the Rivers State Commissioner of Sports, Mr Boma Iyaye, and Former Nigerian International, Adokiye Amiesimaka, among others. This is finally a great development for the youths in Nigeria.

Danielle Darrieux, who made more than 100 films in a career that spanned eight decades, has died. The French actress and singer’s passing was reported by AFP citing her companion Jacques Jenvrin who said she died at her home in Bois-le-Roi, France on Tuesday. She turned 100-years-old on May 1. Over the course of her long career, Darrieux worked with such directors as Max Ophuls, Jean Cocteau, Claude Chabrol, Henri Ducoin, Joseph L Mankiewicz, Jacques Demy, André Téchiné, Anne Fontaine and François Ozon. One of her more recent roles came in 2002’s Huit Femmes (Eight Women), an ensemble musical hit that also starred Catherine Deneuve and Isabelle Huppert, among others. She was nominated for a Supporting Actress César for the film and shared acting honors with the cast in Berlin and at the European Film Awards.

Youths in Plateau State on Tuesday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and save the state from the ongoing massacre being perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen. The pressure group under the aegis of Plateau Youth G-17 Peace and Progressive Forum, in an open letter to the President, said over 100 people had been killed, dozens injured, houses razed and property looted in Miango in the Irigwe Chiefdom of Bassa Local Government Area of the state. The convener of PY G-17 PPF, Dachung Bagos, in the petition, urged the President to do anything that could stop the ongoing bloodshed. He said, “As the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces doubling as the Chief Security Officer of the nation, we call on you to intervene and give the needed attention to the genocide ongoing in Plateau State. “There has been breach of security and outbreak of violence in Bassa, Jos North, Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Bokkos LGAs where people are constantly attacked, harassed, killed, raped, th...

Every year, some 25 million people — one in ten of them children — die in serious pain that could have been alleviated with morphine at just a few cents per dose, researchers said Friday. This represents nearly half of all deaths globally each year, they reported in The Lancet medical journal, warning of a “global pain crisis.” Morphine is hard to obtain in some countries and virtually unobtainable in others. Mexico meets 36% of its need, China meets 16%, India 4% and Nigeria 0.2%. In some of the world’s poorest countries, such as Haiti, Afghanistan and many countries in Africa, oral morphine in palliative care is virtually non-existent. The vast majority of people denied pain relief lived in low- and middle-income countries, which received less than four percent of the 299 tonnes of oral morphine distributed around the world, said the team. On the other side of the spectrum, abuse of opioid-based pain-killers was common in some rich nations, nowhere more so than the United States...

UEFA Champions League tables after Tuesday’s  matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): GROUP A Manchester United           2 2 0 0 7 1 6 Basel                                  2 1 0 1 5 3 3 CSKA Moscow                    2 1 0 1 3 5 3 Benfica                              2 0 0 2 1 7 0 GROUP B Paris SG                             2 2 0 0 8 0 6 Bayern Munich...

Scientists at Oxford University, United Kingdom, have said that the new conjugate vaccine against typhoid has been proved to be safe and effective in preventing the disease, and can be used to protect both adults and children. The researchers in a study published in The Lancet, said the first clinical trial showed that  TVC was s well tolerated and  had significant impact on  the disease incidence in typhoid-endemic areas that introduced the vaccine. The lead researcher and Professor of Paediatric Infection and Immunity at the university, and Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, Andrew Pollard, said this was the first time a typhoid vaccine would be effective in children under the age of two. Pollard said, “This new vaccine could be a real game changer in tackling a disease that disproportionately affects both poor people and children. For the first time, we will be able to offer protection to children under two years of age, which will enable us to stem the tide of ...

The white part of our eye is called the "sclera." At the front, the sclera becomes clear and is called the "cornea."

We only become what we are by the radical and deep-seated refusal of that which others have made of us. ~ Jean-Paul Sartre ~

It certainly had some issues at launch, such as debuting with ancient Huawei software, but it turned into a pretty solid offering within a few months. Under the hood the Honor 7X is running on top of Huawei's in-house Kirin 659 processor, an octa-core chipset which is paired with Mali-T830 MP2 graphics. There's a fingerprint sensor located dead center on the rear, some light branding towards the bottom, and comes in three colors; Black, Gold, and Blue. While the bezels here aren't ridiculously thin, they're certainly smaller than its predecessors, and the 2160x1080 resolution of that 5.93-inch display means it doesn't feel much bigger than the 5.5-inch Honor 6X. This was one of the biggest complaints about the Honor 6X, which launched a year ago, and it's even more of a complaint now that basically everything else has USB-C.

Even before Razer bought out startup smartphone brand Nextbit, speculation has been flying around that the company is working on its own smartphone. Today, the company has published a teaser on its social accounts that point to a smartphone. A very brief teaser on Razer's Twitter account today directs attention to an event taking place on November 1st. The teaser image and site don't reveal anything specific about the device in question, but it looks like a phone. Previous reports have said that Razer is working on a phone designed for "hardcore gamers," and this teaser along with one from Nextbit's former CEO earlier this month point to that being unveiled at the event. Since it's Razer, the phone will probably have at least one portion dominated by customizable LEDs, but it could and probably will also integrate with other devices to enable it as a gaming device.

