Month: October 2016

The plot called for attacking the presidential palace and detaining “certain authorities”, said Interior Minister Simon Compaore, who is no relation to the ex-leader.
Some 30 troops from the ex-president’s security unit also planned to free comrades who were part of a failed September 2015 coup against the transitional government that took power after his fall, the minister said.
Cases against 10 soldiers have been referred to a military prosecutor and 20 are still being held for questioning.
Blaise Compaore was chased from power in October 2014 following a popular revolt after he tried to change the constitution to extend his 27-year rule.
The attempted 2015 coup was staged by troops from the presidential guard loyal to the ex-leader but was blocked by street protesters and by the army, which attacked the plotters’ barracks.
Authorities uncovered the failed plot when on October 8 military police arrested four people during a routine check, two of whom were later killed while trying to take the officers’ guns, the minister said.
Further investigation revealed all the men were ex-members of Campaore’s presidential guard and three of them were wanted over a January attack on a weapons depot.
The minister said the plotters also had a “Plan B” after their coup failed, which was to steal military weapons and “create chaos” by shooting randomly at garrisons.
Authorities have seized a Kalashnikov and six magazines full of bullets.
News of the reported coup attempt comes days after Burkina Faso authorities announced the release of Colonel Mamadou Bamba, the officer who announced the 2015 abortive coup.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), Colonel Bamba left prison. He has been granted provisional freedom,” a high-ranking military magistrate told AFP on Wednesday.
Bamba went on television to announce the coup on September 17, 2015, reading a statement saying the army had seized control from a transitional government which took office after Compaore fled to Ivory Coast.
Bamba was not a member of Compaore’s presidential guard which was behind the putsch but was jailed along with coup leader Gilbert Diendere.
In all, 85 people have been charged with organising the coup and warrants have been issues for the arrest of a further 10. Around 40 suspects have been granted temporary release, according to an AFP count.

Brazilian superstar Neymar signed a new five-year contract with Barcelona on Friday that will keep him at the Spanish champions until 2021, saying he felt “at home” at the Camp Nou.
The deal, which was agreed in June, includes a buy-out clause of up to 250 million euros ($272 million) as Barca seek to ward off interest from potential suitors across Europe.
Manchester United were reportedly chief among a number of clubs wishing to prise the 24-year-old attacker from Barcelona, where he forms part of an acclaimed triumvirate along with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
“I’m very happy to renew with the club, I feel at home,” Neymar told Barcelona’s official television station.
“I thought, with my family, that it was best for me to stay here,” he added.
The Brazilian has hit 91 goals in 150 matches in all competitions for Barcelona since arriving from the Brazilian club Santos in 2013 in a controversial deal.
Barcelona, who underlined their status as European heavyweights with a 4-0 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League during the week, did not give details of how much they would be paying Neymar.
“Neymar Jr extended his deal with FC Barcelona on Friday afternoon, putting pen to paper on his contract at the club?s facilities in the presence of president Josep Maria Bartomeu,” the club said on its website.
“As the club announced, Neymar has signed a five-year deal which will keep him at Barca until 30 June 2021.”
In July a Spanish judge ruled that there were irregularities in Neymar’s 2013 transfer to Barcelona from Santos, but said it was an issue for a civil court, not a criminal court to settle.
Last month authorities reopened the case following a successful appeal by Spanish prosecutors.

If you have been a fan of Ray-C from the days of ‘Sogea Sogea’ you are well versed with her dancing skills.In the video a young Ray-C shakes her dainty waist in a manner we will never forget .

Now after leaving Life and Hope Rehabilitation Centre (Bagamoyo Sober House) in , Ray-c Is back to her old ways.
The sensual seductress took to her Instagram page to show us those sexy moves that made her so famous. And though a bit rusty, its good to see that Ray-C has not completely lost her moves.
Check her out below:

“Never expressed myself on negotiation language,” Barnier, a former French agriculture minister and France’s one-time European Commissioner, said on Twitter.
“Work as often in EN (English) as FR (French). Linguistic regime to be set at start — to be agreed btw (between) negotiators.”
Asked whether the negotiations would be in French, British Prime Minister Theresa May told a news conference after a summit in Brussels: “We will conduct the negotiations in the way that will ensure we get the right deal for the UK.”
A British official told AFP they were not aware of any such request by Barnier, who took up his post at the start of October.
Barnier’s appointment by Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker in July was dubbed a “declaration of war” by British media while he remains loathed in the City of London for taking on the banking sector while he was financial services commissioner.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there would be nothing unusual in European officials being allowed to use their mother tongue during talks.
“If I am well informed, everybody here is allowed to speak his language. And since Mr Barnier is a French citizen, it’s not unnatural that he speaks French, the way I speak German,” she said.
Barnier, Brussels and London have all previously played down talk of bad blood over his time as commissioner and he insists he can reach a “win-win agreement” for Brexit.
“I was called the most dangerous man in Europe, and (yet) finally we succeeded to build a clever global financial regulation agenda, with the UK on board,” Barnier said in September.

Anthony Foley’s widow Olive recalled the last time she spoke to her husband as she led the farewells to the late Munster and Ireland rugby legend on Friday.
Foley, a formidable No8 who skippered Munster to the 2006 European Cup title and later became their head coach, was found dead in his Paris hotel room last Sunday hours before a European clash with Racing 92.
He died in his sleep aged 42 of a heart disorder, throwing the rugby world into grieving.
Thousands of friends, family, rugby stars and well-wishers gathered in the small Irish town of Killaloe for his funeral, where Olive — Foley’s wife of 17 years — spoke from the altar of St Flannan’s church after mass.
Flanked by their two young sons, Tony and Dan, she drew spontaneous rounds of applause from a rapt congregation. A large crowd also gathered outside, some sobbing.
“I?m going to make sure our boys will grow up decent, solid men, full of integrity and honesty, just like their dad,” she said, recalling how her husband had “loved and adored” his sons.
With a dash of humour, Olive described how her husband — renowned as a man of few words — would call her “20 times a day even though he had nothing to say”.
She remembered his last call, from Paris on the Saturday evening before he died, “never expecting it would be my last” and how they had made so many plans for their future together.
And she described how she and the family had brought his body home from France.
“I said a prayer on the way over, ‘Please, Jesus, let him have shaved!” she said, drawing laughs from mourners.
Afterwards, Munster captain Peter O?Mahony and former skipper Keith Woods were among those who carried Foley’s coffin to a graveyard.
Crowds lining the streets for the short, final journey to the graveyard applauded. Others cried.
In Foley’s favourite watering hole, Reddan?s pub, in Killaloe?s main street, final preparations were being made for a very busy evening.
Foley?s jerseys from Munster and Ireland line the walls there.
“These are all original, no replicas here,” owner Pat Reddan told AFP.
“This place will be jammed tonight but you would like to be making your money in another way.”
The talk soon turned to Saturday’s encounter with Glasgow at Thomond Park, with Munster supporters wondering how players who experienced the emotion of the day could possibly focus on a match less than 24 hours away.
But if Munster do lose, as one man put it: “In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter.”

Jose Mourinho should be given a warm welcome when the Manchester United manager returns to Chelsea, on Sunday said present Blues incumbent Antonio Conte.
Conte, who took over in July after Guus Hiddink had stepped in when Mourinho was fired last term, added that the Portuguese coach who guided Chelsea to three league titles merited his place in the club’s folklore.
“I have great respect for him,” said Conte.
“He won three championships and I think he was an important man for the club.
“I think he deserves a good reception, because he wrote with the club, with his players, with the staff part of the story of this club.
“When you win three championships, you remain in the heart of the fans. It’s normal.
“After the whistle, he becomes like the other players of Manchester United an enemy, in the sporting aspect.”
Conte, who guided Italy to the last eight of Euro 2016 losing to Germany in a penalty shootout, will face Mourinho with Chelsea two points better off than United in fifth spot.
Table-topping Manchester City only have a three point advantage over Chelsea whilst United — who were soundly whipped by their city rivals in the derby earlier this season — trail by five.
Conte, who established himself among the top tier of club coaches at Juventus a side he also played with distinction for, rubbished claims United would be at a disadvantage because they have played twice this week — a 0-0 draw with Liverpool and then an easy 4-1 victory over Fenerbahce in the Europa League.
“I don’t want this type of advantage,” said the 47-year-old Italian.
“This means you don’t play in Champions League or Europa League. I think Chelsea must play during the week, this type of tournament.”
Conte — who last week laughed off rumours about him being on the verge of the sack after his odds tumbled at the bookmakers — will continue to deploy three central defenders which he installed two matches ago after some weak defensive displays saw them leak goals.
Those two games have seen Chelsea not concede a goal.
“I’m pleased, because after many games that we conceded two and sometimes three goals — and I repeat this is not right, this is not a good way for Chelsea to concede so many goals — we change it, we change the system of play,” said Conte.
“We know we must continue to work and progress in this way.
“I’m pleased because in this week I’m seeing the right commitment, the right work rate for the players. I see players that trust in this system, in this type of work.”

Finnish police said Friday they would probe fraud accusations against Rami Adham, a Finnish-Syrian dubbed the “Toy Smuggler” for his campaign to collect funds for orphans in Aleppo.
The 42-year-old father of six has gained global media attention by making trips to the besieged Syrian city to bring toys and financial help for Syrian orphans.
But the police said they had received several requests for investigation from citizens suspecting Adham might have withheld part of the donations.
“A preliminary investigation is underway and we will determine as soon as possible if there are grounds for suspecting a crime” has been committed, chief crime inspector Tero Haapala of the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation told AFP.
Haapala said police are also looking into Adham’s writings on Facebook to see “if they include hate speech or incitement to ethnic hatred”, after media reports said Adham had attacked Shiites on social media.
AFP could not reach Adham for immediate comment.
On Friday, Finland’s largest daily Helsingin Sanomat said Adham’s partner, the Alkefah Institute in Syria, accused him of withholding part of the donations intended for the orphans.
The paper also reported, citing what it said were Adham’s personal messages, that he had invented a story and faked a picture of himself being injured in a bombing during one of his many visits to Syria, in order to attract more media attention and donations.
Adham has strictly denied both accusations, claiming he has delivered aid for the children in different forms, not only in cash, and that his injuries were real.
Other media reports say Adham has a criminal record, including for assault.

