Monday 28 February 2022

Poland, Sweden refuse to play Russia in World Cup qualification playoffs after invasion of Ukraine

 

 The Polish and Swedish national teams will not face Russia in a crucial 2022 World Cup qualification playoff matches in March in protest at Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The president of Poland's football association Cezary Kulesza announced the news on Saturday.
"No more words, time to act! Due to the escalation of the aggression of the Russian Federation towards Ukraine the Polish national team does not intend to play the play-off match against Russia," he tweeted.
"We are in talks with (Swedish) and (Czech) federations to bring forward a joint statement to FIFA."
Poland was due to travel to Moscow to face Russia on Thursday, March 24, while Ukraine was scheduled to travel to face Scotland on the same day.

International Judo Federation suspends Vladimir Putin as Honorary President

 

 Russia's President Vladimir Putin has been suspended as honorary president of the International Judo Federation (IJF).
 The IJF announced the suspension on Sunday, Feb. 27, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
This means Putin has temporarily lost his most senior official position in world sport.
 The IJF said in a statement posted online: "In light of the ongoing war conflict in Ukraine, the International Judo Federation announces the suspension of Mr Vladimir Putin’s status as Honorary President and Ambassador of the International Judo Federation."

SAG Awards 2022: Full list of winners and nominees

 

 The 2022 Screen Actors Guild Awards returned with a more traditional, live ceremony on Sunday, February 27. The Coronavirus pandemic protocols however remained in place. Check out the full list of winners and nominees below;
 Movies
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role
Javier Bardem, “Being the Ricardos”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Power of the Dog”
Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick . . . Boom!”
*Will Smith, “King Richard” (winner)
Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”

Covid: Hong Kong's hospitals overwhelmed amid spike in cases

 

 Hong Kong's healthcare system has been overwhelmed by a huge surge in Covid-19 cases, with infected patients being treated outside crowded hospitals. The government has admitted it is struggling to contain the fifth wave of infections, fuelled by Omicron. But it has ruled out a city-wide lockdown.
A record 4,285 new cases were reported on Wednesday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the local leaders to take "all necessary measures", in a rare intervention.
The comments may signal tighter controls in China's special administrative region, which pursues a zero Covid policy - but without the strict mass testing and lockdowns seen in mainland China.

Burkina Faso gold mine blast kills 60

 

 About 60 people have died after an explosion at a makeshift gold mine in a village in south-west Burkina Faso, local officials say. The blast happened in a market at the gold-mining site when dynamite stored there caught fire, witnesses said.
"There were bodies strewn everywhere. It was an explosion that managed to uproot trees and bring down houses," a judicial source told Reuters.
Dozens of injured people have been evacuated to the nearest hospital.
It is thought women and children are among the casualties, the AFP news agency reports.
An investigation was opened into Monday's incident, after the regional prosecutor visited the scene near the town of Gaoua.

EU lifts sanctions against Grace Mugabe

 

 The Zimbabwean government has welcomed the decision of the European Union (EU) to lift travel and financial sanctions imposed on Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, former First Lady Grace Mugabe and military chief Valerio Sibanda. The EU took the decision despite acknowledging that Zimbabwe's human rights record had not improved and could worsen.
The sanctions were first imposed on the four 20 years ago, but were suspended two years ago. They have now been completely removed.
Sanctions against Zimbabwe's defence industry remain in place.

Oldest buildings in UAE discovered, dating back 8,500 years

 

 Archaeologists in the United Arab Emirates have uncovered the country's oldest known buildings, dating back at least 8,500 years. This is more than 500 years older than the previous record-breaking discoveries, according to Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism in a press release Thursday.
Discovered during an archaeological program run by the department, the buildings are located on the island of Ghagha, west of the city of Abu Dhabi.
The structures which have been unearthed are "simple round rooms," which have stone walls that are still preserved up to a height of almost a meter (3.3 feet), the press release says.
The team said in the statement that the structures were "likely houses for a small community who may have lived on the island year-round."

The Wendy Williams Show to be officially cancelled in June and replaced by Sherri Shepard's talk show

 


Wendy Williams’ talk show is officially ending in June after 14 seasons and will be replaced by Sherri Shepard’s talk show in the fall.
 In an exclusive by Love B Scott, sources close to the production crew have confirmed that Sherri Shepherd’s deal was finalized after canceling Williams’ talk show.
“The producers informed everyone that the [Wendy Show] was being canceled at the end of June. Then in the next breath, they hired everyone to work on the new Sherri show,” the source told the outlet. It was also reported that the official @wendyshow Instagram account is no longer under her control.
 Before the cancellation, producers were reportedly scrambling to find a replacement for Williams’ show after she took medical leave due to health issues.

