Month: October 2016

Sergio Aguero was branded Manchester City’s ‘Special One’ after ending the worst run of manager Pep Guardiola’s career.
Argentina forward Aguero scored twice in the first half against West Bromwich Albion before setting up the third for Ilkay Gundogan, who also grabbed the final goal in City’s 4-0 win at the Hawthorns.
It was a welcome result for City boss Guardiola, who had gone six games in all competitions without a win.
City remain top of the Premier League on goal difference ahead of Arsenal despite their recent struggles and they can now look forward to Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Barcelona with more confidence.
Aguero’s double took his tally to 13 goals this season and he will chase his 150th for City when Guardiola’s former club visit Eastlands this week.
After dropping Aguero for City’s 4-0 defeat at Barcelona recently, Guardiola was delighted with the contribution of the former Atletico Madrid star.
“Sergio is a special player. But I would like to convince him how important he is for us,” Guardiola said.
“We need him a lot and when he’s in that mood and shows that hunger, Sergio is definitive.
“He’s an important part of this club and we want to try to help him to become a bigger and bigger part of this fantastic club.
“Sergio is so important for us. We don’t have too many strikers -? we have Sergio and Kelechi (Iheanacho) but he’s too young and he has to learn a lot.”
Aguero was sacrificed for tactical reasons in the first meeting with Barca, but Guardiola admitted his talisman has earned his place in the team for the return.
Asked if the marksman will start against Barcelona, he said: “I think so! But I’m not going to tell you which position!”
Guardiola was also pleased with Gundogan after the German playmaker netted his first brace in English football.
“Sergio scored two but so did Gundogan. He has the qualities with the ball in the middle, he’s safe and he’s really good with the ball one against one attacking central defenders,” Guardiola said.
“He showed that with the first goal with the pass to Sergio.”
Guardiola admitted City needed to end their winless run -? so they didn’t lose their heads.
“I was very pleased -? after six games we needed a win for the head (minds),” he added.
“The problem when you haven’t won for six games is you lack a bit of confidence for the next one.
“That happened in that period but we played well. But when you don’t win, your argument about how many good things you did sound like excuses.
“When we win you’re right, when we don’t, you just look for excuses.
“That’s why it was so important to win the game and I was very pleased with our performance in the first half.
“We won 4-0 but in the second half West Brom showed how good the Premier League is.
“For me it was difficult to understand why we had control in the first half, and then we didn’t in the second half with the same players.
“At 60, 65 minutes, anything could have happened, but the moment Ilkay Gundogan scored the third goal, the game was almost over.”
West Brom assistant head coach Dave Kemp admitted they couldn’t live with Aguero.
“Aguero’s two goals were tremendous. You know he’s a good player but you hope he’s off colour a little bit. He wasn’t, and you find yourself in trouble,” Kemp said.
“If something isn’t quite right they’re good enough to be all over you like a rash – as they were.
“Sometimes you have to hold your hand up. If you’re playing a lesser team sometimes you get away with it. Not against these.”

Manchester United assistant manager Rui Faria suggested sarcastically that referee Mark Clattenburg did “fantastic work” by sending off Ander Herrera during their 0-0 draw with Burnley.
United midfielder Herrera was dismissed for two bookable offences, the second of which came midway through the second half for a foul on Dean Marney.
The Spaniard appeared to slip as he made the challenge, but Clattenburg ruled it worthy of a booking and issued a red card.
Herrera wasn’t the only one to see red at Old Trafford as Faria conducted post-match media duties, with manager Jose Mourinho absent after being sent to the stand for reportedly protesting too strongly at half-time following a rejected penalty appeal.
Mourinho was believed to be angry that Clattenburg had refused to penalise Burnley full-back Jon Flanagan, who escaped punishment after appearing to catch Matteo Darmian’s trailing leg on the edge of the penalty area just before half-time.
Asked about the sending off incident, Faria said: “I just want to say it was fantastic work from the referee.”
Faria refused to confirm why Mourinho had been sent to the stand, saying: “I don’t know and I don’t think it is really important.
“I think what is important is what the referee will write in his report. I can’t give you more details.”
Despite his dismissal, Mourinho was able to communicate with Faria via written messages passed down by another member of his coaching staff, but his notes weren’t enough to stop United’s winless run in the league extending to a fourth match.
“Normally we define situations according to the difficulties of the game. Sometimes a detail is important,” Faria said.
“The team did a fantastic work from the first second of the match. We were dominant with 11 men, and we were dominant with 10.
“We fought from the first minute. We showed fantastic mentality especially after a game in the middle of the week.
“With this mentality and approach, I think we need to wait for better days ahead. I believe better days will come.”
Burnley secured their first away point of the season largely thanks to a superb goalkeeping performance from Tom Heaton.
The former Manchester United youth keeper made a series of magnificent saves, denying Jesse Lingard, Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic among others.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche saluted Heaton’s display and: “I think Tom Heaton was superb. He is in very good form.
“We kept him so quiet last year that I think he has been saving it up.”
Heaton’s best save was a block from a stinging Ibrahimovic volley, although Dyche was wary of giving the goalkeeper too much praise.
“He just spread himself. Keepers get hit in the face all the time. It’s his job,” he said.
Dyche admitted he had not realised that Mourinho had been sent off, but complimented United on continuing to attack so positively after Herrera’s dismissal.
“I thought Manchester United were first class. They opened us up, they pressed and they probed,” Dyche said.
“Massive credit should go to them because they never stopped. I’m pleased that we managed to deal with that.”

Jurgen Klopp insisted Liverpool’s defensive problems were no cause for alarm after his side maintained their push for the Premier League title with a 4-2 win away to Crystal Palace.
Despite an ultimately comfortable scoreline that drew Liverpool level on points with league leaders Manchester City and second-placed Arsenal, the visitors’ shaky backline was badly exposed at Selhurst Park at times.
Dejan Lovren was at fault when James McArthur cancelled out Emre Can?s opening goal and the centre-back later allowed the Palace midfielder to head his second goal after Lovren himself had restored Liverpool’s lead.
Saturday’s result meant the Reds have kept just one clean sheet in the league so far this term, but Liverpool manager Klopp said: “We will sort the defence. When that happens, we will see (if we can challenge in the league).
“They can defend really well — it’s normal (to have lapses). But I know that everybody will talk about this.”
The German said that singling out individual players for criticism was not his style, adding the way Liverpool responded to their early errors against the Eagles demonstrated the team’s resilience.
“I don’t go in the dressing room and say, ‘You’re a really bad defender, and you are the goalkeeper, where are you?’,” he explained.
“They are all human beings, we work on it. I am completely convinced about the quality. If they make mistakes and stay in the game, then it’s a very good test for them, and they stood it again.
“I was happy with the reaction. Not with the situation, not with the style of the game, that’s what we have to work on, but I’m happy with the reaction.”
Lovren’s fellow central defender Joel Matip put Liverpool ahead for a third time immediately before half-time and Roberto Firmino wrapped up the win midway through the second half.
But Philippe Coutinho was the game’s outstanding player and Klopp praised the contribution of the Brazilian international.
“He?s a very good football player. His work-rate is outstanding. That’s important for the team, and you cannot change this because you cannot be a genius every day,? he said.
Meanwhile home manager Alan Pardew was left frustrated by his side’s failure to capitalise on Liverpool’s mistakes, with Palace paying a heavy price for their own errors at the back.
After a successful September when they recorded three wins, the south London side have lost three games on the run and need to end that sequence if they are to avoid getting dragged towards the lower reaches of the table.
“McArthur was exceptional, he scored two goals and his energy levels were a positive force for us all game,” said Pardew.
“But at times the back four looked like it will need some work today,” the former Palace midfielder added.
Pardew also questioned Andre Marriner’s appointment for the match, after the referee awarded Liverpool a contentious penalty converted by Christian Benteke — now at Palace — in last season’s corresponding fixture, which the Reds won 2-1.
Saturday saw Marriner turn down three Palace penalty appeals and Pardew said: “I don’t think Andre Marriner should have reffed this game. He gives the penalty last year so we’ve got a negative in our mind anyway.
“And then we get three penalty calls, okay they are tight, but they are probably no worse than Christian’s last year, so it’s just a little bit frustrating that part.”
As for Liverpool’s chances of winning a first English title since they lifted the old First Division trophy in 1990, Pardew added: “They are certainly going to be close.
“Their two centre-halves are terrific, even if they made a mistake. That’s an area they are not so strong, but they played well.?

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says Olivier Giroud will continue to answer his critics after the France forward ended his goal drought in style at Sunderland.
Giroud climbed off the bench to score twice — his first Premier League goals since May — as the Gunners won 4-1 away to the bottom-of-the-table Black Cats on Saturday.
Victory extended Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions to 14 games.
It also kept them in a three-way tie at the top of the table with Manchester City and Liverpool as they strengthened their bid for a first Premier League title since 2004.
The 30-year-old Giroud has been a largely peripheral figure so far this season, and he has still to start a league game.
But he pressed his claims for more first-team action by scoring twice in the space of five minutes after his second-half introduction at the Stadium of Light.
“Mentally, Olivier is absolutely fantastic,” Wenger said.
“He’s strong every time he’s questioned, he gives you the right answer on the pitch and I admire that in him.
“He’s gone through some difficult questions, even before the European Championships in France he had been questioned by the crowd, and yet still afterwards everyone was on his side.
“I think the first two balls he touched were goals, so that shows you the quality we’ve got on the bench.”
Alexis Sanchez also scored twice as Arsenal made light of the absence of eight-goal joint top scorer Theo Walcott, who was left out to rest a minor injury.
“People have asked me whether it’s a headache to have both Giroud and Sanchez scoring, but the only headache comes when they don’t score,” said Wenger.
The Gunners were also boosted by the return of Aaron Ramsey, the Wales midfielder, who came on for his first appearance since the opening day loss to Liverpool.
Wenger insisted his side’s hectic fixture list made it easier to keep his players happy in terms of their individual time on the field.
“At the moment we’re playing every three days, so no one can play in every game,” he said. “It’s down to me to find the right balance in every single game between attacking and defending.
“Sometimes I can play Giroud and Sanchez together, and sometimes separately,” Wenger explained.
“We play so many games that everyone should be able to get the number of games they want. Sanchez is doing extremely well, or sometimes we can play two through the middle in a 4-4-2, so I will see.
“We also have Ramsey back and with Granit Xhaka available after suspension we’re in a good position. Let’s not create problems when there are none at the moment.”
After the midweek Champions League trip to Bulgarian side Ludogorets, Arsenal host fellow title contenders Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday’s North London derby.
“We’re in a good position in the table, where everybody wants to be, so we’re not complaining,” Wenger added.
“At this stage it’s too early and too tight, in addition to there being so many good teams in the league, so we go game after game.”
Sunderland levelled through Jermain Defoe’s second-half penalty, but the northeast club have yet to win this season after posting the worst start in Premier League history, with just two points from their first 10 games.
Nevertheless, under-pressure manager David Moyes insisted he could still turn things around.
“The players are doing their best, we fought hard to grow into the game and I thought at 1-1 we were the better side, but Arsenal have that quality to hurt you,” said the Scot.
“I’ve not quite been in this position before as a manager, but I’m experienced and I’ll keep doing what I do,” added the former Everton and Manchester United boss.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday warned Shiite militias in Iraq against attacking Turkmen residents of Tal Afar, a town near the Islamic State group’s Mosul bastion.
“If the Hashed al-Shaabi sow terror there, then our response will be different,” Erdogan said, in comments carried by the state-run Anadolu news agency, without specifying what measures would be taken.
The Hashed al-Shaabi, a paramilitary umbrella organisation dominated by Iran-backed Shiite militias, launched an operation on Saturday to cut Islamic State-held Mosul off from Syria.
They began pushing toward Tal Afar from the western approach to the city, the only side where ground forces, who have advanced from the north, east and south, are not yet deployed.
Tal Afar was a Shiite-majority town of mostly ethnic Turkmen before Sunni IS extremists overran it in 2014, and its recapture is a main goal of Shiite militia fighters.
The town is also key to IS for linking its Syrian stronghold of Raqa to Mosul, currently the target of a massive military offensive launched by the Iraqi government.
Erdogan assured that Turkey “would not look favourably” on an attack by Shiite militias on Tal Afar.
Since the offensive against Mosul began, Turkey has stated its opposition to the participation of Shiite militias.
The militias have in the past been accused of committing atrocities when entering Sunni-majority towns. They have already said they have no plans to enter Mosul.
Erdogan’s veiled warning came two day after his foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said that Turkey would view an advance on Tal Afar as a threat and was ready to take “adequate measures”.
Hundreds of Turkish soldiers are based at the Bashiqa camp in Mosul province in northern Iraq, officially to train Sunni volunteers.