Amina Mohamed is working her way at ensuring she has the best shot at becoming the next AU chairperson come January next year.
She and President Uhuru Kenyatta are busy on a charming and wooing campaign to rally the support of various nations and blocs in order to realize this objective.
 
The Foreign Ministry Cabinet Secretary earned an endorsement from the 19 member COMESA bloc. The regional body was meeting in Madagascar and Amina Mohamed used the opportunity to highlight her vision and sell her candidature.
The campaign was successful and her message must have hit home as she ended with an endorsement and pledged support. Among the things she aims to focus on include;- trade, continuing gender equality,a more peaceful Africa and pursuing self reliance both within member countries as well as for the AU itself which currently relies on donor funding.
In a statement, COMESA said,”“Kenya presented its Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador (Dr) Amina Mohamed for the position of chairperson of the African Union Commission. It requested the bloc’s support in order to send a positive message to the rest of the world,
“In its decision, the council urged member states to support Ambassador Mohamed for the position of chairperson and Mr Bouh for the position of deputy chairperson.”
Her support is building even in the EAC community where Uganda has withdrawn its canditate. Tanzania remains the challenge because it is a member of SADC and the bloc voted and endorsed Botwana’s candidate. Amina has met her Tanzanian counterpart but the nation is yet to speak on the issue. COMESA members who also happen to be SADC members like Malawi and Madagascar have pledged their support for Amina Mohammed.
Uhuru Kenyatta was last weekend leading another campaign in West Africa dealing with heads of state directly on the sidelines of the African Union Extraordinary Summit on Maritime Security and Safety and Development in Africa in Lome, Togo.
He too proved successful winning the support of 8 heads of state from West, North and Central Africa. Those who pledged their support were Faure Gnassingbé (Togo), Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta (Mali), Alpha Condé (Guinea), John Dramani Mahama (Ghana),Idriss Déby (Chad)Presidents Alassane Ouattara (Ivory Coast), Denis Sassou Nguesso (Congo Brazaville) and Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal of Algeria.
This is quite a good return as she can count the support of at least 20 countries and her candidature seems to be attracting support all across Africa. Given there are a couple of candidates in the race, getting almost half of the member nations in support is a good start. She is quickly building up momentum and emerging as the clear favorite.

From dropping their popular Kikuyu station Inooro TV, to a four hour reggae show, the media house has pulled another fast one that will definitely edge out the competition.
They have recently launched a new Rhumba show by the name The programme will kick off tomorrow Saturday, October 22, 2016:30 p.m. and the Rhumba lovers will be entertained till to 4 p.m East African time.
It will be hosted by none other than the vibrant radio legend Uncle Fred Obachi Machoka.
Speaking to bout his new gig, Uncle Obachi who hosts the wildly popular Roga show on Radio Citizen every weekend said
On his Facebook page, Uncle Obachi wrote
Here is the trailer for the new show below:
 

Armed police arrested a 19-year-old man in London on Friday under counter-terrorism laws in connection with a suspicious package found on the Underground network that sparked a security alert.
“The man was arrested by officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, assisted by armed colleagues, in the street in Holloway Road” in north London, the police said in a statement.
London’s Metropolitan Police said a taser was used during the arrest at around 12.20pm (1120GMT) on the busy shopping street, but that no shots were fired.
The police said they had made the package safe after it was found on a train at Greenwich North station on Thursday. It was now being “forensically examined”.
The Press Association news agency quoted a witness saying the man had been walking along the street “normally” when he was arrested.
“The armed police, I think five of them, ran behind him and put him on the floor,” Ali, 30, who did not want to give his full name, told PA.
“He was struggling not to get arrested, for like a good five minutes. They were shouting ‘armed police, don’t struggle’,” Ali was quoted as saying.
Margaret Mathurin, 54, told PA she was having a coffee when she saw the police swooping.
“They were plain-clothed police with masks, they had guns, everything. It was very unnerving,” she said.
The London Underground system was operating as normal but police said the public would see “more officers, including armed police, in and around transport hubs to provide reassurance”.
Counter-terror detectives opened an investigation on Thursday after the suspicious item was reported at around 11:00 am (1000 GMT) at North Greenwich station, which serves The O2 entertainment complex.
The police said in a statement on Thursday that “a controlled detonation” of the package had taken place.
“Officers are keeping an open mind regarding any possible motive… They are not looking for anyone else in relation to this investigation at this stage,” it said.
Since August 2014, the terror threat level in Britain has been classed as “severe” — the second highest level, meaning an attack is considered “highly likely”.
London mayor Sadiq Khan praised the “outstanding professionalism” of police and Transport for London staff.
“This situation was dealt with swiftly and safely, and no injuries resulted,” he said.
“Keeping Londoners safe is my highest priority. I am urging all Londoners… to remain calm and vigilant at all times.”

Younis Khan showed no ill effects from dengue fever to score a brilliant century as Pakistan dominated the opening day of the second Test against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
The 38-year-old, who missed the 56-run victory in the first Test in Dubai with the illness and was in hospital just last month, smashed 127 to carry Pakistan to 304-4 at the close at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
Younis finally holed out to deep midwicket off part-timer Kraigg Brathwaite after five hours at the crease, with fading light prompting the umpires to halt the day six overs before the scheduled close.
With Pakistan opting to bat after winning the toss, skipper Misbah-ul-Haq was unbeaten on 90 — just 10 runs short of his 11th hundred as Pakistan’s batsmen dominated on a batting-friendly pitch.
Younis, who hit 10 boundaries and a six, added 175 for the fourth wicket with Misbah and 87 for the third with Asad Shafiq, who made 68.
It was again the two veteran batsmen — Younis and Misbah — who put Pakistan on track for another big total with their 15th hundred partnership in 49 innings.
Misbah, who has now equalled Imran Khan’s record of most Test matches as Pakistan captain with 48, hit two sixes and four boundaries as he worked in tandem with Younis to build an imposing total.
The West Indies were guilty of sloppy fielding with Younis dropped on 83 when Brathwaite failed to hold a return catch off his own bowling and wicket-keeper Shai Hope handing Misbah a lifeline on 54 off paceman Shannon Gabriel.
Gabriel was the best of the bowlers with 2-43.
It was Younis’s 33rd Test hundred and 11th in the United Arab Emirates, where Pakistan have been hosting international fixtures because of security fears at home.
“I was a bit worried how I will cope after recovery because you lose weight and strength after dengue,” said Younis, who was admitted to hospital last month with the illness.
“I had not played any cricket since the Oval Test (in August). But I played some club cricket and that helped here.
“It’s a nice feeling to score a hundred and with Misbah taking the team to a respectable total, and I hope the rest of the batsmen take us to big total.”
Younis and Shafiq led the early recovery after Pakistan lost openers Azhar Ali (nought) and Sami Aslam (six) in the first hour.
Shafiq batted well in the extended two-and-a-half hour first session due to Friday prayers, hitting seven boundaries before playing on to Gabriel.
Ali, who scored a career-best 302 not out in Dubai, played on to Gabriel in the fifth over before Aslam was bowled by leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo attempting an ambitious drive.
Pakistan, who lead the three-match series 1-0, brought in Younis, Zulfiqar Babar and Rahat Ali as they made three changes to their line-up.
Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir (both rested) and Babar Azam were the trio to make way.
The West Indies were forced to leave out unfit wicket-keeper batsman Shane Dowrich, bringing in Hope.
The third and final Test starts in Sharjah from October 30.

Carter met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, as well as Defence Minister Fikri Isik on a flying visit to Turkey, a crucial but sensitive NATO ally in the fight against the IS group.
“Both sides agreed to maintain frequent communication on the full range of mutual interests, including close coordination and continued transparency in the coalition effort to deal ISIL a lasting defeat,” Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said in a statement, using another name for the jihadist group.
Carter reaffirmed his support for the strategic US-Turkey alliance and vowed that Washington would “continue to stand side-by-side with our NATO ally against shared threats”.
Washington is alarmed by tensions between Turkey and Iraq as the long-awaited battle to retake Iraq’s second city Mosul from IS jihadists enters a decisive phase.
Turkey, which fears the Mosul offensive could boost the influence of anti-Ankara Kurdish militia, says it cannot stay on the sidelines, but Baghdad is firmly against the involvement of Turkish troops.
Washington wants Ankara to refrain from military operations in Iraq without the green light from Baghdad, fearing the war of words could jeopardise a fragile pact to keep rival sectarian and ethnic militias out of central Mosul.
Respect for Iraq’s sovereignty is an “important principle”, Carter told reporters on his plane en route to Turkey.
A senior US defence official said Washington was urging both sides to “tamp down the rhetoric”.
“We have been talking behind the scenes to get the Iraqis and the Turks to come to an understanding on how to move forward on Mosul and on Turkish presence in Iraq,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
The visit comes after Turkish warplanes carried out deadly strikes on US-backed militias in northern Syria, including Syrian Kurdish fighters.
The Turkish army said Thursday the raids killed between 160 and 200 militants from the People’s Protection Units (YPG), a group considered a terror group by Ankara but an effective force by Washington in the fight against IS.
Carter declined to comment on the issue during his flight to Turkey.
Turkey in August launched an unprecedented operation in northern Syria, sending tanks and troops to back Syrian rebels who have ousted IS from several key areas including Jarabulus and Dabiq.
Rebel fighters captured Dabiq on Sunday in a symbolic setback to the jihadists, as a Sunni prophecy cites the town as the site of an end-of-times battle between Christian forces and Muslims.
Carter said the capture of Dabiq was an “important objective” of the campaign.
“The Turks were carrying the burden of the battle here and did spectacularly well,” he said.
“We will be working with them to consolidate that border region, long an objective of theirs and ours, and a very important one in the counter-ISIL campaign.”
Tensions between Ankara and Washington have grown after the failed July coup in Turkey.
Turkish authorities blamed the putsch on a rogue military group led by US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen — charges he denies — and they have repeatedly demanded his extradition.
Carter on Friday toured the Turkish parliament that was extensively damaged by air strikes on the coup night.
“(He) expressed his condolences to all those who lost their lives defending Turkey’s democratically-elected government,” said the Pentagon statement.
Carter is due to visit the United Arab Emirates before a meeting of defence ministers from the international anti-IS coalition in Paris on Tuesday. On Wednesday he will join a NATO ministerial gathering in Brussels.

