Chapecoense air crash

The plane had no fuel on impact, an official said, corroborating audio of the pilot asking to land because of a fuel shortage and electric failure.

The capital Bogota was mentioned on the flight plan as a possible refuelling stop, but the plane did not land there.

The plane plunged into a mountainside near Medellin late on Monday.

Only six of the 77 people on board the plane survived.

"Having been able to do an inspection of all of the remains and parts of the plane, we can affirm clearly that the aircraft did not have fuel at the moment of impact," civil aviation chief Alfredo Bocanegra told a news conference.

Saudi Prince wants women to drive

An influential Saudi prince has called for an "urgent" end to his country's ban on women driving saying it is a matter not just of rights but of economic necessity.

"Stop the debate: Time for women to drive," Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said on his official Twitter account.

IOC upgrades Nigeria’s bronze to silver

The International Olympic Committee has formally written to inform Team Nigeria through the Nigeria Olympic Committee that it has upgraded Nigeria’s Bronze medal won in the women’s 4×100-meter relay at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing to silver.

The IOC stripped Russia of the gold medal the country won in the women’s 4×100-meter relay at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, after a widespread, government-sponsored doping scandal wreaked havoc for the Russian athletes.

The IOC disqualified Yulia Chermoshanskaya, 30, after a reanalysis of the retired runner’s samples from Beijing found traces of two banned substances in her system — stanozolol and turinabol.

Chermoshanskaya was also disqualified from the 200 meters, in which she finished eighth.

Belgium has been upgraded to the relay gold, with Nigeria moving up to silver and Brazil to bronze.

Maha Vajiralongkorn returns from Germany for rite but coronation will take place next year after his father's cremation.

Thailand's Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn has returned to Thailand ahead of his proclaimation as King Rama X in a live television broadcast from the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

Vajiralongkorn will formally accept late on Thursday the parliament's invitation in front of portraits of his late father and his mother, who is unwell.

Before that, the 64-year-old prince will preside over a religious ceremony marking the 50th day of his father's funeral rites, which began at the palace the day after King Bhumibol's death.

Oil Holds Gains After Opec and Non Opec countries decide to cut production

Oil prices on Thursday held on to gains made after OPEC struck a long-sought agreement to reduce production by 1.2 million barrels a day.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose 0.1% to $51.87 a barrel on London’s ICE Futures exchange, having earlier traded above $52. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, West Texas Intermediate futures were trading down 0.1% at $49.38 a barrel.

The agreement struck by representatives of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries marked the group’s first concerted effort to slash output since 2008 and sent prices surging more than 10% Wednesday.

The cut, representing about 1% of global production, will help to reduce a supply glut that has depressed prices for more than two years. It involves significant reductions by heavyweights including Saudi Arabia, the group’s most powerful member and de facto leader of the cartel.

However, Nigeria and Libya were exempted from the cut, while Indonesia suspended its membership after refusing to agree to the deal.

Qatar’s Minister of Energy and Industry, Dr Mohammed Al-Sada, said this at a news conference at the end of the 171 meeting of the Conference of the OPEC on Wednesday in Vienna.

WHO issues new guidlines on HIV self-testing and its benefits

The initiative by the UN health organisation aims to help millions know about their HIV status and get the right treatment. According to the latest WHO progress report, “lack of an HIV diagnosis is a major obstacle to implementing the Organization’s recommendation that everyone with HIV should be offered antiretroviral therapy (ART).”

“Millions of people with HIV are still missing out on life-saving treatment, which can also prevent HIV transmission to others,” said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan in the release.

Sadly, the report shows that 40 per cent of all people affected with the HIV-virus (over 14 million) remain unaware of their status. “Many of these are people at higher risk of HIV infection who often find it difficult to access existing testing services,” the report warns.

Know your status today 

Ukraine conducts missile test

Ukraine's military said its two-day missile drill starting on Thursday would avoid the airspace over Crimea, sidestepping a possible confrontation with Russia which annexed the peninsula in 2014.

The launches have already begun, so everything is going according to plan, Vladimir Kryzhanovsky, the head of the Ukrainian military’s southern branch press-service said on Thursday, as cited by TASS news agency.

According to Kryzhanovsky, the drills will test S-300 medium-range surface-to-air missiles.

Meanwhile, Russian ships from the Black Sea Fleet have taken up positions to the west of the Crimean Peninsula to provide air defense over Russian territory, RIA Novosti news agency reports, citing sources in the military.

Happy new month!!!!

Happy new month to you all

Boko Haram finalise negotiations for release of 2nd batch

276 schoolgirls were abducted from a Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State , two years ago.

Two weeks ago, 21 of the girls were released following negotiations brokered by the Swiss Government and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The next batch will be received by the government and people of Nigeria, the source said: “Soon…soon enough. Nigerians will have cause to celebrate soon enough”.

Lai Mohammed who is the Minister of Information and Culture, had expressed confidence that more Chibok girls will soon regain their freedom after the first batch of 21 made their way out of Boko Haram custody.