Three-time world champion Patrick Chan held off another late charge by Yuzuru Hanyu and reigning world champ Evgenia Medvedeva lifted the women’s title Saturday at the Skate Canada Grand Prix.
The 25-year-old Canadian Chan claimed his second straight Skate Canada men’s title over Olympic champion Hanyu.
The Canadian, debuting a new free program that included three planned quadruple jumps, landed one, fell on the second and turned the third into a triple.
Runner-up Hanyu had to rally from a disappointing short program for the second year in a row. He placed fourth on Friday — not as bad as in 2015 when he finished seventh in the short but leapfrogged over five skaters to claim the silver behind Chan.
Chan finished with a total of 266.95 points, while Hanyu won the free skate — completing two of four quadruple jump attempts — en route to a total of 263.06.
“The whole week was a fight,” Chan told Canada’s TSN network. “I had a bit of a lower back issue even before the short program. I didn’t let that distract me, just committed to the plan with the quads.
“I’m looking forward to the next competition.”
Canada’s Kevin Reynolds was third with 245.06 points at the Hershey Centre Arena in Mississauga, Ontario, 28 kilometers (17 miles) southwest of Toronto.
World and European champion Medvedeva continued her streak of winning performances by earning the women’s title.
After a personal-best short program score, the 16-year-old Russian finished first in the free skate for a total score of 220.65 to easily beat Canadian runner-up Kaetlyn Osmond.
Skating to the soundtrack from Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close in the free skate, Medvedeva labored through some of her jumps but stuck to her game plan to earn a score of 144.41 points.
“So happy that I’m first today. Thank you so much,” she said.
Two-time Canadian champion Osmond finished more than 14 points back with 206.45 points while Japan’s Satoko Miyahara was third in 192.08.
Russia’s Medvedeva became the youngest world champion since Tara Lipinski in 1997 with her triumph in Boston in April.
Since winning the junior world title in 2015 she has been all but unstoppable, with victories in the Grand Prix Final, the European championships and Worlds.
The 20-year-old Osmond is still working her way back from a double leg fracture suffered in 2014.
“Definitely compared to last year, I’m beyond excited to be where I am now,” Osmond said. “Even more, I’m excited by the fact that I did make personal best scores this week.
“And there’s still a lot of room for improvement in my programs. So I’m super-happy that I was able to compete at this level this early in the season.”
Two-time world champions Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford of Canada once again dominated the pairs division by earning 218.30 overall points to beat out second-placed Yu Xiaoyu and Zhang Hao of China.
Canada’s Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, returning to Grand Prix competition for the first time since winning silver at the Sochi Winter Olympics two years ago, won the ice dance crown.
The Canadian duo led after the short dance and despite finishing second in the free dance won the title with a total of 189.06 points.
Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates topped the free dance but settled for silver on 188.24 points ahead of third-placed Canadians Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier on 182.57 points.

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique insisted his side will need an improved display when faced with the very different challenge of former Barca boss Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City after labouring to a 1-0 win over Granada on Saturday.
Barca travel to Manchester on Tuesday having thrashed Guardiola’s men 4-0 less than two weeks ago to take a commanding lead of Champions League Group C thanks to a Lionel Messi hat-trick.
However, Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar endured a rare off night in front of goal as midfielder Rafinha bagged the only goal against an ultra defensive-minded Granada.
“Now we will go to Manchester and in theory we will have a team that presses us high and we’ll be left almost one against one,” said Enrique.
“You have to be very efficient and precise to overcome that pressure. If you overcome it, you are going to have chances and, if not, the opponent will win the ball in your half with quality players.”
In contrast to their Champions League position, Barca trail eternal rivals Real Madrid by two points at the top of La Liga after 10 games.
However, with four wins in a row in all competitions, Enrique believes Barca are headed in the right direction.
“We are close to the top but we are behind,” he added.
“There are still almost all the clashes between the title rivals to come, but I think we are headed in the right direction in La Liga and the Champions League.”
Rafinha’s fine overhead finish was his fifth goal in as many La Liga games as the Brazilian continues to make the most of his opportunities in a Barca squad ravaged by injuries.
And Enrique stressed the importance of goals from midfield to back up the threat posed by Messi, Suarez and Neymar.
“He’s getting into the box more which is something we always ask of midfield players.
“That’s the important thing. We have three unique, incomparable players up front, but the more players we can have taking chances and getting into the box the better.
“It is always a boost for the midfield players to score goals and in Rafa’s case he is a player that arrives very well from deep.”

Gonzalo Higuain hit a fairytale winner as Juventus edged the Argentine’s former club Napoli 2-1 in Turin on Saturday to stretch their lead to five points at the top of Italy’s Serie A.
Higuain, who hit a Serie A record of 36 goals for Napoli last season, has become a hate figure at the San Paolo stadium after moving to Juventus for an Italian transfer record fee of 90m euros.
Although he can expect a red-hot welcome from Napoli fans, many of whom burned his shirt in disgust at his move, when the southerners host the champions on April 2, Higuain was mindful not to celebrate after hitting his seventh league goal of the season.
A superb volley by Leonardo Bonucci gave Juventus a 50th minute lead, only for Jose Callejon to beat Gianluigi Buffon four minutes later from Lorenzo Insigne’s superb chip.
A tense and tactically-tight affair, which saw a number of clashes between players, looked to be heading for a 1-1 draw.
But when Higuain’s cross for Sami Khedira spilled back into the striker’s path, he made no mistake with a first-time drive that beat Pepe Reina down low on 70 minutes.
Juventus, aiming for a record sixth consecutive ‘scudetto’ this season, now have a five-point lead on Roma ahead of their visit to Empoli.
“It was important to win tonight,” said Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri.
“If we drew, Roma could have pulled level on points with us tomorrow. Instead, we won and now Napoli are seven points behind us. I think whoever came to see us tonight had a good time.”
Napoli could drop to fourth if AC Milan account for lowly Pescara at the San Siro on Sunday.
But Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri insists they are Juve’s real rivals: “We have faith in ourselves. We’re Juve’s key rivals, and people know it.”
It took Juventus 12 minutes to fashion a decent chance but after breaking on the counter Higuain’s lay-off to Mario Mandzukic had too much pace, and Reina had time to rush out and smother at the Croat’s feet.
Higuain should have done better on 24 minutes later when he latched on to Sami Khedira’s slide rule pass behind the Napoli defence, only to be thwarted by Vlad Chiriches’s late challenge.
Napoli’s slick passing game impressed, but without injured Polish striker Arkaduisz Milik, bought as Higuain’s replacement from Ajax, the visitors lacked an aerial threat.
Sarri admitted Higuain’s departure still hurt.
“We lost one of the best forwards in the world and the club made the decision to buy young players. I think the club made the right choice,” he added.
When Brazilian midfielder Allan powered towards goal unchallenged, his tame drive from 25 yards gave Buffon no trouble.
Injury to Chiellini then prompted coach Massimiliano Allegri to introduce Juan Cuadrado shortly before the interval but the Colombian, who came off the bench to hit the winner in a 1-0 Champions League win at Lyon two weeks ago, was beaten to the opener.
A messy clearance by Faouzi Ghoulam following a corner caught Bonucci’s attention and he turned quickly to smash a superb volley past Reina and into the roof of the net five minutes after the restart.
“This win is down to Juve never-say-die spirit. Tonight that’s the attitude we had, after being without it at the San Siro (when Juve lost to AC Milan last week),” said Bonucci.
The match sprang into life and on a Napoli counter moments later Mertens narrowly failed to connect with Lorenzo Insigne’s inswinger from the left.
From the corner, Ghoulam’s delivery found Koulibaly at the far post but the Senegal defender’s cross back towards goal was headed out by Mandzukic.
It was encouraging stuff from Napoli and they earned just rewards only two minutes later when a delightful Insigne chip found Callejon in behind the Juve defence.
The Spain international controlled perfectly and smashed a low drive under Buffon to pull the scores level on 54 minutes.
With seven goals in 11 appearances, it equalled his total league tally for last season.
Sarri replaced a tiring Insigne with Emanuele Giaccherini on the hour but it was Juve who struck next, Higuain driving his low drive through the legs of Chiriches to leave Reina, his former teammate, rooted to the spot.

Saudi-led coalition air strikes on rebel-held security buildings in western Yemen have killed at least 60 people, many of them inmates buried under the rubble of a detention centre.
The strikes late Saturday came just hours after other coalition raids hit three residential buildings in the southwest, killing 17 civilians.
The Shiite Huthi rebels on Sunday said a new UN peace plan aimed at ending the country’s 19-month-old war was a “basis for discussion” despite “fundamental flaws”.
Yemen’s President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi on Saturday, however, rejected the proposal aimed at ending fighting between forces loyal to his government and the rebels and their allies.
The war escalated in March 2015 when the coalition launched a military campaign to push back the rebels, after they seized the capital in 2014 and then advanced on other parts of Yemen including the province of Hodeidah.
In the latest deadly strikes in Hodeidah, which the rebels have controlled since late 2014, coalition warplanes hit a rebel-held security compound in the town of Zaidia.
“Sixty people in total were killed and dozens were wounded,” a health official said.
Most of the victims were anti-rebel detainees who were being held among 100 inmates in two cells at the detention centre, he said.
It remains unclear why the coalition would hit a detention centre holding anti-rebel inmates.
AFP footage from the site showed the bloodied limbs and bodies of the victims covered in dust and buried under the rubble as sirens wailed nearby.
“We were about to go to sleep when an air strike targeted us,” said one wounded man at a hospital in the area.
“We ran away and a second air strike hit us again,” he said, as medics rushed around bringing in wounded victims covered in blood.
The rebel-controlled sabanews.net also gave a toll of 60 killed and 38 wounded, adding that “dead bodies are still being retrieved” from under the rubble.
Coalition warplanes over the area “are hampering attempts to save the victims and retrieve bodies”, sabanews.net reported.
“The number of victims could rise further due to the lack of medical supplies,” it said, quoting a medical source who blamed the coalition’s “blockade”.
A lack of ambulances “has made attempts to transfer critical cases to hospitals in the city of Hodeidah more difficult”, the source said.
International aid groups have repeatedly voiced concern over the rising need for aid in Yemen, where malnutrition has increased in the past few months.
Elsewhere on Saturday, strikes killed 17 civilians and completely destroyed three residential buildings in a town southeast of third city Taez, sabanews.net said.
A local official loyal to Hadi’s government said the air strikes in the town of Salo had hit three adjacent homes by mistake.
But the coalition — which has come under pressure over the high civilian death toll from its bombing campaign — has so far not commented on either of the attacks.
The conflict has killed nearly 7,000 people, mostly civilians, since March 2015, according to the United Nations, which has been struggling to convince the warring parties to implement a ceasefire and revive a stalled political process.
The rebels — who are allied with troops who have remained loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh — on Sunday said the latest UN peace plan was a “basis for discussion” despite “fundamental flaws”.
They said the plan by UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed did not include a “total, permanent ceasefire” or foresee lifting the blockade against areas they control.
The contents of the roadmap, which Hadi rejected on Saturday, have not been made public.
But informed sources say it calls for agreement on naming a new vice president after the rebels withdraw from Sanaa and other cities and hand over heavy weapons to a third party.
Hadi would then transfer power to the vice president who would appoint a new prime minister to form a government in which the north and south of Yemen would have equal representation.
The president has slammed the UN proposal as one that “rewards the putschists while punishing the Yemeni people and legitimacy”.