No two rides are alike, and one man is on a mission to document them all.
This week’s ‘Inside Africa’ invites viewers for a ride on Nairobi’s hip method of transportation, witnessing how the galleries on wheels come to life.
Nairobi is one of Africa’s largest cities, and is constantly growing. With a population of more than three million, getting from one place to another can quickly become a challenge, with traffic a major problem.
Matatus are privately owned and are smaller, quicker than city-run buses. There are tens of thousands of them driving around the streets of Nairobi, offering cheap rides to Nairobi’s citizens, often less than a dollar to go anywhere.
The matatus are bright, colourful and often loud, with blaring music, ensuring they’re all unique. Not everyone loves them however – some say they go too fast, and that they’re reckless.
‘Inside Africa’ reports that others, like Brian Wanyama, founder of Matwana Matatu Culture, love the experience.
Wanyama rides the shared vans every day, and he tells the programme how he views them as canvasses; moving art that reflects Nairobi’s urban youth culture: “It’s a museum on wheels. It has art, stickers, airbrushing.”
Across the city, watatus feature international pop stars, hip-hop artists, athletes, social and political icons, even religions. Wanyama tells ‘Inside Africa’: “Matatus are the number one platform to promote local artists and urban youth culture…they’re used as a platform to promote upcoming artists.”
‘Inside Africa’ reveals that it wasn’t always like this, however. Just over a decade ago, the government banned matatu art, a ban which was meant to promote safety and keep vehicles’ windshields clear of graffiti.
When it was lifted in 2015, creative designs surged, but some like Wanyama fear a ban could return, or that modern buses will replace smaller vans. ‘Inside Africa’ reports that this is why he and a friend started Matwana Matutu Culture, a non-profit group that documents matatu art.
He tells the programme: “It’s important to document it because we need to see where it came from. Also, the matatu culture needs to have a sense of belonging. If we do nothing about it, it might really come to an end – the matatu culture as a whole.”
25 year-old Wanyama sees matatus as moving art, a place to listen to music, and ultimately a symbol of Nairobi’s urban youth culture.
As iconic as they are, he worries they won’t be around forever, telling ‘Inside Africa’: “I’d be really upset because even growing up, matatus have always been a key in my memory.”
To preserver such memories, Wanyama travels around Nairobi, taking pictures of the matatus, documenting them, focusing on the drivers, conductors, the art, even the art of making them.
 
The programme heads to an industrial area of Nairobi, where Wanyama meets many people ‘pimping’ and customising matatus.
There, Pal Choda and his son Ricky who run Choda Fabricators explain to ‘Inside Africa’ that they make matatus not by machine, but by hand: “It’s customized building of the entire process. There’s nothing done with prefabricated parts. It’s done more or less manually, nothing automatic.”
Wanyama tells the programme: “I see art. I don’t see cars. When you come here, you get to see artistry.”
Like any real art, building matatus by hand takes time – 45 days to just make one. They are moving art galleries, each one uniquely decorated , adorned with graffiti and hand-painted portraits.
Wanyama chooses matatus based on the art, which he sees as a vibrant and much-needed form of expression, especially for young Kenyans. He tells ‘Inside Africa’: “When you see the matatus and the art, you really understand Nairobi.  Because Nairobi is a city that is run by the youth.  Through these ventures they do, it creates a platform where the youth really get a chance to express themselves.”
Concluding ‘Inside Africa’, Wanyama opens up on why he feels so passionate about ensuring matatu culture is captured for future generations: “My goal is to preserve this industry.  Without it, we wouldn’t have a way of expressing ourselves.  Experiencing that unique ride, wherever I go. Matatu culture is very important to our lives here in Kenya.”
 

Nico Rosberg has dismissed talk of winning his maiden drivers’ world championship preferring instead to focus on winning one race at a time.
Ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix the 31-year-old German leads Mercedes team-mate and nearest title rival Lewis Hamilton by 33 points with four races remaining.
Given his advantage, he knows he can take the crown by finishing second in every remaining race, but says that is not in his thinking.
he told reporters.
Speaking late Thursday, after Hamilton had said he would “take it like a man” if he failed to land his own fourth title, Rosberg insisted he was focused on his performance and nothing else.
He said he would continue with his race-by-race approach.
he said.
He added that he was also not at all concerned by Hamilton’s record on the Circuit of the Americas where he has won three times and last year clinched his third title.

In the pictures that have since gone viral, a smartly dressed King Kaka is manhandled and bundled into a police car. Now there is an explanation for all this drama, he was not arrested but these were just snippets for his latest video, .
 featuring Yviona a single off his seventh Mixtape. 
The song tells the typical Kenyan love story. 
says King Kaka.
Yviona the singer in Thug Love began singing at a very young age. Her mother was a popular Gospel singer and she helped nurture her daughter’s dream. She began singing professionally in 2014. She would record herself singing and one day she sent her demos to Rapdamu and he loved it thus the journey began.
This is what she had to say about working with the King of rap ”Working with King Kaka has been a great experience. The first time I heard the beat I fell in love with it.”
The song was produced by Ricco Beatz and mix and mastered by Yo Alex. The video was shot by Johnson Kyalo for Empire Films.
 
 

Islamic State group fighters may be preparing to use civilians as human shields, or simply kill them, rather than let them be liberated in an Iraqi offensive to retake Mosul, the UN said Friday.
Elite Iraqi troops have been closing in on Mosul, the last jihadist bastion in Iraq, in a long-anticipated offensive.
United Nations human rights chief Zeid Ra?ad Al Hussein said his office had reports that civilians were being held close to IS fighter positions in Mosul, possibly as a buffer against advancing Iraqi forces.
“There is a grave danger that ISIL fighters will not only use such vulnerable people as human shields but may opt to kill them rather than see them liberated,? Zeid said in a statement, using another acronym for IS.
Separately, Zeid said his office had reports that the jihadists forced an estimated 200 families to walk from the nearby Samalia village to Mosul last week.
Another 350 families were forced to Mosul from Najafia, according to the rights office.
Those forced displacements were consistent with IS’s “apparent policy of preventing civilians from escaping to areas controlled by the Iraqi security forces,” Zeid added.
The UN has voiced fears that a million people still trapped inside Mosul could be forced to flee the fighting, sparking a humanitarian emergency.
Speaking to reporters in Geneva by phone, the UN’s humanitarian chief in Baghdad, Lise Grande, said the “working scenario” foresees 200,000 people fleeing Mosul, but she cautioned that the numbers could be higher depending on how the military campaign develops.
So far, just 3,900 people have been displaced from the northern city, UN refugee agency spokesman Adrian Edwards said.
He added that UNHCR was working to build up camps and emergency settlements in the area, as humanitarian agencies try to expand their capacity to help civilians as the fighting intensifies.
Aside from caring for those who manage to flee, Zeid stressed that Iraqi military planning for the US-backed offensive needs to prioritise civilian protection, especially with some of the combat expected to take place in confined urban settings.
“We know ISIL has no regard for human life, which is why it is incumbent upon the Iraqi government to do its utmost to protect civilians,” he said.

Zuku is the biggest provider of affordable entertainment and connectivity across East Africa.
And through Wananchi Group, Zuku Fiber has taken bold steps in revolutionizing the communications landscape through the delivery of innovative, value for money entertainment a day broadband Internet services in a brilliant manner that not only inspires but also delights all clients – residential and business alike.
Through a theme titled #unstoppable, Zuku Fibre had a major launch at a sumptuous dinner held at the Sarova Stanley where social media influencers, media partners, journalists and bloggers were treated to tasty meals and drinks as the launch went down for over two beautiful hours.
Guests were treated to a cozy afternoon of fine dining and wining as Josephine Gathithi, the Marketing Manager at Zuku outlined the wonderful offers that Zuku Unlimited Internet was bringing to customers through a thorough PowerPoint presentation meant to open up the World to the endless possibilities to be found in the unbelievable Zuku unlimited Internet.
Guests, who included Twitter Bigwig Xtian Dela, Citizen TV host Willis Raburu and Capital FM producer Joe Muchiri were taken through the journey of Zuku and wowed by the everlasting thrill and entertainment the new Zuku deal would bring into their lives.
As the treats went on Michael Dabaly, Sales, Marketing and Corporate Communications Director who also took to the podium to ram the point home and make an even better – and stronger point – for the amazing possibilities Zuku unlimited Internet access meant.
 
