Wilshere better on bench

England under-20 coach Peter Taylor has told Roy
Hodgson to keep Jack Wilshere on the bench for tonight's
crunch qualifier against Poland.
Reports have suggested that the England manager will drop
Frank Lampard in favour of the Arsenal star in the final qualifier
of the campaign.
But Taylor believes Hodgson would be silly to change the team
that beat Montenegro 4-1 on Friday, whilst insisting Wilshere is
better when released late on.
He told Sky Sports News: "Gerrard and Lampard were
outstanding on Friday - they balanced the team, kept the ball and
went forward at the right time.
"I would start with the same team. When Wilshere came on he set
up a couple of counter attacks.
"He can run and pass past players. If the other side are tired and
there is half-an-hour to go, Jack could be lethal."
Taylor says the experience of Lampard and Steven Gerrard will
be needed to deal with a more attack-minded opponent in Poland.
"The hardest game was Friday because of the way Montenegro
got behind the ball," said Taylor.
"Poland will have more attacking flair. We are going to have to
defend well but there will be more holes and options for us to
score. We have to go for it as we did the other night."
Wilshere has had an up and down season for club and country so
far having seen his place in the Arsenal midfield usurped by
Mathieu Flamini and a resurgent Aaron Ramsey.
Whilst Arsene Wenger originally chose Wilshere on the left, the
Frenchman eventually opted to start him from the bench in
favour of Tomas Rosicky.
Missing out on the England squad on Friday was a further blow
to Wilshere and, if Taylor gets his wish, he will be facing more
time on the bench tonight.

Funke Akindele, Rita Dominic & OC Ukeje Win Big At Nollywood Movie Awards 2013!! Check Out Full List Of Winners

The biggest and brightest stars in Nollywood came out on saturday to witness the 2013 version of the Nollywood Movie Awards. The event which was held at the newly launched Intercontinental Hotel Lagos was hosted by Segun Arinze and Dakore Akande  with Denrele Edun and Lolita of Naija Runs Girl fame running the show on the red carpet.

The winners of the night however were OC Ukeje and Rita Dominic who went home with the Lead actor and Lead actress of the year respectively.

Funke Akindele and Imeh Bishop walked home with the best indigenous actor and actress awards.

Full list of winners below:

Best Movie- Phone Swap
Best Lead Actor- OC Ukeje for Hood Rush
Best Lead Actress- Rita Dominic for The Meeting
Best Actor Indigenous- Imeh Bishop Udoh for Udeme Mmi
Best Actress Indigenous- Funke Akindele for Maami
Best Indigenous Movie- Maami
Best Director- Mildred Okwo for The Meeting
Best Editing- Kunle Adejuyigbe for Journey To Self
Best Sound Design- Obi Emelonye for Last flight to Abuja
Best Cinematography- Yinka Edward for Phone Swap
Best Original Screenplay- Kemi Adesoye for Phone Swap
Best Costume Design- Jaiye Owolabi for The Gods Are Still Not To Blame
Best Make-Up- Jennifer Alegieuno for The Meeting
Best Set Design- Sango B' Song for Last Flight To Abuja
Best Soundtrack- Patrick Mathias for Hood Rush
Best Diaspora Movie- Man on Ground
Best Short Movie- Unspoken
Best Rising Star Male- Uti Nwachukwu for In The Cupboard
Best Rising Star Female- Belinda Effah for Kokomma

Depression in Women

Here are the facts about depression in women: In the U.S., about 15 million people experience depression each year. The majority of them are women. Unfortunately, nearly two-thirds do not get the help they need.

Depression in women is very common. In fact, women are twice as likely to develop clinical depression as men. Up to one in four women is likely to have an episode of major depression at some point in life.

What is depression?

Depression is a serious and pervasive mood disorder. It causes feelings of sadness, hopelessness, helplessness, and worthlessness. Depression can be mild to moderate with symptoms of apathy, little appetite, difficulty sleeping, low self-esteem, and low-grade fatigue. Or it can be more severe.

