China threatens to reject US trade talks over fresh tariffs

 © Reuters

China has hinted that it will back out for the anticipated new trade talks with the U.S. if President Donald Trump goes on with the additional tariffs covering $200 billion worth of Chinese products. Foreign Ministry says China will take 'necessary countermeasures'

"If the U.S. imposes any additional tariffs on China, we will have to take necessary countermeasures and resolutely safeguard our legitimate and legal rights and interests," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told reporters Monday.

Monday Motivation

Always keep your eyes on the goal, even though you are not there yet. Once you take your eyes off the goal, obstacles sets in. Keep the goals front and center at all time. Set the goal and go for it no matter the obstacle that comes in the way. 

Linda Ikeji gives birth to a baby boy

Photo credit: Instagram (officiallindaikeji) 

Nigerian celebrity bloggers, Linda Ikeji has given birth to a baby boy, in  Atlanta Georgia,  United States.

The blogger, whose pregnancy has made headlines in the past months, took to her Instagram account to announce the good news and wrote: 

“Oh dear Lord, I am a mum. Baby J is here! . He was born today 17th September. This is so surreal . Thank you guys so much for the love through this journey and thanks for all the well wishes. Love you guys! "
Congrats to her!

African Countries Lose N15.12tn to Climate Change Annually

Chairman of the African Union (AU) and President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, has called on African governments to put measures in place to protect Africa’s rich marine resource and the environment, saying the continent already loses a whopping $42 billion (N15.12 trillion) annually to the devastating effect of climate change.

The AU Chairman stated this in his address at the 4th Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA) conference holding in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

Cristiano Ronaldo finally scores first goal for Juventus as the Italian giants beat Sassuolo

Superstar footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo has finally broken his duck for Juventus after the Portuguese forward scored the opening goal in the 2-1 win over Sassuolo on Sunday at the Allianz Stadium.

The 33-year-old Portuguese went three games without scoring for the Turin-based side after moving to the Italian club in July. But in today's clash, it took the striker only 15 minutes to get his brace in the clash which ended 2 - 1 in favor of Juventus.

Kirk Franklin reconciled with his dying father who gave him up for adoption as a child

He took to his IG page and posted a photo of himself and his father and wrote: 

'So.....Two days ago, I received an anonymous call that my biological father, who I never knew, has 3-6 months to live. I’ve lived my entire life hating this man. He and my biological mother gave me up for adoption, and it left me never feeling good enough....to this very day. I took my hate for him and used it as fuel to be the best father I could be for my own. But what I did wrong, is I never took that fuel, and turn it into forgiveness....and that is wrong. Wrong for him, me, and the God I proclaim to represent. How can I preach what I don’t practice. So I flew to   Houston yesterday to do that. It’s painful, it’s a process, but how disappointed I would be in myself for this man to leave this earth without being forgiven. He deserves to receive what God gives me everyday. Pray for him, and for me. God this is hard...I weep as I write.

Hundreds flee Cameroon’s anglophone areas ahead of vote

According to today.ng, Cameroonian authorities Saturday banned the “massive exodus” from the country’s restive anglophone regions, where violence has mounted ahead of next month’s presidential election.

A humanitarian source in Buea, the capital of the South West Region, told AFP that “hundreds of families are in the process of fleeing for ‘safer’ regions,” adding: “There is an atmosphere of fear.”

South West Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai Saturday was quoted as saying by the national television and radio network that “journeys were authorized (but) relocations and a massive exodus are forbidden.”

At least nine killed in Burkina Faso twin attacks

According to Modernghana, At least nine civilians have been killed in twin attacks in eastern Burkina Faso, a poor West African country where jihadists have been gaining ground in recent months, local authorities said Saturday.

"Two terror attacks were carried out in the villages of Diabiga and Kompienbiga" overnight Friday in eastern Kompienga province, the regional governor said in an earlier statement.

Justin Bieber Is Applying to Become an American Citizen

According to TMZ, singer Justin Bieber is working to become a U.S. citizen. It was previously gathered that the singer tied the knot with lover Hailey Baldwin in a courthouse.

The “Love Yourself” singer who was born and raised in Ontario, Canada, has applied for dual citizenship according to TMZ, citing multiple sources.

Meet Nigeria's Acting Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed

Zainab Ahmed was announced the as the acting finance minister in replacement for the 23rd finance minister, Kemi Adeosun, who resigned after a certificate forgery scandal.

Recall that Adeosun resigned yesterday following the scandal surrounding her NYSC discharge certificate. In his statement of acceptance of her resignation letter, President Buhari announced Zainab Ahmed, as the acting Minister of Finance.

Kerry Washington Looks Stunning for ‘American Son’ Press Meet & Greet

Hollywood actress and our favorite fixer Kerry Washington is returning to Broadway this fall for ‘American Son‘.

When attending a photo call at New 42nd Street Studios in NYC for her new play American Son, the 41-year-old actress - who has children Isabelle and Caleb - looked very svelte in a plunging print dress. There was also a slit up the side that gave a flash of her toned leg. She added pointy light pink pumps but left a purse at home.

Rihanna celebrates Fenty Beauty’s 1-Year Anniversary

Rihanna was all smiling on Friday night, where she celebrated the 1-year anniversary of her Fenty Beauty line only one day after her star-studded Diamond Ball event.

She looked absolutely stunning in a purple ensemble with some gorgeous embellishments at the top.

President Buhari Receives Leaders of Ogoni Land in Aso Rock

President Buhari received delegation of Ogoni Land led by HRM King G.N.K. Gininwa (JP) OFR, Gbenemene Tai Kingdom, President Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers in Statehouse today the 14th Sept 2018. 

More photos below

Three people hospitalized after a shooting in downtown Austin

According to cbsaustin authorities responded to a call about a shooting in downtown Austin Friday afternoon. The incident happened at the 600 block of Neches Street just after 1:00 p.m. Austin-Travis EMS said one man in his 30s was shot. 

Nigerian man sentenced to 5 years in US federal prison for participating in business email compromise scams

A 29-year-old Nigerian man whose email scams aimed to defraud businesspeople from Singapore to Switzerland out of millions of dollars was sentenced to five years in a US federal prison.

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoffrey S. Newman, announced on Tuesday, September 11. See details  here

“Onyekachi Emmanuel Opara attempted to dupe thousands of victims into transferring money to him and his co-defendant in a phony email scheme,” said Geoffrey Berman.

Opara, 29, and a partner were arrested in South Africa in December 2016 and extradited to the US from Johannesburg in January of this year.

According to the New York FBI’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrimes Unit, he allegedly cooked up business email scams that targeted thousands of companies worldwide.

In these scams, Opara and fellow conspirators pretended to be supervisors at the target companies or third-party vendors and emailed company employees requesting payments or information.