Digging deeper into the reason behind the bold tagline # unstoppable, Mike explained that this deal offered a truly unlimited high speed Internet access to all homes at just not an affordable fixed price but also unstoppable usage all day and night, Sunday to Sunday..
Under this heaven sent deal, Zuku clients will not only unshackle themselves from the limiting chains and bondage of expirable bundles but also get to enjoy incredibly thrilling marathons of nonstop entertainment from sports to movies to news to music and even unquenchable social media indulgence.
As a homegrown East African brand established with the sole aim of making quality home entertainment for millions, Zuku Fiber exists in over 300,000 homes across Nairobi and Mombasa – even in the neighboring land of charming Swahili culture, Dar.
 
You don’t know what you’re missing until you’re sitting in your cool house, lying next to that new girlfriend you’ve just started going out with, watching back to back romantic movies and surfing the Internet for hours and hours and hours on end.
There’s nothing you can’t do. Nothing you can’t archive. No place you can’t go. And nobody you can’t impress…. With the new unlimited Zuku Fiber arrangement.
Grab some chicken wings now… And head home to a have weekend blast… Courtesy of Zuku Fibre.
Thank me later.
 

The Obama family has come out to distance itself from Malik Obama’s stand on United States politics.
Malik has already declared his support for controversial Republican nominee Donald Trump while he has criticised Barack Obama’s eight-year leadership as US president.
Through their spokesperson, Nicholas Rajulu, the Kogelo family said Malik’s stand was against their will.
Rajulu said.
 
This week, Malik was invited by Trump as one of his guests during the final US presidential debate against Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Malik, who unsuccessfully vied for the Siaya gubernatorial seat in 2013, has expressed willingness to to run for the same position.
However, his candidature has been bitterly opposed by the Obama family.
Rajuku said.
 Siaya MCA Owiti Osuri accused Malik of constantly trying to find fault with the US president.
said Mr Osuri.
During an interview on , Malik accused Obama of being unreachable, “stiff” and getting “mesmerized” by power.
Malik said during the interview.
Malik also blames Obama for allegedly neglecting his family in Kenya. 
He says he only meets Obama once a year and their meeting is strictly formal and business-like.
 

The internet service company Dyn said that it had suffered a denial of service (DDoS) attack on its domain name service shortly after 1100 GMT, but that services had been restored in about two hours.
Other affected sites, which serve millions of customers, reportedly included the crafts marketplace Etsy and the software developer site Github, according to the website Hacker News.
“This morning, October 21, Dyn received a global DDoS attack on our Managed DNS infrastructure in the east coast of the United States,” said Scott Hilton, executive vice president for products at Dyn, in a statement.
“DNS traffic resolved from east coast name server locations are experiencing a service degradation or intermittent interruption during this time,” Hilton added.
“We have been aggressively mitigating the DDoS attack against our infrastructure.”
The company said it was continuing to investigate.
Distributed denial of service or DDoS attacks involve sending high volumes of requests to websites which can be taken off line as a result.
Domain Name Services are a crucial element of internet infrastructure, converting numbered Internet Protocol addresses into the domain names that allow users to connect to internet sites.

Blue flashing lights are a common sight for weary Parisians used to living under a state of emergency. The dozens of police cars on the Champs-Elysees this week were different.
Blocking traffic on the famous avenue late on Monday, hundreds of officers and patrol vehicles gathered — not for a new anti-terror raid or, thankfully, in the aftermath of another attack — but to protest.
“We’ve had enough!” one told AFP as a convoy of cars, bikes and officers covering their faces with balaclavas or masks, made their way noisily up the boulevard in a spontaneous demonstration.
Protests have continued and spread every night since, wrong-footing the Socialist government and highlighting anger in the ranks with the country on maximum alert.
“Sick of being a sitting duck!” read one hand-written sign in the southern city of Toulouse this week.
“Don’t forget us,” read another in Lyon in central France on Thursday night.
The list of police complaints is long, covering everything from an ever-increasing workload, bureaucracy, outdated equipment and what is seen as lenient sentencing for violence against officers.
The frustration has been building for some time, fed by long-standing problems of delinquency in the country’s rundown suburbs but boosted by the sense of insecurity in France.
The spark for this week’s demonstrations, organised by the rank-and-file rather than union leaders, was several petrol bombs thrown at officers in a known troublespot outside Paris on October 8.
A 28-year-old officer suffered serious burns and is still in a coma.
Prior to this, an off-duty officer and his partner were stabbed to death at their home northwest of Paris in June in an attack claimed afterwards by the Islamic State group.
After the carnage in Nice in July, when an Islamist-inspired extremist killed 86 people with a truck, opposition politicians questioned whether police should have stopped him.
In another blow to morale, during demonstrations against labour law reforms in the spring, officers were caught on camera kicking and hitting protesters with batons, leading to an outcry about brutality.
“Police officers need recognition,” Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Thursday as he sought to contain the crisis, just six months from presidential elections.
“They are loved by the French people, and not only since Charlie,” he added, referencing another dark moment for the men and women in blue over the last two years.
The execution-style killing of a police officer during the raid by two extremists on the Charlie Hebdo magazine in January 2015 became one of the emblematic images of the tragedy.
It led to a rare outpouring of sympathy for police who are now more visible than ever around France as they guard buildings and sensitive sites under the state of emergency declared in November last year.
Leading researcher and police expert Christian Mouhanna says the demonstrations stem from a mix of structural problems, politics and the heightened threat to France.
Though police are generally respected — their bravery in last November’s attacks in Paris was widely hailed — they suffer from poor relations with communities in crime-ridden areas.
Local policing has been cut drastically since 2003, meaning officers are distant and seen as heavy-handed enforcers. They also miss out on local intelligence, critical for fighting crime and terrorism, he says.
Over-centralisation means the rank-and-file are unable to take their own decisions, while grumbling about tedious guard duty to reassure the nervous French public is on the rise.
Also — and worryingly for the government — they see themselves as suffering from political failures higher up, from the violent demonstrations against labour reforms or clearing refugee camps in Paris and Calais on the north coast.
“They find themselves managing problems in an authoritarian way that haven’t been worked out differently,” said Mouhanna, who heads a unit specialising in the police and penal system at France’s national research institute, CNRS.
The targeting of Francois Hollande so close to elections explains the president’s eagerness, as well as leading members of the government, to meet police unions in person and satisfy their demands.
“You are asking for resources, we’ll give you them,” Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve wrote in a letter sent to police on Friday.

The youth were participating in a segment on the Kukachora platform dubbed Know your hood which is aimed at showcasing and igniting self-awareness and self-worth among the youth.
in itself is a movement aimed at ensuring that the youth take charge of their lives; this is in terms of their sexuality, leadership, money and overall self-growth.
The messages however seemed to harbor along preaching peace and holding leaders accountable. It also focused on encouraging young girls to be independent and treat themselves with a bit of dignity.
Here, have a look and be inspired:

Eric Omondi’s photographer, Ronald Tonui, had a rough time with police after he was busted taking photos at a public place.
For starters, Ronald is a professional photographer who has worked with a number of artists including Jua Cali, King Kaka among others. He’s currently Eric Omondi’s official photographer.
 
Tonui was arrested by the police who were patrolling the streets of Nairobi on Mashujaa Day; he was at the railway station taking photos of the scenic view of the city as the sun was setting down.
Two police officers approached Tonui and demanded license which gave him the ok to take photos of public places.
The cops ‘harassed’ Eric Omondi’s photographer after he failed to produce the permit they demanded. He was whisked to the nearby Railway police station where he was locked for a few hours before he was finally let loose on a police bail.
A defiant Tonui proceeded to post the photos he took on Instagram as he disclosed he was arrested for taking the beautiful photos.

European football leagues on Friday suspended an accord with UEFA in protest at reforms to the Champions League which gives greater power to major clubs.
By freezing their UEFA deal, the 25 European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL) members could organise their own games at the same time as Champions League matches.
Smaller European leagues are furious at UEFA’s reforms agreed in August which guaranteed four Champions League places to England, Spain, Italy and Germany from 2018. It also changed the prize money shareout.
The leagues insist they should have been consulted on the changes.
“There is no other option but to terminate the current memorandum of understanding,” EPFL president Lars-Christer Olsson told a press conference after a meeting of the body.
Twenty-two leagues present at the meeting voted for the suspension which will last until March 15 next year, Olsson, head of Sweden’s professional league, said. Italy’s Serie A voted against and Romania abstained.
“This will give us and UEFA sufficient time to negotiate,” Olsson added.
Olsson said he is to meet the new UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin in November.
No league has yet announced that it will hold matches on Champions League days, but EPFL officials said each country was free to decide its own action.
Many European leagues complain that the Champions League has been turned into a “closed party” and that the prize changes will increase the wealth gap between the continent’s major clubs and the rest.
“It is about preserving the basic values that football fans love,” said Claus Thomsen, chief executive of Denmark’s league.
“Some clubs are making so much money that you don’t have a competitive balance anymore in your own championship,” said Claudius Schafer, chief executive of the Swiss Football League.
Swiss side Basel, who earn major income from the Champions League, are already on course to win the national title for the eighth straight season.
Olsson said there should be a system of promotion and relegation to allow smaller countries and clubs to get Champions League places.
The EPFL president also said that UEFA’s new financial distribution proposals were unacceptable.
“Its worse than before,” he told the press conference.
Ceferin and Olsson have already held some talks and UEFA and the EPFL have set up working groups on possible deals.
Ceferin acknowledged after he was elected UEFA president in September that the changes had been badly handled.
He said at the weekend that UEFA would make an effort to help small and medium-sized leagues that suffer from the changes.
The EPFL feels it is getting less say than the European Clubs Association which represent the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and Bayern Munich.
Following the reforms FC Copenhagen, who are in the Champions League this year, said they were in talks with Malmo in Sweden, Rosenborg in Norway, Ajax and PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands and Celtic in Scotland to set up an Atlantic regional championship.
Chinese conglomerate Wanda, a FIFA partner and part owner of Atletico Madrid, has proposed a rival contest to the Champions League. Media reports say that Europe’s major clubs have considered setting up their own breakaway contest if they do not get more from the Champions League.