Justin Bieber tests positive for COVID-19, cancels Las Vegas show

 


Canadian music star, Justin Bieber has tested positive for COVID-19. The 27-year-old singer found out he contracted the coronavirus on Saturday February 19, but is “thankfully feeling OK,” his rep told TMZ.
 Bieber also cancelled his scheduled show at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday February 20. The show has been rescheduled for the summer. The singer is supposed to perform at two more shows this week, in Arizona on Tuesday and California on Thursday, but no word yet on whether those will also be postponed.
 A statement shared on Twitter read;

Hacking group 'Anonymous' declares cyber war against Vladimir Putin's government before taking down website of Russian TV channel RT

 

 Hacking group Anonymous have declared a 'cyber war' against the Russian government after President Vladimir Putin announced a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
 "The Anonymous collective is officially in cyber war against the Russian government. The Russian armed forces are preparing a large-scale bombing operation in the capital of Ukraine," the Anonymous hacker group tweeted on Friday, February 25.
Anonymous also claimed responsibility for the attack on the website of the Russia Today TV channel known as RT.  In another tweet, the group said, "The Anonymous collective has taken down the website of the Russian propaganda station RT News."

Royal family 'hugely worried' for Queen as she battles Covid-19

 

 The royal family is deeply worried after the Queen got Covid-19. The 95-year-old tested positive for Covid-19 last week and since then, she has postponed her virtual engagements as she fights the virus.
Speaking to OK magazine, a source close to the royal family said that the royal family has been concerned over the timing of the unfortunate event as the monarch is known to have gone through a plethora of distress in recent times.
"Everyone in the family is praying that Her Majesty is going to be okay. But there are worries that she may have been exposed at the worst possible time.
"There is mounting distress that her immune system might not be able to stand up to the virus. It’s a terrifying time.
"The royals are staying tight-lipped and putting up a good front, but there is zero doubt that this is a hugely worrisome scenario. The whole country is rattled."

Ukraine sailor tries to sink his Russian boss' £5 million yacht

 


 A Ukraine sailor was arrested and later released after he tried to sink his Russian boss's luxury yacht.
 Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the 55-year-old Ukrainian sailor tried to submerge the £5m vessel at Pord Adriano in Majorca
He was arrested for his actions but was released after explaining the situation to authorities.
 He was quoted as saying upon his release: "I don't regret anything I've done and I would do it again."
The man worked as a mechanic on the Lady Anastasia ship for roughly 10 years and said, according to local media, that the attempted sinking was an "act of revenge" against the owner of the boat, the Russian Alexander Mijeev who holds a high position in a Russian state company specialising in weapons. When the Civil Guard arrived, the sailor turned himself in and said: "My boss is a criminal who sells weapons that kill the Ukrainian people."

Saturday 26 February 2022

Kyle Rittenhouse to sue Whoopi Goldberg, Lebron James and others for calling him a murderer despite being acquitted of killing two men

 

 Kyle Rittenhouse has said he intends to take legal action against media outlets and celebrities that have called him a 'murderer'.
 Speaking to Fox News, Rittenhouse says several organizations and people were misguided in their coverage of the Kenosha incident and mislabeled him.
He revealed he will sue talk show host Whoopi Goldberg and Young Turks founder Cenk Uygur both of whom continue to call him 'a murderer'.
 Basketball star LeBron James also accused Rittenhouse of pretending to cry after the 18 year old broke down on the stand during his double murder trial.
Rittenhouse, was a white supremacist who shot and killed two men during during a street protest in Kenosha in 2020 .

Russian forces blow up gas pipeline in Ukraine

 

 
The Ukrainian president’s office said Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city.
The State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection warned that the explosion, which it said looked like a mushroom cloud, could cause an “environmental catastrophe” and advised residents to cover their windows with damp cloth or gauze and to drink plenty of fluids.
According to AP News, Ukraine’s top prosecutor, Iryna Venediktova, said the Russian forces have been unable to take Kharkiv, where a fierce battle is underway.
The city of 1.5 million is located 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Russian border.

