Worldwide Updates

Like her song goes, Nicki Minaj can now say she has Kenneth "Zoo" Petty "right by my side" forever. The rapper is now married to Petty after less than a year of dating. She announced the news via a short Instagram video, with a simple caption of emojis and Monday's date, presumably when they tied the knot. Wedding accessories, like mugs saying "Mrs." and "Mr.," and caps for the bride and groom are seen strewn across a table. Celebrities like Christina Aguilera and Winnie Harlow have already congratulated the couple in the comments section.

Bayern Munich have confirmed that defender Niklas Sule tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during their Bundesliga draw against Augsburg. Germany centre-back Sule will undergo surgery on Sunday after scans confirmed head coach Niko Kovac's fears of a serious injury. Sule, 24, went down clutching his left leg after going into a challenge with Florian Niederlechner in the early stages of the 2-2 draw in Bavaria. The defender walked from the pitch but Kovac admitted to having "a very bad feeling" and the most important pillar of his back four now faces several months on the sidelines. Bayern announced the blow following an "in-depth investigation by club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt". Sule was making his eighth start of the champions' uneven Bundesliga campaign, having become an entrenched member of the starting XI last season as the influence of Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels - now at Borussia Dortmund - started to wane.

The company supplying Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in the Premier League has apologised following a graphic error during Tottenham's 1-1 draw with Watford. Spurs midfielder Dele Alli salvaged a point for Spurs four minutes from time, cancelling out Abdoulaye Doucoure's opener. However referee Christopher Kavanagh initiated a VAR check for a suspected handball. Kavanagh signalled for a goal following the review, but an error from the base at Stockley Park triggered a message of 'No Goal' on the big screen. The situation caused confusion among both sets of supporters - and the company, Hawk-Eye Innovations, has vowed to work alongside the Premier League to ensure there is no repeat scenario.

Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman has a clause in his contract allowing him to move to Barcelona, though Dutch football chiefs hope to persuade to him to stay until the 2022 World Cup. Koeman made 264 appearances in six seasons at Camp Nou during his stellar playing career. He won 10 major honours in that time, including scoring the winning goal against Sampdoria in the 1992 European Cup final at Wembley. Koeman’s managerial career to date has taken in spells at the likes of Benfica, Valencia, PSV Eindhoven and Everton, before he signed a four-and-a-half year contract to become Netherlands coach in February 2018. Prising Koeman away from such a long-term deal would prove prohibitively expensive for most sides. He also said in the summer that now is “not the time” to consider leaving the Oranje, with the side on the brink of Euro 2020 qualification, their first major tournament since the 2014 World Cup. However, director of football at the Dutch Football Association, Nico-Jan Hoogma, has c

Zinedine Zidane has left Gareth Bale and Luka Modric out of his Real Madrid squad to face Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday. Lucas Vazquez will also be missing in Istanbul as Real look to salvage their woeful start to the group stage. The former European champions have collected just one point from their opening two games, following up a disastrous 3-0 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain with a laboured draw against Club Bruges. Bale has worked his way back into Zidane’s reckoning after a turbulent summer during which he looked destined to leave the club. He was withdrawn late on playing for Wales against Croatia on Sunday, with manager Ryan Giggs later disclosing the problem as cramp, but it has been enough to leave the Real hierarchy concerned over his fitness.

Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez combined brilliantly as Inter survived a late Sassuolo recovery to win 4-3 at Mapei Stadium on Sunday. Defeat to Juventus before the international break shunted Antonio Conte's men down to second in Serie A but a superb performances from their front two trimmed the margin at the top back to a point. Martinez made an early incision and Lukaku struck twice in seven minutes to establish a two-goal advantage at half-time, Domenico Berardi having fleetingly restored parity for the hosts. The exceptional Martinez won the penalty for his strike partner's second and, in the 71st minute, dispatched a spot-kick of his own, although the visitors were made to fight for victory as substitutes Filip Djuricic and Jeremie Boga set up a grandstand finale.

Adam Lallana scored a late equaliser but Liverpool saw their winning streak in the Premier League come to an end with a 1-1 draw at Manchester United. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's beleaguered side took the lead through Marcus Rashford's controversial opener, with Liverpool claiming Divock Origi was fouled prior to a rapid United break finished off by the England international. Reds boss Jurgen Klopp cut an incensed figure on the touchline and his mood hardly improved when Sadio Mane had a goal disallowed following a VAR check for handball but, in the absence of the injured Mohamed Salah, his side lacked their usual fluency in attack. United defended doggedly to hang on to their slender advantage, yet their hard work was undone when they allowed substitute Lallana to tap home Andy Robertson's low cross in the 85th minute.