Very few understand the role played by first ladies in a country or a state. Apart from standing pretty and stunning alongside our presidents, these ladies motivate our leaders in making important decisions that have a massive impact on our society.
Ghafla has compiled a list of five first ladies who have proven that beauty and brains go hand in hand judging from how they slay.
This lady is the first lady of Angola. She has been married to president Jose Eduardo for  25 years now. She has not aged a day and this can be seen in her stunning looks and beautiful heart, that’s according to what most people say about her on social media. At the age of 52, Ana Paola dresses better than most young ladies.
 
 
 
 
She is the first lady of Cameroon. Apart from steeping out in bright colored outfits, this first lady enjoys having crazy hair does that compliment her fashion sense.
 
She is married to the king of morocco and luckily for her, she is the only princess (Wife) of a Moroccan leader to be publicly acknowledged. Her sense of style is however simple but very classy.
 
 
She is presidents Zuma’s fifth wife and among the smartest first ladies South Africans have ever had. She graduated from the university of Zululand and has a great fashion sense.
 
 
Lastly but not least, Margret Kenyatta the first lady of Kenya. Her fashion statement has always been eye-catching from day one. She is one of the stylish first ladies Africa has come to see and despite her age,50, her Excellency Margret Kenyatta prefers keeping it young. Her stylish side was once more seen when she graced the Mashujaa celebrations dressed in a black figure hugging dress and accessorised it with a lace cape blazer.
 

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger compared the Premier League to “a jungle” on Friday saying every day was a fight for survival.
The 66-year-old Frenchman — whose side are on a hot streak of form with seven successive wins in all competitions — will hope his players heed such words when they host struggling Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Victory over ‘Boro would move them top of the table three points clear of Manchester City, who play on Sunday.
“I believe that humility is to understand that you start again from zero and that you are in a jungle,” said Wenger.
“We live in a jungle where everybody wants to eat you and you have to survive by keeping your vigilance.
“That’s what competition is about. Every day you have to fight again to survive. The love to win and the competitiveness of the Premier League is very exciting.”
Wenger, who recently celebrated 20 years in charge at the Gunners, says there is no truth in the rumours Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil are delaying signing new contracts because they want to know what he will do as his contract is up at the end of the present campaign.
Both Chile star Sanchez and German great Ozil’s contracts run till 2018 — the latter is the best paid player at the club — and there has been speculation talks were being held up because the duo wanted huge pay rises in their new contracts because of the fall in the pound.
“We are always in touch,” said Wenger.
“Mesut Ozil is 28-years-old and in the prime of his career so of course we want him to contribute to the success of this club in the future.
“They are happy at the club and I want them to commit to the club because they believe they are in the right place.

Any way you swipe them, dating apps are digital packages of nerves, embarrassment, and frustration. Though you must agree, whether you’re into casual encounters, new friends or a serious relationship, dating apps actually make it easy to make connections on the go. Instead of being limited to sitting down and keep up with the fake smiles and feign interests.
But with the increased dating apps, you still end up enduring the cheesy one-liners and the f*kcboys that keep popping up, but with Pamoja dating app, that hurdle is slashed by half.
Pamoja is a revolution. Its main concept is to bring all Swahili speaking people across the world together. A platform where you get to discover exciting new people whether for a chat, flirting, dates or making new friends by location or interest and connect with them, impress them and eventually even plan a meet-up – all within the app! . And with around 10,000 people on board, you will always have a lot of people to choose from.
 
Pamoja App has been developed by a bunch of young Tanzanians who understand your expectations and behavior; it’s actually the Namba Moja Swahili Social Networking app in the whole world!
Its content has been designed carefully and strategically to ensure easy navigation.
You really ought to check it out! The Number of mammies and guys, who are there, is so HUGE plus it’s better in finding matches more than most apps. Click here to check it out; 
 

Up to 25 people were missing, feared drowned, Friday after men on a Libyan coastguard speedboat attacked a packed migrant dinghy during a rescue operation off the north African state.
German NGO Sea-Watch, which is taking part in the multinational search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean, said the tragedy happened after its boat Sea-Watch 2 and a passing oil tanker were sent to help the distressed dinghy in the early hours.
As the rescue operation proceeded just beyond Libyan territorial waters north of the port of Sabrata, a speedboat bearing the Libyan coastguard insignia arrived and tried to steal the dinghy’s outboard engine, spokesman Ruben Neugebauer told AFP.
The men, who spoke Arabic, beat some of the migrants with sticks and some clambered onto the dinghy, causing panic which resulted in one side of the boat deflating and most of the passengers ending up in the sea.
After the assailants left, Sea-Watch said it rescued 120 people and recovered four corpses from the water.
Other bodies were seen floating but could not be recovered and it was estimated that between 15 and 25 of the people who had been on the board were unaccounted for.
Sea-Watch said in a statement that its two speedboats had been “hassled in an aggressive way” during the attack, “preventing our crew from providing life vests and medical aid to the people in need.”
“All of these deaths could have been avoided but for this intervention,” Neugebauer added.
The spokesman said the NGO had no way of knowing if the attackers had any contact with the Libyan coastguard or had simply hijacked one of their boats.
But he said the incident highlighted the dangers inherent in European plans to train and equip the Libyan coastguard to be able to restrict the flow of migrant boats from the conflict-torn country towards Italy.
“It is hard to know who is doing what in Libya,” he said. “It shows once again it is not a good idea to build a whole European policy based on these guys. You never know whose hands the equipment will end up in.”
The EU training initiative is due to begin at the end of this month following vetting of around 80 Libyan coastguard staff who are due to take part.
A Libyan coastguard spokesman told AFP Friday they had not been aware of the incident involving Sea-Watch, which will send shockwaves through the humanitarian groups helping to save lives alongside navy and coastguard ships from a number of European countries.
“If confirmed it is very alarming news,” said Flavio Di Giacamo of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
The Italian coastguard, which had despatched the Sea-Watch as part of its coordination of operations in the area, said around 3,000 people had been rescued in 20 operations and that seven bodies had been recovered.
This brings to around 5,400 the number of people rescued this week.
According to the UN, at least 3,654 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year, the bulk of them on the Libya-Italy route.
Attempts at the dangerous crossing are continuing despite worsening weather as winter approaches, with more than 2,400 migrants rescued off Libya in total since Sunday.
The Italian interior ministry said Friday that more than 146,500 migrants had landed in Italy so far this year.
The number of arrivals is similar to that of the previous two years but the pressure on the country’s reception facilities is mounting as it has become harder for migrants to move on to other EU countries.
Meanwhile in Rome, G6 interior ministers said repatriating irregular migrants was a central part of Europe’s policy on migrant flows.
“Repatriations are a fundamental element of the strategy, one which complements hosting,” Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said after a meeting of his counterparts from Spain, Germany, France, Britain and Poland.
Alfano said migradnts who were not refugees or not fleeing war or persecution had to follow “the rules” for entering Europe.

The passing away of Songstress Achieng Abura has left a deep void in Kenya’s entertainment scene that will be impossible to fill.
The popular afro-jazz musician had a huge impact not only through her music, but also through inspiring the lives of many in Kenya today.
The Master of Philosophy in Environmental Studies and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering had a long and illustrious career full of accolades as she scaled heights only a few have managed.
Apart from being a Music artiste for the past 25 years, Abura was also a peace and social justice advocate and an environmentalist.
She started with the gospel hit songthat propelled her internationally.
She went on to produce three other gospel albums before embracing Afro-Jazz.
She performed in many countries, including England, Germany, Netherlands, France, Spain, USA and South Africa among many others.
Her strong advocacy for social transformation saw her named as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as well as the World Wildlife Fund.
She was also a lead campaigner for the Global Call to Action Against Poverty.
Abura in 2004 won the Kora All Africa Music Awards for Best Female Artiste East Africa.
That same year she was honoured by retired President Mwai Kibaki with the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW) for her contribution to Arts and Culture in Kenya.
She will be fondly remembered  as the encouraging Principal at the East African  where she coached budding artistes and mentored them.
In 2012 she was recognised by the Jordan Foundation, USA, for her contribution to social change and development through music in Kenya.
Abura had raised a son who has been suffering from sickle cell anaemia and a heart condition.
She was in the process of raising millions of shillings for her son’s treatment through an online fund, .
The Ghafla team stands by Abura’s family and friends during this difficult time and may God rest her soul in peace.  
 
