Month: October 2016

The Australians were sour but elsewhere there was high praise for the All Blacks’ world-record winning streak, with suggestions their unbeaten run is far from over.
The reigning world champions downed the Wallabies 37-10 in Auckland on Saturday to set a record for top-tier nations of 18 consecutive victories.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen felt his Australian opposite Michael Cheika hijacked celebrations with a withering outburst targeting the referee, the news media and claiming the New Zealanders did not respect his Wallabies.
But Cheika was in the minority for not congratulating the All Blacks on their historic achievement.
“The All Blacks march on, fallible for sure, but buoyed by the self-assurance greatness bestows,” wrote Paul Rees in London’s Observer.
“The best, it is hard not to suspect, is yet to come.”
London’s Telegraph noted that less than a year after becoming the first team to win back-to-back World Cups “with a much-changed line-up, Steve Hansen’s side bolstered their claim to being the greatest ever rugby team”.
Among the flood of tributes for the All Blacks’ unprecedented winning streak were tweets of congratulations from both the Irish Rugby Union and the British and Irish Lions.
The All Blacks need to win their next seven Tests, which include two against Ireland and three against the Lions, if they are to break the outright record of 24 Tests held by Cyprus who compete in the European Nations Cup division 2B.
“Great contest from both sides. Congratulations @AllBlacks on your achievement,” the Lions tweeted.
“@AllBlacks Congratulations on an incredible winning run,” added Ireland who play New Zealand in Chicago and Dublin next month.
Former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick expected the winning sequence to continue, tweeting: “I suspect there will be a few more added 2 the total by this outstanding team”.
Former Wallaby Stirling Mortlock tweeted that the All Blacks were “#toogood” while South African cricket great Allan Donald added: “Simply have to applaud the way these men play there (sic) rugby.”
Such was the All Blacks’ superior finishing that they outscored the Wallabies six tries to one despite enjoying only 35 percent of possession and 32 percent of territory.
“That said, we saw enough of the real All Blacks to know that this side are still way ahead of the rest of the world and that they will continue to move upwards,” wrote Steve James in London’s Telegraph.
“Their fitness in the last quarter yet again proved irresistible.”
In Sydney’s Daily Telegraph Jamie Pandaram referred to the “extraordinarily ugly aftermath” to the Test which saw trans-Tasman relations plunge.
“Australian coach Michael Cheika claimed the Kiwis don’t respect them while rival Steve Hansen told him not to get ‘sulky’,” Pandaram wrote.

As the 2016-2017 NBA season gets under way next week, AFP crunches the numbers behind the world’s most popular basketball league and its rival US sports:
Top salaries in the National Basketball Association are among the highest across the world of team sports, with LeBron James due to pocket just under $31 million this season after negotiating a new three-year deal in August worth $100 million. James’ salary compares favorably with the National Football League, the most-watched sport in the United States, where Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has the highest average salary at $24.6 million.
According to the Spotrac website, which gathers data on players contracts and salaries, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw draws the highest salary in Major League Baseball, earning $34.5 million in 2016.
Ice Hockey continues to lag behind the big three of American sport, with the game’s biggest star, Pittsburgh’s Canadian international Sidney Crosby, earning around $10.9 million per year.
Elite NBA stars, meanwhile, remain the kings for generating endorsement dollars, with James signing a lifetime sponsorship deal with Nike in December 2015 that is expected to see him become a billionaire. Forbes magazine estimates James’ 2016 endorsement earnings at $54 million, although his total earnings were still reported to be less than the world’s highest paid football players — Cristiano Ronaldo ($88 million) and Lionel Messi ($81.4 million).

With a staggering 2,430 matches in the regular season, Major League Baseball attracted around 73.1 million through the turnstiles in 2016, an average of 30,168 per match. But in terms of average attendance, the National Football League continues to rule. With each team playing only 16 regular-season games, crowds average out at around 68,400 per game.
The NBA meanwhile, played in smaller, indoor venues, attracted an average crowd of 17,481 a game in 2015-2016, a total of around 21.5 million fans.
By comparison, the leading football leagues of Europe hold up well, with England’s Premier League attracting 13.8 million spectators in 2015-2016, an average of 36,451 per match.
The National Football League remains the juggernaut of television viewing figures in the United States, with average audiences of 16.6 million per game against 7.3 million per NBA game.
The gulf in viewing figures is even more stark when contrasting the numbers for the two sport’s showpiece occasions — the Super Bowl and the NBA Finals.
Last year’s NBA Finals thriller between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors drew an average of 20.3 million viewers, with a peak audience of 31 million for the seventh and final match in the series won by the Cavs.
This year’s Super Bowl — a fixture in the US sporting landscape which is akin to a national holiday — attracted 111.9 million viewers.
The difference in viewing numbers is reflected in the sums each sport is able to demand for television rights. The NFL earns around $7.2 billion a year through to 2022 while the NBA will earn $2.7 billion a season until 2025 — a massive increase on its previous deal of $930 million a year.
Major League Baseball is a distant third at 1.5 billion a year (four million viewers per match) with the NHL gleaning $633 million (1.8 million viewers on average).
With its cavernous stadiums, giant television contract and the global pulling power of the Super Bowl, the NFL remains the most valuable league in American sport, according to Forbes.
The league is worth an estimated $74.8 billion in 2016, with each franchise worth an estimated $2.3 billion. Major League Baseball is just ahead of the NBA in terms of overall value, at $38.6 billion ($1.3 billion per franchise) against $37.4 billion ($1.2 billion per team).
The NHL is dwarfed by its three rivals, with a total value estimated at $15.2 billion, $500 million per team.
According to Forbers, the Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable team in world sport at $4.2 billion, ahead of Real Madrid ($3.65 billion) and FC Barcelona ($3.55 billion), the two titans of European football. The New York Yankees baseball team weigh in at $3.4 billion with Manchester United, another commercial juggernaut, fifth at $3.32 billion. The New York Knicks are ranked the most valuable NBA team at $3 billion.

Australia’s Ben Simmons, last June’s NBA Draft top pick now sidelined by a fractured right foot, is part of a global initiative aimed at reviving the NBA’s woeful Philadelphia 76ers.
Alongside fellow NBA newcomers Joel Embiid of Cameroon and Dario Saric of Croatia, Simmons will be called upon to help advance the fortunes of a club that went an NBA-worst 10-72 last season, barely beating the all-time worst full-season record of 9-73 set by Philadelphia’s 1972-73 squad.
Just four seasons after winning just nine games, the 76ers made a run to the 1977 NBA Finals. A decade after the NBA’s worst-ever season, they were league champions. It’s that magic the Sixers seek to repeat as new young talent matures.
In the 33 seasons since the 1983 crown, the 76ers reached the finals only in 2001, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers. Over the past 13 seasons, they have won only one playoff series. They haven’t reached the playoffs since the labor-dispute shortened 2012 campaign. They haven’t had a winning 82-game season since 2004-05.
So it’s no wonder that Simmons, who broke his right small toe September 30 in the 76ers’ last training camp scrimmage, had an update posted on Instagram that sounds like the same sort of message the team needs.
“Turning a negative into a positive is never easy,” Simmons wrote. “Thanks to everyone for the support and love. Looking forward to coming back stronger and better.”
Sixers coach Brett Brown said that Simmons is in a walking boot and conducts his rehabilitation work in the team’s training complex, emphasizing learning about the NBA, improving his health and working on his shooting.
“There’s a portion that is education, where we will sit and show him different things on tape and educate him in the league. It’s classroom stuff,” Brown said.
“And then there’s stuff where he will sit in a chair and get his elbow under the ball until he can actually stand, where we have a chance to help grow his shot.”
In an NBA general managers poll, 70 percent said that in five years, Simmons will be regarded as the top player from this year’s NBA rookie class.
The 76ers have barely said hello to Embiid, the 22-year-old, 7-foot (2.13m) center they selected third in the 2014 draft, but he has scored 10.3 points and grabbed 5.5 rebounds a game in pre-season play.
“As far as game shape wise, I’m not 100 percent,” Embiid said. “I still get tired. In practice, we’ve got to work on that.”
Embiid says he is quickly adjusting to the NBA’s speed and physical style.
“When I look out on the floor, I don’t see him take plays off,” Brown said. “He’s really trying to push himself. I feel like he is on a path to arrive on opening night in a really good place.”
Saric, 22, was taken 12th by Orlando in the 2014 NBA Draft but played in Turkey the past two seasons before signing with the 76ers in July. He is averaging 8.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in NBA pre-season games.
Saric seeks consistency after shooting 9-of-13 in two pre-season games, then going 2-for-19 until making his last three in a row.
“I rush the last couple games,” Saric said. “Maybe because I’m still young, I tried to maybe show the people I can shoot, I can play maybe because I’m a little so excited to show everything. Maybe I need to slow down, step-by-step, and if I do that, I think everything will be fine.”

Jessica Drake is one of at least 11 women to have alleged that the real estate billionaire groped them, made inappropriate remarks or forcibly kissed them.
Speaking during a Los Angeles news conference accompanied by the high-profile discrimination lawyer Gloria Allred, Drake said she met Trump at a golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, California in 2006.
“He flirted with me and invited me to walk along the golf course with him,” she said, adding that he asked her to his hotel room. She went along with two other women, Drake said.
Wearing pajamas when they entered, Trump “grabbed each of us tightly in a hug and kissed each one of us without asking permission.”
He also asked what it was like to film pornography, Drake said.
After she returned to her room, Drake said, Trump called her asking her to return to his suite and invited her to a party.
“What do you want? How much?” she said Trump asked her.
After she declined, Drake said, she received another call either from Trump or another man offering $10,000 and use of Trump’s private plane to fly home to Los Angeles if she were to accept.
During Saturday’s news conference, Allred — who also represents two other women who accuse Trump of unwanted sexual advances — showed a photograph of Trump and Drake at the golf tournament.
Trump’s campaign denied Drake’s allegations.
“This story is totally false and ridiculous,” it said in a statement. “Mr Trump does not know this person, does not remember this person and would have no interest in ever knowing her.”
“This is just another attempt by the Clinton campaign to defame a candidate who just today is number one in three different polls,” it added of Trump’s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
Trump has seen his campaign spiral downward in recent weeks ahead of the November 8 election after a number of women made allegations that he sexually assaulted them — claims he again insisted on Saturday were false.
He also threatened to take legal action against all the “liars” that have claimed to be victims of his sexual assaults.
“The events never happened. Never. All of these liars will be sued after the election is over,” he said during a campaign rally.
The allegations have come on the heels of the release of a 2005 video in which Trump is heard making lewd comments about women to a television talk show host, saying his fame entitles him to grope women.