UK sanctions five Russian banks and some Russian billionaires, predicts "pariah status" for Vladimir Putin if he further invades Ukraine

 

 The UK has sanctioned five Russian banks and some Russian billionaires after President Vladimir Putin recognized two separatist regions of Ukraine as Independent states and ordered Russian troops into the country.
 Addressing the House of Commons  on February 22 in London, England, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled the "first tranche" of British sanctions on Russia, condemning Vladimir Putin's Ukraine aggression and saying Europe must "brace ourselves" for his next steps.

Roman Abramovich hands Chelsea 'stewardship' to club's charity trust following Russia invasion of Ukraine

 


 Roman Abramovich has handed "stewardship and care" of Chelsea to the club's charitable foundation following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
But Abramovich will remain Chelsea owner and the Russian billionaire, who has invested over £1billion into the Stamford Bridge club since purchasing it in 2003, will not be asking the club to repay the loans it owes him - meaning the long-term future of the club remains secure.
It is also understood that Abramovich remains adamant that Chelsea is not for sale. Whether Abramovich will ever return to taking a more visible hands-on role at the club will likely depend strongly on whether he faces any sanctions, and what happens in Ukraine and the UK's relationship with Russia.

Thursday 24 February 2022

Official says Ukraine attacked from 3 sides

 

A Ukrainian presidential adviser says that Russian forces have launched an attack on Ukraine from the north, east and south. The adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, said “the Ukrainian military is fighting hard.”

Podolyak said Thursday that "our army is fighting back inflicting significant losses to the enemy.” He said that there have been civilian casualties, but didn’t give details.
He said that “Ukraine now needs a greater and very specific support from the world — military-technical, financial as well as tough sanctions against Russia,” he said.

Tuesday 22 February 2022

Texas man sleeping with his sister kills her for having s£x with another man

 

A Texas man who had been sleeping with his sister, beat her to death with a baseball bat after he found out she had sex with another man, prosecutors said.
 Jose Manuel Guzman, 32, allegedly killed his sister in the Canutillo home they shared, the El Paso County District Attorney told the El Paso Times.
Guzman allegedly snapped after he learned of his sister being with a male friend who visited a night earlier. He then attacked her with a "massage instrument" and a bat.
 Afterward, he tried to mop up the blood in the home and fled as he heard law enforcement approaching, according to the Times.

Ahmaud Arbery: Jury finds killers guilty on federal hate crimes charges

 

 Three white men convicted of killing a black jogger in Georgia have been found guilty of federal hate crimes on Tuesday February 22.
 Jurors found the defendants targeted Ahmaud Arbery, 25, because of his race.
The men, Gregory McMichael, 66 his son Travis, 36, and their neighbour, William Bryan, 52, had already been found guilty last year of Arbery's murder. Tuesday's verdict was over a separate set of federal charges filed by the US Justice Department.
 Arbery was jogging in the coastal city of Brunswick when he was confronted and ultimately killed, by the three men in February 2020.

Covid: Hong Kong's hospitals overwhelmed amid spike in cases

 

 Hong Kong's healthcare system has been overwhelmed by a huge surge in Covid-19 cases, with infected patients being treated outside crowded hospitals.
The government has admitted it is struggling to contain the fifth wave of infections, fuelled by Omicron. But it has ruled out a city-wide lockdown.
A record 4,285 new cases were reported on Wednesday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the local leaders to take "all necessary measures", in a rare intervention.

115,500 health workers died of COVID-19 in 18 months, says UN

 

 
No fewer than 115,500 health workers died from COVID-19 in 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, linked to a “systemic lack of safeguards”, according to UN agencies.
 The World Health Organisation (WHO) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) on Monday warned that health teams worldwide needed much safer working conditions to combat the “dangerous neglect” they have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a joint call for action from the UN health and labour agencies, they insisted that the coronavirus crisis had contributed to “an additional heavy toll” on health workers.

Fourth Covid vaccine to be rolled out for millions of people in a few weeks

 

 A fourth Covid vaccine will be rolled out in a few weeks, the UK Health Secretary has announced.
 Sajid Javid said the booster will be given this spring to over-75s and care home residents. The vaccine will also be given to immunosuppressed people, topping up the protection for those most at risk from infection.
The NHS in England will offer people the vaccine from around six months after their last dose, with further details due to be released soon.
 Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to make similar announcements after the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) published advice recommending another booster.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang makes history as he becomes the first player in the 21st century to score hat-tricks in the Premier League, Ligue 1, Bundesliga and LaLiga

 

 Barcelona forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has made history after becoming the first player to score hat-tricks in four of Europe's top leagues in the 21st century.
 The Gabonese international netted three times in Barca's 4-1 victory against Valencia on Sunday, Febryary 20, in his third appearance for the Catalans.
The three-goal showing means that Aubameyang is the first player since the turn of the century to score hat-tricks in the Premier League, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, and now LaLiga.
 Barca's fourth goal at the Mestalla was originally assigned to Pedri, but has since been changed to the Gabonese striker.