 
 
 
 
    

The Johannesburg-based firm is facing a parliamentary probe over accusations it connived with senior Nigerian officials to move the funds out of the country without complying with the law.
A parliamentary source and local media said the funds were allegedly repatriated between 2006 and this year.
“We would like to reiterate that at no point did MTN Nigeria (MTNN) illegally repatriate funds out of Nigeria or collaborate with Nigerians to loot the external reserves of the country,” Ferdinand Moolman, chief executive officer of MTNN, told the Senate hearing in Abuja on Thursday.
“MTNN is a Nigerian company and is proud to be conducting business in Nigeria. It therefore categorically refutes any accusations of money laundering, economic sabotage or tax evasion levied against it,” he added.
Moolman said all monies repatriated by the company were in respect of dividend payments and capital divestment originating from legitimate foreign direct investment.
“The dividend payments were made to shareholders who imported foreign capital for investment in MTNN,” he said.
Moolman also exonerated Nigeria’s Trade and Investment Minister Okechukwu Elenemah from the alleged capital flight.
“We would like to state that Dr Elenemah has never been a director or shareholder of MTNN,” he said, adding that the minister had not connived with the company to move funds out of Nigeria.
The parliamentary probe followed a motion last month by Dino Melaye, a senator from central Kogi state, which called for MTN to be investigated over the alleged illegal transfers.
Four local banks were also alleged to have been used to move the funds with the help of the trade minister.
The probe is the latest setback to hit MTN in Nigeria.
The firm was last year slammed with a $3.9 billion fine for failing to cut off 5.1 million unregistered SIM cards, amid fears that some of the affected lines were being used by Boko Haram insurgents.
The conflict sparked by the jihadist group has left at least 20,000 dead and forced more than 2.6 million people from their homes since 2009.
In June, MTN announced that following negotiations with the Nigerian authorities, it had agreed to pay $1.7 billion as a final settlement.
MTN is the largest mobile phone firm in Nigeria, and the country accounts for a third of the group’s total revenue.
MTN threatened to pull out during the SIM card row, before the fine was reduced by nearly 70 percent.
Relations between Nigeria and South Africa, the continent’s two economic powerhouses, have been strained over recent years on issues including economic rivalry and political friction.
South Africa’s growth has been undermined by the slowdown in China and falling commodity prices. Nigeria, the continent’s top oil producer, has suffered from low oil prices, leading it into recession.

British journalist Mazher Mahmood, better known as the “Fake Sheikh” who caught out a string of celebrities in tabloid stings, was on Friday jailed for 15 months for perverting the course of justice.
Mahmood, who conceals his identity after a series of alleged death threats, became a celebrity in his own right for his front-page scoops, in which he posed as a wealthy figure from the Gulf and encouraged stars to make embarrassing revelations.
Mahmood, 53, and his driver Alan Smith, 66, were convicted last week of conspiring to pervert the course of justice following a trial in London.
Judge Gerald Gordon said Mahmood had done “some good work” in his career, but that a jail sentence was inevitable given the nature of the crime.
A jury found the two men had plotted to suppress evidence in the collapsed 2014 drugs trial of British pop singer and TV star Tulisa Contostavlos, which resulted from a Mahmood operation.
The self-styled “King of Sting” posed as a film producer and offered Contostavlos a Hollywood career and a movie role alongside star Leonardo DiCaprio.
She was accused of arranging for Mahmood to be sold cocaine by one of her contacts.
Smith told police that the singer had made anti-drugs remarks in the car — which could have proved helpful to her lawyers in the case — but later removed the comments from his statement after contacting Mahmood.
As this emerged, the Contostavlos trial collapsed and prosecutors turned their attention to Mahmood and Smith.
Mahmood’s list of sting targets includes several members of the royal family, sports stars and TV celebrities.
Soap actor John Alford was caught in a similar cocaine sting by Mahmood, and accused the journalist of being “a manipulator of evidence” and “a serial perjurer” following the sentencing.
“No-one is above the law and no-one should be given carte blanche to create crimes and destroy evidence,” he told reporters outside the court.
“There is a clear pattern of evidence, manipulation in all our cases, hours of taped evidence was missing.”

Achieng’ Abura’s death has caught many by surprise but she has been suffering for a long time. Her major struggle has been the depression and agony caused by watching her only son Prince suffer, as she sought specialized medical treatment that he could get only abroad.
For 5 years, Achieng’ struggled and sought funds to get her son to UK. The struggle changed her outlook as she revealed in an interview with Jackson Biko as those she thought as friends panned her at her time of need.
Her son Prince is still in need of urgent medical condition. He has been suffering from a heart condition while at the same time being treated for sickle cell anemia a condition he was born with. In her own words describing her son’s condition as well as explaining her struggle to raise funds the late Achieng’ Abura said
This was her appeal on the fund raising platforms including M-Changa. She was so determined and sure her son will make it.
She will to see it but given the criticism and slamming many of ‘her friends’ have been given for their hypocrisy and the prominence her death has brought to her condition, her son should sure be able to raise the 4 million shillings needed.

Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says he has “never” been friends with club owner Roman Abramovich, but will not over-celebrate if Manchester United score against his old side on Sunday.
Russian billionaire Abramovich twice hired Mourinho, in 2004 and 2013, and watched him become the club’s greatest manager over his two spells at the helm, notably winning three Premier League titles.
But he has also sacked him twice, most recently last December, and ahead of the Portuguese’s return to Stamford Bridge with United, Mourinho revealed his relationship with his former boss was only ever professional.
“He was never my friend. We had always the relation of owner-manager, a very respectful relation,” Mourinho said.
“We were never friends, we were never close to each other. So no, he’s just a person that I respected.”
Despite Chelsea’s dismal title defence last season, which saw them slump to 16th place in the table, Mourinho is likely to receive a warm reception from the Stamford Bridge faithful.
But with United two points below Chelsea and five points off leaders Manchester City in seventh place, Mourinho says he will have more important matters on his mind.
“I’m more focused on the game. I try to prepare myself for the matches, so I cannot say that I care. What can I expect? I don’t know,” he told reporters after United’s 4-1 Europa League win over Fenerbahce on Thursday.
“They (Chelsea fans) can think about me and remember our great relation and have a great reaction.
“They can look at me and say, for 90 minutes he’s Man United manager and he’s playing against us, so he’s not someone that we like in this moment.”
But he added: “If you ask me if my team score a goal, am I going to celebrate like a crazy kid? No, I think I can control emotionally that situation.”
Mourinho has admitted he will no longer feel a sense of invincibility when he returns to the Bridge.
He avoided a home league defeat in his first three-year stint at Chelsea and prior to a 1-0 Champions League win there with Inter Milan in March 2010 he said the stadium was “lucky” for him.
But having presided over four defeats at the Bridge last season prior to his dismissal, he concedes some of the magic has faded.
“When I played there with Inter, before that I never lost a match at Stamford Bridge because I had that home record that is still in the Guinness (World Records),” Mourinho said.
“Now I lost already a few matches at the Bridge. Last season I lost two or three matches, so I cannot use the same words because now I lost there.”
United have already lost to Manchester City and Watford this season and dropped points in draws against Stoke City and Liverpool in their two most recent outings.
But in what could be interpreted as a dig at City manager Pep Guardiola, Mourinho said the leading teams were only succeeding due to the relative easiness of their early season games.
“We are in a period where some teams are having easier fixtures,” he said.
“Maybe apparently some teams are going (well), but in a couple of weeks they play between them.
“So my feeling is that it will be really tight. One team that you think is playing for the title in March, probably in May doesn’t finish in the top four.
“I’m not a gambler, but if I was I wouldn’t bet a lot on the title or the top four because it’s a big risk to lose money.”

Known for its upbeat parties, all roads will be leading to Sky World Lounge, the only place you can find a potent mix of wild adult fun, great entertainment and crazy offers on the drinks… Come join hundreds of cool people dancing the weekend away at the most awaited party.
This is the funkiest weekend gig, with one of the best club DJs around on the decks through most of the night Video mixing the best of local and international, spanking new and classic hits to keep you on your feet all night long courtesy of Dj KaySwitch. It will be an intimate luxury VIP night filled with a wide selection of unique cocktails and premium brands served by perfectly polished team of beautiful hostesses.
Local beers retailing at ksh 200/-, when you buy Skyy Vodka 750 ml and get 2 Redbulls for free.Skyworld Lounge is located on Tom Mboya Street.
 
 
 

A new mobile app dubbed has been launched to reward you for every airtime top up. Every time you top up, you get an incentive in the form of discount vouchers at leading merchant outlets in Kenya. The incentive you get is equivalent to, or more than the amount you recharge. Thus guaranteeing you 100% more value.
For instance, when you top up a Kes 1000 airtime, XtraValue gives you a discount vouchers worth 1000 shillings. Plus your airtime top up is essentially free – that’s the benefit over traditional ways of topping up.
The convenience of XtraValue is that you can top up your phone or anyone else’s phone from wherever you are and you are guaranteed to get the same value back to spend at a variety of outlets.
You can use your discount vouchers from XtraValue at a variety of outlets in the city; restaurants, coffee shops, pubs, spas, salons, electronic stores, bookshops, pharmacies, beauty stores etc.
All you need to do now is to download XtraValue app . Once you download the app, select airtime, pay using your preferred payment method, and begin picking discount vouchers. It’s that easy!
The more you use the app to top up airtime, the more you will earn extra discount vouchers from XtraValue.
You can also refer your friend use XtraValue to top up airtime and you could both catch up over a FREE coffee at Artcaffe.
Watch visual illustration of how XtraValue works below:
 

Achieng’ Abura’s death has caught many by surprise but she has been suffering for a long time. Her major struggle has been the depression and agony caused by watching her only son Prince suffer as he sought specialized medical treatment that he could get only abroad.
For 5 years, Achieng’ struggled and sought funds to get her son to UK. The struggle changed her outlook as she revealed in an interview with Jackson Biko as those she thought as friends panned her at her time of need.
Her son Prince is still in need of urgent medical condition. He has been suffering from a heart condition while at the same time being treated for sickle cell anemia a condition he was born with. In her own words describing her son’s condition as well as explaining her struggle to raise funds the late Achieng’ Abura said
 
This was her appeal on the fundraising platforms including M-Changa. She was so determined and sure her son will make it.
She may not live to see it but given the criticism and slamming many of ‘her friends’ have been given for their hypocrisy and the prominence her death has brought to her condition, her son should sure be able to raise the 4 million shillings needed.

