Meghan Markle lets slip her baby will arrive in April as she and Harry arrive in Birkenhead

The Duchess of Sussex let slip the month her royal baby will arrive as she chatted to well-wishers in Birkenhead today.

The former homeless man bringing web access to the Bronx

The digital divide - the economic gap between those with internet access and those without - is a growing problem throughout the world, and not just in developing economies. Many people are trying the bridge this gap, and here are some of their stories.

Breast cancer risk test 'game changer'

Experts have developed a potentially "game-changing" test to predict a woman's risk of breast cancer.

It combines information on family history and hundreds of genetic markers with other factors,

Hello Dolly's Carol Channing dies aged 97

Broadway star Carol Channing has died at the age of 97 of natural causes.

The actress and singer was best known for starring in the musicals Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Hello Dolly.

Letter from Africa: Despair, anger and anxiety in Zimbabwe's fuel queues

In our series of letters from African writers the journalist and lawyer Brian Hungwe reflects on the impact of inflation on the lives of Zimbabweans, where the price of fuel has more than doubled in an effort to deal with a shortage.

I joined a queue for petrol at around 16:00 on Saturday afternoon.
Dozens of cars made an orderly line stretching about 500m.
The pace of the service was so excruciatingly slow that most of us made friends in an effort to keep boredom at bay.

Anger over price rise

By the time I got to within 100m to the petrol pump - about five cars ahead of me - it was an hour before midnight, but the fuel attendants suddenly shut the pumps, packed up their bags and left.

You can imagine the murmurs of despair, anger, and anxiety.
News had filtered in that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had put up the price of fuel by more than 100% to take effect at midnight.
Those lucky enough to have bought their fuel before us could only thank the heavens.
The reason for the hike, the government said, was to avert fuel shortages that have created national angst.
The hike means petrol prices rose from $1.24 (£0.97) a litre to $3.31 , with diesel up from $1.36 a litre to $3.11.
Zimbabweans were not pleased by these changes, hundreds of them went to the streets of the capital, Harare and the southern city of Bulawayo, to protest against the new prices.



The sudden increase is symptomatic of price distortions Zimbabweans have to deal with on a daily basis.
The price of fuel is fixed by the authorities. Unlike other businesses, fuel stations have to sell petrol at the same price in US dollars and the surrogate currency - bond notes - introduced more than two years ago to address a cash crisis.

Thriving black market

The government maintains that bond notes, which is only traded in Zimbabwe, is pegged to the US dollar.
But the reality of the ground is different.
There is a thriving black market where three bond notes fetch one US dollar.
The current situation reminds everyone of the pre-2009 era when inflation went into the stratosphere - reaching 231m% in six months before the Zimbabwe dollar was abandoned for international currencies like the US dollar and the South African rand.
You have to walk into a supermarket to see the price distortions at work.
If I pick groceries worth $20 I will be given a choice of how to pay for the items. I could opt to use bond notes, but the bill will be 60 bond notes.
Or I could pay electronically with my card - and 70 bond notes would be deducted from my account as each electronic transaction is now subject to tax.

Doctors and other civil servants, whose salaries are paid in bond notes, are angry - and some even went on strike to demand that they get paid in dollars as their salaries cannot keep up with the inflation.
There are many businesses which are only accepting payment in US dollars - including private schools.
If doctors were to get their wish they would have to open up a separate foreign exchange account.
This is because ordinary bank accounts no longer handle US dollars.



Three years back, one could withdraw as much as $2,500 from a cash machine. Now they only supply bond notes - and each account holder can only withdraw 20 bond notes a day.
Queues outside banks are therefore a common sight as Zimbabweans use other ingenious ways to get access to their money.
The government also tries as much as it can to get its hand on foreign currency, expatriates and tourists for example are required to pay for goods and services using US dollars.
Other lucky Zimbabweans get money sent by relatives overseas to help them navigate the
economic challenges.

 
Consequently, Zimbabweans have not taken to the bond notes.
The currency is being blamed for the inflation crisis and the price distortions that have become a headache for consumers and industry alike.
But these distortions were predictable.
If you talk to economists, they will tell you something about Gresham's law, which occurs when two different currencies are given the same value.