Google moves to make Android apps more private

 

 Google's plan to limit data tracking on its Chrome browser has been extended to cover apps on its Android-based smartphones.
Its so-called Privacy Sandbox project aims to curb the amount of user data that advertisers can gather.
Rival Apple now forces app developers to ask permission from users before tracking them.
The news will be a blow to firms like Meta, which rely on putting their code on apps to track consumer behaviour.
Meta said this month that Apple's changes would cost it $10bn (£7.3bn) this year. Google's Android operating system is used by about 85% of smartphone owners worldwide.

Ukraine's football league will restart this Friday under a 'life goes on' plan, despite advancing threat of Russian troops

 

 Ukrainian football officials have confirmed that they will go ahead with plans to restart the domestic league on Friday despite the threat of invasion from Russia.
 Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognised two eastern Ukrainian regions – around Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states after months of ongoing tensions,, during which time up to 150,000 Russian troops amassed around the borders of Ukraine.
Putin then announced that 'peacekeeping troops' would be entering the two regions as well, with the threat that it could escalate further into a full-blown invasion.

Torrential rain triggers deadly mudslides in Brazil

 


Landslides and flash flooding have killed at least 71 people in the Brazilian city of Petrópolis, leaving a trail of destruction after a month's rainfall fell in three hours. Footage from the area shows destroyed hillside houses and vehicles that have been washed away by the floodwaters.
On Wednesday, officials said dozens of people had been killed. Search and rescue teams are continuing to look for survivors.

Ajax reach £6.4m financial settlement with Abdelhak Nouri's family after the club accepted responsibility for his severe and permanent brain damage

 

 
Dutch football club, Ajax has reached a financial settlement with the family of talented midfielder Abdelhak Nouri, who suffered severe and permanent brain damage after collapsing during a pre-season friendly in 2017.
 Recall that the club previously acknowledged that Nouri did not get adequate medical attention after he collapsed and accepted responsibility.
On Monday February 21, the club announced that Nouri's family will get the sum of £6.54million in damages and loss of potential future earnings.
 The settlement brought to an end a case Nouri's family began at the Dutch football association's arbitration commission. Ajax has paid medical and other care costs for Nouri since 2017.

Several Airlines ban flights to Ukraine amid Russia tensions

 

 Several Airlines have suspended flights to Ukraine as fears over an imminent Russian attack on Ukraine intensify.
Airlines are trying to avoid what happened in 2014 from happening again.
In 2014, 298 people on board a Malaysia Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur were killed when it was shot down over eastern Ukraine. An investigation by Dutch authorities concluded that a missile launcher belonging to the Russian military was used in the attack. Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement.
Dutch carrier KLM was the first major international airline to suspend flights into Ukraine earlier this month.

Tasha K says she doesn't have money to pay Cardi B after judge ordered her to pay the rapper $3.8 Million for defamation

 


Tasha K has said that she doesn't have money to pay Cardi B the damages awarded her by a court.
 The american blogger, known for posting videos on her YouTube account, Unwine with Tasha K, was found liable for defamation and two other forms of wrongdoing in relation to YouTube videos she posted.
Cardi B sued Latasha Kebe, aka Tasha K, in 2019 over YouTube videos she had posted which included shocking claims about the rapper.
 Some of the allegations Kebe made in her videos claim that Cardi B f***ed herself with beer bottles on f***ing stripper stages," while others claimed she had contracted herpes and was a prostitute, according to Billboard.

'America's Got Talent' contestant Jane Marczewski, aka Nightbirde, dies at 31

 


 America's Got Talent star Jane Marczewski, aka Nightebirde, has died at age 31 after battling cancer for more than five years.
 She was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer that had progressed as time went on.
The singer passed away on Sunday, Feb. 20, after the disease spread to her lungs, spine, and liver . Macrzewski performed under the stage name Nightbirde, and she competed on the 16th season of America's Got Talent.
 Sadly, she dropped out of the AGT finals, and shared the news on Instagram last August after revealing her health had deteriorated.
Tributes are already pouring in after her death was announced.