From Brexit to the rise of Donald Trump, 2016 has been a humbling year for political forecasters. In France, could they be wrong again in writing off the far-right’s prospects in next year’s presidential election?
Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s National Front, certainly thinks so. She sees signs of encouragement from Britain, the United States and across Europe where mass migration, inequality and terrorism have eroded old certainties.
Conventional wisdom holds that she will make it into the second round of the election next April and then lose, when centre-right and left-wing voters will back a more mainstream candidate.
This would be a similar outcome to the 2002 election when her estranged father caused a political earthquake in European politics by reaching the second round — where he was defeated by Jacques Chirac.
“There’s a global awakening,” Le Pen told reporters last month in the southern town of Frejus where supporters flocked to hear her bashing the EU, the euro and immigration.
In echoes of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” or Brexit’s “Take Control” slogans, she declared that “the time of the nation state has come again.”
But while undisciplined Trump seems to revel in his troublemaker credentials, Le Pen has been studiously avoiding controversy as part of a drive to boost her credibility.
Six months before the French go to the polls, the 48-year-old is on a mission to win over the last of the anti-FN diehards, canvassing pensioners, teachers and other groups that have long regarded the party as untouchable.
“Those who think there is no chance (of Le Pen winning) and that there is no threat from the far-right are greatly mistaken,” Jean-Marie Le Guen, the junior minister for parliamentary relations, warned recently.
“She is absolutely convinced she can win,” one of Le Pen’s advisors told AFP.
So far polls tell a different story.
Even if Le Pen wins the first round, the lingering stigma around the FN is predicted to trip her up, with her second-round rival, tipped to be former prime minister Alain Juppe, expected to easily defeat her.
A survey by the BVA polling group last month showed Juppe beating her by 66-34 percent.
The race would be a closer affair however if Le Pen came face-to-face with former president Nicolas Sarkozy, Juppe’s main challenger for the right-wing nomination in a November primary.
The same BVA survey showed a much tighter race. Sarkozy, a far more polarising figure than Juppe, would win by a smaller margin of 56-44 percent in the final duel, it said.
Convinced she can close the gap, Le Pen is continuing her drive to sanitise the FN’s image that has paid off since she took over the leadership from her father in 2011.
Gone is the anti-Semitism and overt race-baiting of the past — her rhetoric on Muslims and migrants is softer yet still effective in a country and a continent battling an unprecedented terror threat and record new arrivals.
But she cannot escape her father’s embarrassing comments that the Nazi gas chambers are a “detail of history” and Marine’s approach to the migrant crisis — she has said “we should just feed them and send them back where they came from” — has attracted scorn.
In France’s depressed north, voters in former leftist bastions have decamped in droves to the protectionist FN, out of frustration with the government’s failure to halt factory closures.
The FN, which has blamed the EU for much of France’s ills and pushed for a “Frexit” referendum on France’s EU membership, reaped the spoils of the Socialists’ demise in last year’s regional elections, topping the poll with 28 percent.
A year later, Le Pen is campaigning mainly on her own brand, which has now outgrown that of the National Front.
Jean-Yves Camus, a researcher who specialises in far-right movements, said her trump card was that she had never been in government.
“It conceals many aspects in her programme that lack credibility,” he said.
Le Pen herself says it means she does not “have to repay any favours.”
But her lack of potential allies is also her Achilles heel in a country where elections always go to a run-off.
In the past six decades, no party has ever garnered more than 50 percent alone in the first round, said Joel Gombin, a political analyst and FN specialist, who called a Le Pen win “a very unlikely scenario.”

The UN human rights council opened a special session on Syria’s devastated city Aleppo on Friday, with right s chief Zeid Ra?ad Al Hussein demanding action against “crimes of historic proportions.”
The session, called by Britain, is seeking a resolution condemning gross abuses especially in Aleppo’s rebel-held east where an estimated 250,000 civilians are besieged by a brutal government offensive backed by Russia.
“The siege and bombardment of eastern Aleppo, are not simply tragedies; they also constitute crimes of historic proportions,” Zeid said.
Calling Syria’s more than five-year civil war “a proxy conflict”, he urged parties to the fighting to set aside “global gamesmanship”.
The head of the United Nations’s commission of inquiry for Syria, Paulo Pinheiro, reiterated a call for the International Criminal Court to probe violations in the war-ravaged country.
While rights council resolutions are non-binding, regime ally Russia is expected to push back against any draft strongly condemning Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
The session, also supported by France, Germany and the United States as well as Assad rival Turkey, is aiming to adopt a resolution later Friday.

As Donald Trump avoids pledging to accept the result of the US presidential election, his rival Hillary Clinton appears to be enjoying a boost in the polls.
Jonathan Laurence, a political science professor at Boston College, told AFP he sees the Republican candidate’s snub of the very foundation of American democratic tradition as a final attempt to regain control of the race as his White House bid flails.
Question: Why has Donald Trump threatened to dispute the election results?
Answer: “He is an intuitive showman, and this is really the ultimate stage and probably his last chance at creating any suspense around his person that people care about. I view that kind of disdain for our process as a natural bubbling over of a populist sentiment that he’s been peddling across the country.
It’s not so far from the language of Malcolm X or others who were anti-system and had really lost faith in the system. But in Donald Trump’s case I don’t believe it is sincere. I think it is part of a rather talented theatrical personality, whose calling as a circus barker has taken him to one of politics’ most prominent stages.
It also has to do with how poorly things have been going for him. So there’s a diversionary aspect to it, a way to keep himself in the news cycle. He’s skilled at it because he’s practiced it in several different arenas. He understands how to goat and bait journalists and how to keep them wanting more. He’s revealing a lot of faults with our way of consuming news about politics.”
Q: What risk does questioning the reliability of the vote’s results pose to the electoral process?
A: “If you think about where populists make their hay, it’s from conveying or channeling the impression that the parties in power are not different from one another and incapable of self-reform — and therefore you need a strong-willed, charismatic outsider to knock heads and clean up the system. That works in the Netherlands, it works in France to a certain extent, it’s worked in Austria before. In Germany it’s working to a certain extent precisely because you have a grand coalition in which the two main parties are struggling to distinguish themselves from one another.
Populists can exploit that, and one step further from pointing out the cozy ecosystem of national political elite is to include the fourth estate, to suggest the media is somewhat complicit in this. And then the ultimate step is the discrediting of the institutions themselves, and to suggest they’re incapable of being fair to outsiders like himself.”
Q: What is the difference between Donald Trump’s populism and European populism?
A: “The presidential system is a different beast. Trump, should he by some electoral event arrive at the White House, would not be arriving with any legislators in tow, or rather a very small number. Whereas the populist leaders in Western Europe tend to have a political party with a political platform that the other parties are forced to compete with, and borrow from, and engage, and there are personalities up and down the organization. The Trump organization is his family portrait plus a handful of others.
It frees him, it also frees him from political reality, because there’s no way to deliver on any of these promises without Congress. And from what it appears, he plans to govern by way of the Supreme Court.”

Thailand’s football association said Friday it would ban cheering at next month’s World Cup qualifier against Australia as the nation mourns the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Thailand initially tried to change the venue of the November 15 match after the Thai king, the world’s longest reigning monarch, died last Thursday, plunging the kingdom into grief.
But Australia refused the request, according to the Football Association of Thailand (FAT).
The committee mulled banning spectators but has decided to allow fans with restrictions on cheering and dress, said FAT spokesman Patit Suphaphongs.
“All cheering and props such as drums, amplifiers and banners will be banned inside the stadium,” he told AFP.
Fans will also be barred from showing which team they support.
“They must wear black, white, grey or other sombre colours,” said Patit, adding that donning black ribbons will also be acceptable.
Most Thais have been dressed in similar mourning attire since the king’s death, with government staff ordered to forgo colours for an entire year.
Thailand’s military has asked the public to “tone down” entertainment for at least 30 days, triggering the cancellation of dozens of sporting events, concerts and other festivals.
Australia are currently second in Group B of final Asian qualifying for a place at Russia 2018, while Thailand are desperate for a win after failing to earn a point after four games.
The FAT has already cancelled the remainder of the domestic football season and said league rankings on October 14 will determine the champions and relegation candidates.

As the horses round the last bend, the crowd starts shouting, their cries crescendoing into deafening cheers as the jockeys bear down on the finish line.
“The Deacon” noses across the line in first place and a man leaps in the air, frantically waving his arms, clutching in his hand the winning betting slip.
Horse racing is a virtual religion in Mauritius and the Champ de Mars racecourse its temple.
The 200-year-old track in the centre of the capital Port Louis has long been a lure for people from across the island’s hotchpotch of cultures: Hindus, Muslims, Tamils, Chinese, Creoles and descendants of British and French settlers.
In many ways, the history of horse racing in Mauritius reflects the multi-ethnic history of the Indian Ocean archipelago nation from the colonial era to today.
Horse racing was introduced by British colonialists in 1812 and turned out to be a rare example of “equine diplomacy” — and one in which the results far exceeded expectations.
Known as “Isle de France” during its 95 years as a French protectorate, Mauritius was surrendered to the British in 1810 after a long battle for control over the Indian Ocean trade routes.
The new British governor, Robert Farquhar, had a French wife and was eager to maintain good relations with the Franco-Mauritian settlers who ran the island’s economy.
Farquhar decided to organise the first horse races in Port Louis on a former French military training ground “to bring the English and French together on neutral ground, to improve the mood in the country,” said Khalid Rawat, deputy manage of the Mauritius Turf Club.
The track’s opening was announced to the white settlers on June 15, 1812, but when the first three races were held 10 days later, organisers were amazed to find “the entire population of the island” attending.
“It wasn’t just the French and the English who were there,” Rawat said.
“All the different communities on the island were given the opportunity to visit the Champ de Mars and witness this new spectacle.”
With this, the Mauritius Turf Club was born, believed to be the third oldest racing club in the world.
Two centuries later, the passion is undimmed. The four major races of the year such as the Maiden Cup — the Mauritian equivalent of England’s prestigious Epsom Derby — still attract tens of thousands of spectators.
On an ordinary race day, around 2,000 people spent a Saturday afternoon in early October watching, betting and closely reading the racing form.
In the club’s shaded enclosure, a small gallery of spectators observed the horses being paraded ahead of the next race, looking out for telltale signs of injury, nervousness or fighting spirit.
In the yard close by, the bookies do a brisk trade inviting the public to part with their cash or take a more daring bet, shouting in Creole, “Zoue lizie ferme!” or “Play with your eyes shut!”
Races every half-hour are signalled by a loud siren from the speakers and the names of race favourites echo around the course.
Kristy Ballah, a 33-year-old banker, is all smiles. A life-long lover of horses, he took the plunge last year and invested in a racehorse, a gamble that just came good as “The Deacon” won the second race of the day.
The Champ de Mars “is a place where everyone feels comfortable bringing their family, regardless of social status,” says Ballah, dressed in a smart suit and tie.
“It’s a place where everyone feels like one big family.”
Ballah may feel like all the spectators are the same, but they don’t all watch from the same place.
Mauritian high society occupies the stands, sharply dressed and holding binoculars while those of more modest means stand track side for free.
But as Clecy Jhury, a 60-year-old retired janitor puts it, everyone’s there for the entertainment.
“The betting’s just for fun. Winning is good, but losing? That’s good too,” he says.
“I like coming here, it’s great fun,” says Franco Genave, 24, who prefers the races to watching football on television, “because it’s right there, live!”
For Rawat, the enthusiasm is understandable. “From father to son, every Mauritian’s a punter.”
But not all are in it for the harmless thrill of placing a small wager.
“Forget about the horses,” says Anais, an intent 20-year-old gambler.
“I came here to make some money.”