What are the symptoms of depression in women?

Symptoms of depression in women include:

Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood

Loss of interest or pleasure in activities, including sex

Restlessness, irritability, or excessive crying

Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, hopelessness, pessimism

Sleeping too much or too little, early-morning waking

Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain

Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling "slowed down"

Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts

Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions

Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain

What are the symptoms of mania in women?

Mania is a highly elevated mood that can occur with bipolar disorder. Moods in bipolar disorder swing from the lows of depression to the highs of mania. Even though mania is an elevated mood, it is serious and needs medical assessment and treatment.

The symptoms of mania include:

Abnormally elevated mood

Irritability

Decreased need for sleep

Grandiose ideas

Greatly increased talking

Racing thoughts

Increased activity, including sexual activity

Markedly increased energy

Poor judgment that can lead to risk-taking behavior

Inappropriate social behavior

 

Why is depression in women more common than depression in men?

Before adolescence, the rate of depression is about the same in girls and boys. However, with the onset of puberty, a girl's risk of developing depression increases dramatically to twice that of boys.

Some experts believe that the increased chance of depression in women may be related to changes in hormone levels that occur throughout a woman's life. These changes are evident during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, as well as after giving birth or experiencing a miscarriage. In addition, the hormone fluctuations that occur with each month's menstrual cycle probably contribute to premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD -- a severe syndrome marked especially by depression, anxiety, and mood swings that occurs the week before menstruation and interferes with normal functioning of daily life.

What increases the chances of depression in women?

According to the National Institutes of Health, factors that increase the risk of depression in women include reproductive, genetic, or other biological factors; interpersonal factors; and certain psychological and personality characteristics. In addition, women juggling work with raising kids and women who are single parents suffer more stress that may trigger symptoms of depression. Other factors that could increase risk include:

Family history of mood disorders

History of mood disorders in early reproductive years

Loss of a parent before age 10

Loss of social support system or the threat of such a loss

Ongoing psychological and social stress, such as loss of a job, relationship stress, separation or divorce

Physical or sexual abuse as a child

Use of certain medications

Women can also get postpartum depression after the birth of a baby. Some people get seasonal affective disorder in the winter. Depression is one part of bipolar disorder.
Understanding Depression -- Prevention

Although depression is a highly treatable condition, some forms of depression may not be preventable. That's because depression may be triggered by a chemical malfunctioning in the brain. However, the latest medical studies confirm that depression may often be alleviated and sometimes prevented with good health habits. Eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and taking time out for fun and relaxation, may work together to prevent a depressed mood.

If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of depression that last for more than one or two weeks, see your health care provider for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Jay Z on Rumors, Romancing Beyoncé, and His "Biggest Fan," Blue Ivy

Jay Z cuts a dapper figure in a suit and tie on the cover of Vanity Fair's November 2013 issue, which is available on Oct. 9. In what might just be his most revealing interview yet, Jay opened up about everything from his checkered past as a drug dealer in the streets of Brooklyn to his current status as a husband and father. The oft-private hip-hop megastar even talked about something that we rarely hear about from him: his relationship with Beyoncé Knowles. On their early courtship, Jay said that he worked hard to "wine and dine" his wife of five years, adding, "You've got to try first. You got to dazzle." See more quotes from Jay Z on handling rumors, Blue's musical tastes, and why he and Beyoncé decided to trademark their baby's name in November's Vanity Fair:

On Blue Ivy's musical tastes: "She does like her mother's music — she watches [Beyoncé's concerts] on the computer every night. But my album came out and I don't k

On his past as a drug dealer: "I know about budgets. I was a drug dealer. To be in a drug deal, you need to know what you can spend, what you need to re-up. Things you can get in easily to get out of [that] life. At some point, you have to have an exit strategy, because your window is very small; you're going to get locked up or you're going to die."