The death toll in the worst typhoon to hit Japan for decades climbed to 67 on Tuesday as rescuers slogged through mud and debris in an increasingly grim search for the missing. Thousands of homes remained without power or water. National broadcaster NHK said 67 people were known to have died, after Typhoon Hagibis swept across central and eastern Japan. Some 15 people remain missing, while more than 200 were injured in the storm, whose name means "speed" in the Tagalog language. About 138,000 households were without water while 24,000 had no electricity, well down on the hundreds of thousands who were initially left without power but a cause for concern in northern areas where temperatures are forecast to fall. The highest toll was in Fukushima prefecture north of Tokyo, a largely agricultural area where the Abukuma River burst its banks in at least 14 places.

The European Union is considering a new emergency summit to get a Brexit deal, the BBC reported on Tuesday. The new Brexit summit may be held towards the end of the month, the public broadcaster said. Last week, the EU had agreed to intensify talks with the United Kingdom over the next few days to reach a new withdrawal agreement. Michel Barnier, the bloc's chief negotiator, had described discussions with his British counterpart as "constructive". The main sticking point remains the border between Ireland, an EU member, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK. Some EU politicians have expressed guarded optimism that a deal can be reached.

US President Donald Trump on Monday imposed sanctions on Turkey over Ankara's military operation in northeast Syria and called for an immediate ceasefire. Turkey launched the cross-border assault on Kurdish fighters last Wednesday after Trump withdrew some US troops from the region, drawing sharp criticism from fellow Republicans who accused him of abandoning allies who had fought against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS). Trump said he would send Vice President Mike Pence and national security adviser Robert O'Brien to Ankara as soon as possible in an attempt to begin negotiations. Pence said Trump had spoken directly to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who promised not attack the border town of Kobane. "President Trump communicated to him very clearly that the United States of America wants Turkey to stop the invasion, implement an immediate ceasefire and to begin to negotiate with Kurdish forces in Syria to bring an end to the violenc

Pakistan is on the verge of strong action by the international terror financing watchdog FATF and the country may be put in the ''Dark Grey'' list, the last warning to improve. Officials attending the ongoing plenary of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) said as per indications, Pakistan will be isolated by all members for not doing enough. Pakistan is on the verge of strong action by FATF, given its inadequate performance, whereby it managed to pass in only six of 27 items, an official privy to the development said. According to FATF rules, there is one essential stage between ''Grey'' and ''Black'' lists, referred to as ''Dark Grey''. ''Dark Grey'' means the issuance of a strong warning, so that the country concerned gets one last chance to improve, another official said. ''Dark Grey'' was the term used for warning up to the 3rd Phase. Now it's just called warning -- that is the

A Hong Kong court has granted an injunction to ban anyone from blocking or damaging areas used to house married police officers and other disciplined services that have been targeted in more than four months of anti-government protests. Demonstrators have besieged police quarters amid escalating violence in the Chinese-ruled city, hurling petrol bombs and other objects at buildings and damaging facilities, police said in a statement on Tuesday. The injunction also prohibits the obstruction of roads and bans people from shining laser pens or other flash lights at police facilities. Anti-government protesters, many masked and wearing black, have thrown petrol bombs at police and central government offices, stormed the Legislative Council, blocked roads to the airport, trashed metro stations and lit fires on the streets of the Asian financial center. Police have responded with tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, bean bag rounds and several live rounds, warning the crowds be

Russia-backed Syrian forces took rapid advantage of an abrupt US retreat from Syria on Monday, deploying deep inside Kurdish-held territory south of the Turkish frontier less than 24 hours after Washington announced a full withdrawal. Washington’s Kurdish former allies said they invited in the government troops as an emergency step to help fend off an assault by Turkey, launched last week after President Donald Trump moved his troops aside in what the Kurds call a betrayal. After a week of stinging rebukes from fellow Republicans, Trump announced plans to impose sanctions on Turkish officials, reimpose steel tariffs and immediately halt negotiations on a $100 billion trade deal. Still, Trump renewed his plans to withdraw almost all remaining US forces, a move that effectively gives Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Russia’s Vladimir Putin free hands to shape the battlefield of the world’s deadliest ongoing war. In particular, the Syrian army deployment is a victory for President B

Olivier Giroud says he could leave Chelsea in January but revealed he wants to stay at the club and his priority is to fight for first-team selection. The French striker said earlier this week that he is unhappy being a reserve with at Stamford Bridge, although he was quick to point out that he was not being critical of first-year boss Frank Lampard. Giroud has made just three Premier League appearances this term, including only one start, having not truly sealed a starting spot under Lampard or his predecessor Maurizio Sarri. The 33-year-old says that the fact that he is frustrated does not mean he will look to leave, however, as he says that Chelsea are still his "priority". "I'm going to fight for my place in Chelsea. The coach knows it. And we will make the decision in January," Giroud said following France's draw with Turkey on Monday. "If I want to leave Chelsea? Not necessarily. But if I need to make a choice... I have some beautiful years in