Sebastian Vettel admitted he accidentally blocked Lewis Hamilton during Saturday?s qualifying session for the Mexican Grand Prix and said he would accept a stewards? penalty.
But despite it being an obvious incident, and Hamilton?s complaints about it on team radio, the stewards did nothing to investigate.
?I did it, but I had no idea that he was coming,? Vettel explained. ?I was told too late. Yes, it?s my mistake so if they give me a penalty then go ahead. Nothing I can do now.”
Vettel was on a warm-up lap and weaving over the circuit in the stadium section of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez when Hamilton caught him and was forced to pass him on the way into the Peraltada corner.
Hamilton still recorded the fastest lap of the session.
After their encouraging form on Friday, both Ferrari drivers slipped back on Saturday and Vettel qualified seventh behind his team-mate Finn Kimi Raikkonen who blamed an engine problem for his inability to improve.
?I felt it a bit in my first try in the last part and I really don?t know what happened,? said Raikkonen.
?We will have to see what we can do. Obviously, it was not ideal and we could not use the second set of super-soft tyres.?
?My first qualification was good -? better than all the rest of the weekend, but the second was a bit of a struggle. I think it was possible to gain a few places, we had a lot of speed, but we just couldn?t use it in Q3.?

Championship leader Nico Rosberg rescued his record of qualifying in the top two at every race this season when he grabbed second place behind pole-sitting Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in Saturday?s qualifying for Sunday?s Mexican Grand Prix.
Just when it looked likely that defending champion Hamilton would have the luxury of two cars between him and series leader Rosberg for the start of the race, the German produced his best lap of the weekend in the final seconds.
It enabled him to rescue his prospects of clinching his maiden title at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez where a repeat of his victory last year, coupled with Hamilton scoring only one point or fewer, would see him take his team-mate?s crown.
?Lewis?s lap was brilliant today, not so much mine,? admitted Rosberg afterwards.
?But I managed to put it together when it counted so I am pleased with that. It still gives me a great chance for tomorrow.
?I took a bit longer than usual this weekend to find the way with my car and generally with the tyre temperatures on the cold side, but I got there in the end.?
Hamilton?s pace and dominating form meant he continued his fighting late-season defence of his world title as he secured his 10th pole position of the season and the 59th of his career.
It was the Mercedes team?s 12th one-two lockout on the grid this year.
That means Hamilton is six behind fellow three-time champion Ayrton Senna in the record books and nine adrift of the all-time record holder seven-time champion Michael Schumacher.
?It is always so tough trying to pull out a perfect lap when it matters,? admitted the relieved three-time world champion. ?Today was definitely very, very challenging.
?I think there is more grip on the track now than last year when we were sliding around a lot more. Today, for me, it felt more like a race track.?
He added that he had no special tactics planned for the race.
?I am here and I have turned up to do the job and I?ll try and do the same thing I did last week (when he won in Austin). I?m looking forward to the race and the car feels great.?
The defending champion dominated the session and delivered a best lap in one minute and 18.704 seconds, two-tenths of a second clear of championship leader Rosberg.
?I could have been three- or four-tenths quicker on my final lap,? said Hamilton. ?So although I am happy to have pole, I know I could have been faster.
?It?s a long run down to the first corner and we know the tyres are going to be a factor. It?s going to be a big challenge to look after the tyres.?
Rosberg added that he also had no special tactics for Sunday?s showdown, but was intent on winning the race.
?I?m just looking to go out and do my best and like we have seen in other races this year it is not so bad to start second -? I can win and that is what I want to do.?
Dutchman Max Verstappen looked sure to take second until Rosberg?s final fastest effort and he wound up third for Red Bull ahead of his team-mate Australian Daniel Ricciardo.
The Red Bull pair will start Sunday?s race on super-soft tyres while the Mercedes men will be on ordinary softs, a strategic decision that may create a dramatic opening lap at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
?I have had a good feeling with the car all weekend,? said Verstappen. ?I was getting better and better, but it was a shame in Q3. I couldn?t get the lap together.
?We have a different strategy for tomorrow.?
Ricciardo said: ?I don?t know how close we were to pole and I guess everyone had handling issues out there ?- for me, I had pretty terrible balance. It was a handful.”

Spain’s conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy won back power Saturday, at the age of 61, after a war of attrition against younger rivals who under-estimated his resistance after 35 years in politics.
Just like in 2005 when he emerged from a helicopter crash with just a broken finger, Rajoy survived an unprecedented political crisis that left Spain without a fully-functioning government for 10 months.
In power since 2011, his Popular Party (PP) lost its absolute majority in inconclusive December 2015 elections even though it came first. Since then Rajoy had headed up a caretaker government as no party managed to form a viable coalition.
He made use of that time to vaunt Spain’s return to growth under his watch, after the country came close to economic collapse, and warned against a return to power for the Socialists, whom he links to the crisis’s darkest days.
During his 2011-2015 mandate, Rajoy was nicknamed “the plasma prime minister” after he conducted press conferences via video screen to avoid sensitive questions on issues such as the corruption afflicting his party.
“The headline could be: 300 days later, the boring plasma prime minister knocks out the three young emerging leaders who had come to eat him alive,” said Anton Losada, politics professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela.
Faced with three young rivals — Socialist chief Pedro Sanchez, 44, the 38-year-old leader of far-left Podemos Pablo Iglesias, and centrist Ciudadanos head Albert Rivera, 36 — he slammed them as “amateurs.”
Playing on fears of change as Spain emerged from the crisis, his party came first in December polls and did even better in repeat elections in June, just days after Britain voted to leave the European Union.
“It’s obvious that he is an uncharismatic leader but he has perfect control of time and incredible knowledge of the decision-making process,” said Narciso Michavila, an expert in electoral analysis who has advised Rajoy.
He saw “very clearly” that the rivalry between Iglesias and Sanchez would stop them from forming a left-wing government and “he left everyone fight it out,” he added.
Then last weekend, the Socialists — divided and under pressure — ousted Sanchez and opted to let Rajoy rule at the head of a minority government by abstaining in Saturday’s parliamentary confidence vote.
Born in 1955 in Santiago de Compostela in the conservative, northwestern Galicia region, Rajoy is the eldest son of a provincial court president.
Trained as a lawyer, Rajoy turned to politics at a young age, joining the Popular Alliance, the party founded by ministers of former dictator Francisco Franco which later became the PP.
He later became the right-hand man of Jose Maria Aznar, who was Spanish leader from 1996 to 2004, serving in several ministerial posts.
As spokesman for the government in the later years of Aznar’s leadership, Rajoy shielded him from criticism over his handling of the 2002 Prestige tanker spill or Spain’s participation in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Aznar appointed him as his successor, but Rajoy went on to lose two general elections to the Socialists before voters finally handed him the premiership in 2011 as Spain suffered the ravages of the crisis.
In a rare television chat on his personal life before the December elections, Rajoy said he never had many girlfriends, although he eventually married in his early forties and has two sons.
In politics, he has been described as a “rigid” and even “uncompromising” prime minister by people close to Sanchez and leaders in Catalonia, Spain’s wealthy northeastern region where an independence movement has gathered pace since Rajoy came to power.
But as he looks for support for his minority government — the PP only has 137 parliamentary seats out of 350 — Rajoy has promised “dialogue” with his rivals.
Still, he appears unwilling to modify the course of his economic policies marked by sweeping spending cuts — the reason why upstart Podemos, born in 2014 out of vociferous anti-austerity protests, rose as quickly as it did.

Egypt on Saturday condemned the Saudi head of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for mocking its President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in comments that provoked outrage among Egyptians.
OIC Secretary General Iyad Madani, a former Saudi minister, had mixed up Sisi’s name with that of Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi.
“Mr President Beji Caid al-Sisi. Essebsi sorry. This is a big mistake. I’m sure your fridge has more than water, your excellency,” he told the Tunisian leader at a conference.
He was referring to widely derided comments made by Sisi this week in which he claimed that his fridge only had water in it for a decade.
Madani’s remark was “a serious encroachment against a founding member state of the organisation and its political leadership,” Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said in a statement.
“Such remarks do not conform with the responsibilities and the duties of the organisation’s secretary general position, and fundamentally affect his ability to carry out his duties,” he added in the statement in English.
Madani, who has headed the 57-member bloc since 2014, has apologised, saying in a statement he meant no “insult to the Egyptian leadership”.

Lewis Hamilton continued his fighting late-season defence of his world title by grabbing pole position ahead of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in Saturday’s tense qualifying session for Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix.
The defending three-time world champion dominated the session and delivered a best lap in one minute and 18.704 seconds, two-tenths of a second clear of championship leader Rosberg who salvaged a front row starting spot with the last lap of the top-ten shootout action.
Hamilton?s success brought him his 10th pole position of the season and the 59th of his career.
?It?s always so tough trying to pull out the perfect laps when it matters,? said a relieved Hamilton. ?Definitely, for me, very challenging.?
Hamilton is 26 points behind Rosberg in the title chase with three races left.
If the German wins on Sunday and Hamilton scores just one point or fewer then Rosberg will be world champion for the first time.
Dutchman Max Verstappen looked sure to take second until Rosberg?s final fastest effort and he wound up third for Red Bull ahead of his team-mate Australian Daniel Ricciardo.
?It?s the front row and I am glad of that,? said Rosberg. ?I?m not on pole, but I have a chance from there. I don?t know why I have struggled to tune in the car, but I am there now. It was a brilliant lap by Lewis. I put it together when it counted.”
The Red Bull pair will start Sunday?s race on super-soft tyres while the Mercedes men will be on ordinary softs, a strategic decision that may create a dramatic opening lap at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Nico Hulkenberg also delivered a spectacular late lap to take fifth place for Force India ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari.
Valtteri Bottas was eighth ahead of his Williams team-mate Felipe Massa and Carlos Sainz who was 10th for Toro Rosso.
On a bright, but cool day at the Autodrom Hermanos Rodriguez, Briton Jolyon Palmer was ruled out of qualifying shortly before it began because Renault had discovered a crack in his chassis.
The team planned to build up a new car for him to race on Sunday, starting from the back of the grid.
When the action started, Hamilton was one of the first of the leading men into the fray for Q1. He was soon fastest before Vettel and Raikkonen clocked quicker times with their early laps, but responded to top the pack.