On his early courtship with Beyoncé: "[In 2001] we were just beginning to try to date each other. You've got to try first. You got to dazzle . . . wine and dine."

Would Beyoncé have dated him if he wasn't "Jay Z"?: "If I'm as cool as I am, yes. But she's a charming Southern girl, you know, she's not impressed . . . But I would have definitely had to be this cool."

On rumors that Beyoncé wasn't really pregnant with Blue: "It's just so stupid. You know, I felt dismissive about it, but you've got to feel for her. I mean, we've got a really charmed life, so how can we complain? But we're still human beings. And even in hip-hop, all the blogs had a field day with it. I'm like, 'We come from you guys, we represent you guys. Why are you perpetuating this? Why are you adding fuel to this ridiculous rumor?'"

On trademarking Blue's name: "People wanted to make products based on our child's name, and you don't want anybody trying to benefit off your baby's name. It wasn't for us to do anything; as you see, we haven't done anything."

Miley Cyrus offered $1million to work on porn movie

Miley Cyrus's saucy twerking has won her a very indecent proposal after the former Disney star was offered to go one step further and shoot a porn movie in return for a million dollars.

But the racy 20-year-old wouldn't have to get too down and dirty for her £600,000 pay cheque as adult film firm GameLink simply want the Wrecking Ball singer to direct hardcore sex scenes for them.

The offer landed on Miley's desk offering her full 'creative control'.

The firm's vice president, Jeff Dillon, wrote to the We Can't Stop singer: '[You've] become an empowered young woman that is unapologetic about your lifestyle, especially when it comes to expressing your sexuality … you are the ideal choice to show the world your vision as an artist in the world of adult entertainment.'

Alluding to the sauce pot's spat with Irish crooner Sinead O'Connor – who dubbed Miley a pop prostitute – the firm added: 'We at Gamelink feel this gives you a chance to finally show the world you are not a little girl anymore, and you won't bow to the pressures of the likes of Sinead O'Connor, who is jealous of your success

Justin Bieber Set To Release Track Every Week

Justin Bieber has started the countdown to his next movie by releasing a new song every week for the next 10 weeks.

'Heartbreaker' will be the first single release, coming out at midnight on Sunday October 6, launching what he's calling "MusicMondays".

Taking to Twitter.com, he writes, "Sunday Midnight heartbreaker MusicMondays 10weeks (sic). "MusicMondays is about to begin - SO MUCH Love FOR THE FANS...you are always there for me and I will always be there for you.

MUCH Love.

thanks". Bieber, who previously teased fans with a snippet of Heartbreaker in July (13), is set to release a follow-up to 2011's Never Say Never concert documentary movie in time for the Christmas (Dec13) holidays, although few details about the project, which documents the making of his Believe album, have been revealed to date.

Alberta pipeline workers discover dinosaur Fossil

The skeleton of a duck-billed dinosaur was discovered by workers excavating for a pipeline southwest of Spirit River, Alberta, on Sept. 30, 2013. (Royal Tyrell Museum photo)

GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. — A Tourmaline Oil crew on Monday uncovered a piece of fossilized dinosaur.

The crew was installing a pipeline in the Saddle Hills area southwest of Spirit River. Workers were digging about 1 1/2 metres into the ground when a backhoe operator scraped something that wasn't dirt or rock.

"I think what's really the most significant thing about the story is that this pipeline company that encountered this animal contacted the appropriate authorities and were a good, corporate responsible company by doing what is not only required, but what they should do," said Andy Neuman, executive director of the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alta.

Construction on the site has come to a halt while a crew of specialists from the museum, as well as Matthew Vavrek, the Pipestone Creek Dinosaur Initiative's head paleontologist, work on moving the fossil.

"The piece that's exposed, to the best of my knowledge, is about two metres long. It's most of the tail of, probably, a duckbill dinosaur," Neuman said.

Neuman explained that it's possible they may discover more of the hadrosaur running into the rock as they work to remove it.