The ongoing final phase of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers has thrown up a lot of surprises and shocks. Some teams considered by many as underdogs have found their way to Russia, and some big guns would be absent because they just could not qualify. Whatever angle you view it from, Russia 2018 is going to be a World Cup of surprises. Here five teams that shocked us by not qualifying. 1. The United States of America The United States hosted the 1994 World Cup, where they advanced to the round of sixteen and lost to Brazil. The team qualified for five consecutive World Cups after 1990, becoming one of the tournament’s regular competitors and often advancing to the round of sixteen. The United States reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup, where they lost to Germany. Another notable result came during the 2009 Confederations Cup, where they eliminated top-ranked Spain in the semi-finals before losing to Brazil in the final, their only appearance in a FIFA men’s competition fi...

Monkey pox virus occurs when a person comes into contact with the virus from an animal, human, or materials contaminated with the virus. The virus enters the body through broken skin (even if not visible), respiratory tract or the mucous membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth). Animal-to-human transmission may occur by bite or scratch, bush meat preparation, direct contact with body fluids or lesion material, or indirect contact with lesion material, such as through contaminated bedding. Human-to-human transmission is thought to occur primarily through large respiratory droplets. Respiratory droplets generally cannot travel more than a few feet. So prolonged face-to-face contact is required. Other human-to-human methods of transmission include direct contact with body fluids or lesion material, and indirect contact with lesion material, such as through contaminated clothing or linens. Prevention There are measures that can be taken to prevent infection with monkey pox virus: Avoid cont...

The French government has said it will not recognise Catalonia if it declares independence from Spain and such a move will mean expulsion from the EU. European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau said the crisis following the banned 1 October referendum had to be resolved through dialogue within Spain. Catalan President Carles Puigdemont is expected to address the regional parliament on Tuesday. There has been no sign of a compromise being struck with Madrid. Economic pressure on the pro-independence camp is rising with three more companies expected to discuss moving their offices out of Catalonia on Monday, sources told Reuters news agency.

The French government has said it will not recognise Catalonia if it declares independence from Spain and such a move will mean expulsion from the EU. European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau said the crisis following the banned 1 October referendum had to be resolved through dialogue within Spain. Catalan President Carles Puigdemont is expected to address the regional parliament on Tuesday. There has been no sign of a compromise being struck with Madrid. Economic pressure on the pro-independence camp is rising with three more companies expected to discuss moving their offices out of Catalonia on Monday, sources told Reuters news agency.

The Economic Nobel, last of the Nobel prizes to be awarded this year, went to Richard H. Thaler for his work "on understanding the psychology of economy. " The winner will walk away with 9-million-kronor ($1.1-million) prize. The Sveriges Riksbank (Swedish National Bank) Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel was first awarded in 1969, nearly seven decades after the series of prestigious prizes that Nobel called for. Despite its provenance and carefully laborious name, it is broadly considered an equal to the other Nobel and the winner attends the famed presentation banquet.

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has been named in the final three-person shortlist for the FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal of the past 12 months. The France international's 'scorpion kick' ( http://v.duta.us/-s7mDgAA ) against Crystal Palace in January has been voted by fans as one of their favourites having orginally made a 10-person longlist. Ironically, Giroud's goal did not gain the same acclaim in England, with his strike not deemed worthy enough to even win the Goal of the Month award for January 2017 as West Ham's Andy Carroll took the prize. The other nominees are Venezuela's Deyna Castellanos, whose stoppage time strike from the halfway line ( http://v.duta.us/5J7rTAAA was voted the best goal of the U-17 Women's World Cup, and a last-minute bicycle kick from South African side Baroka's goalkeeper Oscarine Masuluke ( http://v.duta.us/q_ohHAAA ). Voting for the winner concludes on October 23, with the prize awarded that evening during The...

With the draw taking place on December 1 in Moscow, all 32 teams will be decided by mid-November via a number of play-offs across the globe. Here's your one-stop list of nations that have qualified for next summer's tournament, with plenty still to be decided over the next few days and in November... EUROPE Russia (hosts), England, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Poland ASIA Iran, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia AFRICA Nigeria, Egypt CONCACAF Mexico, Costa Rica CONMEBOL Brazil

Andrew Garfield is dapper in a suit while posing alongside his co-star Claire Foy at the premiere of their latest film Breathe held during the opening night gala of the 2017 BFI London Film Festival on Wednesday in London, England. The 34-year-old actor and the 33-year-old actress were joined by their director Andy Serkis as well as producer Jonathan Cavendish. That same morning, Andrew and Claire rocked different looks to attend a photo call and press conference for the upcoming flick. Breathe is inspired by the true story Robin (Garfield), a handsome, brilliant and adventurous man whose life takes a dramatic turn when polio leaves him paralyzed.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for "more decisive action" in response to the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG)'s attempt to split from Iraq, as he joined his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani in renewing their opposition to the redrawing of the Iraqi borders. "From this moment forward, more decisive steps will be taken," Erdogan said on Wednesday during a joint media appearance with Rouhani in Tehran. Rouhani also declared his opposition to an independent Kurdish state, even as he said that his country "does not mean any harm" to the Kurdish population. But for the first time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Turkey's military chief of staff General Hulusi Akar visited Iran on Monday, signalling closer cooperation with an old regional rival. On the economic front, Erdogan said he expects closer ties with Iran, as he announced an agreement to increase trade between the two countries from $10bn to $30bn.