Wayne Gretzky, the all-time National Hockey League scoring leader, returned to the ice in an Edmonton Oilers jersey at age 55 for an outdoor alumni game against Winnipeg.
The Canadian legend was among a host of retired standouts who took the ice for the Oilers and Winnipeg Jets in an exhibition game ahead of Sunday’s NHL Heritage Classic between the current editions of the Jets and Oilers at the home stadium of the Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The Jets won 6-5 as Winnipeg’s Teemu Selanne, the 46-year-old Finnish Flash who ended his career in 2014, scored on a penalty shot against Edmonton’s Curtis Joseph with three seconds remaining. Selanne had two goals and three assists.
“What a great experience,” Gretzky said. “We had a wonderful day, just enjoyed playing the game.”
Gretzky, who retired in 1999 with records of 894 goals and 1,963 assists, led the Oilers to four Stanley Cups before being traded to Los Angeles in 1988. He later played for the St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers.
But he lamented not playing better, complaining, “I stink. I’m really bad,” and shaking his head as he watched former teammate Mark Messier score twice.
“I was, like, ‘Oh my God, (Messier) can still play. Nobody’s thinking that about Wayne Gretzky,'” he said.
“I don’t play hockey any more. I love when I do go out there. But I’m 56 in two months and that might have been my last game. It’s hard now. It’s just tough to tie up your laces.”
Gretzky had said such things before but suited up for the Oilers alumni in 2003 at Edmonton ahead of the first Heritage Classic outdoor game, helping the retired Edmonton stars defeat a similar Montreal squad 2-0 on the eve of the NHL’s first outdoor contest.
“I didn’t have any expectations and I didn’t tell anybody that I was going to go out there and be the Wayne Gretzky of the ’80s,” Gretzky said of his Winnipeg effort.
“There’s only one NHL and when I retired from there, that was it. I don’t have the same excitement to go play pick-up hockey with the buddies.”

Nigerian afro-pop star Wizkid and South Africa’s Olympic gold medallist Caster Semenya won top prizes at the 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards in Johannesburg.
Wizkid was named artist of the year and best male musician and also won the prize for top collaboration at the awards, which celebrate pan-African music, youth culture and talent, with the winners chosen by public vote.
Semenya, who won gold in the women’s 800-metres at the Rio Olympics in August, received loud applause when she was crowned personality of the year.
“I would like to thank God for this precious talent. It’s been a fantastic year for me,” the runner, who has been dogged by questions around her gender, said.
The Saturday night ceremony was originally set to be hosted by South African comedian and US television star Trevor Noah, but he called in sick so South African TV personality Bonang Matheba stepped in.
South Africa’s jazz icon and Grammy award winner Hugh Masekela won the legend of the year award, and briefly rapped as he accepted his prize.
For a second consecutive year, Nigerian artist Yemi Alade walked away with the best female award trophy while Kenyan Afro-pop band Sauti Sol took the best group award.
Alex Okosi, senior vice president of Viacom International Media Networks Africa, which runs the MTV Awards said Saturday’s awards “brought the continent together, showcasing the amazing creativity and talent that Africa has to offer.”
A recent study has found growing demand for homegrown contemporary music across Africa, which is driving a creative boom in an industry otherwise battered by falling CD sales and rampant piracy.
The MTV Africa music awards were first staged in 2008 and have each year recognised iconic musicians from across the continent.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri slammed refereeing officials after seeing Miralem Pjanic’s goal chalked off as the champions were stunned 1-0 by AC Milan in a San Siro sizzler.
The Turin giants had beaten Milan in the sides’ last nine meetings and, in front of 75,829 spectators, showed throughout a stirring encounter why they are being tipped to claim a record sixth consecutive ‘scudetto’ title at the end of the season.
But Juve’s failure to find a way past Milan’s teenaged goalkeeping sensation Gianluigi Donnarumma proved costly, and the visitors were given few favours by referee Nicola Rizzoli on their way to a second successive San Siro setback just over a month after suffering a 2-1 reverse to Inter Milan.
Pjanic looked to have finally broken the deadlock for the visitors when he spun away in delight to celebrate beating 17-year-old Donnarumma with a rasping free kick just after the half-hour.
But the Bosnia midfielder’s joy was short-lived.
Milan’s players surrounded Rizzoli claiming offside and after consultation with his touchline official he cancelled the goal.
Allegri said: “It’s clear that our goal was valid. I shouldn’t say it, but everyone will say it.”
He suggested Milan’s protests had influenced the officials’ decision.
“The first protests from Milan certainly put the pressure on, but we should focus on playing: anyway, this result shouldn’t alter the path we’re on.
“People say we played badly, but I feel that, tonight, we played well technically, and lost.
“I can’t find fault with the lads, they controlled the game and created shots and goalscoring chances. We shouldn’t worry about this result.”
Juve remain top but their second loss of the league campaign has added a new, dramatic twist to this season’s fight for the Serie A title.
Milan moved up to second to sit only two points adrift to signal their return to the fray after several seasons struggling to keep pace and falling down the pecking order in Europe.
The defeat also brought Juve within reach of Roma, runners-up in 2014 and 2015 and who could reclaim second place from Milan, and sit two points behind, if they account for Palermo on Sunday.
Napoli, a further two points off the pace following defeat to Roma a fortnight ago, will travel to basement side Crotone on Sunday looking for a morale-boosting result after a 3-2 Champions League reverse to Besiktas in midweek.
Milan fans, meanwhile, can look ahead with well-earned optimism.
Montella’s decision to inject his ageing side with former youth team players is paying dividends so far, and was given a further boost by Manuel Locatelli’s stunning second-half strike that beat Gianluigi Buffon in the 65th minute.
“I really don’t know how I did it, but I scored against the greatest goalkeeper in the world,” said Locatelli, who two weeks ago was practically inconsolable at the final whistle after a similarly impressive strike in a 4-3 home win over Sassuolo.
Montella, known as L’Aeroplanino (The Little Airplane) for the way he celebrated scoring goals while with Roma, had spent the past few seasons trying to hammer Fiorentina into title-contending shape.
He walked away from the club last year after a dispute with owner Andrea Della Valle, but has returned to Italy’s top flight on a mission.
After a bumpy start, the 42-year-old has transformed the hopes and dreams of a club that has been on a rollercoaster ride since even before Allegri, who led Milan to their last league title in 2011, was sacked in the wake of a stunning defeat to Sassuolo in January 2014.
“Congratulations to the lads, they deserve it,” said Montella.
“They got this far thanks to a lot of hard work and sacrifice. They showed their soul tonight and that’s how I want to see them play from start to finish from now on.”

Sauti Sol are this year’s MTV MAMA best group of the year. The all-male Kenyan band has been pursuing the award since they burst through the limelight and this year they finally banged the one gong that had proven elusive for so long.
It caps a successful week for Sauti Sol who early this week won the best group award during the Afrimma awards in the US.
Sauti Sol were the only East African act to win an award at the ceremony which was held in Randburg, South Africa late at night on Saturday 22nd. The glitzy performances saw the usual dominance of South African and West African countries notably Nigeria.
The ceremonies were opened by electric performances from the likes of Korede Bello, Casper Nyovest, WCB’S Diamond Platnumz, Patoranking, Ycee, Sarkodie and Yemi Alade among others.
Diamond Platinumz was among the biggest losers as Wizkid dominated bagging two major awards for Male artist of the year 2016 as well as the Artiste of the year 2016.
 
Other winners of the night were;
Best Group – Sauti Sol
Best Live Act – Cassper Nyovest
Best Alternative – Shekinah and Kyle Deutsch
Best Female Act – Yemi Alade
 
Best International Act – Drake
Africa Re-imagined – Vuvian Onano and Mary Taedzerwa
Legend Award – Hugh Masekela
Best Lusophone Act – C4 Pedro
Best Francophone – Serge Beynaud
Best Male Artist – Wizkid
Listener’s Choice – Jah Prayzah
Best collaboration – DJ Maphorisa ft Wizkid & DJ Bucks
Video of the Year – Youssoupha (Niquer Ma Vie)
Personality of the Year – Caster Semenya
Song Of The Year- Patoranking- My Woman My Everything.
Best Break Through- Tekno Miles (Nigeria)
 
Sauti Sol took to their social media to thank their fans and partners for their win saying

Cazorla did not feature at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday and the Spanish midfielder was sorely missed by the spluttering Gunners.
Arsenal were frustrated by Middlesbrough as they wasted a chance to win for a seventh successive Premier League game and eighth in all competitions.
“You always miss Cazorla at home. From deep midfield into the final third his pass is always quick, accurate,” said Wenger, whose side will be knocked out of first place if Manchester City avoid defeat against Southampton on Sunday.
“Cazorla, I don’t really know when he will be back. We have to see how he recovers on Monday.”
There was better news on France striker Olivier Giroud who is now set to return for Arsenal’s home League Cup game with Reading on Tuesday.
“We didn’t make enough from our set-pieces and crosses. So the first thing that comes to mind is whether a guy with more size and physical presence in the box could have helped,” said Wenger.
“But we have just come out of six straight wins so I wouldn’t like to jump on this kind of excuse.
“We have to deal with what we face and unfortunately we are used to scoring. We are an offensive team.
“We had five or six offensive players on the pitch at the end but we didn?t manage to score so it’s a bit frustrating.
“It’s part of the Premier League. The other day Manchester City had a similar possession against Everton and didn’t win.
“We have to find a way to be efficient even when the games are like that.”
Wenger, whose side had beaten Ludogorets 6-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday, saw the Gunners run out of ideas and it was his own goalkeeper Petr Cech forced into a string of saves.
“It is a game where you had a lot of possession but there were tired legs and you are prone to counter-attacks,” said the Frenchman, who was celebrating his 67th birthday on Saturday.
“You make it difficult for yourself. 75 per cent possession but you could have lost the game, that is modern football.
“When you are not sharp, you lack creativity in the final third. I must say, we gave everything but we did not have the legs today.
“The energy levels were a bit down but we were intelligent enough not to lose it. We were exposed at times. When you cannot win, you must not lose.
“They had chances but our goalkeeper saved us today. Petr Cech had a good performance in decisive phases.
“We tried. You don’t win on command though. We lacked our creative potential around the box. That is part of it.”
While Wenger was disappointed, Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka was delighted with the way his side played following a disappointing 1-0 loss to Watford last week.
“It was an amazing performance from my team,” he said. “After the last defeat at home especially, it was tough for us.
“But we worked hard on the training field and today the plan worked really well. For me and for us it is great to come to the Emirates, and for the best Arsenal player to be Petr Cech.
“I think we should have won the game because we had good chances.
“We knew that we couldn’t park the bus, but they have a lot of quality players. We were organised and our transition play was very good.”