Scott Kirker, secretary and general counsel with Tourmaline, added that the company is fine with having to delay some of the work for a few days.

"They just waited to see what they would have to do next. So that part of the project is certainly not going anywhere at the moment, which is fine. It's kind of cool," he said.

Islamic militants slaughter 50 sleeping college students in Nigeria

POTISKUM, Nigeria Suspected Islamic extremists attacked an agricultural college in the dead of night, gunning down dozens of students as they slept in dormitories and torching classrooms, the school's provost said, reporting the latest violence in northeastern Nigeria's ongoing Islamic uprising.

As many as 50 students may have been killed in the assault that began at about 1 a.m. Sunday in rural Gujba, Provost Molima Idi Mato of Yobe State College of Agriculture, told The Associated Press.

"They attacked our students while they were sleeping in their hostels, they opened fire at them," he said.

He said he could not

Drake on Nicki Minaj feud: 'I have already solved that issue'

Drake has reconnected with Nicki Minaj after falling out with the rapper.

The hip-hop star hinted at a fall-out in new song 'Tuscan Leather', the first track from his new album Nothing Was the Same.
"Not even talkin' to Nicki, communication is breakin'. I dropped the ball on some personal s**t, I need to embrace it," he raps in the tune.

However, Drake has now told MTV News: "That line in 'Tuscan Leather' isn't exactly where I am in my life right now but like a year ago, eight months, seven months ago, it was how I felt.

"I'd done something wrong and I wasn't speaking to her."

Although they had moved on by the time his LP was being completed, he felt bad about changing the tone of his song.

"I think the dialogue actually between us was already opened up. I had already solved that issue," he admitted. "I wrote that a while ago and I kinda felt guilty changing it."

Gates calls Ctrl+Alt+Del command a mistake

Bill Gates has described the decision to use Ctrl+Alt+Del as the command needed to log on to a PC as a mistake.

Originally designed to trigger a reboot of a PC, it survives in the Windows 8 operating system as the command to access the task manager toolbar and is still used in older versions to log on.

In an interview, the Microsoft co-founder blamed IBM for the shortcut, saying he had favoured a single button.

The keyboard shortcut was invented by IBM engineer David Bradley.

Originally he had favoured Ctrl+Alt+Esc, but he found it was too easy to bump the left side of the keyboard and reboot the computer accidentally so switched to Ctrl+Alt+Del because it was impossible to press with just one hand.

During IBM's 20th anniversary celebrations, he said that while he may have invented it, Bill Gates made it famous.

His involvement in the invention has made him something of a programming hero though- with fans asking him to autograph keyboards at conferences.

Finger strike

The shortcut, also known as the three-finger salute - came to prominence in the early 1990s as a quick fix for the infamous "blue screen of death" on PCs.
But speaking at a fundraising campaign at Harvard University, Mr Gates said he thought that it had been a mistake.
"We could have had a single button, but the guy who did the IBM keyboard design didn't want to give us our single button."
While some loathe the clunky command, others took to news site Reddit to express their fondness for it.
"I feel a single button would be a mistake," said one.
"There's a conscious commitment and in many cases a sense of satisfying sword play in executing the two-handed finger strike of Ctrl-Alt-Del."

Twitter Introduces Alert System For Disasters And Emergencies

I would say that this has been a long time in coming – Twitter, for all intents and purposes, could have a whole lot more potential, and that seems to be the direction that they are headed with the latest bit of news (and no, it has nothing to do with Twitter's IPO). Basically, Twitter claimed that they will work to assist users to receive special alerts from government agencies as well as aid agencies in the event of an emergency.