Cash under the mattress

The principal is "bad money drives out good", in other words, one currency will become more desired than the other.
In the case of Zimbabwe and the US dollar, the desired currency disappeared as many withdrew their US dollar cash from the bank, and kept the notes under their mattresses. Most banks ran out of it, worsening a biting cash crisis.
Just after the military intervention that ousted President Robert Mugabe in November 2017 Zimbabweans were obsessed by debates around economic reforms.
Suddenly everyone became an economist.
But the investment has not come flooding in as was expected. Investors may still be spooked by the nature of the military's hand in the government.

The euphoria that ushered in President Emmerson Mnangagwa, or ED - as he is affectionately known - has ebbed and he is now walking a tightrope.
Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube says he wants to reintroduce the Zimbabwean dollar by the end of this year.
Experts say this would allow the central bank to control inflation more effectively and it will be good for the economy.
"The current dollarised scenario where we are having to import foreign currency for local use is unsustainable as current foreign exchange generation is not enough to meet the country's import demands," economic analyst Persistence Gwanyanya told the state-run Herald newspaper.
But frustration is growing daily, with many Zimbabweans fed up that the post-Robert Mugabe era is not living up to the high expectations.

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Rich students save by paying fees up front

The wealthiest students are going to university in England for the lowest cost, by paying their tuition fees up front, say researchers.

What is the right age to lose your virginity?

Having sex too soon is the biggest regret of young people losing their virginity, a survey of British sexual behaviour suggests.

More than a third of women and a quarter of men in their teens and early 20s admitted it had not been "the right time" when they first had sex.

Ivory Coast ex-President Gbagbo acquitted at ICC court in The Hague

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has acquitted Ivory Coast ex-President Laurent Gbagbo.

He had been charged with crimes against humanity in connection with violence following a disputed 2010 election that left 3,000 dead and 500,000 displaced.

Lens replacement led to 'blind patches', says artist

An artist whose vision deteriorated after lens replacement surgery is one of dozens of people considering legal action against manufacturer, Oculentis.

Denise Di Battista claims she has "blind patches" in her right eye.

James Watson: Scientist loses titles after claims over race

Nobel Prize-winning American scientist James Watson has been stripped of his honorary titles after repeating comments about race and intelligence.

In a TV programme, the pioneer in DNA studies made a reference to a view that genes cause a difference on average between blacks and whites on IQ tests.

China sentences Canadian man to death for drug smuggling

A court in China has sentenced a Canadian to death for drug smuggling, a verdict likely to reignite a diplomatic row between the two countries.

Robert Lloyd Schellenberg had been given a 15-year jail term in 2016,

Turkey dismisses Trump threat to economy over Syrian Kurds

Turkey has dismissed President Donald Trump's threat to "devastate" its economy if it attacks Kurdish forces in Syria following a planned pullout of US troops.

Instagram egg: Kylie Jenner's most-liked record beaten

An example of an egg - very similar to the egg posted on Instagram

The world is full of marvels - sunrises, baby lambs being born, and an egg that has 27 million likes on Instagram.

How did this happen? When? What is it - just an egg? Why would someone do this?

Actress Rania Youssef facing jail term over revealing dress

Rania Youssef is set to appear in court after being accused of "inciting debauchery".

51-year-old Japanese striker gets new deal - Kazuyoshi Miura signs up

He may have started his career way back in 1986 but there's no sign of Kazuyoshi Miura slowing down yet - the 51-year-old has signed a new contract with Japanese side Yokohama FC.

The striker, who won the last of his 89 Japan caps some 19 years ago, will now play in the Japanese second division until at least the age of 52 - an age he reaches next month.

Rahaf al-Qunun: Saudi teen granted asylum in Canada

A Saudi woman who fled her family and became stranded at Bangkok's main airport is flying to Canada after being granted asylum status.

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, 18, had been trying to reach Australia via Bangkok, but was initially told to return to Kuwait, where her family were waiting.

How does Felix Tshisekedi's poll victory in DR Congo add up?

Felix Tshisekedi has been named as the provisional winner of presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a historic victory for an opposition leader.

But questions have been raised about the accuracy of the results amid accusations of a power-sharing deal with outgoing President Joseph Kabila.

Snow brings parts of Europe to standstill

Heavy snowfalls brought chaos to parts of Germany and Sweden on Friday, leaving roads blocked, trains halted and schools shut.

