Boeing 737 Max: Indonesia lifts ban after 2018 Lion Air crash

 

 
Indonesia has lifted a ban on the Boeing 737 Max, more than three years after the Lion Air disaster that saw the loss of all 189 people on board. The plane maker saw its best-selling aircraft grounded globally after a deadly crash in March 2019 involving an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max.
On Monday, Ethiopian Airlines said it will resume such flights in February.
The announcements come months after the aircraft returned to service in the US and Europe.
More than 180 countries now allow the use of the 737 Max, with Australia, Japan, India, Malaysia and Singapore lifting their bans this year.

Almost 40 people killed in Sudan Gold Mine collapse

 

Almost 40 miners were killed with eight missing in Sudan on Tuesday, December 28, when a rudimentary gold mine collapsed, a Sudanese government official has said.
The disaster occurred near Nuhud, a town about 500 kilometres (310 miles) west of capital Khartoum, said Khaled Dahwa, the head of the state-run Mineral Resources Company in West Kordofan.
“Thirty-one traditional miners were killed because of a mine collapsing,” he told AFP, adding one person survived and eight others were still missing.
Another company official said four miners were killed at the same mine in January 2021.

At least 20 dead in flooding in Brazil’s Bahia state

 

 
At least 20 people have been killed in floods in northeastern Brazil, local officials said on Monday, as the region braced for more rain. Home to about 15 million people, weeks of intermittent flooding have intensified in Bahia state in the last two days after a pair of dams collapsed, sending residents scrambling.
“Unfortunately, we’re living through the worst disaster that has ever occurred in the history of Bahia,” the state’s governor, Rui Costa, said on Monday on Twitter, adding that 72 municipalities in Bahia are in a state of emergency.

British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell convicted of s3x trafficking

 

 British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was found guilty in New York on Wednesday of recruiting and grooming young girls to be sexually abused by the late American financier Jeffrey Epstein. Maxwell faces spending the rest of her life behind bars after the 12-person jury convicted her on five of the six counts she was facing, including the most serious charge of sex trafficking a minor.
The conviction, just days after she turned 60 on Christmas, caps a remarkable fall from grace for the Oxford-educated daughter of the late British press baron Robert Maxwell, who grew up in wealth and privilege as a friend to royalty.

UAE issues first civil marriage licence for non-Muslim couple

 

The United Arab Emirates has issued its first civil marriage licence to a non-Muslim couple, state media reports. The Gulf state where foreigners make up 90 percent of the approximately 10-million population has been amending its laws to make it more inclusive.
The official WAM news agency said a Canadian couple were the first to marry under a new law on the personal status of non-Muslims in the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi.

French zoo closed temporarily after pack of nine wolves escape

 

A French zoo has been temporarily shut down by local authorities after a pack of nine wolves escaped from their enclosure during visiting hours. No people were injured during incident last weekend at Trois Vallées zoo in Montredon-Labessonnie, southern France.
The animals destroyed safety hatches and climbed a fence, but never went outside the zoo.
Four were shot dead for "dangerous behaviour", local official Fabien Chollet told AFP news agency.
The remaining five were returned to their enclosure and anaesthetised by local officials who had been called to the scene.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu dies at 90

 

Archbishop Emeritus and anti-apartheid campaigner Desmond Tutu has died at the age of 90.
On Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa released a statement confirming his passing.
Archbishop Tutu, the last surviving South African laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize, passed away in Cape Town at the age of 90.
“President Ramaphosa expresses his heartfelt condolences to MAM Leah Tutu, the Tutu family, the board and staff of the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, the Elders and Nobel Laureate Group, and the friends, comrades and associates nationally and globally of the iconic spiritual leader, anti-apartheid activist and global human rights campaigner.”

Dubai king ordered to pay estranged wife $734m in royal divorce case

 

A London judge has ordered Dubai king,  Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to pay his estranged wife Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein at least 554 million pounds ($734 million) -the UK's biggest ever divorce settlement.
 The settlement concludes a long-running case that has played out in UK courts between Princess Haya Bint al-Hussein, 47, daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan, and her ex-husband, multibillionaire Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.
During the trial, the court heard details of the immense luxury in which the princess lived before she fled Dubai with her two children, Zayed, 9, and Jalila, 14.