May will host the first meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) since December 2014 on Monday.
They will “discuss how the administrations can work together to get the best deal for the UK and seize the opportunities that exiting the EU will bring”, her Downing Street office said.
She will call on the devolved administrations to commit to working fully with the British government in a bid to enhance prosperity and security, Downing Street said in a statement.
May will meet with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Welsh FM Carwyn Jones and Northern Irish FM Arlene Foster and her deputy Martin McGuinness.
While a majority in England and Wales voted for Britain to leave the European Union in the June referendum, a majority in Scotland and Northern Ireland voted for Britain’s continued membership.
May wants to build “a new industrial strategy for the whole of the UK, to spread wealth, jobs and opportunity more evenly”, Downing Street said.
“The UK government is resolute in its commitment to strengthening the union further and making a success of the opportunities ahead.”
Downing Street said the committee, if it agrees, would meet at least once every 12 months and FMs would be invited to help build an industrial strategy that would spread wealth and jobs more evenly around the UK.
“Far more than mere geography brings us together — and we are much more than the sum of our parts,” said May.
“As we move into this new chapter, we must seize the opportunities ahead, as we will achieve far more together than we could ever do apart.
“I want Monday’s meeting to be the start of a new grown up relationship between the devolved administrations and the UK government — one in which we all work together to forge the future for everyone in the United Kingdom.”
May intends to trigger Article 50, which sets a two-year clock ticking on Britain’s departure from the EU, between the New Year and the end of March.
Heading into the JMC, the Scottish government’s Brexit spokesman said Edinburgh should be treated as an equal partner in the EU exit negotiations.
“We have yet to see a proposal from the UK government on how the views of people in Scotland will be taken into account,” he said.
Sturgeon’s left-wing secessionist Scottish National Party, which runs a minority devolved government in Scotland, has drawn up draft legislation for a second referendum on independence.
Scots voted to stay in the UK in 2014 but the Sturgeon suggests Scots should have the option to reconsider the issue in light of the Brexit vote.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino admitted he is “concerned” after three successive draws called into question his squad’s ability to stay the course in the Premier League and Champions League.
He acknowledged his players were not “fresh” in Saturday’s goalless draw away to Bournemouth, which cost them the chance to top the Premier League table, especially in a sluggish opening 15 minutes.
Spurs had previously drawn 1-1 with West Bromwich Albion and 0-0 with Bayer Leverkusen, costing them momentum on both the domestic front and in Europe.
“Yes, we are concerned,” Pochettino said. “It’s true we need to improve if we want to be a real contender. It’s true after two games away at West Bromwich and Bournemouth, you must win at least one.
“But when you analyse the whole situation, we have to give value to the point because the effort was fantastic. We had some injuries. So I am happy.
“The game was very competitive and very tough. Bournemouth pushed us a lot, but we were not fresh from the beginning. Our start was very sloppy, but after 15 minutes we started to manage the game.”
His defence coped adequately without the injured Toby Alderweireld, but the continued absence of Harry Kane and his ability to create and convert chances meant that Tottenham’s goal threat was restricted largely to shots from range.
The news that Kane, who scored five goals against Bournemouth in two victories last season, is “not far away” from a full recovery from his ankle injury was encouraging, if vague.
“I’m very pleased after we played in the Champions League and before that in West Bromwich, two tough games, because the players made a very big effort,” said Pochettino.
“But we missed the freshness to be sharp in the last third. Second half we dominated, but it was more difficult to create chances to score.”
Pochettino said he did not see an incident in which substitute Moussa Sissoko caught Bournemouth’s Harry Arter in the head with his elbow, which left home fans calling for a red card.
But he admitted that fatigue had contributed to four first-half yellow cards that left Jan Vertonghen, Danny Rose, Erik Lamela and Delle Alli one careless lunge from being sent off.
“We didn’t show the freshness where you can anticipate the action,” he explained.
“We made some bad tackles. Maybe we deserved the yellow cards. But it wasn’t bad intention, it was because we felt tired at the beginning.”
Pochettino paid tribute to Bournemouth’s game plan, which involved doing to Spurs what they usually do to opponents: press high up the field and beat them for energy and effort.
“I was really proud of the players today,” Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe said.
“Probably more proud than I was this time last week (when Bournemouth beat Hull City 6-1), partly because of the quality of the opposition we were playing against.
“Our game plan was to disrupt their rhythm, their normal way of playing. They’re supremely talented players and we felt our best option was to stop the ball getting into the final third with our work rate and intensity.
“That’s easier said than done, but the players delivered an incredible physical performance, full of endeavour and desire.”
On the topic of physical performance, Jack Wilshere, on loan to Bournemouth from Arsenal, completed the full 90 minutes for the first time in two seasons.
“I kept him on because his performance warranted it,” Howe said. “His fitness has improved to the point where he is able to deliver that.”

Gerrard?s comments are bound to fuel speculation that the highly popular Liverpudlian could return to play for the club he first represented 18 years ago and for whom he made over 500 appearances.
Klopp has previously indicated that such a possibility would not be realistic for the veteran although, following Saturday’s 2-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion, the Liverpool manager declined to explain exactly what role could await a player who also made 114 England appearances in one of the most successful careers of the modern football era.
“Stevie Gerrard is always so welcome at Liverpool FC, you can?t imagine how welcome,” said Klopp after his team’s win at Anfield.
“So there is absolutely no problem. But anything we have, or will, speak about, stays (between us). That’s how I know Stevie, that?s how I am.
“But nobody should be worried that there is no space for Steven Gerrard. Everything will be fine, 100 percent.”
While it is understood Gerrard is keen to pursue a coaching career, it is believed that such a position will not be available under Klopp and that an ambassadorial role is the one likely to be on offer now to the Anfield great.
Gerrard, in an Instagram post, said: “Living in Los Angeles and playing for the great Galaxy supporters has been a privilege. You have made this place feel like home to me. This city and this club will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you.”
Meanwhile, beaten West Brom manager Tony Pulis said Klopp could improve on the efforts of his predecessor Brendan Rodgers, who was narrowly beaten to the title in 2014, and end Liverpool’s 27-year wait to be crowned champions of England.
“They?re a good side,” said Pulis. “Their front five are as good as anything in the league.
“They?ve got a free run at it this year (season). They’re not in Europe which is draining, irrespective of what people say, I?ve been there myself. So they have a free run.
“The last time they came close, with Brendan, they had a free run as well and they have a free run at it this year,” he added.
Klopp saw his team edge closer to the top of the table with first-half goals against West Brom from Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho, only for a late consolation effort from Gareth McAuley to deny his team the two clear goals they needed to go above leaders Arsenal.
“Who wants to be top in October?” said Klopp. “Okay, it was a little bit of a joke but we have 20 points and it was not possible to have more tonight, so that?s okay.
“Maybe not having clean sheets is just part of our game, I don’t know. It’s not a big problem. Defending is, first of all, about not letting them create a lot of chances and I can?t remember a lot of chances the last few games.
?In dreamland, then you always win 4 or 5-0 and then the crowd can go home a little bit earlier to do something more serious but I actually think this game created one of the best chances we have had here because it was exciting until the end.
“It?s really difficult to be satisfied with any football game and, at 2-1, it keeps you more awake than at 4-0. That’s just how it is. Maybe in this moment we?re not experienced enough in a situation like this.?

The All Blacks named two new players Sunday for next month’s northern tour and included three Barrett brothers in their travelling squad as they look to extend their record unbeaten streak.
The 36-man squad to play Tests in the United States, Italy, Ireland and France, also includes the return of disgraced scrum-half Aaron Smith.
A day after beating Australia 37-10 to set a new benchmark for a top-tier team of 18 consecutive victories, coach Steve Hansen said the northern tour was a chance to extend the record.
“We’ve got a great opportunity to build on what we’ve done so far, going into a new environment. The northern hemisphere’s a totally different place to play rugby,” he said when naming the touring party.
“It will challenge us and ask us to grow our game in ways, and will give us the opportunity to continue to blend this group of young talent with the more experienced group. This will allow our game to continue to improve.”
The uncapped All Blacks are Otago Highlanders hooker Liam Coltman and 19-year-old Rieko Ioane, who has graduated from the New Zealand Olympic sevens team.
Jordie Barrett, the 19-year-old younger brother of 46-Test fly-half Beauden Barrett, has been named as an “apprentice” to experience the pressures of being an All Black.
Hansen said the apprentice scheme, previously used with Ardie Savea in 2013, had “huge benefits” with Jordie Barrett, a fullback, destined to be an All Black in future.
“He is an outstanding prospect and has a big future in the game,” Hansen said.
A third Barrett brother, Scott, will travel as cover for lock Sam Whitelock, who could be sidelined for three weeks with an ankle injury suffered in Saturday’s Test against Australia.
The playing squad was largely predictable, including the return of loose forward Steven Luatua who played 14 Tests in 2013-2014 and who was in stand-out form for the Auckland Blues this year.
Scrum-half Smith returns after missing the last two Tests after an airport toilet tryst with a woman which New Zealand Rugby deemed “serious misconduct”.
Coltman, who has provided injury cover for the All Blacks in the past, is officially selected for the first time with previous Test hookers Nathan Harris and James Parsons not considered because of injury.
Sonny Bill Williams, Charlie Ngatai and Nehe Milner-Skudder were also not considered because of injuries.
The squad, which will again be captained by Kieran Read, includes 20 forwards and 16 backs and has a total of 1,157 Test caps experience and an average of 32 caps per player.
New Zealand squad:
Hookers: Dane Coles, Codie Taylor, Liam Coltman
Props: Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Owen Franks, Joe Moody, Ofa Tu’ungafasi
Locks: Brodie Retallick, Luke Romano, Patrick Tuipulotu, Samuel Whitelock
Loose forwards: Sam Cane, Elliot Dixon, Jerome Kaino, Steven Luatua, Kieran Read (capt), Ardie Savea, Liam Squire, Matt Todd
Scrum-halves: Tawera Kerr?Barlow, T.J. Perenara, Aaron Smith
Fly-halves: Beauden Barrett, Aaron Cruden, Lima Sopoaga
Centres: Ryan Crotty, Malakai Fekitoa, Anton Lienert-Brown, George Moala
Outside backs: Israel Dagg, Rieko Ioane, Damian McKenzie, Waisake Naholo, Julian Savea, Ben Smith. Scott Barrett will travel as injury cover for Whitelock and Jordie Barrett has been named as an apprentice
Itinerary
Nov 6 v Ireland in Chicago
Nov 13 v Italy in Rome
Nov 20 v Ireland in Dublin
Nov 27 v France in Paris

A former Guantanamo inmate resettled in Uruguay who went on hunger strike to demand relocation to another country has dropped his protest after receiving an offer, activists said Saturday.
Syrian Jihad Diyab, who began his hunger strike more than two months ago, ended his protest and will travel to a new country, the group Vigilia por Diyab (Diyab Watch) announced, without specifying which country.
“After 68 days on hunger strike, Jihan Diyab’s quest for his right to family reunification has reached a middle stage… with his health now a very serious issue, he received an offer to travel,” the group said in a statement, adding that the 45-year-old is now on limited feeding.
“This doesn’t solve his family situation problem, but it is a big step,” the group added.
Diyab is one of six former Guantanamo inmates resettled in Uruguay as refugees in 2014, part of a deal with the United States to help close the controversial prison set up in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
The men have repeatedly clashed with the Uruguayan authorities over their living allowances and housing, and complain of feeling isolated in the Spanish-speaking country, which has virtually no Muslim population.
Diyab is asking to be transferred elsewhere and reunited with his family, saying he does not have the means to support them in Uruguay.
He began his hunger strike in August in a Venezuelan prison, where he was detained after leaving Uruguay undetected and showing up at the Uruguayan consulate in Caracas, demanding to be taken to Turkey.
Diyab earlier requested a copy of Uruguay’s agreement with the United States on his resettlement.
Uruguay, which has not published the deal, says that he has the right to travel like any other resident.