“We see this as a credible first step in the eventual release of all the Chibok girls in captivity. It is also a major step in confidence-building between us as a government and the Boko Haram leadership on the issue of the Chibok girls,” Mohammed had said.

There have been reports that a swap deal between Boko Haram and the Federal Government was struck before the first batch of 21 made their way out of Sambisa forest.

Officially, the Federal Government has denied it entered into a swap arrangement with the insurgents. However, intelligence sources and back channels have maintained that there was indeed a swap.

Russia tests prototype nuclear warhead for Satan II which could destroy Britain Texas and France

Russia has reportedly tested a prototype of a controversial new warhead 

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borsiov said the Sarmat warhead was capable of destroying targets flying across both North and South Poles, Russian state news agency TASS reported Tuesday.

The missile will have a range exceeding 11,000 kilometers (6,835 miles), TASS said. The warhead will weigh 100 tons and is designed as a successor to the R-36M Voyevoda.

According to a statement posted on the maker's website, "the Sarmat is designed to provide strategic Russian forces with a guaranteed and effective fulfillment of nuclear deterrence tasks" and is being co-developed with the Russian military.

The Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau's website describes it as "one of largest research and design centers in Russia for the development of rocket and space technology."

Russian DM Shoigu blasts double standards, urges joint effort in fighting terrorism

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has reiterated the position that all members of the anti-terrorist coalition must abandon double standards and consolidate their forces to achieve victory.

“ One thing is absolutely unacceptable on the anti-terrorist front – this is the use of double or sometimes triple standards. 

The same terrorists cannot be terrorists on Monday and become moderate opposition on Tuesday. Undoubtedly, we need all sane forces to consolidate in order to fight this evil of the 21st century ,” Sergey Shoigu said in an address to the Russia-India intergovernmental commission on military and technical cooperation. Shoigu took part in the commission’s session as part of his visit to New Delhi.

What did Donald Trump's doctor say again?

Is that animal a dog or a horse?

Moscow says strikes on Syria army threaten US-Russia ceasefire plan

Moscow stepped up its war of words with Washington on Sunday, saying air strikes by a U.S.-led coalition on the Syrian army threatened the implementation of a U.S.-Russian ceasefire plan for Syria and bordered on connivance with Islamic State.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday that U.S. jets had killed more than 60 Syrian soldiers in four air strikes by two F-16s and two A-10s coming from the direction of Iraq.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group with contacts across Syria, cited a military source at Deir al-Zor airport as saying at least 90 Syrian soldiers had been killed.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a strongly worded statement that the United States' position on the incident was "unconstructive and inarticulate".

"The actions of coalition pilots - if they, as we hope, were not taken on an order from Washington - are on the boundary between criminal negligence and connivance with Islamic State terrorists," the ministry said.

"We strongly urge Washington to exert the needed pressure on the illegal armed groups under its patronage to implement the ceasefire plan unconditionally. Otherwise the implementation of the entire package of the U.S.-Russian accords reached in Geneva on Sept. 9 may be jeopardized."

Russia has repeatedly called on the United States to push units of moderate Syrian opposition to separate from Islamic State and other "terrorist groups".

The Foreign Ministry said Saturday's incident was a result of Washington's "stubborn refusal" to cooperate with Moscow in fighting Islamic State, the Nusra Front - now renamed Jabhat Fatah al Sham - and "other terrorist groups".

The U.S. military said the coalition stopped the attacks against what it had believed to be Islamic State positions in northeast Syria after Russia informed it that Syrian military personnel and vehicles may have been hit.

Washington further unnerved Moscow when its envoy to the United Nations abruptly left her seat as the Russian representative took the floor to condemn the air strikes at an emergency U.S. Security Council meeting.

"We are reaching a really terrifying conclusion for the whole world: That the White House is defending Islamic State. Now there can be no doubts about that," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in comments aired by state TV.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said Zakharova should be embarrassed by that claim. Russia's U.N. representative Vitaly Churkin said Russia had no "specific evidence" of the U.S. colluding with Islamic State militants.

The diplomatic row is likely to further complicate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria, including its largest pre-war city of Aleppo where the situation remains especially tense and the fragile truce has been repeatedly violated.

The U.N. told Reuters aid trucks that had been expected to move to Aleppo on Sunday morning were once again being delayed.

"It's a tough moment," one top aid official in Geneva told Reuters. "The U.N. convoys are highly politicized."

Russia's Defense Ministry said conditions in Syria were deteriorating.

Insurgents say they only reluctantly accepted the initial deal, which they believe is skewed against them, because it could relieve the dire humanitarian situation in besieged areas they control, and blamed Russia for undermining the truce.

"The truce, as we have warned, and we told the (U.S.) State Department - will not hold out," a senior rebel official in Aleppo said, pointing to the continued presence of a U.N. aid convoy at the Turkish border awaiting permission to enter.