Diddy buys Sean John brand out of bankruptcy for $7.5 Million

 

Music mogul and producer, Sean "Diddy" Combs has won the bid to buy back his fashion brand, Sean John. Diddy won the rights to Sean John for $7.5 million, after a bidding war with 4 other parties. The deal will be finalized this week, barring any objections.
The music producer's initial bid earlier this month in bankruptcy court was $3.3 million through an acquisition company named SLC Fashion LLC. His position made him the stalking horse which means any other offer on Sean Jean would have to outdo his.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang icon Sally Ann Howe dies

 

 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang icon Sally Ann Howes has died aged 91. The actress, who was best known for playing Truly Scrumptious in the 1968 musical film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, passed away on Sunday, December 19. The cause of death is yet to be confirmed.
 Her film and theatre spanned an impressive six decades, earning a Tony nomination for best lead actress in a musical for her performance in Brigadoon in 1963.
She also replaced Julie Andrews as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady on Broadway, shooting her into stardom.

Israel begins fourth Covid-19 dose vaccine rollout for people 60 and over as Omicron cases surge

 

 Israel is to begin rolling out a fourth dose of the coronavirus vaccine with immediate effect for people ages 60 and over, medical workers and people with suppressed immune systems, the Prime Minister's Office announced Tuesday, following a recommendation from the country's panel of coronavirus experts.
Those eligible for the fourth dose can receive it provided at least four months have passed since the third dose, it said. In Israel, almost all vaccinated citizens have received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
One of the members of the expert panel told Israeli radio Tuesday evening that the decision to recommend a fourth dose had not been an easy one.

Amid shortage, Canada taps into emergency maple syrup reserves

 

 Global supply shortages have hit toy shops in the US and coffee producers in Brazil. In Canada, the country's liquid gold - maple syrup - is running low. The Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (QMSP) - the so-called Opec of maple syrup - has released about 22m kg from its emergency larder, nearly half the total in reserve.
Booming demand and a shortened harvest had caused the shortfall, QMSP said.
It is the first time in three years the reserve has been used.

Madagascar boat accident kills at least 64; minister swims to safety from helicopter crash at site

 

 At least 64 people have died in a boat accident off the coast of northeastern Madagascar and searches were underway for 24 missing passengers, the maritime agency said on Wednesday.
Fifty survivors were found, the Maritime and River Port Agency (APMF) said.
The vessel, a cargo ship that was not authorized to transport people, was overloaded and water flooded the engine, said Mamy Randrianavony, APMF director of operations at sea.
It sank late on Monday night with 138 people on board, APMF said.

Barcelona's Alexia Putellas makes history as first Spanish Ballon d'Or winner since 1960

 

 
Barcelona's Alexia Putellas has become the first Spain international to win the Ballon d'Or since 1960 after leading her club to the Treble this year. She was named the best women's player in the world on Monday as she received the Ballon d'Or Feminin.
Putellas, who was also named UEFA Women's Player of the Year in August, is the first Spanish winner since Luis Suarez in 1960. "Honestly, it is a bit emotional. Very special. It is great to be here with all my teammates. We've lived and experienced so much together, especially last season," she said.
"I would like to thank all my teammates, all my teammates throughout my career and the ones I have right now. This is an individual prize but football is a team sport.

Barbados becomes a republic and parts ways with the Queen

 

Barbados has officially removed Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state and became a republic in an overnight ceremony in the capital of Bridgetown.
Dame Sandra Mason was sworn in as president during a midnight event coinciding with the country's 55th anniversary of independence.
The Prince of Wales and Barbadian singer Rihanna attended the event.
In a speech, Prince Charles acknowledged the "appalling atrocity of slavery" the Caribbean island suffered.