Liverpool kept pace with Premier League top two Manchester City and Arsenal with a dramatic 4-2 success at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
A breathless first half saw both sides take advantage of defensive errors, with Palace twice levelling through James McArthur after Liverpool took the lead with goals from Emre Can and Dejan Lovren.
Joel Matip’s 44th-minute header gave the visitors a half-time advantage and Roberto Firmino’s second-half effort secured a win that left Jurgen Klopp’s men behind City and Arsenal on goal difference.
While the Merseysiders’ vibrant display showcased their attacking talents -? assisted by a generous Palace defence — lapses at the back again raised questions about their ability to sustain their title challenge.
Liverpool have kept just one clean sheet in 10 league games this season and Lovren’s failings in particular complicated what should have been a routine victory.
But if Klopp had reason to be frustrated about elements of his side’s display, Palace manager Alan Pardew had even more grounds for complaint.
The hosts’ porousness meant that even when they twice came back to level, they never looked like kicking on to record what would have been only a sixth league win in 2016.
Initially the game had the look of an uneven contest when a typically incisive move, orchestrated by Philippe Coutinho, brought about Can’s opening goal after 16 minutes.
Coutinho picked out left-back Alberto Moreno, whose volleyed cross was turned home by Can with a first-time shot from 10 yards.
Already things looked bleak for Pardew’s side, but within two minutes they were gifted a route back into the game.
A long clearance by Palace goalkeeper Steve Mandanda was headed on by former Liverpool striker Christian Benteke.
The flick should have been dealt with comfortably by Liverpool’s centre-backs, but Matip squared for Lovren, whose mishit, looping pass allowed McArthur to nip in and head the ball over the advancing Loris Karius.
That was the first time Palace had threatened and should have given the home side the chance to settle into the game.
Instead, they were undone in similarly routine fashion in the 21st minute when Lovren made amends for his error by easily rising above Palace skipper Scott Dann to head past Mandanda from Coutinho’s corner.
Both managers were already fuming at their side’s mistakes and there was worse to come for Klopp, who saw his side pegged back once again 11 minutes later with Lovren once again the weak link.
The move was familiar: a ball lifted towards Benteke, whose headed flick found Wilfried Zaha wide on the right.
When the winger delivered a cross towards the near post Lovren was flat-footed and McArthur nipped ahead of him to head home.
Fortunately for Klopp’s side they were facing an equally vulnerable side whose defence appeared on the point of collapse whenever threatened.
The fact that the diminutive Coutinho was allowed to win a header unmarked spoke volumes about Palace’s problems and it took an excellent save from Mandanda to push the Brazilian’s effort against the post.
Sixty seconds later Sadio Mane sliced a first-time shot over the bar when he had time and space to pick his spot.
In another game those misses might have been costly, but another chance was always likely to come along quickly.
So it proved a minute before the break when Matip was left completely unattended to head past Mandanda.
The second half continued in similar fashion, albeit with fewer glaring defensive errors, with Mane again guilty of failing to make more of a clear chance while Benteke was denied by a fine save from Karius.
But Firmino’s well-taken chipped finish from Jordan Henderson’s through ball in the 71st minute ensured Liverpool could see out the final stages in relative comfort.

Rangers manager Mark Warburton hailed his side’s 3-0 Scottish Premiership win over Kilmarnock as their best performance of the season.
The Glasgow giants moved up to second place in the table thanks to goals from Lee Wallace, Andy Halliday and Joe Garner in Saturday’s game.
It was the Ibrox club’s biggest league win of the season and Warburton was delighted by the manner of the victory.
“I thought the first half especially was by far our best performance this season,” the Gers gaffer said.
“We started off really well and with a real statement of intent. We wanted to come out and be dynamic and positive in our decision-making and I thought we were.
“We got the early chances straight away and I think our intention was clear. When we lost the ball, we rushed to get it back quickly and win it high up the park, which we did, and we created a host of chances.
“We knew Lee Clark would look to galvanise Kilmarnock at half-time so we wanted to come out and get our foot on the ball and score the next goal, which we did really early.
“I thought we just controlled the game from there. Maybe the tempo dipped a little bit in the second half, understandably, but we were playing a very good Kilmarnock side who were high in confidence coming here.
“It was a good 90 minutes work and very pleasing afternoon’s work.”
The result left Rangers nine points behind Celtic — who have a game in hand — after a first-half goal from Australian international Tom Rogic helped the Hoops to a 1-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
Rangers are unbeaten in four league games, but have yet to win more than two games in a row this season.
Warburton knows his side need to maintain that level of performance if they are to mount a credible title challenge.
“We’ve always spoken about consistency of performance. We have to maintain that tempo, playing the ball forward and not backward or square and be positive,” the former Brentford boss said.
“But you’ve got to have forward options and today the player on the ball had four or five options every time so it was a pleasing afternoon’s work.
“We go into a well deserved break now and we’ll work hard this week for a tough trip to Ross County.”
Rangers released their annual accounts on Friday, which showed an increased turnover and revealed the club’s losses have been cut in half.
Chairman Dave King pledged to back his manager in the transfer market and Warburton says he is in constant communication with managing director Stewart Robertson and finance director Andrew Dickson about targets.
“The fact is that the communication is really good. We speak to Stewart and Andy every single day,” Warburton said. “We have that constant communication and if you can do that then you’re in a good place.
“What you don’t want is no communication. There’s no doubt about the support we’ve received and I hope the communication both ways remains strong.”

Robert Lewandowski revealed Saturday he is close to signing a new deal with Bayern Munich, which could reportedly make the Poland hot-shot the club’s highest earner.
Lewandowski netted his seventh goal in nine league games so far this season when he scored twice in their 3-1 win at Augsburg to leave Carlo Ancelotti’s Bayern two points clear in the German league.
The 28-year-old’s contract expires in June 2019, but Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is said to be eager to secure the services of Lewandowski, the Bundesliga’s top scorer last season with 30 goals in 32 games, on a bumper contract.
“I don’t think it will take much longer, but we need to have a bit more patience,” said Lewandowski.
“I haven’t signed the contract yet. When we have find a few solutions (to a few issues) we will inform everyone.”
According to magazine SportBild, Lewandowski has an offer to extend his current deal to 2021 which would make him the club’s best paid player, outstripping Thomas Muller’s reported salary of 15 million euros ($16.5m).
Lewandowski scored 42 goals in all competitions last season, including nine in the Champions League, and has scored 54 goals in 72 league games since joining Bayern from Dortmund in 2014.
Bayern are away to PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday in the Champions League and Lewandowski has scored twice in their two European games so far.
The Germans giants are second in Group D, three points behind Atletico Madrid, who they play in early December.

Orlando Pirates had the better scoring chances during a 0-0 draw with Kaizer Chiefs Saturday in a lively first Soweto derby of the South African season.
Pirate Thabo Rankale was let down by his first touch midway through the opening half at a near-full Soccer City stadium, which accommodates 93,000 spectators.
A superb pass from Riyaad Norodien set up the winger in front of goal, but his poor control allowed Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune to rush forward and snatch the ball.
Former African champions Pirates had an even better chance to break the deadlock just after half-time on a hot southern hemisphere spring day.
Zimbabwean Tendai Ndoro sprinted toward goal and crossed to unmarked Gift Motupa at the far post, but a hopeless close-range attempt flew over.
Chiefs did not have a shot on target until the 76th minute, then came close to scoring twice within 60 seconds.
Pirate Ntsikelelo Nyauza headed a goal-bound shot clear after goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo found himself stranded outside the penalty area.
Almost immediately, Chiefs substitute Siphiwe Tshabalala saw his low shot that seemed destined for the corner of the net pushed away by Mhlongo.
Chiefs finished stronger and when Pirates blocked a close-range shot from substitute Edward Manqele, three corners ensued.
However, in keeping with the poor standard of set-pieces throughout the game, none seriously threatened to create a last-gasp winning goal.
The result enabled Chiefs to regain top place in the South African Premiership on goal difference from Durban-based Golden Arrows seven rounds into the season.
Pirates remained fourth on the 16-club standings, four points behind Chiefs with a match in hand.
“There was plenty of action but, unfortunately, no goals, We had chances but did not take them,” said Chiefs coach and former South Africa captain Steve Komphela.
“I thought our centre-backs Erick Mathoho and Lorenzo Gordinho and defensive midfielder Willard Katsande were outstanding.
“Where we failed was counter-attacking — the ball was moved too slowly to catch out Pirates,” he conceded.
Turkey-born Pirates coach Muhsin Ertugral said: “I am not happy with the result as we had enough scoring chances to have won, especially the one that fell to Motupa just after half-time.
“I was happy with our organisation and with a little more luck the three points would have been ours.”
The latest match in the 46-year history of Soweto derbies had to take a media backstage for much of the week as Mamelodi Sundowns celebrated their first CAF Champions League title.
The Pretoria club completed a 3-1 aggregate triumph over Zamalek in Egypt last Sunday and dominated TV, radio, social media and newspaper coverage for four days.
It meant the Soweto derby — one of the top five domestic club fixtures in Africa — only came to the fore Friday.

Newcastle chalked up a sixth successive victory as the Championship leaders cemented their position with a 2-1 win at Preston on Saturday.
Just days after routing Preston in the League Cup, Rafael Benitez’s side were made to work harder at Deepdale but eventually emerged with the points.
Aleksandar Mitrovic struck just before the hour mark to put Newcastle ahead.
Serbian forward Mitrovic netted again in the 71st minute to add to his brace against Preston in midweek before Jermaine Beckford pulled one back to ensure a tense finish for Newcastle.
Second placed Brighton are three points behind Newcastle after they hammered promotion rivals Norwich 5-0 at the Amex Stadium.
The Seagulls are unbeaten in nine league games thanks to Glenn Murray’s hat-trick and further goals from Lewis Dunk and Anthony Knockaert.
Huddersfield, who led the table for several weeks, are third after a dismal 5-0 defeat at Fulham.
The Terriers have now lost three of their last four games and are three points adrift of Brighton after Fulham’s Chris Martin helped himself to a double.
Tomas Kalas, Lucas Piazon and Kevin McDonald also scored as the Cottagers eased to victory.
Reading moved into the play-off places as goals from Garath McCleary and Chris Gunter sealed a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest.
Bristol City also maintained their place in the top six with a 2-2 draw against Barnsley.
Lee Tomlin’s penalty cancelled out Marley Watkins’ opener for Barnsley.
Tammy Abraham, enjoying a superb season on loan from Chelsea, restored City’s lead in the 76th minute, but Adam Hammill’s stoppage-time goal salvaged a point from the hosts.
Sheffield Wednesday slipped out of the play-off positions as struggling Derby boosted their survival chances with a 2-0 win at the iPro Stadium.
Cyrus Christie and Alex Pearce scored the goals for Steve McClaren’s team.
Chris Wood and Souleymane Doukara were on the scoresheet as Leeds eased to a 2-0 home victory over Burton.
Jordi Gomez fired a late winner at Cardiff as managerless Wigan picked up just their second Championship victory in 13 games.
The Latics, who sacked Gary Caldwell as boss on Tuesday, beat the Bluebirds 1-0 but are still stuck in the relegation zone.
Rotherham remain rooted to the bottom of the table after conceding a late equaliser against Ipswich in a dramatic 2-2 draw.
Freddie Sears opened the scoring for Ipswich before Danny Ward’s double helped Kenny Jackett’s team to the lead.
The Millers looked to be on their way to just their second win of the season but David McGoldrick struck deep into stoppage-time.