Rebels have also accused Russia of using the ceasefire to give the Syrian army and allied Shi'ite militias a chance to regroup and deploy forces ready for their own offensives.

Funnel-fed model's dream is to become world's fattest woman

Monica Riley is a 27-year-old American woman weighing over 317kg making her morbidly obese. She models for a websites that celebrate Big Beautiful Women (BBW) and said her goal is to become the world’s fattest woman and until she is unable to walk.

 She embraced her weight in 2014 after trial and errors with weight loss. It was then she vowed to become the world’s fattest woman and her boyfriend, Sid, who is 25 years old fully supports her decision by helping her reach her obese weight goal. 

 She embraced her weight in 2014 after trial and errors with weight loss. It was then she vowed to become the world’s fattest woman and her boyfriend, Sid, who is 25 years old fully supports her decision by helping her reach her obese weight goal.

Benefits of Sleep And Why Sleep Is Important

Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.

The way you feel while you're awake depends in part on what happens while you're sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.

The damage from sleep deficiency can occur in an instant (such as a car crash), or it can harm you over time. For example, ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk for some chronic health problems. It also can affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others.

Healthy Brain Function and Emotional Well-Being

Sleep helps your brain work properly. While you're sleeping, your brain is preparing for the next day. It's forming new pathways to help you learn and remember information.

Studies show that a good night's sleep improves learning. Whether you're learning math, how to play the piano, how to perfect your golf swing, or how to drive a car, sleep helps enhance your learning and problem-solving skills. Sleep also helps you pay attention, make decisions, and be creative.

Studies also show that sleep deficiency alters activity in some parts of the brain. If you're sleep deficient, you may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling your emotions and behavior, and coping with change. Sleep deficiency also has been linked to depression, suicide, and risk-taking behavior.

Children and teens who are sleep deficient may have problems getting along with others. They may feel angry and impulsive, have mood swings, feel sad or depressed, or lack motivation. They also may have problems paying attention, and they may get lower grades and feel stressed.

Photos: President Buhari receives newly confirmed IG of Police, Governors of Plateau & Yobe states

President Buhari received the newly confirmed Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, at the State House, Abuja, today 8th September, 2016 . Kpotum who was appointed back in June, was confirmed yesterday by the Council of State. Meanwhile, Governors of Plateau and Yobe States also payed a visit to the President.

Nigerians head back to the farm to beat recession

Too broke to pay for costly imports of rice and palm oil, Nigeria is looking to agriculture to help lift itself out of a recession.

The once-flourishing sector was abandoned during the oil boom but has the potential to grow as Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari pushes to diversify Nigeria’s economy.

In a grim recent report, the National Bureau of Statistics said the country’s economy contracted in the second quarter by 2.1 percent, with the oil sector suffering a double-digit decline.

Crude-addicted Nigeria has been hit hard by the global fall in oil prices, which has reduced government revenues and driven inflation to an 11-year-high of 17.1 percent in July.

Nigeria usually gets 70 percent of its revenue from oil sales but the crash has left the government cash-strapped and struggling to pay civil servant wages.

The dire situation has spurred the Nigerian government to look for ways to encourage sustainable growth.

Agriculture seems a good place to start. With 84 million hectares of arable land spanning the jungles of the south to the Sahara desert in the north, Nigeria can produce a range of food and cash crops for local needs and exports.

Today Nigeria’s food imports are estimated at over 20 billion dollars annually, according to the agriculture ministry.

A 50kg bag of rice, likely imported from Thailand, now sells for 20,000 naira ($63) compared to 8,000 naira at the beginning of the year, prompting the authorities to encourage people to farm.

In the southeastern state of Imo, Governor Rochas Okorocha has asked civil servants to work just two days and devote the rest of the week to farming cassava, corn and yams.

In central Benue and Sokoto states in the north, workers have been directed to close shop early so they can tend to their crops.

– Be ‘patriotic’ –

Moving Nigeria away from smallholder farming towards commercial agriculture is a priority.

“If we get it well in agriculture, we will get it well in the economy,” Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said last month while launching a policy document on the development of the sector.

Osinbajo urged Nigerians to be patriotic and buy ‘Made in Nigeria’ products.

Decades ago, that wouldn’t have been difficult.

Nigeria used to be world’s number one exporter of palm oil, ahead of Malaysia and Indonesia, central bank data shows.

It was also a leading exporter of cocoa, accounting for 18 percent of global production in the 1960’s, according to the Cocoa Association of Nigeria.

But now, the country imports palm oil from Malaysia and only accounts for a paltry eight percent of global cocoa exports.

“We must return to agriculture and especially cocoa,” Cocoa Association of Nigerian president Sayina Riman said, adding that cocoa sales generate much-needed dollars.

– Farms to factories –

Farmer Lukman Busari told AFP access to credit is strangling development of the sector.