Ballon d'Or: Lionel Messi wins award as best player in world football for seventh time

 

 Paris St-Germain and Argentina forward Lionel Messi won the Ballon d'Or - awarded to the best footballer of the year - for a record seventh time.
Messi, 34, helped his country win the Copa America, his first international honour, and has scored 40 goals in 2021 - 28 for Barcelona, four for Paris St-Germain and eight for Argentina.
Bayern Munich and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski came second, Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho was third and Real Madrid's French striker Karim Benzema finished fourth.
The Ballon d'Or is voted for by 180 journalists from around the world, although there was no award in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema handed 12-month suspended prison sentence in s3x-tape trial

 

Karim Benzema has been handed a one-year suspended prison sentence and a €75,000 fine for his involvement in the attempted blackmail of former teammate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex tape. Benzema's lawyer told journalists on Wednesday the player will appeal the verdict.
The judgment from a court in Versailles, France -- which found Benzema guilty of "complicity" in the case -- brings an end to a legal saga dating back to 2015 that saw Benzema exiled from the France national team for almost six years. Benzema did not attend the three-day trial last month. His lawyer cited professional reasons, with the 33-year-old in training with Real Madrid ahead of their El Clasico clash with Barcelona.

International women’s goalkeeper accused of being a man as Jordan FA calls for gender test on the Iranian footballer

 

The president of the Jordan Football Association (JFA) has called for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to carry out a gender test on Iranian women's goalkeeper, Zohreh Koudaei. Iran beat Jordan 4-2 on penalties in September, with Koudaei saving two spot-kicks to help her country to qualify for the 2022 Women's Asia Cup for the first time in their history.
But the JFA have doubts over the 'eligibility of a participating player,' and are demanding a gender test on the shot-stopper. They believe Koudaei was in fact a man impersonating a woman. In response, Iran's team selector Maryam Irandoost strongly denied the allegations.

Legendary novelist Wilbur Smith dies at 88

 

Legendary novelist, Wilbur Smith has died unexpectedly at the age of 88. The Zambian-born writer published 49 books and sold more than 140 million copies worldwide. He died at his home in South Africa on Saturday, November 13.
“We are sorry to announce that the beloved, global bestselling author Wilbur Smith passed away unexpectedly this afternoon at his Cape Town home, with his wife Niso by his side,” wrote Smith’s office on Twitter.
 “We are so grateful to his millions of fans across the world who cherished his incredible writing and joined us all on his amazing adventures,” the office said.

Over 100 lawsuits filed against Travis Scott following Astroworld tragedy

 

Over 100 lawsuits have been filed against Travis Scott and Live Nation by fans injured in the Astroworld tragedy, along with the families of some of the dead persons. Nine people died and more than 300 were hurt, including a 9-year-old boy who was left in a coma, when the first night to the two-day concert festival in Houston descended into chaos.
Thousands of fans among the 50,000 rushed the stage, crushing and trampling victims over a period of 40 minutes while the rapper continued performing.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has been named the EA Player of the Month for October after a string of fine performances.

 

 
The 29-year-old scored a hat-trick to inspire Liverpool to a 5-0 win over rivals Manchester United and netted outstanding individual goals against both Manchester City and Watford. Salah had nine goal involvements in league games in October, helping Liverpool to two wins and two draws.
 The Egypt international also continued his scoring exploits on the European stage with a brace in a 3-2 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid.

Singapore to bill unvaccinated COVID-19 patients as fresh infections surge across island

 

 
Unvaccinated patients in Singapore will have to pay their own medical bills from next month as the island nation tries to come to grips with a worrying COVID-19 caseload. In the past 24 hours, Singapore reported 14 deaths from coronavirus and 2,470 new cases.
Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) says the government has been paying full coronavirus medical costs of all Singaporeans, permanent residents and long-term pass holders since the pandemic began.
This does not include those residents who test positive after returning from overseas travel.
But from December 8, all COVID-19 patients in Singapore who are eligible for vaccination but choose not to do so will need to cover their own medical expenses.

Businessman, David Henderson is jailed for 18 months for organising doomed flight that crashed and killed footballer Emiliano Sala

 

Businessman, David Henderson who organised the doomed flight that crashed and killed footballer Emiliano Sala  has been sentenced to 18 months in prison. Sala, 28 and pilot David Ibbotson, 59, died when the small plane they were flying in plunged into the English Channel in January 2019 as he was on his way to sign for Cardiff.
David Henderson, 67, of Hotham in the East Riding of Yorkshire, was a pilot himself but could not fly the plane because he was on holiday in Paris with his wife.