Sudan has urged African members to quit the Hague-based ICC which it said was a “new colonial tool” against African leaders, after South Africa announced its decision to withdraw last week.
Kenyatta, who was himself investigated by the ICC over deadly 2007-2008 post-election violence, was welcomed at Khartoum airport by his counterpart Omar al-Bashir, who is also wanted by the ICC on war crimes charges related to the conflict in Darfur.
The ICC was dealt a blow last week when South Africa announced its intention to withdraw.
Burundi had already declared its intention to withdraw, and earlier this week Gambia became the latest African nation to follow their lead.
The ICC, created in 2002, is often accused of bias against Africa and has struggled with a lack of cooperation, including from the United States, which has signed the court’s treaty but never ratified it.
Of the 10 ICC investigations since 2002, nine have been into African countries and one into Georgia — and most ICC cases have been referred to the court by African governments themselves.
Pretoria’s decision followed a dispute last year when South Africa faced international condemnation for not arresting Bashir when he visited for an African Union summit.
Kenyatta and Bashir are expected to discuss Kenya’s possible withdrawal from the ICC, Sudanese officials said.
“President Kenyatta’s visit comes at an important time,” Sudan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kamal Ismail told reporters at Khartoum airport.
Asked specifically about Kenya’s possible withdrawal from the ICC, Kamal replied: “This is an issue for Kenya. When it decides to withdraw is something that Kenya will decide.”
The ICC faced a severe setback in late 2014 when prosecutors dropped a crimes against humanity case against Kenyatta for his alleged involvement in post-election violence in the east African country.
Bashir is wanted by the ICC for war crimes and genocide related to the conflict in Darfur, which has left at least 300,000 people dead, according to the United Nations.

Hundreds of people braved the late autumnal cold in Moscow on Saturday to remember victims of the Stalin era, reading out names of people murdered at the height of the Terror.
Some 200 people congregated opposite the former headquarters of Joseph Stalin’s secret service, home to the FSB and its KGB predecessor, for a ceremony organised by the Memorial NGO in memory of victims killed in the peak of Soviet repression.
“Jiganin, Ivan Georgievich, 59, roads and waterways employer, shot dead on December 31, 1937; Eromenko, Grigori Mitrofanovich, 22, worker, shot dead March 16, 1938; Gerassimov Nikolai Grigorievich, 33, PE teacher, shot dead April 13, 1937…”
Just three names on a long list underscoring the apparent arbitrary nature of those selected for the firing squad.
Victims, ranging from teenagers to pensioners, came from all walks of life. Some were Russians, others Jews, Tatars, Poles.
Some were soldiers, others civilians. Victims were anything from priests or nuns, to simple workers, engineers, bakers, civil servants or tram drivers.
Some emotional participants added their own personal tributes to Saturday’s proceedings.
“And my father, shot in 1938,” said one.
“My grandfather, starved to death in a camp,” added another.
“I have come to honour the memory of all these victims of terror,” said Nikolai Borissov, a 36-year-old restaurateur.
“Several members of my family were shot and my grandmother spent years in a gulag.”
Historians estimate about a million people perished in Stalin’s Terror or Great Purge in the mid-1930s of around 20 million who died under his three-decade rule before his death in 1953.
Saturday’s ceremony came ahead of Sunday’s Day of Remembrance for victims of political repression which former president Boris Yeltsin set up in 1991, though the Russian authorities are not officially commemorating the date.
Some 20 diplomats from the United States, Europe and Canada attended Saturday’s gathering to place wreathes on a rock memorial set in a Moscow park near Red Square from Solovki in Russia’s far North, the site of one of the first gulags.
Stalin’s grave is barely a stone’s throw away at a necropolis outside the Kremlin walls.
Dozens of towns were meanwhile holding masses to mark the Stalin era victims.
Commemorating victims of repression remains controversial to the point of being deemed unpatriotic 25 years after the Soviet Union’s demise as Russia today witnesses increased rehabilitation of Stalin and nostalgia for his era.
That nostalgia finds expression in calendars bearing his likeness while recent years have seen statues erected to him in several cities, notably last June by the Military Historical Society under Vladimir Medinski, the culture minister.
In contrast, earlier this month, authorities declared Memorial, a leading civil rights group founded by dissident and Nobel peace prize laureate Andrei Sakharov in 1989, a “foreign agent.”
Dozens of other groups have had the same label attached under recent legislation which government opponents have criticised as a crackdown on civil society.

Dutch teenager Max Verstappen grabbed top spot for Red Bull ahead of Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes in Saturday morning?s third and final free practice ahead of Sunday?s Mexican Grand Prix.
In a frantic end to a one hour session that saw the Red Bull team show their pace in the bright, clear, but cool conditions, Verstappen wound up just 0.094 seconds clear of defending champion Hamilton who was held up by traffic.
Verstappen?s Red Bull team-mate Australian Daniel Ricciardo also showed a big improvement to take third place ahead of championship leader Nico Rosberg in the second Mercedes, the German four-tenths of a second off the pace.
Valterri Bottas was fifth for Williams ahead of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel and his Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa in the second Williams.
Nico Hulkenberg was ninth in his Force India and Carlos Sainz 10th for Toro Rosso.
Rosberg, who has a 26 points lead with three races remaining, struggled to make an impact on the session. He can win the title on Sunday if he wins and Hamilton scores no more than one point.
Verstappen?s best lap was inside Rosberg?s pole position time set in qualifying at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez a year ago and signalled that, unless the leader can find a big improvement, the prospects for Sunday?s race and the championship could be given a major shake-up in qualifying later Saturday.

Sergio Aguero’s brace ended Pep Guardiola’s worst run as a manager as Manchester City turned on the style with a 4-0 win at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
Aguero has been linked with a move away from City after being dropped for a Champions League tie at Barcelona recently, but he underlined his value with clinical first-half goals at the Hawthorns.
The Argentine forward, who had gone six games without a goal, then turned provider for Ilkay Gundogan on 79 minutes before the latter sealed it in the closing moments.
Victory ended City’s six-match winless run in all competitions and was the perfect preparation for their Champions League clash with Guardiola’s former side Barcelona on Tuesday.
City, who made eight changes from Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester United in the League Cup, rarely looked in danger and controlled much of the game as they matched their biggest Premier League win of the season.
West Brom forced the first opening when Nacer Chadli’s first-time effort swerved away from goal after Craig Dawson won the ball on the byline and Salomon Rondon teed him up.
City responded with a floated effort from Raheem Sterling that forced a save from Ben Foster and the visitors had the ball in the net in the ninth minute when Aguero squared for Nolito to tap home, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
City began to exert control and forced two chances in quick succession.
First Sterling tested Foster with a fierce volley that was palmed away, then John Stones produced a glaring miss after being left free from Nolito’s cross, firing wide from five yards out.
Given the pressure from the visitors, it was no surprise when City took the lead.
Gundogan split the Baggies defence as Aguero peeled off his man and slotted home across Foster from an acute angle.
Aguero was in superb form and set up the next chance when he robbed Darren Fletcher in midfield and fed Gundogan, whose pass released Nolito.
His shot beat Foster but hit Gareth McAuley in front of the line.
City fans didn’t have to wait long for a second goal as Aguero claimed his 13th of the season.
It was a thumping strike to live long in the memory as he took advantage of some sloppy passing from Dawson and Fletcher just outside the Albion box to rifle an unstoppable drive into the top corner of the net.
Two minutes after the break, David Silva’s skidding left-foot drive clipped Nolito and deflected just wide.
Gundogan was next to try his luck when he attempted to pick his spot inside the box, but his side-footed effort trickled wide.
West Brom made a double substitution six minutes after the break when Jonathan Leko and James Morrison replaced Jonas Olsson and Fletcher.
Chris Brunt set up Rondon with a pass that had keeper Claudio Bravo racing to the edge of his area and Rondon, West Brom’s record signing, then headed narrowly wide.
But City were always a threat and Sterling screwed his shot over after some pinball in the Albion box.
West Brom should have scored in the 72nd minute but Rondon miscued from six yards out after James McClean broke down the left and crossed low into the box.
City ended any faint hopes of a Baggies comeback 11 minutes from time when Aguero produced a lovely dink over the defence to beat the offside trap for Gundogan to slot home.
Gundogan added a fourth on 90 minutes when he stroked home first time after substitute Kevin De Bruyne broke down the left and crossed.

Tom Heaton’s saves frustrated his former club Manchester United as Burnley drew 0-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday to secure a first Premier League away point of the season.
Heaton dived to palm away a Jesse Lingard header and spread himself to block a powerful Zlatan Ibrahimovic volley against a United side who finished with 10 men as midfielder Ander Herrera was sent off.
United manager Jose Mourinho was sent to the stands at half-time for protesting too vehemently to the officials, having seen Matteo Darmian denied a penalty after being caught by Jon Flanagan’s trailing leg.
The draw means that United have gone four Premier League matches without victory and have fallen eight points behind the leaders.
Wayne Rooney, back from a thigh injury, appeared as a substitute for the final 17 minutes, but could not inspire a victory, blasting over from Daley Blind’s low free-kick deep into stoppage time.
Former Manchester United youth goalkeeper Heaton was inspired on his return to Old Trafford.
He had already made a couple of straightforward stops from Ibrahimovic and Juan Mata when he raced off his line to block the former Sweden forward, who had latched onto a well-judged through pass from the Spaniard.
Burnley, whose defence included another United academy graduate in Michael Keane, were well organised as they frustrated the home side.
But they were indebted to Heaton as United started to find gaps in the later stages of the first half.
He dived to his right to push the ball aside after Mata had dug out a left-foot shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Heaton was grateful to see former Manchester City defender Ben Mee throw his head in the way of Ibrahimovic’s shot after a lovely drag-back flick from Paul Pogba set up the chance.
But the England international was inspired as he palmed away a powerful Lingard header from Herrera’s right-wing cross, before tipping over a 25-yard Pogba drive moments later.
Burnley lost left-back Stephen Ward to injury just before half-time and his replacement Flanagan escaped a strong penalty shout within two minutes of coming on.
The Liverpool loanee seemed to clip Darmian’s trailing leg right on the edge of the area, but referee Mark Clattenburg dismissed the home side’s appeals.
Mourinho protested too strongly during the interval and began the second half in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand. Having taken a seat near the front of the stand, the manager was then ordered to move further back.
As that drama unfolded off the pitch, United briefly lost their focus on it.
A Pogba error allowed Andre Gray a run at goal, although Luke Shaw managed to usher the striker into a wide position before making a challenge to snuff out the threat.
Scott Arfield then fired over with the visitors’ best chance of the afternoon.
But United were soon pressing towards the Burnley goal once more.
Heaton stopped Mata’s close-range shot from an Ibrahimovic cut-back, then got his body in the way bravely to block the Swede’s thunderous volley.
When Mourinho’s side beat the goalkeeper, they were still denied, as Mata hit the post with a clever shot on the turn and Ibrahimovic looped a header against the bar.
United then lost Herrera to a red card. The midfielder, booked for a first-half foul, was shown a second yellow card and sent off for a late challenge on Dean Marney.
The game became scrappy, with Burnley striker Sam Vokes and United full-back Darmian seeing penalty appeals rejected in quick succession.
Ashley Barnes, on as a substitute, had a chance late in the game to secure the visitors’ first win at Old Trafford since 1962, glancing just wide from a Johan Berg Gudmundsson cross.
United finished on the attack, with Blind, Shaw and Ibrahimovic all going close, but the winning goal would not come.