“Farmers are finding it difficult to obtain loans at reasonable rates,” he said, explaining that the 14 per cent lending rate decimates his profits from his cassava farm in southwest Ogun state.

Farmer Oluranti Adeboye, who entered the business in 2008 after quitting his government job, says unreliable power supply and poor roads drain his energy and limit his company’s growth.

“I have 5,000 hectares of land on which I grow cocoa, cassava, plantain, kolanut and run fish ponds,” he said, showing AFP the large expanse of land at Shofolu village, also in Ogun state.

Days of torrential rains made the road leading to the farm muddy and slippery, and farm assistants donned boots and raincoats as they nurtured fresh cocoa seedlings ahead of the next planting season.

“We want government to provide infrastructure like good roads, electricity, water and finance to support us,” Adeboye said.

“Government has to provide the enabling environment for our business to thrive.”

Nigerians hope to see the country not only growing the produce but processing it too.

“If we really want to diversify from oil and create proper value, agriculture must give birth to industry,” said popular 

This Day newspaper columnist Simon Kolawole.

Some are already putting those words into practise.

As well as building a tomato paste factory, Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote is investing $1 billion in commercial rice farming with the first harvest expected to hit local markets in December.

That means Nigerians may finally enjoy for the first time in years a steaming plate of jollof rice — a popular tomato-infused dish — made from ingredients grown in their own backyard.

Sallah: Nigerian government declares Monday, Tuesday public holidays

The Federal Government has declared Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th September, 2016 as public holidays to mark Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

Making the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, enjoined all Muslim faithful and Nigerians in general to support, co-operate and join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari in his sustained efforts to diversify the economy and progressively accelerate the pace of economic recovery.

Mr. Dambazau, a retired Lieutenant General, stated that government is aware of the present economic challenges the nation is facing following the downturn in oil prices. He assured that appropriate steps are being taken to address them, especially through revitalizing the agricultural sector, the “Youth Empowerment Scheme” in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the “Change Begins with Me”, a value re-orientation programme, and other “social intervention” programmes, as well as massive capital release all aimed at stimulating the economy towards the path of growth and recovery.

The minister expressed optimism that the present economic difficulties will soon be over. He urged everyone to continue to support the government towards building a new formidable Nigeria where peace, unity, security and sustainable development are guaranteed.

He wished all Nigerians a happy Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

MOOD

Abenomics: Matching resources in Japan with opportunities in Nigeria

If the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, were to conduct a stress test on Nigerian banks today, most of them would likely fail because they are the life wire of business and a mirror of the state of the economy which is now belly up.

As a fall out of the slump in crude oil price; vandalism of oil assets leading to shut down of production and inability to export; the introduction of the Treasury Single Account, TSA, in one fell swoop instead of being done in stages; removal of fuel subsidy without providing palliatives like SURE-P to cushion the harsh effects on the masses; and the floating of the Naira exchange rate which has resulted in the devaluation of the currency from N199/$1 in June to about N400/$1 in the open market, the balance sheet of Nigerian banks have doubled in size without commensurate credit disbursement. 

This is the reason most of Nigeria’s financial institutions are now hobbled with no funds to disburse to loan seekers and therefore little or no income is being generated for sustainability of the banks and by extension the growth of the GDP of the economy which recent data indicate is contracting at about -0.2% quarterly.

With Nigerian economy experiencing negative growth of -2% year on year and her population growing at 2%, the prospect of getting out of the current recession without drastic measures is slim because for an economy to experience economic growth,GDP must be growing faster than the population but the current situation in Nigeria is that while population is growing at 2% GDP is receding at 2% which is a jeopardy.

In the light of the foregoing, the inflow of surplus Japanese yen to the Nigerian economy that is in dire need of foreign exchange,FX life line in the form of foreign direct investments in infrastructure, would most certainly be a magic wand, elixir and antidote to the recession stricken Nigerian economy as banks struggle to remain within the limits of regulatory framework of the CBN.

The prevailing ‘financial crunch’ was obviously not anticipated by Naira devaluation proponents. This is because they had argued that the FX held by Nigerian and foreign businessmen and women waiting for the Naira to be devalued, so that they can earn quick yields, would immediately flood Nigeria, as soon as Naira devaluation exercise is carried out.

As it turned out, in a country fraught with policy inconsistencies due to lack of a grand strategy,such optimism without solid foundation, was bound to be nothing but a pie dream or mirage.

Obviously, the pundits did not reckon with the negative impact that the policy of scrubbing bank treasuries of funds via the the Treasury Single Account,TSA , would have on the monetary system, neither did they figure out that lack of clarity on govt’s policy on the Niger Delta on whether there would be a continuation or cessation of Amnesty for militants would lead to the rise of a new militant group,the Avengers with the mission and capacity to destroy oil/gas facilities to the extent of Nigeria losing as much as one million barrels of crude oil daily.