Ajax have opted for an environmentally friendly way to travel to their Champions League clash against Lille next month. Erik ten Hag's men face a double-header against Chelsea before they travel to France to face Lille on November 27. But the Dutch champions have already arranged their method of transport for the game, deciding to take the train instead of flying in a plane. Ajax CEO and former goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar says his side hope to set a good example as an eco-friendly club. "Compliments to NS and Eurostar that this train journey has been made possible," Van der Sar told the NS website. "We live in a climate-conscious time and we want to set a good example as a club. Lille is an excellent destination for a train journey in terms of location, which is why we approached NS with this idea. "For Erik ten Hag and his men, this seems to us to be a more efficient and less tiring journey. Because the performance that Ajax has to deliver in Lille is of cou

Anthony Martial is expected to return to first-team training this week and has a chance of playing a part in Manchester United's match against rivals Liverpool. The France striker has been out since August with a thigh injury and United have struggled to score goals in his absence, registering just five in an eight-game run of two wins, four draws and two defeats. But he could hand Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a major boost for the visit of the Premier League leaders, as one of a number of players the Norwegian hopes to see return from recent injuries at Old Trafford. Paul Pogba, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw are all set to be in contention while Jesse Lingard and Mason Greenwood could also feature. Just as with Martial, United have been without Shaw, the England left-back, since the August home defeat against Crystal Palace. The former Southampton defender suffered a hamstring problem.

France missed the chance to secure a place at Euro 2020 as Kaan Ayhan's late header earned Turkey a 1-1 draw at the Stade de France. Turkey inflicted France's only defeat of their Group H campaign so far back in June and proved the world champions' nemesis again on Monday. Substitute Olivier Giroud's 76th-minute header looked to have wrapped up France's qualification with two matches to spare, but it was not to be for Didier Deschamps' side. Hakan Calhanoglu's free-kick teed up Ayhan for a close-range finish and France will now have to wait until November to claim their spot at next year's finals.

Bulgaria head coach Krasimir Balakov claimed not to have heard racist chanting during his team's 6-0 loss to England in Sofia and accused the travelling supporters of 'unacceptable' behaviour. Ross Barkley and Raheem Sterling each hit braces as Gareth Southgate's men bounced back from defeat to the Czech Republic in style, bringing qualification for Euro 2020 within touching distance. But the contest was sullied by abuse directed towards some of the travelling players, which was reported to the match officials and resulted in two delays to the action before half-time. Before the match, Balakov accused England of having a bigger problem with racism in football than his own country, and he once again sought to share the blame after the widely condemned scenes that stained Monday's match. "I personally did not hear the chanting that you are most probably referring to. I saw that the referee stopped the game," he told ITV. "But I also have to say that t

England’s fears of racist abuse towards their players were realised during their Euro 2020 qualifying match at Bulgaria on Monday night, with the game temporarily stopped twice in the first half by the match referee following abuse from the stands. After discussing the matter with Three Lions captain Harry Kane, the match referee requested the following announcement be made over the tannoy: “Because of racist behaviour which is interfering with the game, the referee has indicated he may have to suspend the match. “Please be in no doubt that the game may be suspended and abandoned if racist behaviour continues.” Debutant Tyrone Mings had made the fourth official aware of abuse, saying: "You hear that?" A large group of fans wearing black hoodies and with their faces covered were also pictured showing their middle fingers and performing Nazi salutes towards the pitch. England manager Gareth Southgate made another complaint to the match officials shortly before half-time, with

Ross Barkley and Raheem Sterling hit two goals apiece as England thrashed Bulgaria 6-0 in a Euro 2020 qualifier amid racist behaviour from fans in Sofia. Marcus Rashford and Barkley had Gareth Southgate's men two goals to the good midway through the first half when play was stopped and a message relayed over the public address system at Vasil Levski National Stadium, urging home supporters to cease their abuse. In between Barkley and Sterling continuing an emphatic response to the Three Lions' surprise defeat to the Czech Republic, there was a further lengthy delay. The game appeared under threat of abandonment at that stage, as a group of fans were ejected, but England resumed their punishment of over-matched opponents – captain Harry Kane laying on Sterling's second and completing the scoring five minutes from time.