India ended its long-standing opposition Friday to cricket’s Decision Review System (DRS), announcing it would be included on a trial basis in next month’s Test series against England.
The Indian cricket board’s president Anurag Thakur said that its major concerns had been addressed by upgrades to the system which has been used by other Test-playing countries for the best part of a decade.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will deploy the DRS “in toto in the forthcoming series between India and England… on a trial basis to evaluate the improvements made to the system over a period of time,” Thakur said in a statement.
“We recognise the enhanced role of technology in sport and BCCI will lead such initiatives in coming days, and enrich the viewer experience.”
According to the BCCI, the significant changes to the system include the introduction of high-speed ultramotion cameras for predicting the path of the ball and Ultra Edge which will help in determining the frame of impact.
India, which accounts for the lion’s share of global cricket revenues, has been suspicious of the DRS since making a number of unsuccessful referrals during the 2008 Test series with Sri Lanka, when the technology was on trial.
The DRS uses ball-tracking, high-audio technology known as snicko and ‘hotspot’ thermal to verify umpires’ decisions.
It was made optional, rather than compulsory, at India’s insistence but most other cricketing nations including England and Australia have supported the system.
While the review system applies during ICC tournaments such as the one-day World Cup, for bilateral series it is a matter of agreement between the two teams.
It is no secret that Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar had his reservations against the DRS while current limited-over skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has also opposed it, saying technology should be used only if it was 100 percent accurate.
The first Test between India and England will be played in Rajkot from November 9-13.

The absence of Serena Williams may have robbed the season-ending WTA Finals of a blockbuster showdown with Angelique Kerber, but the great American’s withdrawal only means more accolades for the world number one from Germany after her breakout year.
Regardless of how she performs in Singapore, Kerber will be presented with the year-end number one trophy after Williams, the only woman with any chance of overtaking her at the top of the rankings, pulled out of the elite eight-player tournament with a shoulder injury.
Kerber will become just the 12th woman to finish the year ranked number one since computer rankings were introduced in 1975, and no one would begrudge the 28-year-old’s claim to the title after a career-best season in which she lifted the Australian and US Open trophies and finished runner-up at Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics.
“This is one of the things I have been dreaming of,” Kerber said. “I have worked extremely hard to become the best player I can be and this is a reflection of that effort and the wonderful year I have had.”
With the ranking trophy safely in the bag, Kerber now has her sights on picking up another major piece of silverware, the Billie Jean King Trophy for the winner of the prestigious end-of-season tournament.
Restricted to the world’s top eight players, the WTA Finals is regarded as the most important annual event in women’s tennis outside the four majors, boasting a star-studded honour roll.
While Williams has won the tournament five times, Kerber has only qualified twice before, in 2012 and 2013, bowing out in the round-robin phase each time, giving her added incentive to cap her year by winning the October 30 final.
She will go into the event as the favourite this time but facing a tough challenge from a strong and deceptively deep field, which includes last year’s winner, Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, and reigning French Open champion Garbine Muguruza of Spain.
Muguruza had her own breakout year in 2015, reaching the Wimbledon final then the semis in her first appearance at the WTA Finals.
This year, the 23-year-old went one better, claiming her first major when she upset Williams in the French Open final. She now wants to make another statement on the indoor court of Singapore.
“I think the important tournaments are the ones you’ve got to play well, the ones that really count, the ones that really take you to the top level,” she said.
“I just have a very aggressive game. I go for my shots with no regrets, even if I have to play to the fence.”
Romania’s Simona Halep, runner-up two years ago, has also qualified for Singapore, along with Czech Karolina Pliskova, who ended Williams’ reign as world number one in the semi-finals of the US Open, as well as American Madison Keys and Dominika Cilbulkova of Slovakia.
Even though the tournament starts on Sunday, the last qualifying spot remains undecided with Britain’s Johanna Konta tentatively booked to compete but at risk of being overtaken in the rankings by Svetlana Kuznetsova, if the Russian wins this weekend’s Kremlin Cup in Moscow.
“If I win the tournament, it would be amazing and that’s what I’m expecting,” Kuznetsova said.

For Courage Adams a bike is meant to be ridden onng a stair rail, or maybe backwards down some steps. Never .
Adams, who has to live up to his name to get over the bumps and scrapes that go with BMX freestyle riding, left his native Nigeria when he was six. At 20 he is now onetars of the extreme sport.
“I feel comfortable with a bike, I forget everything. Just riding, I love it,” Adams told AFP during a visit to Paris to choose locations for a video.
Adams is brave and modest.
 
“Today, Courage is one of the best pros and the best street rider in Europe,” said France’s BMX Flatland world champion Matthias Dandois.
 

Carlo Ancelotti’s Bayern Munich bid to claim a rare win over Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday as the Bundesliga leaders look to get back to winning ways in Germany’s top flight.
Having won their first eight games under Ancelotti in all competitions, Bayern then went three matches without a win but got back on track with a 4-1 thumping of PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday in the Champions League.
The Bavarians now return to domestic business, where they have slipped up in recent weeks with draws against Cologne and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Bayern are two points clear at the top of the table but need to build on their emphatic win over PSV when Arjen Robben was outstanding with two assists and a goal.
“I think we absolutely took a step forward, and we have to build on that,” skipper Philipp Lahm said after Wednesday’s match.
Bayern have failed to beat Borussia in their last four meetings and Gladbach claimed home and away league wins over the Bavarian giants in 2015.
Gladbach are buoyed by their 2-0 Champions League win at Celtic which Andre Schubert’s side needed after their 4-0 thrashing by Schalke and frustrating goalless draw with Hamburg, when they missed two penalties.
“Bayern are a very different team to Celtic, you can’t compare them with each other,” Gladbach’s Danish defender Jannik Vestergaard told the club’s website.
“Bayern have a world-class team so we need to work really hard again, but we have to try to play the way we like to, otherwise it’s going to be a long 90 minutes.”
Moenchengladbach no longer enjoy the same rivalry with Bayern as they did in the 1970s, when the clubs shared nine straight Bundesliga titles between them.
But the Foals still present a challenge having only lost once at the Allianz Arena in the last five years.
A battle royale beckons in the capital on Saturday when fourth-placed Hertha Berlin host unbeaten Cologne.
Pal Dardai’s Hertha are enjoying their best start to a campaign for 46 years and have lost only to Bayern this season, while second-placed Cologne are unbeaten in nine away games and are one of only four teams still undefeated in the Bundesliga.
The goals could well flow as Cologne’s Anthony Modeste is the league’s top scorer so far with seven, while Hertha’s Vedad Ibisevic is just behind with five.
Injury-hit Borussia Dortmund are eager to pick up a first Bundesliga win in four weeks at bottom club Ingolstadt on Saturday — Thomas Tuchel’s men had nine players out for Tuesday’s 2-1 win at Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Eintracht have been boosted ahead of their trip to Hamburg on Friday after defender Marco Russ, 31, was given the green light to return to training.
Russ has not played since being diagnosed with testicular cancer in May this year.
“It’s wonderful. He has the doctors’ permission to pursue his career once more and will now start with a programme of rehabilitation,” said coach Niko Kovac.
“To start with, he needs to work on his fitness. But he’d like to be as close to the team as possible, and wants to make the trip to Hamburg with us.”
Ex-Bayern defender Valerien Ismael makes his debut as a Bundesliga coach on Saturday when he takes Wolfsburg to Darmstadt with both teams just above the relegation places.
Wolfsburg sacked Dieter Hecking as coach on Monday after six games without a win and Frenchman Ismael has been promoted as coach from the Under-23 team.
Results in the coming weeks will dictate whether he gets the job permanently.
Fixtures (all times 1330 GMT unless stated)
Friday
Hamburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (1830)
Saturday
Bayer Leverkusen v Hoffenheim, Hertha Berlin v Cologne, Ingolstadt v Borussia Dortmund, Darmstadt v VfL Wolfsburg, Freiburg v Augsburg, Bayern Munich v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1630)
Sunday
RB Leipzig v Werder Bremen, Schalke v Mainz (1530)