It may be recalled that president Muhamadu Buhari ,perhaps relying on his gut feeling which is probably derived from past experience (having had the privilege of being at the helm of a salvage team for Nigerian economy Dec, 1983/August,1985) dismissed the call for Naira devaluation for about one year into his administration before capitulating onJune 20, a couple of months ago.

Mr president’s justification for the delay in boarding the Naira devaluation train was that the arguments for it did not add up in his books especially since Nigeria did not have any other finished products to sell to the world (the most viable reason for currency devaluation) except crude oil whose price is fixed internationally and of which there is currently a global supply glut.

With Naira now trading at over N400/$1, president Buhari’s fears of the Naira spiraling out of control when floated is manifesting.

In an attempt to wriggle out of the monetary policy cul de sac, the CBN had increased the lending rate during the last MPC meeting by 2 percentage points from 12-14% amongst other measures aimed at attracting foreign equity portfolio managers, who by their very nature, would rush to trade in Nigeria’s bonds as soon as it is made attractive enough.

Little surprise then that Nigeria’s bonds and treasury bills are now trading at about 20% which is mouthwatering considering that a country like Japan which is currently in stagflation, offers her bonds at zero interest rate.

In fact , in some cases, Japan even pays to offload bonds to willing parties in order to induce growth in the economy but such practice is extended only to European firms and others in industrialized and stable economies.

That’s why banks in Europe can offer loan facilities for as low as 4% and African banks, particularly Nigerian ones,grant loans at outrageous rate of 26% or more.

At such an exploitative rate what type of business can a Nigerian entrepreneur possibly engage in and be able to pay banks 26% interest rate plus overhead cost (salaries etc) at 10% and utilities 4% respectively, which when added together puts the total cost of funds into a business venture at approximately 40% or more?

I may be wrong but l’m yet to see a genuine business that yields up to 40% profit except fraudulent and doggy Govt contracts.

In my view, the outrageous cost of funds is a recipe for loans going bad and the reason for high rate of business exit and mortality in Nigeria.

A while ago, the CBN and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC had reported that the non performing loan portfolio of banks in Nigeria was heading towards the N2.4 trillion Naira mark,which is a significant 10% of the N24.3 trillion credit speculated to have been disbursed to both the public and private sectors.

How Donald Trump is making money off his presidential bid

In 2000 Donald Trump told Fortune magazine, “It’s very possible that I could be the first presidential candidate to run and make money on it.”

During this primary season, Donald Trump made a point of not taking outside donations, but now he is. Some of Trump’s campaign money is making its way back to the candidate himself, because unlike any other candidate in modern history, Trump is using his businesses for his campaign.

Legally, Trump has to pay no more than fair market value, so we crunched the numbers to see how much he’s essentially paying himself, reports CBS News correspondent Julianna Goldman.

Donald Trump has contributed more than $52 million to his presidential campaign.

“I didn’t need to do this folks. I’m spending a lot of money,” Trump said during a rally in Ohio.

But the Republican nominee has offset some of that by pouring $7.2 million dollars -- just over eight percent of the money his campaign has spent through July -- into his own businesses.

Since Trump moved into the general election phase, that spending has increased.

During the first year of his campaign, he spent on average half a million dollars a month at his own companies. But as his campaign ramped up from the end of June through July, he spent $1.2 million at Trump businesses.

Photos: Hundreds of stray dogs poisoned in Pakistan

Officials have poisoned hundreds of dogs in Karachi, Pakistan in the latest effort to curb a population of strays that attack thousands of people each day. Bodies of dead dogs are seen littered around the city as municipal workers gathered them for disposal.

Officials estimated the operation had culled thousands of strays but did not have a full accounting for all six city districts.

"At least 700 dogs have been killed only in two areas of Karachi's south in the couple of days," said Sattar Javed, a spokesman for the municipal authority.

The periodic culling of stray dogs using poison tablets hidden in chicken has drawn criticism from animal rights activists but a city official, Mohammad Zahid, said it was necessary because packs of strays posed a threat to residents.

Nigeria defeats Japan 5-4

Nigerian Olympic male football team, popularly called the Dream Team, on Friday, beat the Japanese U-23 side 5 goals to 4, in a pulsating encounter which held at the Manaus Stadium, in Brazil.

The Coach Samson Siasia tutored boys defied all the odds to defeat Japan in the thrilling Group B encounter in Manaus despite arriving in Brazil just hours before their first game in the early hours of Friday.

Oghenekaro Etebo was the star of the show, scoring four goals, while the impressive Umar Sadiq added the other goal to secure the win for Nigeria, reports Compelete Sports.

Japan had the game’s first chance but Emmanuel Daniel made a point blank save before Sincere Seth cleared away for a corner.

The game got off to a blistering start when Sadiq opened the scoring in the fifth minute after imoh Ezekiel’s initial shot was stopped by Japan keeper.

A minute later Japan equalised from the penalty spot through Shinzo Koroki after Amuzie fouled inside the box.

In the ninth minute, Etebo put Nigeria ahead again with a left foot strike off a cross from Shehu Abdullahi.