Regardless of whether or not she wins Sunday’s final at the WTA’s end of season championship, 2016 has been an unforgettable year for Dominika Cibulkova.
Runner-up at the Australian Open in 2014, the Slovakian has been beset by injuries and rotten luck ever since but a change in fortunes and some old fashioned resilience have combined to give her a shot at one of the biggest prizes in women?s tennis.
On Sunday, she faces off against the world number Angelique Kerber for the Billie Jean King trophy, rounding off a remarkable year for the 27-year-old who slipped down the rankings to 66th in the world in February.
Few people gave her any chance of making the final after she lost her first two round-robin matches, including an opening clash against Kerber last Sunday.
To move on, Cibulkova needed to win her third match against Simona Halep in straight sets and rely on Kerber beating American Madison Keys in two — which she duly obliged.
Her reward was a semifinal with Svetlana Kuznetsova, one of the form players of the tournament. After losing the first set, Cibulkova rebounded to win 1-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 as the Russian ran out of steam.
“It’s a lot of positive emotions. You know, I was just extremely happy that I won today,” Cibulkova said. “Tomorrow I will go there and just want to win.”
That has been her motto ever since she came back from an Achilles injury which sidelined her for several months last year.
But since then, the diminutive player dubbed the Pocket Rocket has made an extraordinary return.
Starting the year ranked 38th, she fell further behind, then spent most of this season clawing her way back to the top surprising even herself.
She was so sure she wouldn’t make the final at Wimbledon this year that she booked the same date to marry her fiance Miso Navara.
She almost postponed her nuptials when she made the quarterfinals but a rare welcome loss saw her make it to the altar on time.
Earlier this month, Cibulkova won the Linz Open to qualify for the WTA Finals, reserved for the top eight players in the world. The WTA recognised her achievements by naming her as Comeback Player of The Year.
“After the injury I have to say it was really hard,” she said last week. “But, you know, I had just one big goal: to come back. I did everything for it.
“When I get tired I have these moods. Sometimes (my husband and my coach) get on my nerves much more.
“But that’s our life,” she added.

Sergio Aguero and Ilkay Gundogan each scored twice as Manchester City crushed West Bromwich Albion 4-0 on Saturday to keep their noses in front in the Premier League.
Arsenal won 4-1 at Sunderland and Liverpool prevailed 4-2 at Crystal Palace, but City’s win kept Pep Guardiola’s side above them both on goal difference as they ended a six-game winless run.
“When we lose there are always doubts,” said Guardiola. “It’s the first time I have not won in six games. Always you have doubts, (but) not over the principles.”
Jose Mourinho was sent to the stands and Ander Herrera dismissed as Manchester United drew 0-0 at home to Burnley despite having 37 shots at goal, while champions Leicester City drew 1-1 at Tottenham Hotspur.
Guardiola, whose team host his former club Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, made eight changes to his starting XI from Wednesday’s 1-0 League Cup defeat at Manchester United.
Aguero was among the players who returned to City’s starting line-up at The Hawthorns and his first-half brace effectively settled the game.
He broke the deadlock in the 19th minute, slamming a shot between Ben Foster’s legs from Gundogan’s pass, and doubled his tally nine minutes later with a stunning shot from the edge of the box.
The goals ended Aguero’s six-game scoring drought and lifted his City tally to 149 — one more than club great Francis Lee.
Aguero teed up Gundogan for City’s third in the 79th minute and the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder sealed victory in the last minute of normal time.
“We need Sergio,” said Guardiola, who dropped the Argentina striker for City’s 4-0 defeat at Barcelona. “He is one of the best.”
Manchester United’s title hopes faded a little after their stalemate with Burnley left them eight points off top spot in eighth place.
Former United goalkeeper Tom Heaton was Burnley’s saviour, producing stunning saves from Jesse Lingard, Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
United also hit the woodwork in the second half through Juan Mata and Ibrahimovic.
Mourinho was sent to the stands at half-time, reportedly after complaining about referee Mark Clattenburg’s failure to award Matteo Darmian a penalty.
Herrera was sent off in the 70th minute after being shown a second yellow card for sliding in on Dean Marney.
“I think the referee did fantastic work. I won’t say more than this,” United assistant Rui Faria, who faced the media instead of Mourinho, said sarcastically.
“The people in the stadium could feel that the players gave everything. We fought until the last second. We have to keep working and things will happen.”
Arsenal had earlier strolled to victory at bottom club Sunderland, who are without a win after 10 league games and have made the worst start to a Premier League season.
Alexis Sanchez put Arsenal in front in the 19th minute with a header from an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain cross.
Jermain Defoe equalised from the spot in the 65th minute after Petr Cech was booked for impeding Duncan Watmore.
But Olivier Giroud restored the visitors’ advantage six minutes later, volleying in a Kieran Gibbs cross with his first touch after coming on, and he scored again with his head before Sanchez completed the scoring.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool joined City and Arsenal on 23 points courtesy of an entertaining victory at Palace.
Palace midfielder James McArthur hit back twice to haul the hosts level after Liverpool went ahead first through Emre Can and then Dejan Lovren.
But Joel Matip’s 44th-minute header restored the visitors’ advantage and Roberto Firmino chipped in from Jordan Henderson’s pass to seal victory with 19 minutes remaining.
“Nice and easy game, eh!” Liverpool manager Klopp exclaimed with a smile on BT Sport.
“I don’t think we’ve played much better offensive-wise. But then we opened the game by ourselves again.
“Close game, deserved win at the end. I’m very happy at the moment.”
Tottenham were left three points off the pace in fourth place after drawing at home to Leicester, who climbed one place to 11th.
Vincent Janssen gave Spurs the lead with a 44th-minute penalty, but Ahmed Musa equalised early in the second period, sliding in bravely to apply the finishing touch to Jamie Vardy’s cross.
Watford stole above United into seventh place after edging Hull City 1-0 courtesy of a late Michael Dawson own goal.
Middlesbrough pulled clear of the relegation places after beating Bournemouth 2-0 through a memorable Gaston Ramirez solo goal and a Stewart Downing strike.

Robert Lewandowski and Arjen Robben combined for all three goals as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich eased to an impressive 3-1 victory for their second win over Augsburg this week.
Having also beaten their Bavarian neighbours by the same margin on Wednesday at home in the German Cup, Bayern completed the double thanks to Robben’s outstanding display with two assists and a goal.
“Robben and Lewandoski played very well and were a good combination,” said Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti.
“When quality players play together like that, it’s really good for the team.”
Bayern took the lead at Augsburg’s WWK Arena when Robben’s pass found Lewandowski unmarked to rifle home his first Bundesliga goal for six weeks on 19 minutes.
The Poland hot-shot returned the favour two minutes later.
His shot was parried by Augsburg goalkeeper Marvin Hitz, but Lewandowski spotted Robben unmarked and the Dutchman drilled home the pass.
Just after the break, Robben snapped up a disastrous pass from Augsburg’s Gojko Kacar to thread a pass for Lewandowski to fire home on 48 minutes for his seventh goal in nine league games.
“We played well from the first minute and controlled the whole game,” said Lewandowski. “I was happy to score again.”
Just as they did in the cup, Augsburg pulled a goal back when Koo Ja-Cheol tapped home Daniel Baier’s pass after Bayern centre-back Mats Hummels’ failed clearance on 67 minutes.
Robben was taken with 14 minutes to go, but Ancelotti said he should be available to play at Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday.
This was Augsburg’s third straight loss in all competitions to leave them just above the relegation places.
Munich are two points clear in the table, but second-placed Leipzig kept up the pressure with a 2-0 win at Darmstadt as Marcel Sabitzer scored both goals.
Leipzig are nine games unbeaten on their debut season in Germany’s top flight — just one short of the record for a promoted team.
Borussia Dortmund are winless in their last four league games after Saturday night’s goalless draw at home to rivals Schalke in the Ruhr derby.
It was a frustrating night for Dortmund as Ousmane Dembele hit the crossbar, then had a shot saved, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mario Goetze also went close in the second half.
However, Dortmund have extended the club record of 26 league matches unbeaten since Bayern beat them at home in April 2015 and are fifth in the table while Schalke are 12th.
Freiburg’s 3-1 win at Werder Bremen, thanks to goals by Maximilian Philipp, a Vincenzo Grifo penalty and a strike by Albanian international Amir Abrashi, left them eighth.
Defender Santiago Garcia pulled a second-half goal back for Bremen, but the defeat leaves them 15th, one point from the relegation places.
Bayer Leverkusen warmed up for Wednesday’s away Champions League match at Tottenham Hotspur with a 2-1 comeback win at VfL Wolfsburg, who remain in the relegation places.
Wolfsburg, now winless in eight league games, took the lead through Maximilian Arnold, leaving Bayer coach Roger Schmidt fuming in a private box.
The Leverkusen boss was completing his two-match ban for calling Hoffenheim’s coach Julian Nagelsmann “a nutter” during last Saturday’s 3-0 defeat which saw him banished to the stands.
But Leverkusen roared back with two goals in five second-half minutes by Admir Mehmedi and Tin Jedvaj to give Bayer their first win in five games to go 10th.
Yunus Malli and Levin Oztunali scored in Mainz’s 2-0 over second-from-bottom Ingolstadt, who had Max Christiansen sent off late on for a second yellow card.

The photos went viral and for this great deed the lady was recently rewarded by the National council of People Living with Disabilities for her selfless heart. She was given a Safaricom branded cake and two NCPWD branded t-shirts among other things.
 
Apart from just getting social media praises, Pauline earlier today 29 October 2016 was paid a visit by the Safaricom CEO,  Bob Collymore.
In a few photos shared on the Safariom’s social media pages, Pauline is seen enjoying her boss’ company. The two are seen taking selfies and in another photo the two having a serious conversation. Her compassionate and selfless actions have opened greater doors for her. The customer care attendant can now say she wined and dined with a millionaire.
 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said his government would ask parliament to consider reintroducing the death penalty as a punishment for the plotters behind the July coup bid.
“Our government will take this (proposal on capital punishment) to parliament. I am convinced that parliament will approve it, and when it comes back to me, I will ratify it,” Erdogan said at an inauguration ceremony in Ankara.
“Soon, soon, don’t worry. It’s happening soon, God willing,” he said, as crowds chanted: “We want the death penalty!”
Capital punishment was abolished in Turkey in 2004 as the nation sought accession to the European Union.
After the failed bid to unseat Erdogan on July 15, the leader had threatened to bring the death penalty back for the coup plotters, stunning EU leaders.
Relations between Brussels and Ankara have been strained since Turkey responded to the coup by launching a relentless crackdown against alleged plotters in state institutions, amid calls from the EU to act within the rule of law.
Tens of thousands of staff within the military, judiciary, civil service and education have been dismissed or detained in a crackdown.
On Saturday, Erdogan scoffed at the West’s warnings on the reintroduction of the death penalty.
“The West says this, the West says that. Excuse me, but what counts is not what the West says. What counts is what my people say,” he said, during a ceremony to inaugurate a high-speed train station in the Turkish capital.
Ankara accuses Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen who lives in exile in the US of masterminding the attempt to oust Erdogan — a claim he denies.
“What are you doing in Pennsylvania, Go on, come here! Why don’t you come home?” Erdogan added.
Erdogan’s government has also repeatedly called on the US to extradite Gulen.
In the event of him not being extradited, “nothing would ever be the same again” in US-Turkish relations, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag warned on Saturday, according to a report by the Anadolu news agency.
The prospect of the death penalty’s reintroduction has stunned the EU, which makes the abolition of capital punishment an unnegotiable condition for joining the bloc.