Sunday 20 February 2022

As BA.2 subvariant of Omicron rises, lab studies point to signs of severity

 

 The BA.2 virus -- a subvariant of the Omicron coronavirus variant -- isn't just spreading faster than its distant cousin, it may also cause more severe disease and appears capable of thwarting some of the key weapons we have against Covid-19, new research suggests.
New lab experiments from Japan show that BA.2 may have features that make it as capable of causing serious illness as older variants of Covid-19, including Delta.
And like Omicron, it appears to largely escape the immunity created by vaccines. A booster shot restores protection, making illness after infection about 74% less likely.
BA.2 is also resistant to some treatments, including sotrovimab, the monoclonal antibody that's currently being used against Omicron.

Novak Djokovic says he would rather miss out on Wimbledon and French Open than be forced to get a Covid-19 vaccine


The 20-times Grand Slam winner was deported from Australia last month after the government cancelled his visa in a row over his vaccine status.
 Djokovic, who is the world's number one men's tennis player, said he had obtained a medical exemption to enter the country to play in the Australian Open as he had recently recovered from Covid-19.
However, Australia's immigration minister, Alex Hawke, used the highest powers to personally cancel the 34-year-old's visa, on the grounds that his presence could incite "civil unrest" and encourage anti-vaccine sentiment.
Djokovic was asked if he would sacrifice taking part in competitions such as Wimbledon and the French Open over his stance on the vaccine.

U.S. asks Honduras to arrest, extradite ex-President Hernández for drug trafficking

 

 The United States has asked Honduras to arrest and extradite former President Juan Orlando Hernandez, officials in the Central American country said on Tuesday February 15.
 Earlier in the day, the Honduran Foreign Ministry said the US Embassy had requested the arrest of a Honduran politician. The ministry added the request had been sent to the Honduran Supreme Court.
While the ministry did not name the politician in question, officials speaking on condition of anonymity told the media the request was for Hernandez.
 On Monday night, Honduran security forces surrounded Hernández’s neighborhood, and the Supreme Court of Justice scheduled an urgent meeting on Tuesday morning to select a judge to handle the extradition request.

'Saddest Moment of My Life' - Tyrese Gibson's Mom Priscilla dies after battling COVID and Pneumonia

 

American rapper and actor, Tyrese Gibson has announced the death of his mother, Priscilla Murray Gibson, after a battle with COVID-19 and pneumonia.
 The "Fast and Furious" actor shared a heartbreaking video of himself holding his mom's hand in her hospital bed as he tearfully said his goodbyes.
 He wrote:
"On behalf of my family and everyone who ever spent anytime praying for my mother This is the saddest moment of my life………. My sweet Valentine just passed away….."
 "May the lord Jesus Christ and his angels open the doors of heavens and embrace her………. We as a family are broken and just can't believe this……. May the lord Jesus Christ honor your walk with him and embrace you into the heavens……."

Britain's Queen Elizabeth tests positive for Covid-19

 

 Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has tested positive for coronavirus, Buckingham Palace announced Sunday.
The 95-year-old sovereign -- who is celebrating her 70th year on the throne -- is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week, the palace said.
"She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all appropriate guidelines," it added.
UK media have reported that the Queen is fully vaccinated. Buckingham Palace previously confirmed both the monarch and her late husband, Prince Philip, had received their first doses of a Covid-19 vaccine in January 2021. But the palace has declined to reveal any information about subsequent vaccinations, citing medical privacy.

Friday 18 February 2022

Video: Dramatic footage shows the moment a huge wave smashes through the window of a commuter ferry in Germany

 


Prince Andrew will face a two-day grilling by s3x accuser Virginia Roberts' lawyers in London in March and be made to give evidence under oath

 


Prince Andrew will face a two-day grilling with his sex accuser Virginia Roberts' lawyers during a deposition for their high-profile New York court battle.
 The Duke of York is set to meet lawyers representing Ms. Roberts in London on March 10, where he will testify under oath according to sources close to the royal.
'We agreed to voluntarily produce the Duke for a deposition on March 10. Despite repeated requests, Ms. Giuffre still hasn't committed to a date or location for her deposition,' a source close to the Duke said on Saturday.