Portugal and Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo insisted he is not obsessed with breaking records as they come naturally for him after scoring his landmark 700th career goal. Ronaldo bagged a consolation penalty in the second half of Portugal's 2-1 Euro 2020 qualifying defeat to Ukraine in Kiev on Monday. Defeat for Portugal at the Olympic Stadium made the occasion bittersweet for Ronaldo, who is now part of an elite list of players to have reached the milestone figure. "Not just anyone can reach this figure," he told reporters. "Thank you to my team-mates, colleagues and coaches who have helped me to become the player I am. "I am disappointed that we didn't win, but proud of the team." Reflecting on his personal achievement, Ronaldo added: "How many records do I have? I don't know. I have to enjoy the moment and thank those who helped me reach this impressive mark. "The last time I played at this ground I won the Champions League, a bea

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 700th career goal but it was not enough as Ukraine beat Portugal 2-1 in Kiev to book a place in the Euro 2020 finals, leaving their opponents with work to do if they are to qualify. The hosts needed just a point in Monday's qualifier to secure a top-two finish in Group B, but picked up all three as they inflicted a first defeat in 14 games on the reigning European champions. First-half strikes from Roman Yaremchuk and Andriy Yarmolenko earned victory for Andriy Shevchenko's side, who held on with 10 men after Taras Stepanenko was shown a second yellow card for handling the ball inside the box. Ronaldo scored the resulting penalty 72 minutes in to bring up his personal landmark, but Portugal could not find a leveller and may now need victories over Lithuania and Luxembourg in their final two matches to hold off third-placed Serbia.

Police in northern Nigeria rescued nearly 70 men and boys from a second purported Islamic school where they were shackled and subjected to “inhuman and degrading treatments.” The raid in Katsina, the northwestern home state of President Muhammadu Buhari, came less a month after about 300 men and boys were freed from another supposed Islamic school in neighboring Kaduna state where they were allegedly tortured and sexually abused. “In the course of investigation, sixty-seven persons from the ages of 7 to 40 years were found shackled with chains,” Katsina police spokesman Sanusi Buba said in a statement. “Victims were also found to have been subjected to various inhuman and degrading treatments.” The raid occurred Saturday in Sabon Garin in the Daura local government area of Katsina state. Police issued a statement on Monday and said they were working to reunite the victims with their families. Police arrested a 78-year-old man for running what they called an “illegal detention/remand

Gunmen killed 14 police Monday in an ambush in the state of Michoacan in western Mexico, authorities said, condemning the latest violence in the restive region, a hotspot for criminal groups and vigilantes. Local media reports said the state police were executing a warrant on the city outskirts when gunmen in armored four-by-four trucks opened fire. They torched at least two patrol cars in the ensuing chaos and left signs with threatening messages directed at the security forces at the scene. The government "condemns the attack that killed 14 police officers in Aguililla, Michoacan. We are in contact with the state government and will put all our resources at their disposal... to find those responsible and bring them to justice," the federal security ministry wrote on Twitter.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson repeated Monday that Britain must leave the EU on October 31, as divorce talks resumed in Brussels in a pivotal week that could define how and when Brexit finally happens. In an elaborate ceremony in parliament in London, Queen Elizabeth II set out Johnson's legislative programme for the coming year, with leaving the EU top of the agenda. "My government's priority has always been to secure the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union on October 31," she said in a speech to robed peers from a gilded throne in the upper House of Lords. "My government intends to work towards a new partnership with the European Union, based on free trade and friendly cooperation." But this depends on the outcome of closed-door discussions in Brussels, where officials are racing to reach a deal on Britain's exit terms before a summit of EU leaders starting on Thursday. If he cannot get a deal by Saturday, Johnson will fall foul of

Poland’s ruling rightwing Law and Justice (PiS) party has narrowly won a second term in office, but its grip on power was weakened after it lost control of the upper house and failed to increase its majority in the more powerful lower chamber. What had looked like a clear-cut victory for PiS turned into a far tighter contest, with final results showing that while the party won just under 44% of Sunday’s vote for the lower house or Sejm, up from 38% in 2015, it secured only 235 seats in the 460-seat assembly – the same total as in 2015. In the 100-seat senate the opposition claimed victory, with the centrist Civic Coalition publishing on Twitter the names of 51 opposition members and allies who had won seats, dealing a blow to the socially conservative party’s ambitions. Control of the senate, which has a say in a number of key state appointments such as Poland’s civil rights ombudsman, would also allow the opposition to block or delay legislation proposed by PiS.