The Red Cross helped drivers stuck on a motorway in the southern German state of Bavaria and a nine-year-old boy was killed by a falling tree.
The front of a Swiss hotel was hit by an avalanche and a winter storm made roads impassable in Sweden and Norway.

Universal credit: Single mums win High Court battle

Four working single mothers have won a High Court challenge over the government's universal credit scheme.

They argued a "fundamental problem" with the system meant their monthly payments varied "enormously", leaving them out of pocket and struggling financially.
Lawyers for the women said the problem was likely to affect "tens of thousands of people" claiming the benefit.

In UK: Home Office urged to use lie detectors Asylum applications

 
There has been a small spike in the number of people crossing the Channel in small boats in recent months 

People seeking asylum in the UK should take a lie detector test as part of their application, the former chief of UK immigration enforcement says.

Abuse of the asylum system is "rife" and it is being used by economic migrants, according to David Wood.

'Worsening' funding problems for schools

Almost a third of local authority secondary schools in England are unable to cover their costs, a study suggests.

The Education Policy Institute says its research shows the proportion of such schools with budgets in the red has almost quadrupled in four years.
And the average local authority secondary school debt is £483,000.

 

If I offered you a superfood that would make you live longer, would you be interested?

Naturally it reduces the chances of debilitating heart attacks and strokes as well as life-long diseases such as type-2 diabetes.

Murray: 'I'm not sure I'm able to play through the pain'

Britain's Andy Murray fears next week's Australian Open could be his last tournament.  The three-time Grand Slam winner, who is struggling to recover from hip surgery, was in tears as he spoke to journalists in Melbourne on Friday morning.    


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Trump visits border amid US shutdown wall row

US President Donald Trump has threatened again to declare a national emergency to fund a border wall without Congress's approval.

"I have the absolute right to declare a national emergency," he told reporters.

Meet Octavian: The rapper who went from homelessness to winning the BBC Music Sound of 2019

"My mum, the last thing she told me before I left was, 'You're either going to be in prison or you're going to be big.'"

Octavian - who has just got a step closer to the big time after being named winner of BBC Music's Sound of 2019 - is recalling the day, at the age of 14, that he was thrown out of his mother's house.
"She was bare angry at me, so it was weird that she said that," he says. "But I always kept that in my mind.

The UK Universal credit: Two-child benefit cap to be relaxed

Around 15,000 families with three or more children will not have their universal credit capped, the work and pensions secretary will say on Friday.

A two-child limit on the benefit came into effect in April 2017 - but did not initially apply to claimants whose children were born before that date.

Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo's mum reacts to his extreme workout routine and it's hilarious Video

Check out the hilarious reaction of Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo's mum to his extreme workout routine.

Koker says 'R Kelly is totally insensitive to have celebrated his birthday at the night club despite these sexual assault allegations.'

As Surviving R Kelly the docu-series that exposed the singer's year of sexual assault continues to generate reactions, R Kelly himself seems unbothered by the allegations as he was seen partying on his 52nd birthday few days ago. "It's my motherfucking birthday and I don't give a fuck what's happening tonight" he said.

Four men on trial over theft of huge Canadian gold coin from German museum

The trial has begun for four German men accused of stealing a 100-kilogram (220-pound) gold coin worth several million dollars from the Bode Museum in Berlin, Germany.

Bangkok schoolboy beats traffic by piloting a motorboat to school

Tanadet said: 'I used to play games on a tablet. But after learning to steer the boat, now I do not want to play computer games'

Lady Gaga breaks her silence on R Kelly

Lady Gaga has apologised for working with embattled R&B star R Kelly, and vowed to remove their duet, Do What U Want, from streaming services.

It comes after the broadcast of a new documentary about Kelly, which detailed allegations of sexual and physical abuse against women and underage girls, spanning several decades.
Gaga called the stories "horrifying" and "indefensible", adding: "I stand behind these women 1000%".
Kelly has denied all the allegations.
His lawyer also dismissed the documentary as "another round of stories" being used to "fill reality TV time".

But film-maker Dream Hampton said the film depicted how Kelly had "built an ecosystem around his predation", after almost three decades of "preying on young and vulnerable women".

 

Gaga had been under pressure to comment on the allegations against Kelly ever since she collaborated with him on 2013's Do What U Want (With My Body).
The song was controversial from the outset. Stories about Kelly's personal life had already been widely reported and, in 2008, he stood trial on charges of making a sex tape with an under-age female. He was found not guilty.