Colombia’s commercial carrier Avianca on Saturday briefly suspended flights to and from Venezuela after a Venezuelan fighter jet caused a diplomatic incident by approaching one of its planes, the company said.
The warplane briefly approached the airliner flying from Madrid to Bogota on Friday, prompting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to order an investigation.
The incident took place Friday night, when Avianca’s Boeing Dreamliner carrying 150 passengers detected the Venezuelan warplane “at close range,” where it remained four minutes, the Colombian government said on Saturday.
The fighter jet then turned north and roared away.
The incident prompted diplomatic discussions and Maduro’s order for an investigation. But Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, downplayed the incident early Saturday.
“The ministers have spoken and cleared it all up, everything is normal,” he said. “There’s no need to worry.”
On the Venezuelan side, lawmaker Diosdado Cabello later called it a “regrettable misunderstanding.
“I understand, to the best of my knowledge, there was a regrettable misunderstanding. It was nothing planned against Avianca in any way at all. It will be taken care of,” said Cabello, who is also the number two in Maduro’s administration.
In the end, the suspension of two daily flights between Bogota and Caracas one daily flight between Caracas and Lima never took effect. The flights are to run as normal on Sunday, Avianca said.
The airline had previously reduced the frequency of its flights to crisis-wracked Venezuela.
Analysts have warned of a risk of violent unrest in this country of 30 million people.
Hit by the fall in crude oil prices, the Venezuelan economy has crashed. Food shortages have prompted looting in recent months.
Opposition leaders in Caracas plan mass street protests for next week, accusing the socialist government of staging a coup by blocking efforts for a recall referendum against the unpopular Maduro.
Riots in 2014 left 43 people dead.

Ashley Wagner, a three-time US champion and this year’s world championship runner-up, captured her second Skate America women’s crown Saturday after finishing second in the free skate.
Wagner took the title with 196.44 points to 121.59 for Mariah Bell, the 20-year-old American who won the free skate in only her second ISU Grand Prix event.
Bell set a personal best of 130.67 to win the free skate with Wagner next on 126.94 and Japanese teen Mai Mihara third on 123.53 to finish third overall on 189.28.
Wagner, who also won the short program Friday, said she took momentum from her world second-place effort on home ice in Boston earlier this year into the event.
“That was huge,” Wagner said. “The short program was one of my world class programs. That free program, I left it all on the table.”
At 25, she is skating at an age when many are leaving the sport.
“I’m not good at anything else. That’s all I have,” she said with a smile. “I love what I’m doing.”
Wagner, who also won the 2012 Skate America crown, captured US titles in 2012, 2013 and 2015 and took a bronze medal in the team event at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
Bell, eighth at last year’s Skate America in her only prior Grand Prix start, was shocked to find herself on the podium.
“I feel like I don’t know what’s going on,” she said. “I skated a program that I’m really proud of. To be on the podium, I’m speechless.”
It might be the shape of things to come for the US women with the next Winter Olympics in South Korea only 16 months away.
“I’m starting to realize my own potential and believe in myself, which is really cool,” Bell said. “I’m really excited for the future.”
Mihara, a 17-year-old from Kobe making her Grand Prix debut, was second after the short program.
She denied the hosts the first women’s podium sweep at Skate America since Michelle Kwan led the way 20 years ago after reigning US champion Gracie Gold, a hometown hero who was third in the short program, fell twice in the free skate and settled for fifth.
Gold, 21, has won two of the past three US titles and was fourth at the 2014 Winter Olympics as well as the past two World Championships.
Japanese 18-year-old Shoma Uno, who earlier this year became the first skater to land a quadruple flip in international competition, won the men’s short program with 89.15 points.
Uno was last year’s Skate America runner-up in his senior-level Grand Prix debut and third in last season’s Grand Prix Final at Barcelona.
Reigning US champion Adam Rippon was second on 87.32 with 2015 American champion Jason Brown third on 85.75. Chicago hometown favorite Brown missed most of last season with a back injury and was unable to defend his crown earlier this year.
The ice dance short program and pairs free skate final were to be contested later Saturday. Russia’s Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, the fifth-place duo at the world championships, won the pairs short program Friday.
Men’s and ice dance crowns will be decided Sunday.

Senegal put into service one of sub-Saharan Africa’s largest solar energy projects Saturday as it pushes to become a regional player in renewables on a continent where the majority remain off-grid.
The 20-megawatt Senergy 2 project in Bokhol, close to the Mauritanian border, will serve 160,000 people with electricity, and will contribute to Senegal’s target of serving 20 percent of its energy needs with renewables by the end of 2017.
“Without energy there can be neither growth nor development,” said Senegalese President Macky Sall at the opening ceremony.
“With the Bokhol facility, we take a new step and Senegal enters wholeheartedly into a new, clean-energy era,” he told the audience in a country where 45 percent currently lack power at home.
The $28 million project was developed by French renewables firm GreenWish and backed by the Senegalese state, with financing through Britain and Norway via their joint development investment vehicle Green Africa Power.
It will prevent the emission of 23,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year, according to GreenWish.
Two more upcoming solar projects will add another 50 MW of power to the Senegalese grid by the end of January alone, boosting a current capacity of 850 MW according to figures from national electricity firm Senelec.
The Bokhol project is dwarfed by the size of continental leaders Morocco and South Africa’s solar parks, however.
Senegal is pushing to become an example for renewables in west Africa, which lags behind other regions in its uptake of the technology.
“There was a real engagement on the part of the Senegalese government to develop renewable energy,” said Charlotte Aubin Kalaidjian, CEO of GreenWish, told AFP ahead of the ceremony.
“Senegal was really ahead of the game,” she added.
A tiny percentage of sub-Saharan Africa’s energy needs are currently served by solar energy despite abundant, year-round sunshine and unused land on much of the continent.
Around 600 million of sub-Saharan Africa’s billion-strong population lacks access to electricity.

Away from the screens, Jacky is recognised by fashion lovers everywhere for her authentic street fashion and unparalleled personal style.
 
But in her home in , she is simply a daughter and granddaughter to two lovely women. The lovely actress recently introduced her grandmother and mother as she regaled her fans with tales of life .
she captioned the photo below:
 

AC Milan midfielder Manuel Locatelli admitted his disbelief after beating Juventus and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon with a second-half stunner to secure a 1-0 win over the champions and leaders Saturday.
“I still can’t believe it, I’m sure I’ll shed a few tears when I see my family and friends,” a visibly moved Locatelli told Sky Sport after the game.
A talented but still unfinished 18-year-old midfielder, who has been pushed into the Rossoneri first team by coach Vincenzo Montella this season, Locatelli added some welcome emotion to Serie A a fortnight ago.
He was practically inconsolable while he shed tears of joy at full-time of a 4-3 home win over Sassuolo when he struck an incredible second-half leveller.
At a packed San Siro on Saturday, Juventus dominated throughout but the majority of the 75,829 fans enjoyed another slice of Locatelli magic that should become a candidate for goal of the season.
Set up by diminutive Milan forward Suso, Locatelli took a few steps before unleashing a right foot rocket that flew past Buffon to ping off the underside of the crossbar at his far corner in the 65th minute.
“I really don’t know how I did it, but I scored against the greatest goalkeeper in the world,” added Locatelli.
“I saw the ball, I shot and when I saw it go in and everyone starting to celebrate I ran to my family.”
The celebrations were just as wild this time, and although he kept most of the tears to himself, Locatelli admitted: “I’m not someone to hide their emotions.
“The way I react is the way I react, and for me that’s fine. But, I suppose I should keep my feet on the ground.”
A month after suffering their first defeat of the season, a 2-1 reverse to Inter Milan, Juventus suffered another San Siro setback to see their gap cut to two points on Milan, who move one place up to second ahead of Roma.

The Nairobi Performing Arts Studio is a unique, new academy, based in the Kenya National Theatre complex. It offers after-school/work and weekend classes to students and adults in Drama, Dance and Voice Training/Singing, to provide the student with an all-round working knowledge of drama and musical theatre, as well as the opportunity to appear in professional-level plays and musicals at the Kenya National Theatre.
Courses are taught by acclaimed professionals in the music, theatre, film and TV industries including professors and tutors from Kenyatta University, Sauti Academy and Kenya Conservatoire of Music.
NPAS also offers Master Classes by celebrated actors, singers, directors and choreographers, including Ian Mbugua – Directing/Acting; Willis Austin Chimano (Sauti Sol) – Singing, Edwin Odhiambo (Judge Edu) – Dance/Choreography; Mkamzee Mwatela (Acting).
 
 NPAS director, Stuart has also announced his partnership with Kenya National Theatre and The Kenya Conservatoire of Music to bring the world renown musical, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR slated for staging on APRIL 7TH – 17TH 2017 and five other musicals throughout 2017-2018.