Those Twitter users who sign up will be on the receiving end of smartphone notifications via the Twitter app in addition to SMS text messages, although this does come with its very own caveat, that is, users will have to agree to hand over their cell phone numbers. The text messages received can be from any of the agencies that have already agreed to sign up with Twitter's program. Some of those who are part of this program include the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, Tokyo's Disaster Prevention service and the World Health Organization. Better late than never, and you cannot quite tell just how useful such an alert system would come in during those split second moments when the world around you as you know it is irrevocably changed

Drake ends feud with Chris Brown after year-long Rihanna dispute

Drake has reportedly ended a year long feud with Chris Brown after the duo patched up their friendship at this year's iHeartRadio festival in Las Vegas.

The r&b duo were involved in a club brawl in June 2012 over an alleged note sent from Drake to Chris Brown regarding his relationship with Rihanna, which resulted the pair's entourages clashing violently, throwing bottles - and leaving Brown with a minor injury on his face. Now, US sources report the duo partied together after Brown's performance at the iHeartRadio event last weekend.

"Drake came on Friday with his whole crew, and watched Chris' entire set. They were backstage hugging and drinking," says a source to New York Post, who also name Def Jam boss Abou Thiam as the man responsible for reuniting the pair.

"[Abou is] very friendly with Drake, and worked to try and get him and Chris together to put their differences aside.

LAGBUS Crushes Soldier to Death in Lagos

Tragedy struck on Monday on the Funsho Williams Avenue bypass, Surulere, Lagos State, after a yet-to-be identified soldier was crushed to death by a LAGBUS, one of the buses in the state mass transit scheme.

Commuters plying the bridge could not help but watch in horror as the mangled body of the soldier was cut into two by the bus.

Eyewitnesses said the  victim, who was riding a motorcycle, was also carrying a woman on the back seat. The passenger was reportedly flung away by the impact of the collision. She was said to be in a critical condition and had been taken to an unknown hospital in the state.

The bus driver, after seeing the extent of the damage, removed his uniform and fled the scene, according to eyewitnesses. The vehicle passengers also took to their heels to avoid reprisals by soldiers.

A mechanic, Taiwo Akindele, said the accident was caused by the bad state of the bridge.

Arsenal Confirm Signing Of Nigerian Defender

Arsenal have confirmed the news we brought you last week, that young defender Semi Ajayi has joined the club on a permanent basis after impressing on a trial.

The 19-year-old centre-back came through the youth ranks at Charlton Atheltic before being released at the end of last season.

After a brief spell with Norwich in pre-season, he was handed a trial by Arsenal in the summer and following two excellent display's for the Under-21′s the player confirmed on Twitter last week that he had signed a two-year deal at the Emirates.

Delighted to announce that I have officially signed for @Arsenal FC. Can't wait to see what the next two seasons here have in store for me.

— Semi Ajayi (@S_Ajayi5) September 17, 2013

I'm not sure why it's taken Arsenal so long to confirm the deal, but they finally officially announced it yesterday on the clubs website.

"Semi Ajayi has joined the Arsenal Academy after impressing as a trialist with the Club." A statement on Arsenal.com read

Ajayi scored on his debut for the Under-21′s in a 3-0 win over Blackburn before helping them to another clean sheet in a 1-0 win over West Brom, and it seems his impressive form persuaded the club to bring him on board on a permanent basis.

He's already represented Nigeria at youth level but is still eligible to play for England as he was born in Crayford and is believed to be a boyhood Gooner who's hero is Tony Adams.

Welcome to Arsenal Semi, hopefully you can become even half the player 'Mr Arsenal' was

Photo: Okada man, housewife caught making love in bush

OWERRI—A mild drama played out in Orlu, ImoState, when a commercial motorcyclist, a father of two (names withheld), was caught pants down making love to a married woman in a lonely bush.

While the 45-year-old housewife was making a case of rape against the randy motorcyclist, the 30-year-old man insisted that the woman was his concubine.

Giving account of what transpired to the police, the woman said she engaged the motorcyclist at Orlu to take her to her matrimonial home at Obibi-Ochasi.

She said when they got to a solitary area along the route, the man stopped ostensibly to ease himself.