At a press conference in Japan in 2013, Gaga defended the collaboration, saying: "R Kelly and I have sometimes had very untrue things written about us, so in a way this was a bond between us."
But calls for her to condemn Kelly resurfaced last week, after it emerged she had allegedly declined to be interviewed for the Lifetime documentary.

• The history of allegations against R Kelly
• Jay-Z and Gaga 'turned down' R Kelly doc
• R Kelly denies sex allegations in song

The star, who is a vocal advocate for victims of sexual abuse, broke her silence on 10 January by posting a long statement on social media.
"I stand behind these women 1000%, believe them, know they are suffering and in pain, and feel strongly that their voices should be heard and taken seriously," she wrote.
"As a victim of sexual assault myself, I made both the song and the video at a dark time in my life.
"My intention was to create something extremely defiant and provocative because I was angry and still hadn't processed the trauma that had occurred in my own life. The song is called Do What U Want (With My Body), I think it's clear how explicitly twisted my thinking was at the time.
"If I could go back and have a talk with my younger self I'd tell her to go through the therapy I have since then, so that I could understand the confused post-traumatic state that I was in - or if therapy was not available to me or anyone in my situation - to seek help, and speak as openly and honestly as possible about what we've been through."
She concluded: "I'm sorry, both my for my poor judgement when I was young, and for not speaking out sooner".

 

Gaga is not the only celebrity to distance herself from Kelly.
Chance The Rapper issued a statement on Sunday, apologising for collaborating with the singer on the 2015 track Somewhere in Paradise.

South Africa teacher suspended over class 'split by race'

A teacher in South Africa has been suspended "with immediate effect" after a photo emerged of her pupils sitting in racially separate groups.

A black parent told the TimesLive news site that she thought her child's first day at school in had got off to a good start until she saw the image.
"This was meant to be an exciting day for me, but it's not," she said.

End Of 22-Year Kabila Era In Congo As Opposition Candidate Wins Presidential Election

Kabila became president in 2001, 10 days after the assassination of his father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, who had himself been President since 1997. After succeeding his father, Kabila was elected President in 2006, and re-elected for a second term In 2011. Also, if the result goes unchallenged, this would be Congo’s first democratic transition of power since gaining independence in 1960.

 

 

he electoral commission of the Democratic Republic of Congo has declared Felix Tshisekedi, the leader of the opposition party, winner of the country’s presidential election.
Announcing the result on Thursday, Corneille Nangaa, the President of the Commission Electorale Nationale Indépendante (CENI), told a news conference that Tshisekedi won with 38.57 per cent of more than 18 million ballots cast.

Jaguar Land Rover confirms 4,500 job cuts

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR),  has confirmed it is cutting 4,500 jobs, with the substantial majority coming from its 40,000 strong UK workforce.

Most of the cuts will be in office roles as the company wants to simplify its management structure.
It adds to last year's announcement of 1,500 job cuts.

Michael Jackson estate attacks 'lurid' documentary

Jackson died in 2009 at the age of 50

Michael Jackson's estate has criticised a documentary alleging the late pop star sexually abused children.

Leaving Neverland will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this month and includes interviews with two alleged victims of Jackson.

Cliftonville player Jay Donnelly jailed for four months

Irish League footballer Jay Donnelly has been sentenced to four months in prison for distributing an indecent image of a child.

Meghan made patron of National Theatre

The Duchess of Sussex has been made the patron of the National Theatre as well as three other organisations.

Meghan's first sole royal patronages will also champion education, women's employment and animal welfare.

Brexit: Jeremy Corbyn demands election to 'break deadlock'

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has stepped up calls for a general election "at the earliest opportunity" to "break the deadlock" over Brexit.

In a speech, he said a new government would have a fresh mandate to negotiate a better withdrawal deal with the EU.

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If we are not careful, fake news will start World War 3 and most probably by a Nigerian - Wole Soyinka

Professor Wole Soyinka says fake news has become a threat to mankind and that it may cause World War 3.

Soyinka who is a panelist at BBC News‘ ‘Countering Fake News’ symposium said this in Abuja today said, “I’ve said this before that fake news may cause World War 3 and the fake news will be started by a Nigerian.”