Evesham Rugby Club player, Jack Jeffery dies after match injury

 

 A rugby player who was left with a serious while scoring a try during a match has died. Evesham Rugby Club player Jack Jeffery, 27,  was taken to hospital after being injured in the seniors’ league game for Evesham Rugby Club against Berkswell and Balsall on Saturday February 12. His father Glenn announced his tragic death on Facebook: “It is with great sadness that I need to let you know we lost our beloved son Jack yesterday.
 “Jack passed away doing the thing that he loved the most, playing rugby.
 “Jack was the most kind-hearted, generous, and beautiful son who enriched the lives of everyone who was lucky to know and have met him.

Malawi detects polio, first wild case in Africa in over 5 years

 

 
Malawi's health authorities have declared a polio outbreak after a case was detected in a young child in the capital Lilongwe, the first case of wild poliovirus in Africa in more than five years, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
The WHO said in a statement that laboratory analysis showed the strain detected in Malawi was linked to one that has been circulating in Pakistan, where it is still endemic.
"As an imported case from Pakistan, this detection does not affect the African region's wild poliovirus-free certification status," the WHO said.

A cargo ship full of luxury cars is on fire and adrift in the middle of the Atlantic

 


An abandoned cargo ship packed with cars is adrift in the Atlantic Ocean, after a rapidly-spreading fire on board forced the crew to escape.
The 656 foot-long Felicity Ace roll-on/roll-off car-carrying ship caught fire in the North Atlantic on Wednesday as it carried cargo, including Porsches and Volkswagens, from Emden, Germany to Davisville, Rhode Island. At the time of the fire's outbreak, the ship was sailing 90 nautical miles southwest of Portugal's Azores, according to a statement on Wednesday by the Portuguese Navy.
After the fire broke out in the cargo hold, it spread and forced all 22 crew members to abandon ship. According to another statement by the Portuguese Navy, the crew was safely picked up and taken to a local hotel, with the rescue coordinated by the Ponta Delgada Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center. There has been no noticeable source of pollution from the fire, according to the statement.

Thursday 17 February 2022

Paris Saint-Germain offer to make Kylian Mbappe the highest-paid footballer in the world on a deal worth up to £1m per week

 

 
Paris Saint-Germain football club of France have offered Kylian Mbappe a contract that would make him the highest paid footballer on the planet.
  In a move to keep him at the Parc des Princes beyond this summer, the Ligue 1 giants are ready to make him the highest-paid player in the world by offering him a deal well in excess of £500,000-a-week with the total package reaching 1m a week according to a report by the Independent.
The 23-year-old has just four months left to run on his current deal, and is currently free to speak to other clubs across Europe over a free transfer.

13 wedding guests die, including baby, after falling into well during wedding ceremony

 

At least 13 wedding guests, including a baby, have died after falling into a well during a wedding ceremony in India. Officials said the victims were sitting on a metal slab of the well when it succumbed to their weight and collapsed at a village in Uttar Pradesh yesterday, February 16.
 The victims were all women and girls.
Officials said guests were performing a pre-wedding ritual named "haldi" when the tragic incident took place. District Magistrate of Kushinagar, S Rajalingam told reporters that victims were aged from 35 to as young as a one-year-old, according to publication Mint.

Wednesday 16 February 2022

Mozambique withdraws Grade 7 textbook from Education curriculum over s3x topics

 

 Mozambique’s Ministry of Education has withdrawn a set of Grade Seven textbook containing some controversial topics on sexuality from its curriculum.
 The natural sciences book addresses subjects such as masturbation and sexual orientation, and has been in use since 2004. It has now been withdrawn from schools following controversies surrounding the topics.
 Opposition from some parents who pointed out that it is a taboo in some communities to teach children about sex, also influenced the decision to withdraw the book.

Islamic school teacher jailed for life for raping 13 students and impregnating nine of them

 

 An Islamic boarding school teacher is lucky to avoid death penalty or chemical castration as he was instead jailed for life for raping thirteen pupils and impregnating nine of them in Indonesia.
 The judge said that teacher Herry Wirawan had sexually groomed the 13 girls, who were between 12 and 16 years old, and impregnated at least nine of his victims, some of whom suffered injuries from the rapes.
The case was concluded in court today with the man being sentenced.
 'Wirawan was proven guilty...of the crimes of purposely committing violence, forcing intercourse on more than one victim repeatedly,' Judge Yohannes Purnomo Suryo Adi told the court in the city of Bandung in West Java.