President Donald Trump on Monday said that in response to Turkey’s incursion into Syria he will soon issue an executive order authorizing sanctions against current and former Turkish officials, stop negotiations with Turkey on a $100 billion trade deal, and boost tariffs on Turkish steel to 50 percent. In a statement in which he vowed to swiftly destroy the Turkish economy if it continues down “this dangerous and destructive path,” Trump also said that US troops coming out of Syria will redeploy and remain in the region to monitor the situation. Trump’s statement mentions that the executive order authorizing sanctions on Turkey could bar Turkish officials from entering the United States. But Trump has already invited the Turkish president to the White House next month, as a CNN reporter noted. Trump added in his statement that a “small footprint” of US troops would remain in southern Syria to “continue to disrupt remnants of ISIS.” A number of national security experts have warned th

Kate Middleton and Prince William step off a plane while arriving at Kur Khan airbase ahead of their royal tour of Pakistan on Monday in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The five-day visit will focus on boosting ties and addressing challenges such as climate change. While Will and Kate's schedule for their royal tours is usually known in advance, Kensington Palace will be releasing their itinerary day-by-day due to security reasons. The trip has been described by Kensington Palace as the most complex the couple have undertaken due to security and logistical issues. It is the first by members of the British royal family in more than a decade. The royal couple were met by Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his wife while arriving at the airport. Kate was wearing an outfit by Catherine Walker with Rupert Sanderson shoes. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a long pale blue variation of the shalwar kameez, a dress or tunic worn over trousers, Pakistan’s traditional national outfit tha

Five months after the actress Hilary Duff revealed her engagement to longtime beau Matthew Koma, speculation the two secretly tied the knot spurred on Sunday when the music man posted a photo with an eyebrow-raising caption. "Wife," he wrote of a black-and-white shot featuring his famous fiancee smiling. "Did you get married? Mazel tov," one fan commented. "Congrats!!!!!!" another wished. But, before the rumor mill begins to churn, according to a rep, the two are not married yet.

Todd Phillips' "Joker" is laughing all the way to the bank, earning an outstanding $55 million in its sophomore weekend for a 10-day domestic total of $192.7 million and a massive global haul of $543.9 million. "Joker" easily remained at No. 1, although MGM and United Artists Releasing's early Halloween family pic "The Addams Family" came in a strong No. 2 with $30.3 million, ahead of expectations and more than enough to bury Ang Lee's big-budget "Gemini Man", starring Will Smith , which followed at No. 3 with an estimated $20.5 million. Overseas, "Joker" remained a powerhouse for Warner Bros., grossing $125.7 million from 79 markets for a foreign cume of $351.2 million.

Elton John is looking back at his life ahead of the release of his new memoir "Me" and he's opening up about his struggles with addiction. The 72-year-old entertainer opened up to NBC's Harry Smith about the moment he first encountered cocaine. "I saw someone doing cocaine and I said, 'Well, what is he doing?' and he said, 'Well, it makes you feel free,'" Elton said. "And I thought, 'Hmm, I was always on the outside looking in as far as, like, school and I was never a member of the gang, or whatever. So, I thought, 'I'm going to try that.'" "I liked it because I could talk," he continued. "I was very shy, so I thought, 'This is the drug that has opened me up. I can converse, I can be verbose.'" Elton abused the drug for ten years until his friend Ryan White died from AIDS in April 1990. He became sober six months later and soon after launched the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Three more women have come forward to cops to accuse actor Cuba Gooding Jr. of a “pattern” of sexual misconduct in Manhattan bars and restaurants, bringing his total number of alleged victims to five, police sources told The Post on Monday. “It’s a pattern,” said a source, noting that all of the alleged attacks, which date back to 2008, occurred in eating and drinking establishments. The floodgates opened against the “Jerry Maguire” Oscar winner in June, when a 30-year-old woman accused him of grabbing her breast during a boozy night out at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar and Lounge in Midtown. Gooding was arrested for forcible touching in the case. He has maintained his innocence. Then during a Manhattan criminal court appearance last week over the alleged incident, prosecutors revealed that the Bronx-born thespian also had been indicted in an alleged October 2018 attack involving a second woman, which Gooding also denies. Now, three additional women have also stepped forward to accuse t

K-Pop singer and actress Sulli has been found dead, and police believe it might have been a suicide, according to various reports out of South Korea. Sulli, whose real name is Choi Jin-ri, was reportedly discovered Monday in her home south of Seoul by her manager, who went there because she hadn't answered phone calls for hours. The K-pop star lived alone in the house. "It seems that she took her own life but we are also looking into other possibilities," one police official said. Cops say no suicide note was found and there were no signs of foul play.