Kei Nishikori saved two match points to defeat Gilles Muller 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 on Saturday to make the Basel ATP final where he will face Marin Cilic who battled past qualifier Mischa Zverev 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Japanes star Nishikori performed his escape act in the second set against Luxembourg’s big hitter, who rained down 20 aces in the two-and-a-quarter-hour thriller.
Third-seeded Nishikori saved the first match point with a perfectly timed lob; his second was an ace.
“I saw that he was almost touching the net, but my arm was shaking as it was match point,” Nishikori said of the winner that pulled the score level 5-5 in the second set. “I was pretty confident with the lob.
“It’s never easy to save two match points — I was happy to get through this tight moment.”
After his heroics in the second set, Nishikori was able to steady his game to earn a hard-earned win over Muller, ranked 37.
“I got more comfortable and played a good match. The balls fly a lot here, you really have to hit the ball,” said a relieved Nishikori.
“Muller has a great serve. I’m just happy to have won the match.”
Nishikori has already qualified for next month’s ATP World Tour Finals in London for a third straight edition.
The world number five will aim for only his second title of the season on Sunday when he plays Cilic in a re-run of the 2014 US Open final won by the Croatian.
“It’s tough to think of the past, but when I remember that match it gives me some guidance about how to play this next one,” Cilic said. “It will be another tight match like others we’ve played.
“I’m looking forward to the final.”
Cilic, who beat Zverev with 16 aces, stands 4-7 against Nishikori.
Cilic now stands provisional ninth for the eight-man field at the Tour Finals after passing Tomas Berdych in the table.

England all-rounder Chris Woakes on Saturday urged his teammates to take the fight to Bangladesh after the hosts seized the driving seat in the topsy-turvy second Test of the series.
Woakes scored an invaluable 46 batting at number nine to help England score 244 runs in the first innings and gain what could be a very vital 24-run lead.
Bangladesh spinners put England on the ropes once again to leave them at 144-8 at the lunch break before Woakes and Adil Rashid (44 not out) shared 99 runs for the ninth wicket to lift the side.
Apart from Joe Root, who made 56 off 122 balls, none of England’s top-six batsmen could contribute significantly to the visitors’ first innings score.
Bangladesh quickly reached 152-3 at stumps on the second day, leading by 128 runs with seven wickets in hand and leaving England in danger of losing their perfect record against the Test minnows.
“We need guys at the top of the order and the middle of the order to put some partnerships together and build scores that way and then put the pressure on the Bangladeshi bowlers,” Woakes said after the second day’s play.
Woakes hoped bowlers would also work to limit their target to 250 runs on a surface, which he said offered a lot of help to spinners.
“I’d like to think we can chase 250,” he said.
“We got 240 in the first innings with myself and Rash (Rashid) putting on quite a big partnership.
“Partnerships throughout the whole innings will be crucial,” he said.
Woakes added that the Test is evenly balanced at the moment but could have been difficult without his partnership with Rashid.
“The partnership between me and Rash was pleasing to get us from looking like we were going to be behind to getting ahead of them.
“We’re really pleased from that point of view,” he said.
Bangladesh went for almost five runs in an over in the final session as Imrul Kayes scored a half-century and shared 86 runs with Mahmudullah for the third wicket.
Zafar Ansari bowled Mahmudullah off the last ball of the day to restore some parity, which Woakes believed was crucial.
“It would have been nice to have got a couple more wickets tonight and maybe for less runs,” he said.
“But it is what it is and that wicket at the end probably gives us a little bit of confidence going into tomorrow.”

The BASF chemical giant on Saturday said a firefighter injured in an explosion at its plant in western Germany earlier this month had died, pushing the death toll up to four.
“This morning, one of the BASF firefighters who was critically injured in the October 17 explosion … succumbed to his wounds,” BASF said in a statement.
An explosion followed by a fire rocked the chemical giant’s plant in Ludwigshafen, where 36,000 people work.
Another seven people were critically injured and 22 others slightly wounded.
BASF employs over 100,000 people around the world and had sales of more than 70 billion euros ($76.77 billion) in 2015.
The firm’s worst accidents lie many decades in the past, including a 1921 explosion in a Ludwigshafen ammonia factory that killed 585 people and a 1948 accident on the same site in which 207 were killed and 3,800 injured.

A dozen activists who do not want President Joseph Kabila to remain in power in the Democratic Republic of Congo were arrested Saturday after a sit-in at the African Union headquarters in Kinshasa, an AFP journalist said.
The arrests were the latest sign of rising tensions in the vast central African nation, where the opposition does not want Kabila’s grip on power to continue beyond the expiry of his term on December 20.
The arrests occurred despite repeated condemnations from human rights organisations in the fraught nation.
“Arrests were made at the central station and the Bon Marche neighbourhood,” police spokesman Ezekiel Mwana Mputu said, referring to the detention of the activists.
Some 30 activists affiliated to the Filimbi movement, whose name means “whistle” in Swahili, chanted slogans calling on Kabila to step down.
Police officers confiscated their banners as they gathered in front of the seat of the AU, braving pouring rain.
“We came to remind the AU that it holds great responsibility in the constitutional coup d’etat that was decided by the (participants in the) dialogue, with its full agreement,” protest organiser Carbone Beni Wa Beya said.
“December 19 will be the last day of President Kabila’s mandate, in accordance with the constitution,” he added.
Shortly afterwards, the activist was detained.
The dissident was referring to an AU-facilitated “national dialogue”, which last week reached a deal to keep Kabila in power until 2018 by postponing this year’s vote.
The opposition rejected the deal, with the main dissident coalition — “Rassemblement” (Gathering) — branding the talks a ploy by Kabila to stay in power beyond the end of his term.
Kabila first took office in 2001, and in 2006 a new constitutional provision limited the presidency to a two-term limit which expires in December.

The young singer revealed he had taken some time off work and stress to relax a bit. He also mentioned that this was the first time he was learning how to swim.
 
The singer has been taking things easy after he was named the best male gospel artiste at the AFRIMMA a few weeks ago. He no longer shares bitter posts and as far as rumor has it, the young singer is working on better projects that will see him win more awards come next year.
He is now in good terms with his fellow singer, Bahati, and the boys are still to come up with a collaboration that will change the fate of the gospel music industry.
Other young artiste’s i.e Hope kid and masterpiece are slowly working their way to top. Hopefully by the end of next year the upcoming acts will replace Willy and Bahati hold as the best young gospel artistes in East Africa.

The big late-October surprise came when the FBI announced Friday — just a week and a half before the election — that it was opening a new inquiry into the e-mails and private server used by the Democratic candidate.
Clinton has not slackened her pace, but her choice of venue for election night on November 8 seemed to reveal her hope: a room with a glass ceiling — of the sort she hopes to break by becoming the first woman president of the United States.
With 10 days left before Americans vote, here is a summary of the past week:
Florida, North Carolina, Iowa, Ohio, New Hampshire and Arizona: Both Clinton and Trump have kept an unrelenting campaign pace in the battleground states that could decide the election. Clinton spent two days in Florida, the state that could alone determine the result, while Trump spent nearly three days there.
Clinton, who turned 69 on Wednesday, took a short break from the trail to attend a concert by English singer Adele in Miami. And she campaigned for the first time with the charismatic first lady, Michelle Obama.
Trump meanwhile took a brief detour to Washington to formally inaugurate his new luxury hotel, accompanied by his wife and children, before resuming campaigning.
Polls grew slightly closer in battleground states like Florida, Nevada and Iowa, as well as nationwide (45.1 percent for Clinton to 40.7 percent for Trump). But Clinton remained the clear favorite.
Even the slightest change in polls draws intense attention: from news channels in a constant battle for audience share; from the Clinton campaign, which wants to keep supporters mobilized; and from the Trump campaign, quick to grasp at any grounds for hope.
FBI Director James Comey announced Friday a fresh review of newly discovered emails related to Clinton’s use of a private server while secretary of state, a decision with potentially explosive impact just before the election.
New emails have been found that “appear to be pertinent” to the probe, Comey said in a letter to members of Congress.
The emails surfaced “in connection with an unrelated case,” said Comey, adding that the FBI had not yet determined whether the new information was significant.
The emails reportedly emerged after agents seized electronic devices used by Clinton’s closest aide, Huma Abedin, and her husband, disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner, who is under investigation over allegations he sent sexual messages to a 15-year-old girl.
Clinton rarely talks about her goal of becoming the first woman president in US history, and of breaking, in her words, “the highest and hardest glass ceiling” holding women down.
But she did announce her choice of an Election Night venue symbolic of this ambition: the enormous Javits Center in New York constructed entirely of glass.
A new series of hacked emails made public by the WikiLeaks site revealed what appeared at times to be the intertwined financial interests of Hillary Clinton’s husband, former president Bill Clinton, and companies contributing to the foundation that bears his name.
Some clients of his aide, Doug Band, paid the ex-president hundreds of thousands of dollars for speeches or advice, even while contributing to the Clinton Foundation, according to a Band memo dating from November 2011. Band, who was in charge of fundraising for the foundation but who also headed his own corporate consultancy, explained in the email that he had helped “secure” tens of millions of dollars for Bill Clinton.
“We also have solicited and obtained, as appropriate, in-kind services for the president and his family -? for personal travel, hospitality, vacation and the like,” he wrote.
The memo was among the hacked emails of John Podesta, a White House chief of staff in Bill Clinton’s second term and current campaign chairman for Hillary Clinton.

Israel apologised on Saturday after a deputy minister said an earthquake in Italy was punishment for a UNESCO resolution on east Jerusalem that has angered the Jewish state.
Ayub Kara, deputy minister of regional cooperation, said during a visit to the Vatican on Wednesday he was sure the quake that hit central Italy the same day happened because of the resolution, which Israel has said denies the Jewish connection to the city.
“We repudiate the remarks of Deputy Minister Kara,” a foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement.
“Since making the statement, Deputy Minister Kara has issued an apology, which is also endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” it said.
Kara is a Druze lawmaker from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right Likud party.
The condemnation of his remarks came just hours before the start of an official visit to Israel by Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
The Arab-sponsored resolution passed by the UN cultural agency on October 18 criticised the Jewish state for restricting access to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in annexed east Jerusalem.
Israel is furious that the UNESCO resolution refers to the holy site in Jerusalem’s Old City only by its Muslim name, Al-Aqsa or Al-Haram al-Sharif.
Jews refer to the site as the Temple Mount and it is considered the holiest site in Judaism.
Israel recalled its ambassador to UNESCO for consultations on Wednesday over the issue.
Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi last week described the resolution as “incomprehensible and unacceptable”, and said his officials should have voted against it instead of abstaining.
Israel occupied and later annexed Palestinian east Jerusalem in 1967 in a move never recognised by the international community.
UNESCO is responsible for protecting important heritage sites and is one of the few international organisations that recognise Palestine as a member state.

She has bounced right back into shape just months after delivering her first child. In 4 months Pierra has lost all the baby fat and is back to rocking her skin tight dresses.
 
The DJ has however not documented any fitness regimen while pregnant with her baby, meaning her figure is naturally God given. Yes, she is looks hotter than ever and motherhood looks unbelievably lovely on her. Her instagram fans have been leaving thirsty comments looking for ways they can slide in her DM.
Anyway, Pierra is back to her job. She is currently seeking votes from her fans as she has been nominated in the DJaneMag competition where she is competing for the best female DJ category world wide and in Africa.
 