Japan were back on level terms through Takumi Minamino on 13 minutes following a fine intricate passes which split the Nigerian defence open.

Amuzie, in the 19th minute, hit a long range strike which Japan keeper palmed away for a corner.

Few minutes later, Ezekiel made a timely block which went away for a corner.

In the 31st minute, Ezekiel sent in a low cross which failed to connect with a Nigerian player.

Etebo came close to putting Nigeria in front on 38 minutes but blazed his effort over the bar.

In the 42nd minute, Etebo made it 3-2, pouncing on a poor clearance after his initial effort came off a Japanese player.

On the stroke of half time, Etebo had the chance to score Nigeria’s fourth but didn’t get a clean header from Sadiq’s cross.

Etebo got his hat-trick and made it 4-2 in favour for Nigeria after Sadiq was fouled inside the box.

In the 61 minutes Mikel Obi hit a left foot strike which went narrowly wide.

Etebo made it 5-2 for Nigeria in the 67th minute after Japan keeper made a harsh of his clearance.

Substitute Asano reduced the deficit in the 70th minute.

Nigeria made their first change on 71 minutes with Kingsley Madu replacing Usman Mohammed.

In the 77th minute Daniel rushed out of his line to make a save.

Ndifreke Udo was introduced for Ezekiel in the 79th minute.

Nigeria made their last change on 86 minute with Mikel coming off for Popoola Saliu.

And in the 95th minute, Musashi Suzuki made it 5-4.

Nigeria now top group B and will face Sweden on Sunday while Japan will face Colombia.

Naira Crashes to Its Lowest Value In 42 Years

The naira plunged to 400 against the dollar at the parallel market on Thursday as shortage of foreign exchange continued to have negative effects on economic activities in the country.

The local currency had closed at 390 against the greenback on Wednesday.

The shortage of forex at the interbank and the black market has continued to weigh on the value of the naira.

North Korea vows to plant flag on the moon within next decade

North Korea is aiming to send an unmanned mission to plant a flag on the moon within the next 10 years, but for now, scientists say, the country’s space agency will focus on launching additional indigenous advanced military satellites into orbit.

Even though the US and its allies try to block our space development, our aerospace scientists will conquer space and definitely plant the flag of the DPRK on the moon,” Hyon Kwang Il, director of the scientific research department of North Korea's National Aerospace Development Administration told AP.

US launches air strikes on ISIS targets in Libya

The US military has begun bombing targets around the Libyan city of Sirte, which is controlled by militias associated with Islamic State. The Pentagon says this was the first strike of a new campaign that currently has "no endpoint."

“The presidency council, as the general army commander, has made a request for direct US support to carry out specific airstrikes,” Fayez Serraj, the head of the Libyan presidency council, said in a televised statement broadcast on Monday afternoon, and uploaded to YouTube. “The first strikes started today in positions in Sirte, causing major casualties.”

Real-life Nigerian prince? Interpol nabs mastermind behind $60mn online scam

Interpol has arrested a Nigerian man suspected of spearheading a network of online fraudsters that raked in over $60 million through thousands of internet scams.

The man, identified only as Mike, was arrested in June in the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt and is reported to have had at least 40 other individuals working for him in Nigeria, Malaysia and South Africa.

The 40-year-old used various malware programs, compromised emails and “romance scams.” One victim was conned into paying $15.4 million.

“The network compromised email accounts of small to medium-sized businesses around the world including in Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, Romania, South Africa, Thailand and the United States," Interpol said in a statement.

By taking control of email accounts associated with company bosses, known as ‘CEO fraud’, recipients would assume it was a legitimate email and follow the instructions of the sender, which usually involved depositing money into a bank account controlled by the scammers.

Using a number of money laundering contacts, most of the money was laundered through bank accounts in the US, Europe and China.

“The public, and especially businesses, need to be alert to this type of cyber-enabled fraud,” said Interpol’s Noboru Nakatani. “Basic security protocols such as two-factor authentication and verification by other means before making a money transfer are essential to reduce the risk of falling victim to these scams.”

The man was arrested along with a 38-year-old, with both now facing charges including hacking, conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretenses.

Naira Falls as Dollar Scarcity Continues

Nigeria is in recession

Ooni Of Ife shares his experiences and blasts his Critics

Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi - 51st Ooni of Ife

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has recounted his growing up experiences and challenges which according to him shaped his life.

He recalled how he hawked for his mother, noting that his upbringing was quite humble and not as people would imagine.

He told the Punch, “I used to help my mother, who was born into a family of business people. My two grandmothers were business people in Ife. My maternal grandmother used to go to the North to buy rice and beans and sold them in Ife. I hawked for my mother because whenever she came back from work, she resumed business and I was very proud of doing that for her.