A second-half screamer from Manuel Locatelli ended AC Milan’s long wait for victory over Juventus in a contentious 1-0 San Siro win that saw an apparently valid Miralem Pjanic opener chalked off for the visitors.
Milan, enduring a nine-game winless streak against the Turin giants, are now just two points behind the reigning champions and league leaders.
In a San Siro spectacular that saw drama, controversy and a candidate for one of the Serie A goals of the season, Vincenzo Montella’s men produced a battling performance to take their unbeaten run to six games.
Juventus, bidding for a record sixth consecutive scudetto, suffered only their second loss of the season and their second at the San Siro — having lost 2-1 to Inter last month.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri was given a hostile reception as the squad names were called out minutes before kick-off.
Although he was left grinning widest by the end of a dominant first-half that saw Milan’s teenaged goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma keep the hosts in the game, Allegri’s last league visit to the San Siro this season was not positive.
Juventus were a class above early on, their compact, organised game producing chance after chance.
But Donnarumma showed why he should have no problem replacing Italy ‘keeper Gianluigi Buffon in the near future.
As Milan lost their shape in defence, Dani Alves roamed the right flank to deliver for Alex Sandro, who was given to test a diving Donnarumma with a weak volley that went wide.
Donnarumma pulled off a brilliant save moments later when Alves rose to meet Pjanic’s delivery to fire a header towards goal.
It took nearly 10 minutes for Milan to threaten, skipper Ignazio Abate’s intercepting tackle on Pjanic sending Giacomo Bonaventura on a pacy run but the move broke down when Suso failed to reach Carlos Bacca’s through ball.
But Juve were soon back in command, Paulo Dybala and Alves connecting for Sandro to test Donnarumma with a stooping header.
Gonzalo Higuain turned provider on 25 minutes, the striker setting up Sandro on the left but it was Dybala who raced in ahead of Higuain for the return, firing a low drive that Donnarumma collected down low.
Milan threatened briefly again, Paletta firing over for a corner that, after some ping pong in the box, saw Hernanes rush back to head clear.
Donnarumma was soon back in action, coming out smartly to collect Sami Khedira’s cross with a spectacular mid-air dive as it edged towards Higuain.
Dybala was forced off on 33 minutes after pulling up with an apparent thigh injury to be replaced by Juan Cuadrado, the Colombian making his return to the fray four days after hitting the winner in a 1-0 Champions League win over Lyon.
Three minutes later, a low free kick from Pjanic ripped through bodies in the area to beat Donnarumma down low.
Milan’s players appealed offside, and referee Nicola Rizzoli, after consultation with his fourth official, ruled in their favour. The decision came despite television replays suggesting the goal was valid.
A furious Juve resumed, however, in positive fashion after the restart, Higuain getting his right foot to Alves’s cross to fire yards wide of Donnarumma’s far post in the opening minutes.
Milan responded, M’Baye Niang firing a drive across goal that Ignazio Abate just could not reach, before plucking a goal from nowhere to send the vast majority of the 75,289 spectators into raptures.
Suso offloaded to an unmarked Locatelli who took a few steps before unleashing a right foot rocket that flew past Buffon to ping off the underside of the crossbar at his far corner.

For 58 year old parrot-lover Ted Parrotman Richards it’s PRETTY far .The ‘Baby Boomer’ has spent a large portion of his pension money to look like our  brightly-coloured feathered friends.
According to the Mirror, the man had his ears cut off in a 6-hour surgery; he got sub dermal star implants in his head, horns, many piercings and more than 100 tattoos including eye-ball tattoos.
 
Now he wants his nose transformed into a beak! Aside from the aesthetic shock this look possesses, he admits that this look had made him a better person.
 
“”He said during an interview with British daytime television show ‘This Morning’

Lewis Hamilton admitted he was unaware his Mercedes team had worked through the night to deliver a car which carried him to a blistering pole position for Sunday’s United States Grand Prix.
The 31-year-old defending champion grabbed the 58th pole of his career, edging out teammate Nico Rosberg who leads the title race by 33 points with four races remaining.
It was his first pole in five attempts at the Circuit of the Americas.
Hamilton, using a car with a new fuel injection system which was fitted overnight, said he had no idea about the repairs carried out by mechanics who worked until 4am to keep his title push on track.
“I just didn?t know anything about that,” said the Briton. “I have been focused on my job and working on my preparations.”
Despite his pole-setting heroics, Hamilton admitted it was only the first step towards success in his bid to keep his title defence alive when he battles against both Rosberg and the chasing Red Bull team in what promises to be a closely-fought race on Sunday.
“I feel amazing. It is just such a great feeling -? my first pole here after many years of trying. A lot of great people have tried to get me there and now I?ve done it.”
He said it was “crazy” that after winning three of the four previous races at the circuit he had finally taken pole.
“It’s taken a while,” he laughed. “And I have worked hard. Turn One was always a weak point for me every year and this year I finally got it right.?
“Of course, it is my goal to win, but it is time to turn my thoughts into action now. I want to prepare properly. This is a nice positive tip for me, to be on pole, but tomorrow is something else.”
Hamilton confirmed he has been practicing his starts after his poor getaway in Japan, where he was second on the grid and fell back to eighth.
He has had five bad starts this season, notably in Australia, Bahrain, Canada and Italy before Japan -? races that have cost him four possible podium finishes.
Rosberg has also suffered from some poor starts, but with a cushion in the title race knows he can recover and knows that Hamilton cannot afford to make any mistakes or get involved in any collisions.
“For me, there was nothing specific in my lap that cost me time,” he said.
“Lewis was quicker in sector one. That was it. Nevertheless, we have seen this year that qualifying is not all important.”
Australian Daniel Ricciardo qualified third and said he believed he has a great chance to claim a podium finish for Red Bull -? and mix it with the Silver Arrows — after claiming third place on the grid ahead of his team-mate Max Verstappen.
“I am happy with that lap and my tyres and the strategy,” he said. “The super-softs can help me get a great start and mix it with the Mercedes boys. I want to be another factor in their equation.”
Grinning with pleasure, he even broke into a mock-Texan accident to add: “I just wanna put on my cowboy hat and ride off into the sunset.”
Verstappen, facing a clampdown on his aggressive defensive driving in Sunday?s race by the International Motoring Federation (FIA), said he was disappointed.
“I think I felt we could be nearer the Mercedes,” he said. “But they turned up the power and we could not match them.”

“With the 72-hour Cessation of Hostilities in Yemen coming to an end, the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed urges all parties to agree to its extension for at least another renewable 72 hours,” said a statement posted on the envoy’s Facebook page.
The truce ended officially at midnight (2100 GMT) Saturday.
Ahmed said the ceasefire was “largely holding despite reported violations from both sides in several areas.”
“We noted over the last days that food and humanitarian supplies were provided to several affected neighborhoods and that UN personnel were able to reach areas that were previously inaccessible. We would like to build on this and we aim for a wider outreach in the next few days,” he added.
The Yemeni government, backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition, and Iran-supported Huthi rebels have traded accusations of truce violations over the past three days.

First-half goals by Bayern’s Chile and Brazil internationals gave Ancelotti’s Munich their first win in three matches in Germany’s top flight after draws against Cologne and Eintracht Frankfurt.
The result at Munich’s Allianz Arena capped a good week for Bayern, who enjoyed a 4-1 romp against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday.
“We’ve learned from Frankfurt,” said Ancelotti after his side twice threw away the lead in last Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt.
“In the first half, it was a really good display, our best this season with a lot of intensity.
“We played a good game, we were strong in defence and had good control.
“I told the players at half-time to be careful as nothing was decided and you could see the energy wasn’t 100 percent after our midweek game.
“They are intelligent players and have taken on board what I told them.”
Ancelotti rested Germany forward Thomas Mueller from the starting line-up, but after Robert Lewandowski hit the post early on, Bayern went ahead after 16 minutes when Chile’s Vidal headed home Rafinha’s cross.
Winger Costa’s 31st-minute shot doubled the lead at Munich’s Allianz Arena, while Gladbach’s best chance came when winger Andre Hahn hit the post on 71 minutes.
Bayern centre-back Mats Hummels said the draw at Frankfurt had been a wake up call and the defending champions responded by restricting Gladbach to Hahn’s one clear chance after the break.
“We put in a very concentrated, dominant performance in the first half, so we can be very satisfied. We didn’t allow them any chances,” said the Germany international.
“In the second half, we were too passive with the ball.
“We let things get a bit precarious on one or two occasions, but not much happened.”

This annual celebration of African and international talent and achievement recognises and rewards musicians and achievers who have made the most impact on African music and youth culture over the previous year.
African talent will be celebrated and rewarded across 18 award categories, including and
And it seems that might as well be added to the categories as the African glitterati have really brought their A-game when it comes to the red carpet.
Here are some of the best looks tonight:
 
 
Images:Courtesy

The stock-and-cash deal is valued at $108.7 billion including debt, and gives a value of $84.5 billion to Time Warner — a major name in the sector that includes the Warner Bros. studios in Hollywood and an array of TV assets such as HBO and CNN.
It would give the big US telecom firm “the world’s best premium content with the networks to deliver it to every screen, however customers want it,” a statement from the companies said.
“This is a perfect match of two companies with complementary strengths who can bring a fresh approach to how the media and communications industry works for customers, content creators, distributors and advertisers,” said AT&T chairman and chief executive Randall Stephenson.
The tie-up, which could face tough antitrust scrutiny, makes AT&T a strong rival to Comcast, which owns Time Warner rival NBCUniversal, and aims to counter the growing threat from online services such as Netflix and Amazon.
It also positions AT&T against longtime telecom rival Verizon, which has acquired internet group AOL and is in the process of buying Yahoo, and against new delivery platforms expected from Google and others.
The tie-up includes the vast Time Warner film library, including the Harry Potter franchise, and TV operations that include HBO’s popular “Game of Thrones,” and would allow AT&T to deliver the content to its fiber TV subscribers and also through its newly acquired DirecTV satellite service and mobile devices.
“Premium content always wins,” Stephenson said.
“It has been true on the big screen, the TV screen and now it?s proving true on the mobile screen. We’ll have the world?s best premium content with the networks to deliver it to every screen.”
But the deal is likely to face tough scrutiny from antitrust regulators, and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said he would block it if elected.
Even before the announcement, US consumer groups called for regulators to consider the impact of the tie-up.
John Bergmayer of the consumer group Public Knowledge said the merger could open the door to “self-dealing and discrimination” by a powerful media and delivery group.
“DirecTV, for instance, might favor Time Warner content, crowding out or refusing to carry alternative and independent programming that viewers might prefer,” he said.
“AT&T might also make it more expensive or difficult for competitors to DirecTV or to its streaming service to access Time Warner programmer, hoping to drive customers to its own platforms,” he added. “AT&T could also give preferential treatment to its own programming and services on its broadband networks.”
But some analysts said the deal makes sense given the changing media landscape.
Richard Greenfield of BTIG Research said the sector can no longer count on consumers watching “linear” TV and subscribing to expensive cable “bundles,” with many opting for online services and on-demand viewing.
“Time Warner Chairman and CEO Jeff Bewkes and his senior management team can see where the entire legacy media world is headed: secular decline,” he said in a blog post.
“If Time Warner and its management team were confident in the future of the media sector, particularly the cable network industry, they would not be selling now,” he added. “The harsh reality is that the legacy cable network business has been overearning for decades with an unvirtuous circle of pain about to begin.”
AT&T is the second-largest US wireless carrier and third-largest cable TV provider in the United States, while Time Warner controls a valuable stable of entertainment content suppliers, including Warner Bros. film and TV studios, the HBO television production group, cable news giant CNN, and the TNT and TBS cable channels.
The deal would add fresh turmoil to a sector facing challenges from technology and could spur other deals among major players like Disney and 21st Century Fox. It comes with broadcast group CBS and film giant Viacom eyeing plans to re-merge a group that split a decade ago.
AT&T had $147 billion in revenues in 2015 while Time Warner reported $28 billion.
AT&T has pursued an aggressive expansion, paying almost $50 billion to buy satellite television provider DirecTV in 2015.
Time Warner traces its history back to the 1990 merger of magazine group Time Inc. and Warner Communications. It later acquired the Turner broadcasting empire that included CNN, TBS and other cable channels.
In 2000, Time Warner was bought by rising internet start AOL for $164 billion in a disastrous deal that was undone years nine later with the decline of the online group.
The group has also spun off its cable TV operations as Time Warner Cable as well as the magazine group Time Inc.