Jeff Bezos sells $2 billion worth of his Amazon Stock

 

 The world's second richest man, Jeff Bezos has sold $2b worth of his stock in Amazon, the world's biggest retailer, according to a new report by Forbes. Bezos sold the shares earlier this week while he was in Glasgow at the COP26 climate summit. The sale came as Bezos, the world’s second richest person, promised in a speech at the summit that he will spend $2 billion from his Earth Fund on restoring nature and transforming food systems.
“We must conserve what we still have, we must restore what we’ve lost, and we must grow what we need to live without degrading the planet for future generations to come,” Bezos said during his talk in Glasgow.

Xavi presented as new Barcelona manager to 10,000 adoring fans at the Nou Camp (photos)

Xavi has officially been presented to fans as the new coach of Barcelona. About 10,000 adoring Barcelona fans were at the Nou Camp on Monday afternoon, November 8, where the Spanish legend vowed to restore the club to its former glory.
'I don't want to get too emotional,' he told them. 'So I can just tell you one thing - we are the best club in the world. And we will work with the highest standards to have success. We cannot accept defeats or draws, we have to win every game.' 'We are going to work to try and win many titles, thank you very much, this is an emotional moment for me.

Man jailed for racially abusing Black England players on Facebook livestream after Euro final

 

A forklift driver who racially abused three England football players has been jailed after his colleague reported the video.
 Jonathon Best, 52, used the social networking site to rant about black players who missed penalties during the Euro 2020 final, which England lost to Italy in July.
Marcus Rashford, Jordan Sancho, and Bukayo Saka suffered racist abuse on the internet over their failure to convert the penalty kick as the Italian team won 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out after the final game ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time.

New York judge sets 2022 target for s3xual abuse civil case against Prince Andrew

 

The judge in the Prince Andrew sexual abuse civil case is planning to hold a trial between September and December in 2022. New York Judge Lewis Kaplan made the comments in only the second hearing involving both the Duke of York and Virginia Giuffre's legal teams.
During the short telephone hearing, Judge Kaplan said that "in another era, I would probably set a trial date today but you are aware of the difficulties of getting juries", referring to precautions now being taken because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ethiopian citizens, diplomats, and government officials flee Addis Ababa as rebels close in on capital

 

 Ethiopian citizens, government officials, foreigners and diplomats are hastily fleeing Addis Ababa as rebel forces close in on the country’s capital. Tigray fighters and Oromo rebels are said to have surrounded the capital. George Anderson, a freelance journalist, tweeted that airlines departing Addis Ababa were fully-booked as people flee Addis Ababa.
 He wrote: "BREAKING NEWS: Airlines departing from Addis Ababa are reported to be fully booked as diplomats, government officials and Ethiopian citizens flee Addis with imminent takeover by Tigray/Oromo forces."
On Tuesday, November 2, just one day before the mass exodus, Ethiopia declared a six-month state of emergency after forces from the northern region of Tigray said they were gaining territory and considering marching on the capital Addis Ababa.

Minister blames Energy Drinks for high teenage pregnancies in Uganda

 

 Too many brands of energy drinks on the Ugandan market are partly to blame for the increasing cases of teenage pregnancy in the country, the state minister for gender and culture, Ms Peace Mutuuzo has said.
“These days there are many energy drinks on the market and our people are being deceived that they give manpower. You ask yourself, man power for what? Are they planning a war? In the evening when they get intoxicated they don’t spare our young girls?” Ms Mutuuzo said before calling upon Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) to intervene and regulate on the number of energy drink brands.
She adds, “Is it morally right to disguise alcoholic drinks as energy drink? Are we short of energy?” she asked.