The prestigious Nobel Peace Prize for 2019 will be awarded to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali of Ethiopia, the Nobel Committee announced on Friday. Mr. Ali has been selected for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular, for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea, a statement from the Committee said. The prize is also meant to recognise all the stakeholders working for peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia and in the East and Northeast African regions. "When Prime Minister Abiy reached out his hand, President Afwerki grasped it, and helped to formalise the peace process between the two countries," the statement said. Ethiopia is a country of many different languages and peoples. Lately, old ethnic rivalries have flared up. According to international observers, up to three million Ethiopians may be internally displaced. That is in addition to the million or so refugees and asylum seekers from neighbouri

President is in Lyon, France where he is set to attend the 6th replenishment conference which seeks to raise US$14 billion in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. President Mnangagwa arrived in France this Thursday in the company of acting Foreign Affairs Minister, and senior . According to ZBC News, the conference is being hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and it brings together heads of states, civil society, CEOs, global health leaders. President Mnangagwa was in Uganda yesterday where he attended the country's 57th Independence Anniversary. He was on Wednesday awarded Uganda's highest honour, the Most Excellent Order of the Pearl of Africa, the Grand Master, by his counterpart President Yoweri Museveni.

A meeting to negotiate details of a proposed salary deal for lecturers failed to start on Wednesday, dimming homes of an early pay rise. No reason was given for the cancellation. Negotiations between the University Academic Staff Union officials and university bosses, through the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF), follows a revised offer presented to the union on Monday. The union rejected an earlier deal that they termed "lean". The offer indicates that the academic staff will be enjoying at least a 5.4 per cent increase in their basic salary. The meeting is set to take place next week when the union’s decision on the offer will be made public. Uasu secretary-general Constantine Wasonga said on Wednesday the union would decide whether to accept the government's offer. Undercurrents in the union leadership indicate conflict on the offer presented to the dons by the government. The deal will need Sh7 billion to implement.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said that political and financial support from fellow African states made Zimbabwe survive sanctions from Western communities. Mnangagwa was speaking on Wednesday in Uganda where he was delivering his congratulatory speech on that country's independence day. _Zimbabwe is a country in transition, we are under sanctions for 20 years, however, because of solidarity and support, political and material from our sister countries like the Republic of Uganda, we still survive._ Zimbabwe has been under sanctions from the Western States including the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the European Union since the turn of the millennium for alleged human rights violations. They were imposed immediately after Zimbabwe embarked on the fast track land reform programme which displaced many white farmers in the country. The USA and allies, however, insist that sanctions are not on Zimbabwe as a country but on individuals mainly from the ruling ZANU PF

Minister of Communication, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has said that her ministry is determined to implement programmes that will ensure an end to the stereotyping that thwarts the efforts of young women pursuing science and technology courses in Ghana. According to her, the number of young women in the ICT sector needs to be increased to produce women achievers. Speaking at the launch of Ms Geek Ghana Competition in Accra on Wednesday, 9 October 2019, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful revealed that the young women in ICT agenda is in line with the government's determination to ensure that women are empowered to develop software and other technology-driven solutions aimed at resolving emerging problems. She said: “The statistics aren’t very encouraging. So, for us at the Ministry of Communication, we are determined to put in place initiatives that will eliminate all forms of stereotyping for young women pursuing science, engineering, mathematics, etc”. The Ms Geek Ghana Competition is geared toward em

Zimbabwe's Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Sibusiso Moyo has appealed to Australia to support the country's Commonwealth readmission agenda. In 2003, Zimbabwe became the third country after South Africa in 1961 and Pakistan in 1971 to voluntarily withdraw its membership from the Commonwealth. The late Robert Mugabe, then president of Zimbabwe, initiated a voluntary withdrawal following the country's suspension by the Commonwealth troika to which former prime minister of Australia, Mr John Howard was a part. In an article published in an Australian-based publication, the Spectator, the foreign Affairs Minister appealed to Commonwealth member states to support the Zimbabwean agenda. He said: He added that bilateral agreements between the two countries could yield more positive results if both countries were members of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth consists of 53 member states, nearly all of them former colonies of the British Empire.

The Senate Minority Leader, Eyinnaya Abaribe, has described the 2020 budget President Muhammadu Buhari presented to the National Assembly as "a budget of taxation." Speaking during plenary on the floor of the Senate, Abaribe, who represents Abia South, insisted that the budget was not sustainable. He argued that the budget was not sustainable because debt servicing was higher than capital expenditure. According to Abaribe, lawmakers should look into the budget, stressing that the nation was still struggling. He said: "This is nothing but a budget of taxation. I urge the Senate to look at that fact as it is not a sustainable budget. Debt servicing is higher than capital expenditure.