Last month, Amnesty said in a report that Sudanese forces had carried out more than 30 suspected chemical weapons attacks in a mountainous area of Darfur that killed up to 250 people, including many children.
“In the past few days you have been following all the lies and allegations made by Amnesty International about use of chemical weapons,” Bashir said in an address to workers of his National Congress Party.
“These are just empty lies,” Bashir said in his first reaction to Amnesty’s report.
The rights group accused Sudanese forces of “the repeated use” of suspected chemical weapons against civilians in Darfur’s remote and thickly forested Jebel Marra area between January and September.
“Between 200 and 250 people may have died as a result of exposure to the chemical weapons agents, with many or most being children,” Amnesty said.
The nearly 100-page report contained gruesome photographs of children suffering from apparent chemical burns, satellite images of destroyed villages and displaced people, interviews with more than 200 survivors and analysis by chemical weapons experts.
Amnesty said the attacks were part of a military operation against the rebel Sudan Liberation Army – Abdul Wahid (SLA/AW) group, which Khartoum accuses of ambushing military convoys and attacking civilians.
Tens of thousands of people have been displaced in Jebel Marra since mid-January by fighting between the two sides, the United Nations says.
The UN has urged Sudan to shed light on Amnesty’s claims, while the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has sought further evidence to push for a formal investigation.
Sudan is a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Darfur has been engulfed in a deadly conflict since 2003 when ethnic minority groups took up arms against Bashir’s Arab-dominated government, which launched a brutal counter-insurgency.
At least 300,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million displaced in Darfur since then, the UN says.
Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes and genocide charges related to Darfur, which he denies.
Sudan insists that the conflict in Darfur has ended, and that it wants UN peacekeepers who have been deployed in the region the size of France since 2007 to leave.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called on Saturday for increased cooperation between oil-rich nations to stabilise prices as he met with the supreme leader and president of Iran.
“To stabilise the price of oil, new mechanisms should be taken and consultation among oil-producing countries, be they members or non-members of the OPEC, should increase,” Maduro said, according to the website of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
Venezuela’s economic and political crisis has been compounded by the collapsing price of oil, and Maduro hopes that other oil-rich countries will agree to cap production in order to boost global prices.
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei implied that the falling price of oil was “an instrument” imposed by the United States to “put pressure on independent countries”, his official site said.
“We can adopt a rational policy and reinforce our cooperation to prevent these plots and this hostile policy,” Khamenei said.
Maduro also received support from Rouhani, who said: “Iran backs any effort bringing stability, fair price and members’ fair share to the oil market.”
The Venezuelan leader arrived in Tehran following a meeting earlier Saturday with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, during which Maduro reportedly said that a deal was close between OPEC and non-OPEC nations, according Iran’s IRNA news agency.
He is also due to visit Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
OPEC members agreed to limit production for the first time since 2008 at an informal meeting in Algiers in September.
They are due to formalise the deal when they meet on November 30, amid doubts from market analysts over whether it can be effectively implemented.
Maduro’s tour of the Middle East comes as a furious opposition back home vowed mass street protests over the government’s move to block a recall referendum against the unpopular president.
Maduro has accused Washington of plotting to overthrow him, and brands the crisis a capitalist conspiracy.

Police are reported to have found more than Ksh 2 Million fake money and money printing machines with Tharaka-Nithi deputy governor Murithi Mati at his residence in Meru as reported by various news outlets.
They also recovered about Ksh 900,000 in an enveloped stashed at his wife’s private office.
More cash was however found in a different location as he is said to have asked a chief by the name Benson Ngoci to hold on to the money for him.
 
 
According to Tuko the police and EACC detectives raided the politician after they were tipped by a member of public that the Jubilee politician was dealing with ‘wash wash’ money business.
The EACC detectives did not find anything that could be used against him, but, a Range Rover that was parked at his home parking.
Governor Muriithi mati however said that the fancy ride was purchased a while back and that it was cheaper than the price of a Toyota Vitz as reported by Citizen Digital.
This comes two weeks after the deputy governor reported that his body guard, Josphat Kipyegon, robbed him 3.5 million.
 

Defending champion Lewis Hamilton powered to pole position for the United States Grand Prix when he out-paced Mercedes team-mate and championship leader Nico Rosberg with a blistering lap in Saturday?s tense qualifying session.
The 31-year-old Briton dominated the action with a record best lap in one minute and 34.999 seconds ?- to become the first driver to break the 1:35 barrier -? to outstrip the German by 0.216 seconds as the Silver Arrows pairing reeled off their 10th front row lockout of the year.
It is the 58th pole position of Hamilton?s career, but his first at the Circuit of the Americas where, despite winning three of the four previous races, he had failed to dominate qualifying.
Daniel Ricciardo qualified third for Red Bull ahead of his team-mate teenager Max Verstappen with the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and four-time champion Sebastian Vettel taking fifth and sixth.
Renault-bound Nico Hulkenberg was seventh for Force India ahead of Valtteri Bottas and his Williams team-mate Felipe Massa and Carlos Sainz of Toro Rosso.
Hamilton is seeking his 50th win to stay in contention in the title race in which he trails Rosberg by 33 points with four races remaining.
Even if he wins all four, Hamilton could be pipped to the title by Rosberg if he finishes second behind him.
“I must really say thank-you to the crowd because I could hear them on my slow-down lap and that really gives me energy,” said Hamilton.
“This is my first pole position here and it is amazing. It has been many years of trying.
“A lot of great people have tried to get me there. It is a good feeling for me and gives me a good chance for Sunday and I hope we can give them all a great race.”
Rosberg said he had done all he could to take pole again -? he and fellow-German Vettel were the only drivers before Hamilton to have won pole in Texas -? but could not match Hamilton?s speed.
“Lewis did a great job and I was not quite able to do it,” he said. “That?s the way it goes sometimes. But as we have seen very often, anything can happen.?
On a bright, clear and blue-skied day in Texas, with a track temperature of 34 degrees Celsius, the two Mercedes men traded laps from the start to wind up clear of the pack in Q1.
Their efforts kept a big crowd enthralled and engaged some interest from a busy paddock where many celebrity guests, including Hollywood actors Gerard Butler and Christophe Waltz and tennis player Venus Williams, were spotted.
To the dismay of their fans, the first mini-session ended with the elimination of Romain Grosjean in his American Haas car, Kevin Magnussen of Renault, Jenson Button of McLaren-Honda, Pascal Wehrlein and his Manor team-mate Esteban Ocon along with Felipe Nasr of Sauber.
Luckless 2009 world champion Button complained afterwards that he was blocked by compatriot Jolyon Palmer, of Renault, at the final corner.
Out of Q2 went Sergio Perez of Force India, two-time champion Fernando Alonso of McLaren, Daniil Kvyat of Toro Rosso, Esteban Gutierrez in the second Haas car, Palmer and Marcus Ericsson of Sauber.

Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho scored a pair of crackers to give Liverpool a 2-1 win over West Brom on Saturday but Gareth McAuley denied them a place at the top of the Premier League.
The impressive Merseysiders needed to win by at least two goals at Anfield if they were to climb to the summit of English football for the first time since May 2014.
They were on course until nine minutes from time when McAuley volleyed in from close range for West Brom following a Chris Brunt corner that Craig Dawson had touched into his path.
The result meant Liverpool moved up into second place, with Arsenal just ahead on goal difference.
However, Manchester City will regain top spot if they avoid defeat against Southampton on Sunday.
Liverpool’s win at least allowed manager Jurgen Klopp to mark the first anniversary of his maiden game in charge of the Reds with a victory.
The colourful German manager’s side were 2-0 up inside 35 minutes thanks to two goals of high quality.
Liverpool went ahead in the 21st minute when Emre Can?s pass sent Roberto Firmino into the West Brom area and his accurate far-post cross was controlled by Mane, who finished confidently for his fourth goal of the season.
If that was good the second goal was even better.
West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster?s clearance struck team-mate Darren Fletcher and gifted the ball to Mane and the goalscorer found Coutinho.
The Brazilian still had plenty of work to do, but a superb dummy left defenders Dawson and McAuley on their backsides before Coutinho drove an unstoppable, low shot in at the near post.
Liverpool?s dominance had been complete in that opening period, apart from a mistake which gifted the ball to Salomon Rondon for a counter-attack which ended when Joel Matip effectively closed down Matt Phillips.
Adam Lallana, recalled at the expense of Daniel Sturridge, saw a dangerous cross well defended by Jonas Olsson and Allan Nyom survived a penalty appeal after contact with Mane.
Three minutes before the opening goal, the busy Jordan Henderson whipped in a first-time cross from the right which was met by James Milner, whose powerful header soared over the crossbar.
Then, searching for a second goal that would take them top for the first time since late in that ill-fated 2014 title bid, Liverpool pressed on, Can teeing up Lallana, who pivoted nicely and lobbed the ball just over.
West Brom manager Tony Pulis, whose team had only conceded one first-half goal all season prior to their Anfield visit, made his feelings known with one half-time substitution and a second just five minutes after the break as damage limitation became the order of the day.
But his changes had no impact on the game as a rampant Liverpool pushed ahead, McAuley blocking an early shot from Coutinho and Foster showing his speed of thought to deny Firmino as he bore down on goal.
Coutinho?s excellent 58th minute free-kick found the head of Dejan Lovren, whose goal-bound effort drew a superb one-handed save from Foster as the ball flew towards the top right-hand corner.
Olsson’s clearance then presented the ball to Can but his 25-yard strike rose over. Coutinho?s superb pass then found Can, whose shot from far closer range was charged down bravely by Olsson.
Milner?s low strike was saved at the second attempt by Foster before Nacer Chadli wasted a rare Albion opening, lifting a shot high and wide after a half-cleared corner.
Following the disappointment of conceding a goal, Liverpool responded as they sought the necessary two-goal advantage that would take them top, with Firmino twice denied by impressive saves from Foster.

reads one of his tweets. While in another he criticises how Michelle supposedly treated him.
He even took shots at Obama care before criticising his brother’s leadership and griping about how his brother has not helped Kenyans and him during his tenure as the president of U.S.A.”he tweeted.
But it seems that he has been a constant complainer as Larry Madowo revealed. On Twitter Larry Wrote Before sharing these screen-shots of Malik complaining about Larry not giving him the money.