British No.1, Emma Raducanu reveals she’s donated her US Open trophy

 

Emma Raducanu has revealed she’s donated her US Open trophy to the LTA at the National Tennis Centre. The 18-year-old put herself and British tennis at the forefront of world tennis by becoming the first ever qualifier to win a Grand Slam when she beat Leylah Fernandez in the final.
 Raducanu picked up a cool £1.8m in prize money for her win in New York and also came home with the US Open trophy in what was only her second appearance at a Grand Slam.
But she’s donated her trophy to the National Tennis Centre in London.
 ‘It’s stored at the National Tennis Centre I’m pretty sure in London,’ she said after beating Ana Bogdan in the second round of the Transylvania Open.

Tom Hanks reveals why he turned down Jeff Bezos' offer to travel with him to space

 

 
Top Hollywood Actor, Tom Hanks was offered a ride to space by Billionaire Jeff Bezos on his Blue Origin rocket, but the actor turned it down. According to Hanks the offer came with a price tag.
During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" the very talented actor confirmed that Bezos has asked him to join the space exploration crew but that he was expected to pay. "Well yeah, provided I pay," Hanks said. "It costs like $28 million or something like that. And I'm doing good, Jimmy — I'm doing good — but I ain't paying $28 million. You know what, we could simulate the experience of going to space right now."

Picture of the day...

 

......easy access to the roll!

Manchester United accept Paul Pogba’s decision to leave on a free

 

 

Manchester United have accepted that Paul Pogba will leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the season, according to reports. The World Cup winner has entered the final year of his contract and has so far failed to agree a new deal with United.
Real Madrid, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain have all expressed an interest in signing Pogba, who was unsuccessful in his attempt to leave Old Trafford in 2019.
But according to ESPN, United’s hierarchy have felt for several months that Pogba would not sign a new contract and are now resigned to losing him on a free transfer next summer.

Facebook changes its name to Meta in major rebrand

 

 
Facebook has changed its corporate name to Meta as part of a major rebrand. The company said it would better "encompass" what it does, as it broadens its reach beyond social media into areas like virtual reality (VR).
The change does not apply to its individual platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp, only the parent company that owns them.
The move follows a series of negative stories about Facebook, based on documents leaked by an ex-employee.

Monterrey defeats Club America to win fifth Concacaf Champions League title

 

 
Monterrey secured a fifth Concacaf Champions League title, and a second in three years, with a 1-0 win over seven-time winners Club America. Rogelio Funes Mori got the only goal in a fourth all-Mexican final in six years of the competition for clubs in North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Club America were denied a penalty in the 10th minute of stoppage time after a VAR check for handball.
Monterrey head to the Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in early 2022.

The rare 'p3nis plant' just bloomed for the first time in over two decades

 

In a Netherlands garden blooms a rare plant with a tall, phallic shape. It's known as the "penis plant," and this is only the third time the species has flowered in Europe since 1997, according to the University of Leiden's botanical garden, Leiden Hortus Botanicus.
The six-year-old penis plant -- the scientific name for which is Amorphophallus decus-silvae -- was cultivated by garden volunteer Rudmer Postma, according to a news release. Garden personnel first noticed the flower bud in mid-September, and in just over a month, the bud has become about half a meter (over 3 feet) tall, with the narrow stem reaching up to 2 meters (over 6 feet) high.
"Few botanical gardens have Amorphophallus decus-silvae in their collection, making the flowering of the plant particularly rare," the release noted.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez are expecting twins

Professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and his partner Georgina Rodriguez are expecting a set of twins. They made the announcement via Instagram, sharing photos of the ultrasound.
This is the 5th and 6th babies for Cristiano and the 2nd and 3rd for Georgina.
 It will be Cristiano's second set of twins. He welcomed a twin daughter and son - Eva and Mateo -  via surrogacy in June 2017. He also has an older son, 11-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., whose mother's identity has remained a secret.

Suspect charged after 5 killed in bow and arrow attack in Norway, police say

 

A 37-year-old man has been arrested and charged after five people were killed and two injured in a bow and arrow attack in the Norwegian town of Kongsberg on Wednesday.
The suspect is a Danish citizen who lives in the town, police said in a statement early Thursday. The suspect, who has not been named by police, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon and transported to the nearby city of Drammen.
Police have not disclosed what charges the suspect is facing. Authorities released the latest statement to counter what they said was speculation on social media that other perpetrators were involved.
The perpetrator is believed to have acted alone, police said.