A former Director General of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Prof. Benjamen Ogunmodede, was on Tuesday sentenced to 40 years’ imprisonment without an option of fine by a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, for mismanaging funds meant for the payment of salaries and execution of projects in the school. Two workers at the account section of the institution, Zacheus Tejumola and Adenekan Clement, were jailed along with Ogunmodede. The trio had been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in 2011 on 16 counts bordering on conspiracy, unlawful conversion and stealing of school subvention, among others. Justice Ayo Emmanuel, who gave the ruling, sentenced the convicts to four years’ imprisonment on each of the counts they were found guilty of. The judge, however, ordered that they would spend the jail terms concurrently. Ogunmodede and others were accused of diverting N177m out of a subvention of N600m released by the Federal Governme...

Real Madrid star, Cristiano Ronaldo has sold his Ballon d’Or trophy in order to raise £600,000 for Make-A-Wish Foundation. Make-A-Wish Foundation is a charity that grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses and those who are terminally ill. According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Ronaldo donated the 2013 replica at a charity auction in London at the weekend. It was bought by Israel’s richest person, billionaire Idan Ofer, who spent a massive £530,000 to acquire the replica. Ronaldo is popularly known for his kind-heartedness and was named world’s most charitable athlete a few years ago. The expectant father is a recipient of four Ballon d’Or trophy. Ballon d’Or is an annual association football award presented to the world’s best men’s player. It is one of the most prestigious awards in football.

Spain’s government on Wednesday rejected calls by the leader of Catalonia for mediation over the region’s demands for independence which have sparked a violent political crisis. A statement from Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s office said there would be no talks until Catalan president Carles Puigdemont abandons the independence drive, which Madrid brands illegal. “The government will not negotiate over anything illegal and will not accept blackmail,” the statement said. BREAKING: Catalan vote: Catalan President  faults Spanish King  for failing to ease independence crisis The Catalan President vowed to implement the results of the region's contested independence referendum on Wednesday and criticized the King of Spain for failing to bring the divided factions together. In a TV address from the headquarters of the Catalan government in Barcelona, northeast Spain, Carles Puigdemont said King Felipe had missed an opportunity to mediate in the political and constitutional cr...

Sam Smith doesn't need 13 reasons to show his love for his new dude, but the singer obviously has at least that many. Sam was spotted out with Brandon Flynn, one of the stars of "13 Reasons Why." It's the first time they have been seen together in public, but they're already close enough to be kissing and holding hands all over Greenwich Village. 23-year-old Flynn very publicly supported the LGBTQ community on social media a couple weeks ago and strongly hinted that he counts himself as a member of the LGBT community.

Arjen Robben has denied criticising Carlo Ancelotti's training methods following the Italian's departure from Bayern Munich. A report from Kicker claimed that Robben had said that his son's youth team had better standards of coaching than the Bundesliga giants. Ancelotti was sacked following Bayern's comprehensive 3-0 defeat to PSG in the Champions League last week amid reports of dressing room unrest and players turning against the Italian. However, the Netherlands international has now distanced himself from the quotes, insisting that they are "bull***t". "All of a sudden there are things appearing in the media that I would like to distance myself from. These so-called quotes are bulls***," Robben told NUsport . "I hate it when things like this happen. I am the last person out there who would have a go at a coach, a fellow player or anyone else. You have to be a man when someone leaves and don't hit out at anyone."

A former Publisher of Newswatch, Mr Ray Ekpu, says the discovery of crude oil in Nigeria 61 years ago in the old Rivers State is the root of the country’s main problem. He said this known while speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast show Sunrise Daily, two days after the nation marked its 57th Independence anniversary. “In 1956, we had a good fortune or so we thought, of discovering oil in Oloibiri, present day Bayelsa State and two years later (1958), we started exporting oil. “I think that is where we started courting trouble because we had easy money. We had some white people who came to dig the ground, bring the oil and sell it for us and we did nothing after that.” Watch video here: http://v.duta.us/W6RuHAAA

In this interview with FEMI MAKINDE, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice in the Second Republic, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), suggests that the structures bequeathed to Nigeria by the British colonialists must be altered before the nation can make progress How will you rate the performance of President Buhari since 2015? Your guess is as good as mine. I should have preferred that (since) Buhari has got what he wanted, he should go and rest while others who are real politicians should come to power. But people don’t listen to the truth; they want half-truth and half falsehood. What is your response to those in support of his return in 2019? I just laugh at that. If he does that, it will be a big joke. Are you saying he will not win? I don’t know but it is going to be a very big joke.