The UN cultural agency on Tuesday adopted an Arab-sponsored resolution condemning Israel’s actions at a flashpoint holy site in east Jerusalem, deepening anger in the Jewish state.
On Friday, Renzi strongly criticised the resolution, saying that Rome — which had abstained in the vote — would now oppose it.
“It is incomprehensible and unacceptable, a mistake. I specifically asked diplomats involved in such cases yesterday (Thursday) not to continue like this — we cannot deny reality,” Renzi told an Italian radio station.
“To say that the Jewish people has no connection to Jerusalem is like saying that the sun creates darkness.”
“If we have to break European ranks on this issue, then so be it,” Renzi said.
In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said the two premiers spoke on Saturday and that the Israeli prime minister told Renzi that “even the theatre of the absurd has limits”.
The statement said Renzi told Netanyahu he “would work to influence the positions of other European countries” in similar votes in the future.
Tuesday’s UNESCO resolution on “occupied Palestine” was endorsed by the agency’s executive board at its headquarters in Paris, after being approved at the committee stage last week.
Israel considers all of Jerusalem as its undivided capital, but the Palestinians want the eastern sector as capital of their future state.
Israel is furious that the resolution refers to the Old City site in Jerusalem by its Muslim name, Al-Aqsa or Al-Haram al-Sharif.
It is considered holy by Muslims, Christians and Jews. Jews refer to it as the Temple Mount and it is considered the holiest site in Judaism.

Horrific scenes unfolded in the Mediterranean off Libya Saturday as a full-to-capacity rescue ship was forced to sail away from desperate migrants trying to swim towards the rescuers.
During a dramatic 24 hours, the crew of the Norwegian Siem Pilot and another aid boat rescued panicked migrants in the dark, with only limited resources and in the face of aggressive people smugglers.
Around 2,400 migrants were rescued and 14 dead bodies pulled from the water on Saturday, according to the Italian coastguard.
“I’ve never had a SAR (search and rescue) like it. We were in the process of transferring 1,000 migrants from the Okyroe (tanker) to the Siem Pilot when suddenly, in the dark, rubber boats appeared. It looked hopeless,” said Pal Erik Teigen, the police officer in charge of the rescue operation.
Migrants aboard one of the rubber boats that had yet to be rescued desperately sought to reach the rescue ship, which by that point was full to capacity and unable to take on more passengers, motoring towards it while crying out for help.
Around 25 people threw themselves into the water to attempt to swim towards the Siem Pilot, forcing the captain to pull back to deter others on the dinghy from doing the same.
Speed boats from the Siem Pilot later pulled the migrants from the sea and the dinghy and transferred them onto the tanker to wait rescue by another vessel, while the Medecins Sans Frontieres charity’s Dignity vessel picked up the dead.
Teigen and his team are just one part of a massive effort under way in the Mediterranean to rescue desperate migrants seeking to reach Europe.
Jan Erik Valen, an intelligence officer and crew member who provided security for the operation, part of the EU’s Frontex border force mission in the region, described the panic that greeted him as he boarded the overloaded tanker during the initial rescue.
“It was chaos on the tanker. They were pushing us towards the only way off the boat, coming from everywhere and pushing for lifejackets, arguing over them,” he said.
“Then they came up from behind us and we had to call for back-up. Other police officers from the Siem Pilot joined us with riot shields… we were banging our sticks on pipes to make a lot of noise, and we had to hit a few of them.”
Several of those who were rescued fainted during the operation and had to be dragged aboard the Siem Pilot.
“It was the craziest SAR I’ve ever experienced. At night-time, with a wooden boat, dinghies, people in the water, and a transfer from a tanker,” said Valen.
One of the migrants passed a baby from a stricken inflatable launch into the hands of a rescuer.
The Siem Pilot team faced not just the extreme danger of the sea rescues, but also had to contend with confrontational people traffickers.
“There was also a facilitator boat which was very aggressive all night. We used the ship’s search light to scare it off but it was determined to try and retrieve the dinghies we had rescued the migrants from,” said Teigen.
Following the night-time operation, conditions on board the dinghies deteriorated as temperatures soared and the crew was forced to stop any more migrants boarding the ship, according to an AFP journalist aboard the vessel.
Sat in tight rows on the bridge of the ship, the migrants — mostly from sub-Saharan Africa along with a handful who said they were from Syria — had only a thin sheet of webbing to protect them from the baking sun.
Many of them used orange blankets to cover their bodies while their soaked clothes dried nearby.
Among the migrants were several young children, as well as entire families and some unaccompanied teenagers.
Scuffles broke out between some of the male migrants who had been rescued prompting the captain to tell the men on the deck: “If you don’t stop fighting I will disembark you from the boat!”
The number of people seeking to make the perilous journey has increased in recent weeks as migrants attempt to complete their journeys before winter brings treacherous conditions to the Mediterranean, limiting the opportunities for Europe-bound launches.
The Italian interior ministry said Friday that more than 146,500 migrants had landed in Italy so far this year.
Up to 25 people are still missing, feared drowned after men on a Libyan coastguard speedboat attacked a packed migrant dinghy during a rescue operation on Friday off the north African state.
And onboard another rescue ship, the Acquarius which is being operated by the SOS Mediterranee charity, recently rescued migrants spoke out Saturday about the horrors they had endured in an effort to reach Europe.
“I wasn’t aware of what I would have to go through along this journey… But I promise I would never do this journey again,” said a tearful 33-year-old migrant from Guinea.
Another individual, a 30-year-old from Ivory Coast who had just been rescued, added: “I would never advise to anybody to do the trip that I have done to arrive here. Even to my worst enemy, I would never tell him to do this. I wasn’t aware of the risks when I decided to leave.”

Before her death, she had been struggling to raised funds for her 23 year old son to get specialised treatment abroad.Speaking during a interview, Achieng disclosed that raising the 4 million shillings required to airlift her son to the UK had been an uphill battle.
She said.
On learning of her son’s situation after her death, Kenyan celebrities are rallying to help the son.
 
An one of them is Larry Madowo who wrote ”

From giving step-mom Celina one hell of a time, to putting her docile cousin Angie in unending trouble, Charlie had his hands full.
After a few years as Olive, Ida left the country to pursue studies in America, information that was relayed to us by Catherine Kamau  who posted this
While some people find it hard to adjust to a new life overseas, Ida seems to be living it up, and she looks better than ever. Check her out now:

Owen has a foot in both camps after making his name during a glittering spell at Liverpool and also playing for United in the twilight of his career.
But the 36-year-old, who played alongside Rooney for United and England, appeared to irrate his old colleague when he posted an encouraging message during Liverpool’s Premier League clash with West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
“Come on Red Men. A win by two goals and it’s ‘top of the league’,” Owen tweeted alongside a picture of the view from his seat in the Anfield stands.
With Owen having criticised Rooney this week for “losing his nasty streak”, the England striker took the opportunity to have a dig back by claiming his former team-mate actually supports United.
“Interesting this Michael I thought you was a united fan???,” Rooney responded.
Owen, who scored 158 goals in eight years with Liverpool, was criticised by Reds fans when he joined United in 2009, but responded by claiming he would always think fondly of the Anfield club.
“I played for Liverpool from the tender age of 11 with Stevie Gerrard. Liverpool is in my blood and I want to see them do well,” he said.

Valencia’s sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch railed against the “absolutely lamentable” display of the referee after Barcelona snatched a controversial 3-2 win at Mestalla on Saturday.
Lionel Messi converted a 94th-minute penalty in a bad-tempered match overshadowed by a serious knee injury to Barca’s Andres Iniesta.
Valencia are likely to face action from La Liga authorities after Neymar was struck by a plastic bottle thrown from the crowd as the Barca players celebrated the winner.
However, Valencia were incensed that Barca’s opener was allowed to stand despite claims for offside and the home side were angered further when referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco didn’t send off Sergio Busquets before half time.
“When Undiano Mallenco and his assistants see this match again they ought to be ashamed of having played such a part in a game that Valencia didn’t deserve to lose,” Pitarch thundered to BeIN Sports Spain.
“It is lamentable, absolutely lamentable that refereeing decisions prevented Valencia from taking a point or more from this match.”
Valencia coach Cesare Prandelli took charge of his first game at Mestalla and nearly oversaw a huge upset as goals from Barca loanee Munir El Haddadi and Rodrigo overturned a Messi opener.
“I don’t like to talk about referees, but the images speak for themselves,” said Prandelli.
Luis Suarez’s equaliser set up a grandstand finish and Messi coolly slotted past Diego Alves from the spot after Suarez had been felled inside the area deep into stoppage time.

A former Guantanamo Bay detainee from Mauritania who wrote a best-selling book about his experiences said Saturday he forgives those who tortured and detained him without trial for 14 years.
Mohamedou Ould Slahi arrived home in west Africa on October 17, bringing the prison’s remaining population down to 60 as the United States accelerates releases from the facility.
Slahi’s “Guantanamo Diary”, an account of the abuse he suffered and the lack of due process, made him famous, but speaking at a press conference with his lawyers he said: “I forgive everyone for the ill-treatment and injustice that I have suffered.”
After reciting a Koranic verse about forgiveness, Slahi added he hoped that “the whole world can live from now on in peace,” thanking those who helped secure his release from Guantanamo.
His lawyer Brahim Ould Ebetty said Slahi had instructed him not to bring a case against the United States or Mauritania, who handed him over to the Americans in 2001.
Ebetty said his client’s account of his time in Guantanamo “pricked the conscience of the whole world and laid bare the terrible suffering of prisoners”.
He would require medical monitoring for the next decade following the physical suffering he endured in Guantanamo, his doctor added.
In his book, Slahi described life inside the US base, saying: “I started to hallucinate and hear voices as clear as crystal. I heard my family in a casual familial conversation… I heard Koran readings in a heavenly voice.”
He added: “I was on the edge of losing my mind.”
Following the September 11 attacks on the United States, Slahi came under suspicion of involvement in an unsuccessful plot to bomb Los Angeles in 1999.
He was taken to Guantanamo in August 2002 following interrogations in Jordan and Afghanistan.