She further told the police that while she was waiting for him to finish easing himself, the man emerged and started asking that they sleep together, adding that when she refused the amorous advance, the man grabbed her and forcefully lifted her into the bush.

The woman equally claimed that the rapist tore her inner wears to shreds, over-powered and raped her.

In his defence, the man claimed that the woman had been his concubine for years, adding that he had previously had fun with her at different times and places, including the spot where they were caught in the act.

He also claimed that he called the woman on her mobile line and asked her to meet him at the agreed spot in Orlu.

The man also claimed that when they got to the bush, the woman stripped herself naked, spread her wrapper on the ground and laid down before he started the act.

The randy motorcyclist, however, agreed that along the line there was a minor misunderstanding on the amount he should pay after they had satisfied themselves.

While the man claimed that the woman was asking for N500 for the service, he offered N200, which he said was the only money on him at the time.

Vanguard equally gathered that plan was in top gear to arraign the alleged rapist in court to face trial.

The Four Romantic Archetypes Men Are Drawn to

Men are drawn to women (and vice-a-versa) for numerous reasons. But some things stand out in a woman's personality that make the attraction especially strong. There are four categories — or archetypes — that seem to be important in drawing out the best in a man.

When used together, these four archetypes give you an irresistible confidence and energy that invites the pursuit of high-caliber men and inspires his loving, long-termcommitment. 

Every woman has all four within her, but usually only one is the most dominant. Which one is your dominant archetype?

1. The Femina

"The Femina" is stylish, sophisticated, and loves luxury. The epitome of femininity, she has the power to ignite deep attraction through her sensual nature. Men find her capacity to be strong, yet open, vulnerable, and self-supportive — simply irresistible. Famous femina women include Princess Grace of Monaco and Halle Berry.

Why Men Are Drawn To Femina Women

She's stylish and beautiful. She's not shy about accentuating her physical beauty and being admired for it. We all know that men are visual creatures. However, she doesn't dress this way solely to please a man; she does it first and foremost for herself.

How to uncover your femina magnetism: Tastefully accentuate your beauty. Don't be afraid to draw attention to that gorgeous neck or those shapely legs of yours. It sends a message that you are confident (even if you don't always feel like it) and that you love your looks.



2. The Islander

Warm, colorful and energetic, "The Islander" instantly enchants and wins over men with her smile. Boredom is not in her vocabulary — "fun" and "adventure" define her. She stands out from the crowd and doesn't care what others think about her non-conformist style and way of life. Famous islander women include Josephine Baker and Shakira.

Why Men Are Drawn To Islander Women

She's spontaneous and adventurous. She is the living definition of Carpe Diem (seize the day). The way she mixes things up and keeps it spicy makes her a breath of fresh air to men. Men (and women) can become bored and lose interest when a relationship becomes predictable. The Islander's chameleon-like ways keeps a man on his toes. Life with her is full of pleasant surprises.

How to unleash your islander magnetism: Be open for anything. Seizing the moment is something most women just can't seem to do. When you're the woman who can:

Take an impromptu swim in the ocean (fully clothed), instead of saying, "I can't; I just got my hair done."

Pack your bags and head to St. Bart's for a weekend of fun and sun with a day's notice, instead of saying, "I need weeks to prepare!"

You're like a "triple oasis" (shade, food and water) to a man who is lost in the desert. While you may not free to say "Yes!" every time, be open to doing things impromptu.

3. The Regal

Selective, poised and reserved, "The Regal" knows her power and exercises it. It takes a very strong Alpha male to be her partner. People think she's too picky, but once you get invited to her inner circle, she's a jewel. She knows what she wants and she's going to get it.

Why Men Are Drawn to Regal Women

She's mysterious and reserved. She opens up slowly. You won't find her blabbering on and on. This adds an air of mystery that men find desirable. Famous regal women include Cleopatra and Beyoncé.