Tuesday 15 February 2022

Former pupil who was raped by his teachers at a Catholic boarding school gets £1.4m payout

 

 
A man who suffered horrific abuse at a Catholic boarding school in Scotland has secured a record £1.4million in compensation. The 54-year-old, known only as AB, was sexually assaulted by religious brothers John Farrell, Paul Kelly, and Gerard Ryan.
 According to Mail Online, the incident occurred during a 14-month spell while he was boarding at St Ninian’s School in Falkland, a religious teaching order within the Catholic Church that was run by the Christian Brothers.
 AB was raped, molested, and beaten by all three teachers. They would also frequently play the song Ashes to Ashes by David Bowie during their attacks.

Everton and England's No 1 goalkeeper , Jordan Pickford under investigation after mass brawl in Tyneside pub

 

 England's No 1 goalkeeper and Everton goalie, Jordan Pickford is reportedly at the centre of a police probe after a mass brawl broke out at a pub in South Tyneside.
 According to SportMail, Pickford's friends were left furious after he was mocked for his 'little arms.' A fracas then broke out in East Boldon, with one man left with a broken nose and another with a smashed phone after he was filming the incident.
The police are investigating and seeking witnesses but, as detailed in The Sun's report on the incident, there is no suggestion that the Everton goalkeeper assaulted anyone.
 Police rushed to the scene at the time believed to be 9pm on Sunday but, by this point, Pickford and his group had left the scene at the Beggar's Bridge pub in a minibus.

Prince Andrew reaches settlement agreement in Virginia Giuffre s3x abuse case

 

 Prince Andrew, the third child of Queen Elizabeth II, has settled a civil sexual assault case brought against him in the US by Virginia Giuffre.
 Ms Giuffre had been suing the Duke of York, claiming he sexually assaulted her on three occasions when she was 17, allegations he has repeatedly denied.
A letter filed to the US district court on Tuesday February 15, said the duke and Ms Giuffre had reached an out-of-court settlement.
 It said the duke - who makes no admission of liability - would pay an undisclosed sum to Ms Giuffre.
In a letter to US judge Lewis A Kaplan, Ms Giuffre's lawyer David Boies wrote jointly with Prince Andrew's lawyers to say the pair had reached "a settlement in principle".

Cristiano Ronaldo and Ralf Rangnick's relationship at Man United is "Totally Fractured" - New Report claims

 


 Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick's relationship is 'completely fractured' as the forward believes the manager is out of his depth, according to a new report in Spain.
 The German manager was brought in to turn the Red Devils' season around following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. But United are struggling to get the results they desire and tensions are said to be building in the dressing room.
Rangnick does not have the support of the squad's 'leading heavyweights', notably the Portugal international, according to Spanish outlet AS.

Hollywood actor Horwitz jailed for $650m movie ponzi scheme

 

 American actor, Zachary Horwitz, was Monday, Feb. 14, sentenced to 20 years in jail.
 Horwitz swindled $650 million in a huge Hollywood ponzi scheme, using it to finance a lavish lifestyle of yachts, jets and fast cars.
He created fake contracts that he told investors were with HBO and Netflix to trick them into handing over vast sums of money, which he splurged on private flights, cars, and a luxury Los Angeles mansion, complete with a wine cellar.
 "Horwitz portrayed himself as a Hollywood success story," prosecutors said, according to the Department of Justice.

Teacher arrested for flogging 19-month-old baby to death

 


 A primary school teacher in Nigeria has been arrested for allegedly flogging a 19-months-old child to death. The deceased identified as Obinna was allegedly given 31 strokes of the cane by the suspect for getting wet from playing with water.
The Asaba, Delta state police have launched an investigation into the case.
The police confirmed the victim died on Saturday.
“We have the suspect who is the son of the owner of the school in our custody,” the Police Public Relations Officer in the State, DSP Bright Edafe said.

Family of Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins killed on 'Rust' set sues Alec Baldwin

 

  The family of Cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins killed during filming of the movie "Rust" has filed a wrongful death suit against actor Alec Baldwin and others on Tuesday, February 15 claiming they disregarded several industry-wide practices meant to keep movie sets safe.
Halyna Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was wounded when a gun Baldwin was using during a rehearsal fired off a live bullet. The movie was being filmed at Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico.
Baldwin has said he was told the gun was "cold," a movie industry term meaning it is safe to use, and that he did not pull the trigger