Woman bans family from her funeral and publishes guest list in own obituary

 

A woman in Spain organized for her obituary to be published after her death with a guest list of those allowed to attend her burial. Maria Paz Fuentes Fernandez, who died on June 2, banned her family members from attending her funeral. She used her obituary in a newspaper to publish an exclusive guest list for her funeral.
 She wrote: "Since my family has not been by blood for a long time, I declare in my last will and testament that only the people mentioned below can attend my funeral service, be it at the funeral parlour, church or cemetery."
 The woman listed 15 names allowed to be present to pay their last respects.
 She added: "To everyone else who never cared during my life, I want you to carry on living far away from me, just like you were before."

Zambian President collapses during 45th Defence Force Day Commemoration

 

 The Zambian President, Edgar Lungi has collapsed. He collapsed today during the 45th Defence Force Day Commemoration and Investiture ceremony. The President was forced to cut short his presence and return to the State House. However, the Principal Private Secretary to the President, Simon Miti, as published by Lusakatimes, immediately announced that the president has recovered.
The statement read, “The President of the Republic of Zambia, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, this afternoon experienced sudden dizziness whilst officiating at the 45th Defence Force Day Commemoration and Investiture Ceremony.

Eriksen unlikely to play football again according to a cardiologist

 

 Christian Eriksen is lucky to be alive but unlikely to play again after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest at the Euro 2020 tournament, according to a sports cardiologist. In dramatic scenes in Copenhagen, the 29-year-old midfielder dropped to the ground at the Parken Stadium soon before half-time in Denmark’s match against Finland. He was treated on the pitch before being taken to hospital.
The first-round match was suspended with players from both sides in clear distress before resuming some two hours later after Eriksen was said to be in a stable condition.
Finland won 1-0.

West Ham manager, David Moyes agrees new three-year deal amid Everton interest

 

 
David Moyes has reportedly agreed his new contract at West Ham despite the interest of former club Everton. The 58-year-old led West Ham to their second-best Premier League finish of sixth and qualification for Europe and has decided to commit himself to the club for the next three years.
The news will delight West Ham supporters as they feared Moyes would have been tempted away by former club Everton who had shortlisted the Scot as a potential candidate to replace Carlo Ancelotti to moved to Real Madrid.
Speaking earlier this week, first-team coach Stuart Pearce revealed Moyes had agreed in principle to remain at West Ham.

France president Emmanuel Macron backs Chelsea star N'Golo Kante for Ballon d'Ór

 

 
France president Emmanuel Macron is among those pushing for N'Golo Kante to win the Ballon d'Or this year. Speaking to French radio RMC on Thursday June 10, from the team's training facility in Clairefontaine where he paid a visit to the national team, Macron was full of praise for the Chelsea midfielder.
"N'Golo Kante is a great player, like Kylian Mbappe and he is an example. He is an example for the youth of the country. When we see again the season Kante has had with his club, and I hope the Ballon d'Or too and I'm sure what he will do in this Euros," Macron said on the show "Top of the foot."
"Him and Kylian are good people too, with values of effort and togetherness. They are loyal to the clubs where they come from. And I think it is very important for the country because sport is always bigger than just sport."
 Kante, 30, has been outstanding in 2021 and is one of the main contenders to win the prestigious award which is given over a calendar year, not a season.

Borussia Dortmund reject Manchester United's opening bid of £67m for Jadon Sancho with the German club demanding £80m

 

Manchester United have had an opening offer of £67million rejected by Borussia Dortmund for winger Jadon Sancho. According to Mail Online, talks are ongoing but the clubs are understood to be around £14m apart in valuation for the 21-year-old. Dortmund wants £77m plus bonuses and wants the fee paid over four years as opposed to United's proposal to pay over five.
 All parties are wary of transfer talks turning into another saga with Dortmund wanting business tied up by July 23 when their squad comes together for pre-season camp.
 Dortmund have an agreement with Sancho that he can leave once his valuation is met and United are the main contenders for his signature.