Semi-retired Danish veteran Anders Hansen reeled off a late flurry of birdies on Saturday to grab a share of the lead going into the final round of the Portugal Masters.
Hansen, who announced his retirement at last year’s event in Vilamoura, sank six of his nine birdies after the turn in a nine-under-par round of 62 to ignite hopes of a fourth European Tour title.
The 46-year-old is back playing on a part-time basis, with this his fifth tournament of the year, and is level with Finland’s Mikko Korhonen at the top of the leaderboard on 18-under overall.
“I didn’t really have a strategy,” Hansen said. “Just go out and play and just try to enjoy it and hit good shots and it turned out alright.
“It probably helps a little bit because it doesn’t really matter to me either way, it is what it is. I’m not going to come back and play full-time, that decision has been made so I’m just enjoying being here.”
Korhonen made eight birdies in a round of 64 to boost his chances of retaining his tour card for next season, while two-time former major winner Padraig Harrington leads the chasing pack.
The Irishman is one stroke behind the lead duo, with defending champion Andy Sullivan, Paul Lawrie and Chris Paisley all two shots off the pace.

Since the opposition has called for a boycott of the October 30 referendum, the draft basic law is almost certain to garner a majority “yes” vote.
The text is the brainchild of President Alassane Ouattara, who has said that it would “definitively turn the page on successive crises” in Ivory Coast.
“Yes to peace, to modernity,” read the government’s campaign posters.
But the clouds of tear gas deployed against protestors Thursday in Abidjan, where police briefly detained several opposition leaders, underlined the potential for tensions.
And Friday’s suspension of two opposition newspapers, one for “spreading confusion… through false information,” will have done little to calm fears among some.
“Just as the current constitution was against Ouattara, so this one is for Ouattara and his camp,” explained political scientist Jean Alabro.
By Ouattara’s telling, the new constitution would do away with the nationalistic concept of “Ivoiriete”, which roughly translates as “Ivorian-ness”.
In a country whose population, especially in the north, includes large numbers of people with roots in neighbouring states, the question of who is a “real Ivorian” has contributed to years of unrest, including a coup in 1999, a civil war in 2002 that split the country between its north and south, and a violent post-election crisis in 2011.
As a result of that latest bloodshed, former president Laurent Gbagbo is currently detained by the International Criminal Court in the Hague on charges of crimes against humanity.
One of the key changes in the new text is the removal of a clause stipulating that presidential candidates must be born to parents both of whom are Ivorian citizens.
In the past, this clause prevented Ouattara himself, because of his parental links to Burkina Faso, from running for the country’s top office. (He eventually overcame this obstacle through a decree Gbagbo was pressured to sign by the international community.)
While the removal of that stipulation has been broadly welcomed, the opposition has criticised a requirement that presidential candidates be exclusively Ivorian, saying it would disqualify people of dual nationality.
The proposed constitution also calls for the creation of the post of vice president, who would be elected on the same ticket as successful presidential candidates.
For the government, this would ensure continuity in the event of a head of state’s death or incapacity.
For the opposition, the change is a “monarchistic tactic” and the new office-holder would the president’s stooge.
If the draft passes into law, the first vice president would be immediately appointed by Ouattara, a measure that has led to rumours he is already trying to set up a successor for when his current and final term ends in 2020.
The draft also establishes a new legislative chamber in the form of a senate, two-thirds of whose members would be elected, with the remaining third appointed by the head of state.
This presidential prerogative is one of the opposition’s several gripes about the new chamber.
More broadly, the opposition complains that it, and civil society, played no part in the drafting of the proposed constitution.
“As someone once said, ‘why be happy to get dessert, when you weren’t offered the main course?’,” said the head of the Ivorian Popular Front, the opposition party founded by Gbagbo, explaining why he favoured a boycott of the referendum.
Ouattara “is treating Ivory Coast as if it were his personal property. What he is offering is less than a constitution. It is a will and testament designed to destribute his country to his successors so it stays in the family,” he added.
Beyond the confines of Ivory Coast’s political class, many citizens seem to have more pressing concerns, and turnout is expected to be low.
“All that stuff is nonsense,” said Bamory Kone, an auto mechanic in the Adjame district of Abidjan.
“What we care about is the high cost of living, getting out of poverty. The rich get richer and the poor stay poor.
“The constitution won’t change anything. I’m not going to vote,” he said.

Somali pirates have freed 26 Asian hostages held for nearly five years after the hijacking of their fishing vessel, the last commercial ship seized at the height of the country’s piracy scourge, negotiators said Saturday.
The crew of the Naham 3, the second longest held hostage by Somali pirates, were taken captive when their Omani-flagged vessel was seized in March 2012 south of the Seychelles.
“We are very pleased to announce the release of the Naham 3 crew early this morning,” said John Steed, coordinator of the Hostage Support Partners (HSP) who helped negotiate their release.
Steed, a retired British army colonel who has made it his mission to save “forgotten hostages” told AFP the mission to return the crew to their families still held one obstacle: extracting them from the city of Galkayo, where fighting was raging between forces from the rival regional states of Puntland and Galmudug.
“There is fighting in Galkayo so it is very dangerous at the moment, they are exchanging artillery tonight. We will go in early tomorrow morning if the fighting stops and bring them back to Nairobi for medicals and a clean-up.”
Clashes in Galkayo have left at least 11 dead and over 50,000 displaced this month, the UN humanitarian agency said last week.
Once extracted, the crew, from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam, will be returned to their home countries and families.
“They have spent over four and a half years in deplorable conditions away from their families,” said Steed.
He said the crew was malnourished and one of the hostages had a bullet wound in his foot, another had had a stroke and another was suffering from diabetes.
Pirates initially took 29 crew hostage, but one person died during the hijacking, and two more “succumbed to illness” during their captivity, said a statement from Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP).
Steed said negotiations — which took 18 months — involved mediation with community, tribal and religious leaders.
He declined to comment on the exact details but said the road to the hostages being freed was filled with peril and “heroism”.
The Naham 3 was originally tethered to another hijacked vessel, the MV Albedo, which was seized in November 2010 and released by the HSP in 2014.
When the MV Albedo began to sink “these guys jumped into the waters and rescued the drowning crew”, Steed said.
He said when the Naham 3 sank, a year after its capture, “these guys were then taken ashore where they have been ever since with pirates making increasingly irrational demands.”
“The release of the Naham 3 crew represents the end of captivity for the last remaining seafarers taken hostage during the height of Somali piracy,” he said.
Only a crew of Thai fishermen, released in February last year after nearly five years in captivity, spent longer held by Somali pirates.
Many of the hostages left languishing in the hands of pirates are poor fishermen.
“If you don’t have insurance or you are a poor little ship no-one is going to help get you out,” said Steed.
The first major commercial vessel was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2005 and the industry flourished in a country wracked by years of civil war and with few jobs and no central government.
Piracy became a major threat to international shipping and prompted interventions by the United Nations, European Union and NATO, while commercial vessels hired private armed guards aboard their vessels.
In 2012 Somali piracy cost the global economy between $5.7 and $6.1 billion (5.6 million euros) and at the peak in January 2011, Somali pirates held 736 hostages and 32 boats.
According to the OBP, while overall numbers are down in the Western Indian Ocean, pirates in the region in 2015 attacked at least 306 seafarers.
While there has not been a successful attack on a commercial vessel since 2012, there have been several on fishing boats and there are still 10 Iranian hostages taken in 2015 and three Kenyan kidnap victims — one a very ill, paralysed woman — in the hands of the pirates, said Steed.

They burst into the house in the early hours of the morning and pointed a gun at Abu Mohammed’s head: “We are the Islamic State — give us your car!”
To protect his children and grandchildren, the 69-year-old Iraqi agreed to hand over the keys.
A retired police officer with thin grey hair, Abu Mohammed said he had seen bullet wounds before.
When one Islamic State group jihadist pressed the barrel of a gun to his forehead, he said he was defiant, but did not lose his cool.
“He was young, just a kid. I said to him, ‘My children are older than you. I’m 69, and you talk to me like that?'”
To spare the lives of his daughter, his son and their children, he gave the fighter the key of his 4X4.
“The truth is I was afraid. He wanted the key, so I gave it to him.”
Later that day, Abu Mohammed heard his car explode.
A fighter had blown himself up amid a group of Iraqi soldiers in front of the provincial government headquarters in Kirkuk, a major oil city in northern Iraq.
The bomber came under police gunfire and blew up the car before reaching his target, said witnesses who were hosing down the charred remains of the vehicle.
Other jihadists took over the upper floor of Abu Mohammed?s house, exchanging fire with the police and trashing its three rooms.
In one, a pink baby-walker belonging to Abu Mohammed’s granddaughter was now covered with ash.
A television screen had melted and the plastic air conditioner had fallen off the wall and been distorted by flames. The walls were covered with soot and the smell of burning was strong.
An hour into the firefight, other members of the family managed to escape to a neighbour’s house, said Abu Mohammed?s son Abu Nur, 35, a civil servant.
But Abu Mohammed stayed.
He said the Iraqi forces struck hard, and his home was badly damaged.
“I was here all the time. My house was getting bombed, but me, I didn’t move,” he told AFP.
“There was fighting just outside the house,” he said.
In the street, the jihadists’ bodies still lay on the ground, their blood drying slowly in the sun.
Passers-by stopped to take pictures with their phones, and then posted them online.
Further along the road, in a public garden next to the governorate headquarters, lay the body of a man with a long beard and Afghan-style dress.
In a neighbouring house, walls were spattered with shreds of flesh, evidence of the jihadists who had blown themselves up there.
All of the IS fighters had Iraqi accents and seemed to know the area, said Abu Mohammed.
Since Friday morning, the jihadist group, cornered in its Iraqi stronghold of Mosul by a ground offensive backed by American-led coalition air strikes, has been trying to create a diversion to the southeast.
It carried out multiple attacks in Kirkuk, a multi-ethnic city 240 kilometres (150 miles) north of Baghdad.
Security forces battled for a second day Saturday with jihadist snipers and suicide bombers in the city, prompting Baghdad to send reinforcements.
Near the governorate building, police crisscrossed the streets, waiting for forensic teams to ensure there were no explosives hidden under the clothing of the dead jihadists.
Near Abu Mohammed’s gate, one of them lay on his back, a long strand of hair across his forehead. The teenage fighter had threatened Abu Mohammed, but now his face was covered by flies.