President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the service years of his Chief Personal Security Officer, Abdulkarim Dauda, by four years. Dauda was promoted twice within a space of three years due to his position as the President's aide. A leaked memo signed by the Secretary of the Nigeria Police Force, AIG Usman Alkali, with reference number DTO:041500/10/2019, circulated on social media, stated that Dauda, who is a Commissioner of Police, would be allowed to remain in service until 2023. The memo read in part, "Extension of Service P.No 23853 COMPOL Abdulkarim Dauda (CP) X. The President X Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces X Chairman Police Council X has graciously approved the extension of service of CP Abdulkarim Dauda to May 13, 2023, X When he would have attained sixty (60) years of age X COMPOL Info-Tech only X Amended your records please."

Operatives of the Economic and Finacial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Sokoto zonal office on Wednesday recovered money to the tune of N65,548,000 (Sixty-five Million, Five Hundred and Forty-eight Thousand Naira) from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Zamfara State. The monies which comprise of 81 bundles of N1000 notes, 97 bundle of N500 notes and 96 pieces of N500 notes were stacked in two fireproof safes during a search conducted in offices of the HOD Accounts and Cashier of the INEC. The money is suspected to be 40% illegally deducted on funds released to the INEC Zamfara office to cater to the rent of Canopies, Tables, and Chairs and also funds for RAC (Registration Area Center) and movement of men and materials to Polling Units, by the HOD Accounts & Cashier.

Gallant troops of the Nigerian Army working in conjunction with members of Civilian Joint Task Force on clearance operations on the 9th of October arrested 10 members of BHT in Pulka Borno State. One of the arrested terrorists, Alhaji Bukar Modu alias Modu China (Chief Driver) was declared wanted on Serial 89 of NA wanted list.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday received some of the ministers who served with him when he was the Military Head of State between January 1984 and August 1985. Buhari, who went down memory lane recalled "how we got things done then," during the military administration. The Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), Femi Adesina, in a statement, said Buhari, who received the guests at the State House in Abuja, pledged to "carry everyone along on my last lap as a democratically elected leader." A moment of silence was observed in memory of departed former ministers during the military regime. The leader of the delegation, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, who served as the Minister of External Affairs, said the team came to congratulate the President on his achievements in security, foreign affairs, anti-corruption, education, and many others.

Fitbit said it's shifting manufacturing operations out of China for all of its health trackers and smartwatches to avoid US tariffs on imports from the country. Starting in January, the company expects those products won't be of Chinese origin and therefore not subject to import duties, Fitbit said in a statement Wednesday. Fitbit said it will give more details on the financial implications of the move during its third-quarter earnings conference call. Shares in San Francisco-based Fitbit fell 2 percent at 11:35am in New York, leaving them down 27 percent this year. Fitbit joins other US companies moving out of China amid an ongoing trade war between the two countries. Tile, which makes Bluetooth-enabled location trackers, also said it's considering a similar move and is looking at Mexico, Malaysia, Vietnam and "possibly the US" as future manufacturing hubs. Last year, GoPro announced it would move much of its US-bound camera production out of China. And Apple h

Google Pixel 4 has leaked multiple times in the past, to the extent that practically nothing about its specifications is unknown at this time. We already know how the device would look like thanks to render leaks of the device. Now fresh information reveals the different colour options the Pixel 4 will come in. The device will come in ‘Maybe Pink', ‘Sky Blue','Really Yellow', ‘Slightly Green', ‘Clearly White', ‘Just Black', and ‘Oh So Orange'. Google is offering more colour options on the Pixel 4 here as the Pixel 3 only came in three colour options. Fresh render leaks show the ‘Slight Green' and ‘Really Yellow' colour variants of the Pixel 4 in Olixar cases. These cases have a transparent back which reveals the colour of the two smartphones in the picture. This case is listed on UK Store Mobile Fun and based on their information GSMArena has reported the seven different colour variants of the Pixel 4. Popular tipster Evan Blass had leaked rend

The CEO of GitHub - a popular platform for hosting, sharing, and reviewing code - on Tuesday pledged to donate $500,000 to nonprofit groups supporting immigration communities targeted by the Trump administration. Some employees at GitHub said in an open letter obtained by The Washington Post they interpreted the donation as a way to mitigate GitHub's recent decision to renew a contract with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The agency licenses a version of GitHub's software which can be used to store, host, and collaborate on code. But those employees object to ICE's treatment of immigrants, as well as their company's role in helping ICE, and say philanthropy can't make up for the damage to individuals and families. "We cannot offset human lives with money," employee activists wrote in the letter to chief executive Nat Friedman on Wednesday morning. "There is no donation that can offset the harm that ICE is perpetrating with the help of