“I would hawk the commodity in some communities in Ibadan and I am very proud to have that kind of experience. I used to make shoes too. I have always been enterprising ever since I was young. I made shoes for friends and families with jeans material; I made canvas with jeans material too. I went to learn how to do it at a shoemaking shop. I used my leisure time after school to do those things and I was very good at them.

“I am always a very passionate person and I did travel in a ‘molue’ on many occasions. After my service year, I lived in both Ibadan and Lagos because I was a rice and sugar merchant. I love to take up challenges and my growing up shaped my life.

“I did not hawk in a molue but I used to board ‘molue.’ Last year, there was a time I boarded the BRT bus in Lagos. The reason is very simple; I am quite passionate about mankind, so I developed a concept to live like the common man at least once every month because I believe we did not come into this world with anything.

“I would drop everything I have to live like an average man struggling in life. I would visit people under the bridge, ride on a motorcycle, and board a ‘molue’ to wherever I was going in Lagos. It was very stressful but those times were my best moments in life because I got to relate with the real people. I saw their sufferings and felt their plights.

“When I ascended the throne, I requested the elders to grant me the opportunity to continue the concept, but they did not agree, so I coined a new one that would go in line with the throne, which is stopping my convoy whenever I get to a particular open place with moderate crowd and buy ‘boli’ (roasted plantain) and ‘dundu’ and other basic food items because we don’t have to forget where we are coming from in life. Which position are you that nobody has never been in life?

“When you serve mankind, you serve God. Our people have disconnected from the less-privileged and the downtrodden. Each time I stop, the people are always happy and my security men are usually afraid and they caution me to get into the car, but I always make them realise that I cannot be harmed by these people. They are just excited and I am always happy to be in their midst.

“At times, I would not come out of the car, but most times, I do get out to shake people’s hands and I would buy from them what they’re selling and pay them higher than what they have sold. I will be sick if I am not with the common people; it has always been my lifestyle,” he said.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has said that he does not regret recognizing Jesus as his father, stating that “he will continue to do it forever and ever”.

Oba Ogunwusi made the statement in response to critics who were mocking him for calling Jesus his father, when he knelt to worship God during a thanksgiving after his coronation.

The Ooni said, “I will continue to do it forever and ever. Those who criticised me are ignorant of the supreme power of God Almighty before whom all kings must bow. God is the King of all kings. He appoints kings and dethrones them.

“If you remember the story of Nebuchadnezzar, who was a powerful king, when he allowed power to get to his head, God turned him into a beast. So, it is God who is the author and the finisher of everything and I will continue to worship him in humility.

“He is the God of all ‘orisas’ (deities); any deity that does not want to obey God will be crushed to powder, that is the truth. I have no regrets.

“Remember I am not the first Ooni, I am the 51st, so people have been here before me. It pleased God to put me on the throne and that is why I am here. Why will I not worship the God who made it possible?” he quizzed.

Speaking on the prophesies he received before he ascended the throne, Oba Ogunwusi said, “It was predicted. The specific time and date of the week was said. It was predicted that I would be born at exactly 1:00pm on a Thursday and up to the fourth child my parents gave birth to, none was given birth to at 1:00pm and on a Thursday. I am the fifth child and to the glory of God, I was given birth to on a Thursday and at exactly 1:00pm.

“So many strange things happened after my birth. Immediately I was given birth to, my maternal grandfather left this world because he practically pushed my mother to go and have me delivered when she was not due to do so. He did so on his sick bed. He practically pushed her out to the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital here in Ife to deliver the baby she was carrying. I was not due then. Few hours after I was born, my grandfather left this world,” he recounted.

Health Benefits of Black Tea

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Black tea extract is sold as a supplement. Sometimes, the supplement includes other types of herbs, vitamins , or minerals 

Breaking news

TASS:SOURCE SAYS THE IOC WON'T BAN RUSSIAN ATHLETES

Countdown to #IOC decision on Russia team’s fate for #Rio2016

Do you think Russia should be banned from participating in Rio 2016 Olympics 67 Russian track athletics are to be banned do you think the IOC is been unfair to Russia?

leave us a comment below

Rio Olympics 2016: Ban Russia from Games, says British IOC member

Russia should be banned from Rio 2016, says British International Olympic Committee member Adam Pengilly.

The two-time Olympian, 38, told BBC Sport the country must be punished over its ongoing doping crisis.

"The scale, co-ordination and leadership of a doping system like this is arguably the most heinous crime possible against the Olympic movement," said the former skeleton racer.

"So, somewhat reluctantly, I am led to one conclusion: exclusion from Rio."

Olympic stars sign letter urging Rio ban

Many Great Britain Olympic and Paralympic stars have endorsed a letter sent by The Times to the IOC urging the organisation to ban Russia from Rio.

The signatories include swimmer Rebecca Adlington, 400m hurdler Sally Gunnell, long jumper Lynn Davies and 11-time Paralympic gold medallist Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.

The letter, which was organised by the newspaper, has been sent to the IOC's executive board, which will make the decision on whether to have a blanket ban on Russia's participation.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has already excluded Russia's track and field team from the Games.