Kenyans have become more fashion-savvy every single day. You’ve probably already noticed that.
Gone are the days when guys would show up at events and functions looking like they’ve just escaped a brutal Civil war.
Lately ,Kenyans are taking serious steps into sprucing up their look and looking as urbane, magnificent and dashing as possible. Attend any high-end gig in town and you’ll see.
The hunger for classy dresses and eye-catching designs is on an all time high as Kenyans struggle out of their way to look as sleek and as trendy as possible.
Fashion has evolved. And also, we have Instagram –that addictive demon that begs us to look our level best and be as vain as we possibly can.
But the cry for sexy little dresses has not been met by the demand…And that’s why some young lass named Elizabeth Nyambura comes in.
Elizabeth is not just anyone…She’s a girl whose been in and out of the fashion corridors for a while now. Nyambura known as Designa Wen n also Miss Kenya Congeniality Nakuru county owns a boutique in Nairobi CBD.
Elizabeth isn’t just sitting her pretty ass around in a little tiara admiring herself…The girl is a thorough business lady who has been setting up amazing dress shops across town.
You’ve probably heard of Designa Wen Collections right? Probably seen her amazing designs taking away Instagram by storm.
This all is the brainchild of none other than the Nakuru County Miss Congeniality Elizabeth Nyambura also known as (Designa wen)who recently strut a catwalk with our First Lady one he origin Africa event held at the intercontinental about fashion.

At Desinga Wen, Liz stocks all of the best and the most chic dresses and designs that all women are flocking to buy and dying to rock.
Her dresses are not just affordable but also very chic, very elegant and extremely funky.
Ad that’s’s not all…You don’t only get dresses alone at Desinga Wen Collections but also boots, trench coats ,swanky shoes, jeans,swimsuits Maxi dresses,dinner dresses,Bridals ,High lows, party dresses (mini),Jump suit shoesSling bags , Hand bags,Boots , stilletos, official heels and any outfit you could imagine.
And as for the lovebirds….You ain’t left out either. Designa Wen has wedding gowns too! Yes right! And they’re some of the snazziest gowns you could ever admire your gorgeous bride in. Ever! She custom makes dinner dresses n red carpet dresses in order and she sells and hires wedding gowns all over kenya at crazy prices.
 
Hitting the Red Carpet? Attending some classy Awards gala? Getting celebrated big in a Five Star hotel? Going out of town? Dinner date? Even a Church function? No worries…Cos Designa Wen Collections has got you covered. Head to toe. Also men are not left out as she also specializes on dressing men for different occasions at favourable prices. You can get men suits, shoes, caps and many many more. You can follow them on , and by clicking on these links.
 
Also, you can visit the shop personally at Diamond Exhibitions, Moi Avenue. Next to the Bazaar for amazing bargains.
It’s time to look great ! With Designa Wen Collections.
To make an order or for business enquiries you can call/text/WhatsApp 0716377098.

Britain’s Dan Evans has withdrawn from qualifying for the Paris Masters tournament after his racquets failed to make it to France.
The 26-year-old was set to play Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic in the opening round of qualifying in the French capital on Saturday, but his kit failed to make it across the Channel with him after he flew to France from Birmingham.
“I had to pull out of Paris qs (qualifiers) as my racquet bag never made it to Paris from Birmingham so basically I had a day trip to Paris,” British number three Evans said on Twitter.
Evans’s absence leaves world number two Andy Murray as the lone British representative in the last tournament of the regular ATP season, with Kyle Edmund ruled out because of a hip injury.
One consolation for Evans, currently 60th in the world, is that he will finish 2016 with the highest end-of-year ranking of his career despite his problems in Paris.

Andy Murray was given a helping hand in his bid to snatch the world number one spot when Spanish veteran David Ferrer withdrew from their Vienna semi-final on Saturday with a leg injury.
Wimbledon and Olympic champion Murray will face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Sunday’s final after the Frenchman saved a match point in a gruelling 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (8/6) victory over Ivo Karlovic.
Murray, the 2014 Vienna title winner, can snatch Novak Djokovic’s world number one ranking if he wins Sunday’s final as well as next week’s Paris Masters.
However, even if Murray succeeds on both fronts, Djokovic must still lose before the final in the French capital for the British star to take the top spot.
“I knew that David had an injury at the beginning of the week,” said Murray.
“He played a very long match yesterday (against Victor Troicki), so that was unfortunate for him. He’s one of the more robust players and doesn’t often have too many niggles.
“He must have been in quite a bit of pain. It’s unfortunate for him, but I’ll try to get ready for the final and use today as a rest day.
“It will be a hard match, but I’m motivated to finish the season strong. Being in another final after a tough week is good.”
Defending champion Ferrer, whose only other career match withdrawal came in 2009, said he handed Murray a walkover in order not to cause long-term damage to his left leg.
“After yesterday’s match, I finished with an injury in my left leg,” said Ferrer.
“The problem is in the muscle and now I will wait 48 hours for the MRI results. I have to be ready for next season.”
Tsonga, the 2011 champion in Vienna, will look to overturn a four-match losing streak against Murray in Sunday’s final.
Murray leads their head-to-head 13-2, a record which includes their only meeting in 2016 in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.

Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia will undergo surgery on Saturday after fracturing his arm, the English Premier League giants announced.
Ecuador defender Valencia, 31, has made 11 appearances in all competitions for United so far this season.
But he was missing from Jose Mourinho’s squad for Saturday’s league match at home to Burnley, with United confirming his injury via a Twitter feed statement that said: “Antonio Valencia has a fracture in his arm and will have surgery today.”
Valencia, who made his name as a winger before featuring as a right back under successive United managers, has been replaced in the team to play Burnley by Matteo Darmian.
The 31-year-old Valencia’s absence means he has now joined fellow defenders Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling in being sidelined through injury.
“They were the three players that start almost every match in the Premier League and now we lose all three in the same period,” United manager Mourinho told broadcasters before Saturday’s kick-off at Old Trafford.
“But that’s football and it’s an opportunity for others to play. We trust Darmian and we trust Marcos Rojo to have a positive influence.”

Australia’s former world number one Adam Scott had a smile back on his face Saturday with a stunning eight-under par 64 at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai after carding a disastrous 80 in the second round.
Scott turned his week on its head by taking 16 shots fewer on Saturday than the day before to propel himself remarkably within striking distance of the top 10 in the $9.5 million dollar event dubbed “Asia’s Major”.
The affable Aussie was at a loss to explain how he could follow the worst round of his year with the best.
“I couldn’t do anything right and nothing felt good at all yesterday. I felt hopeless out there,” admitted the 36-year-old world number six after Saturday’s exploits.
“And today, I just tried to salvage something and it was one of my great rounds this year.”
It was hard for Scott — or anybody watching — to fathom how he managed to blow his second round so spectacularly after a fine first round 69, only to follow that by equalling the low round of the week at Sheshan International Golf Club.
“I don’t really know,” he told AFP after his round. “I just played and started hitting a few good shots, and then made the turn in four-under and kept hitting good shots.
“And then I made a couple putts and all of a sudden I was having a really great round. Managed to get it in with 64. It’s just a wonderful game, golf.”
His flawless round containing eight birdies to put him into a share of 26th place after starting the day languishing in 61st place in the 78-player field.
Although at three-under par for the tournament he is too far adrift of leader Hideki Matsuyama’s 17-under par score to think about winning, Scott is eyeing another score in the mid-60s on Sunday and an unlikely top-10 finish.
“I’m very pleased with 64, obviously. One more would be fun,” he said.
“Yeah, I think it would be amazing to finish in the top 10 with an 80 in there.”

Ten years after scoring his maiden Test century, Upul Tharanga notched up his second as Sri Lanka continued to make all the running in the first Test against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club.
Tharanga’s first century had come against Bangladesh in March 2006, and his 110 not out on Sunday allowed Sri Lanka to amass 537 all out on the second day in Harare.
Having dropped seven catches in the field, and seen three dubious umpiring calls go against them, Zimbabwe managed to rouse themselves with the bat and go to stumps on 88 for one.
While opener Brian Chari fell in Rangana Herath’s first over, Tino Mawoyo reached the close unbeaten on 41, while Hamilton Masakadza was 33 not out.
Tharanga had not played a Test in more than a year and was not picked in Sri Lanka’s initial squad, but made the most of his opportunity when it came along.
“I came into the side after a year out because Angelo (Mathews) and Dinesh (Chandimal) were ruled out, so it gave me a good chance,” said Tharanga.
“The pitch was a bit slow and low, but when I got to the middle we were in a good situation so there was no pressure and I was able to play my normal game.”
The first day had seen Kusal Perera cash in on two dropped catches to score 110, and Tharanga enjoyed similar fortune on the second day.
The 31-year-old resumed on 13 with Sri Lanka on 317 for four, and earned a reprieve on 66 when he chipped a delivery from Donald Tiripano to short midwicket, where Mawoyo put down the chance.
On top of Zimbabwe’s charity in the field, Sri Lanka benefited from three questionable decisions in which umpires Simon Fry and Ian Gould turned down appeals for lbw that replays suggested should have been given out.
With the Decision Review System not in use, Zimbabwe were unable to refer the decisions to the third umpire.
All-rounder Asela Gunaratne marked his Test debut by scoring 54 in a 99-run stand for the sixth wicket with Tharanga, but Zimbabwe stuck to their task and managed to bowl an opposition out for the first time in three matches.
The hosts looked shaky with the bat when Herath introduced himself in just the sixth over and dismissed Chari, but Masakadza got through a nervy start to share an unbroken 67-run stand with Mawoyo.
“We’ve had two long days in the sun, and I think to come out and be as positive as we were was good,” Mawoyo said.
“(Suranga) Lakmal swung the ball away, and as you know Rangana is a world-class bowler and he came in and kept it simple, so it was tough going. I think we can be relatively happy at the end of the day.”

World number one Lydia Ko posted her best round on Saturday but remained a few strokes off the leaders after a rain-interrupted day three at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia.
The New Zealand 19-year-old shot a six-under-par 65 to move to eight-under overall in the tournament at TPC Kuala Lumpur.
However, play was delayed for more than four hours by heavy rain and eventually halted with several leading golfers yet to finish their rounds, which will be completed Sunday morning.
China’s Feng Shanshan holed six birdies and an eagle to go to seven-under on the day through 17 holes before play was stopped.
She provisionally topped the leaderboard at 13-under, followed by Anna Nordqvist of Sweden at 12-under and South Korea’s Amy Yang another stroke back.
Nordqvist and Yang still have three holes to play from the third round.
The clubhouse lead officially belonged to Suzann Petterson of Norway, who shot a 66 to move to nine-under overall.
She was the highest golfer on the leaderboard who had finished the round.
Mother Nature?s interference meant that 15 golfers will be making up suspended rounds Sunday morning.
Ko made it over the line despite the lengthy delays, and will try to catch the leaders for her first title since the Marathon Classic in July.
That’s an uncharacteristic drought for the young phenom, who has struggled to break out on the leaderboard this week.
“I’ve been striking the ball pretty well. I’m making a few putts here and there but the putts that didn’t drop on the first day kind of have been dropping the past two days,” she said.
“Those little things I think make the difference at the end of the day. But I’ve still got one long day tomorrow, so I’ve just got to stick to the same game plan.”
Ko is using a local Malaysian caddie after she parted ways with Australian Jason Hamilton earlier this month.
Feng is hoping to reprise her success in 2014, when she won the tournament.
?Every week, I know that I actually get pretty close to winning. So this week, I know that my record here is really good in Malaysia and I’ve won here before,? said Feng.