Honor is entering the India's crowded smart TV market with the launch of its Vision-series of smart TVs in the country. Honor Vision smart TV and Honor Vision Pro smart TV were unveiled in China in August this year as the first products to be powered by HarmonyOS and will be making their India debut on October 14. Honor is hosting a press event on the day in New Delhi where it will showcase its smart TV models. Although the invite doesn't explicitly confirm the launch of both models in India, the mention of pop-up camera and Honor Vision branding make it pretty clear that the company will release both models, given only the Vision Pro model has the camera. “Join us at the India Mobile Congress, as we unveil world's first pop-up camera smart TV Honor Vision,” Honor writes in the media invite. It is interesting to see the use of smart TV here to highlight the Honor Vision, given the company tried its best to avoid that categorisation at the China launch event of the Honor V

The prospect of astronauts tucking into a roast dinner has grown slightly closer after a successful experiment used a 3D printer to create meat on the International Space Station. The bioprinter produced beef, rabbit, and fish tissue using magnetic fields in microgravity, a Russian medical technology company involved in the experiment said Wednesday. The experiment -- an international collaboration involving US, Russian and Israeli companies -- was carried out in September by cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka in the station's Russian segment using a 3D printer developed in Moscow. The creators say it is the first to create a small amount of artificial meat in conditions of weightlessness. "It's one small nibble for man, one giant bite for mankind," said Yusef Khesuani of 3D Bioprinting Solutions, the Russian laboratory that created the bioprinter. The laboratory was founded by Invitro, a large Russian private medicine company.

⚽ Goals: J. MacLaren (6) J. MacLaren (19) H. Souttar (23) D. Rajbanshi (59 og) J. MacLaren (90) Highlights📹 http://v.duta.us/fKFSUQAA Harry Souttar marked his international debut with a brace and Jamie Maclaren notched a hat-trick as Australia settled for a 5-0 win over minnows Nepal in World Cup qualifying. Born in Aberdeen, defender Souttar changed his allegiance to his mother's homeland earlier this year and enjoyed a first appearance to savour at GIO Stadium in Canberra. The Fleetwood Town centre-back repaid Graham Arnold's faith with a headed double after a pair of early finishes from Maclaren, who completed the scoring and his treble in the closing moments.

Jose Mourinho turned down Lyon's approach to become their new manager because he has already found another club, according to president Jean-Michel Aulas. "We had some fairly flattering exchanges over text," Aulas stated. "It was nice for everyone. He did not accept our proposal to meet because he has already chosen another club." Ligue 1 heavyweights Lyon sacked Sylvinho on Monday after just one win in his last nine matches at the helm and Aulas had identified Mourinho as a target to take the helm. Sylvinho's arrival coincided with the return of club icon Juninho Pernambucano as sporting director in pre-season.  Aulas confirmed the decision to dismiss the former Manchester City and Barcelona defender came from Juninho, with Sylvinho's perceived negative brand of football doing little to endear himself.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed that Borussia Dortmund CEO Joachim Watzke tried to lure him back to Germany in the summer of 2018. In a new biography about Watzke called ‘Real Love: A life with BVB’, Klopp says of a call he took in May 2018: “At some point my phone rang while I was on the plane and Aki was on it: 'Jurgen, you have to come back'. I laughed, I thought he was kidding. “'Are you stupid, have you been drinking? How do you get that idea, I have a few more years in Liverpool'. “I do not know how serious he was at that moment, but I realised that he wanted me to be more willing to respond.” Watzke admits that he always expected Klopp to knock back his advances, with a coach who would go on to claim Champions League glory with Liverpool in 2018-19 tied to a deal with the Reds through to 2022. “I knew that Jurgen would say no and that he would fulfil his contract in Liverpool,” Watzke said. “But if you want to go in a new direction, and we had to hit a

Leicester City midfielder James Maddison has withdrawn from the England squad for the upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers because of illness. The 22-year-old, who has yet to make his senior Three Lions debut, will not be replaced in Gareth Southgate's 23-man squad. England will qualify for the Euro 2020 finals if they beat Czech Republic in Prague on Friday. They then travel to Sofia where they play Bulgaria on Monday.

Goals:  Roberto Firmino (9)  F. Diedhiou (45+1 pen) Brazil were unable to mark Neymar's 100th cap with a win as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Senegal in humid conditions in Singapore on Thursday. Highlights📹 http://v.duta.us/ANhO6wAA Neymar has scored four goals in his past five matches for Paris Saint-Germain but was unable to continue that form with the Selecao, failing to convert any of the chances that came his way. Brazil moved ahead early at the National Stadium through Roberto Firmino's cool finish, but Sadio Mane won a penalty that Famara Diedhiou dispatched before the break.