Russian flag 'should not be flown' at Rio

Pengilly, a member of the IOC's Athletes' Commission and one of four British IOC members, conceded: "I say reluctantly [that Russia should be banned] because there are very probably clean Russian athletes, and they will suffer, and this is nothing short of terrible.

"It's an incredibly tough decision. There's no fair outcome for everyone."

But he insisted: "The Russian flag should not be flown at the Rio Olympic Games."

In 2013 Pengilly received praise for raising the issue of doping before the vote to decide a host of the 2020 Games, questioning both Spain and Turkey during their bid presentations in Buenos Aires.

No place for doping in sport - Putin

Russia waits to learn Paralympic fate

Retests uncover 45 new doping failures

Russia could face a blanket ban after a damning report compiled by Canadian law professor Richard McLaren claimed it operated a state-sponsored doping programme from 2011 to 2015.

The IOC is exploring "legal options" before deciding whether to implement "a collective ban" on all Russian competitors for the global showpiece, which starts on 5 August.

A decision by its executive board could come on Sunday.

"Clean athletes, the Olympic Games and the wider Olympic movement have been mocked," Pengilly said.

"However, Russia is an important sporting nation - we want and need them fully involved in the future, but only when they can do it cleanly.

"Therefore, I firmly believe that we should offer support and assistance to the Russian Federation so they can escape from this ugly culture and cycle."

Has the IPC been naive?

Russia will find out in August if it is to be banned from the 2016 Paralympics in Rio.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has "opened suspension proceedings" following the publication of the McLaren report earlier this week.

Paralympian David Weir has accused the IPC of being "naive" in their handling of doping allegations.

The wheelchair athlete, who won four golds at London 2012, told BBC Sport: "It looks like they are being naive and maybe thought that Paralympians don't cheat, but they are all public funded and there are sponsors so if you want that margin gain maybe you will cheat.

"The IPC should have put their foot down straight away."

'Collective punishment unacceptable'

Former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev said he was "saddened" by the "unacceptable" prospect of a total ban on Russian competitors.

Gorbachev, the last General Secretary of the Soviet Union before its dissolution in 1991, has written an open letter to the IOC.

In it, he said: "I support the fight against prohibited substances in sport. It is evil that must be eradicated. Those athletes who are proven to have doped should be banned from competitions.

"At the same time, I am concerned and deeply saddened by the possibility that in case all Russian athletes are banned from competing in the Olympic Games, the innocent will be punished together with the guilty."

Omisore surrenders, reaches deal with EFCC on alleged N1.3billion fraud

A former Senator and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, was on Friday night released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after he agreed to refund the over N1.3billion he allegedly received from the office of the National Security Adviser.

The EFCC arrested Mr. Omisore in Abuja on July 3 for allegedly collecting the huge funds from a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

The former NSA is being prosecuted for allegedly mismanaging billions of dollars meant to procure arms and ammunition for the Nigerian military which has in the past five years been battling a deadly insurgency in the North-East of Nigeria.

The PDP chieftain had since his arrest battled hard to regain freedom from the custody of the EFCC.

The anti-graft commission moved him to the National Hospital, Abuja, after he complained that his health was failing. He was however kept under close watch by two well-armed police officers.

Then his lawyers approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to press for bail but the court, on July 15, dismissed the application for lack of competence .

This week, the former deputy governor capitulated, those close to him said. He approached the EFCC and agreed to refund the money he was alleged to have fraudulently received.

On Friday, the EFCC granted him administrative bail after he struck a deal with the commission to refund the N1.3billion in installments.

He paid the first installment of N300million before he was allowed to go home, this newspaper learned.

Those familiar with the negotiation said before his release on Friday, Mr. Omisore issued a letter authorising his bank to release N170million to the EFCC, being the entire amount in his frozen account.

He also gave the anti-graft commission a draft of N130 million, bringing the first installment of the repayment plan to N300 million.

Mr. Omisore, a former deputy governor of Osun State and PDP flag-bearer in the 2014 Osun governorship election, will return to the Commission on Monday for further negotiations regarding how he would stagger the refund of the remaining one billion, our sources said.

Mr. Omisore had denied benefiting from #Dasukigate and had sued the EFCC, seeking N10 billion damages, after he was declared wanted in May.

However, according to our sources, Mr. Omisore, while in detention, admitted to collecting the sum from Mr. Dasuki.

Mr. Omisore, our sources disclosed, had initially claimed that the over N1.3 billion he received from Mr. Dasuki was meant for a certain parcel of land he sold to the office of the NSA.

The politician was however unable to provide documents backing the transaction, those close to him said.

EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, could not be reached to comment for this story early Saturday morning.

Mr. Omisore too could not be reached by this newspaper. But the Nigerian Tribune quoted him as saying after his release, “Thanks for your support and prayers. I also thank my supporters for their steadfastness. I’m back at home in Abuja".