Update: Man who slapped Fench President Emmanuel Macron gets 4 months jail sentence

 

 
A French court has sentenced the 28-year-old man who slapped France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, in the face to four months in prison. Damien Tarel was immediately arrested after the incident which occurred as the French leader was greeting a crowd in the region on Tuesday.
 The court in the south-east city of Valence convicted Tarel on Thursday June 10, on a charge of violence against a person invested with public authority. He was given four months in prison and an additional 14-month suspended sentence, and was banned from ever holding public office and from owning weapons for five years.
 Tarel described himself as a right-wing or extreme-right “patriot” and member of the gilets jaunes economic protest movement.

Naomi Osaka withdraws from upcoming Berlin tournament a week after pulling out of the French Open due to mental health reasons

 

Naomi Osaka has pulled out of a second tournament just a week after pulling out of the French Open due to mental health reasons. The Japanese tennis star withdrew from next week’s Berlin WTA 5000 grass-court tournament, an event that begins on June 14 that she was expected to compete in as a warm-up prior to Wimbledon.
“We have received notification Naomi Osaka cannot start in Berlin. After consulting her management, she will take a break,” Berlin event organizers said in a statement.
Last week, Osaka announced her decision to drop out of the French Open after organizers threatened to expel her from the tournament for refusing to speak to the media and hit her with a $15,000 fine.

Central African Republic Prime Minister resigns

 

 Firmin Ngrebada, Prime Minister of the Central African Republic on Thursday June 10 announced that his government had tendered its resignation. The development also comes amid a turbulent week in Bangui after the French military announced it was suspending military operations with Central African Republic.
 Ngrebada tweeted;
 “I have just handed over to His Excellency the President of the Republic His Excellency Pr Faustin Archange Touadera my resignation and that of the government.”
 Presidential spokesman, Albert Yaloke Mokpeme however told AFP that he may be asked to stay and form a new government.

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek ready to launch a new Arsenal takeover bid worth more than £2B after £1.8b bid was rejected last month

 

Spotify billionaire CEO, Daniel Ek is preparing to increase his Arsenal takeover bid to more than £2billion after his previous £1.8bn offer was rejected by Arsenal owner, Stan Kroenke last month . 
The tech guru launched his bid in the wake of the Super League collapse buy. He claimed that under-fire Gunners owners the Kroenke family had told him that they ‘didn’t need the money’ when he tried to buy the club last time.
However, sources close to the Ek camp have disclosed that a second bid ‘north of £2bn’ is being readied and that they ‘are not going anywhere and want to get a deal done’. Club insiders have admitted they are waiting for a second offer.

Harry hits back at Palace as he insists he told the Queen beforehand that he planned to name his daughter Lilibet

 

Harry has insisted he and Meghan Markle told the Queen they were naming their daughter Lilibet.
In a sensational war of words with the Palace, Prince Harry hit back at a Palace source who claimed he and Meghan "never asked" Her Majesty about using her childhood nickname.
 After the name of Harry and Meghan's daughter was announced, it was said that Harry had spoken to his grandmother prior to naming their daughter and told her of plans to name her Lilibet.
 A Palace source told the BBC this was not the case - and the Queen was "never asked" about its use.
 Responding to the Palace source, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's official spokesman said: "The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement, in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called.

All six Premier League clubs who signed up to failed European Super League 'hit with fines of over £20m each

 

 
The Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ have reportedly been fined around £22million collectively for their roles in the failed European Super League. Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool, and Arsenal were the teams who signed up for the ill-fated breakaway  and any repeats of the concept in the future will be met with a £25m fine and a hefty 30-point deduction.
 It is also understood that the money will go towards grassroots football and the wider football community.
 Back in April, the Premier League Clubs backed out from the proposals amid a huge external backlash but Juventus, Real Madrid, and Barcelona are still in support of the idea, insisting football is facing an “inevitable downfall” without reform.
 The three clubs said they are within their rights to form a new competition and claim that UEFA and FIFA have no right to get in their way.
 The three European giants are facing disciplinary proceedings from FIFA over their plans to form the European Super League and are reportedly set to be banned from the Champions League competition.