How to unveil your regal magnetism: Listen 80 percent, talk 20 percent. Be interested and ask questions. It's a win-win situation when you let him do most of the talking. The more you listen, the faster you discover whether he is (or isn't) right for you. It saves you both precious time.  Besides, men want to feel heard and listened to – just as much as women do.

Of course you don't want this to be an interrogation; with practice, you can achieve a graceful balance.

4. The Entrepreneur

The Entrepreneur is intelligent, independent, and focused on her work. She desires a man with whom she can build an empire; someone who takes initiative. She needs a very strong alpha male to win her heart. Famous entrepreneur women include Oprah Winfrey and Anna Wintour (editor-in-chief of Vogue).

Why Men Are Drawn to Entrepreneur Women

She is intelligent and stimulating. The common belief that men don't like strong, successful women is B.S. A high-caliber man needs an intelligent woman who can stimulate him intellectually. There are few things sexier than a woman who continues to grow consistently and has something new to share.

How to demonstrate your entrepreneur magnetism: Consistently invest in your self-growth by creating a spending plan for your education.  A few ideas: take a foreign language, start a new hobby, take self-growth programs, and/or hire a mentor and travel abroad.

Don't take these archetypes too seriously, but sometimes it's fun to see which category you best fit into!

1.3 tonnes of cocaine seized in Paris

Police at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport have seized 1.3 tonnes of pure cocaine on board an Air France flight from Venezuela, French officials say.

The drugs were found packed inside 30 suitcases on 11 September, but the operation was revealed on Saturday.

France's Interior minister, Manuel Valls, said it was the biggest drug haul ever made in the Paris area.

Six people were arrested, accused of being members of an international drug smuggling ring, Mr Valls said.

Officials say they believe the drugs were meant for sale in France and had a street value of 200m euros (£169m; $270m).

The Air France flight came from Caracas.

The suitcases with the cocaine reportedly were not registered to any of the passengers.

Huge cocaine haul seized on Air France plane in Paris

Police at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport have seized 1.3 tonnes of pure cocaine on board an Air France flight from Venezuela, French officials say.

The drugs were found packed inside 30 suitcases on 11 September, but the operation was revealed on Saturday.

France's Interior minister, Manuel Valls, said it was the biggest drug haul ever made in the Paris area.

Six people were arrested, accused of being members of an international drug smuggling ring, Mr Valls said.

Officials say they believe the drugs were meant for sale in France and had a street value of 200m euros (£169m; $270m).

The Air France flight came from Caracas.

The suitcases with the cocaine reportedly were not registered to any of the passengers.

Rihanna poses with protected primate in Thailand

BANGKOK (AP) — Pop star Rihanna spent a weekend at the beach in Thailand, leaving behind a trail of racy tweets and incriminating Instagram photographs that led police to arrest two people for allegedly peddling protected primates.

On a break from her Diamonds World Tour, Rihanna stopped in Thailand to visit the island of Phuket, where she befriended some local wildlife.

She posted a link on Twitter to an Instagram photo that showed her in sunglasses snuggling up to a furry primate called the slow loris, and tweeted Friday: "Look who was talkin dirty to me!"

The slow loris, a squirrel-like animal with big eyes, is native to Southeast Asia and is listed as a protected species.

"Phuket authorities were alerted to the picture (of Rihanna), and last night police arrested the two individuals who brought out the loris as a photo opportunity for tourists," a Phuket district chief, Weera Kerdsirimongkon, said by telephone Sunday.

Police confiscated two lorises from the pair — a 20-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy — who could face charges of possession of protected animals. The charge carries a penalty of up to four years in prison and a 40,000 baht ($1,300) fine.

Weera said authorities have tried for years to crack down on the problem of vendors exploiting wildlife, particularly in popular tourist areas where people pay to pose for pictures with elephants, orangutans and other animals.

"It's like a cat-and-mouse game. But this time it's bigger because a celebrity like Rihanna posted the picture, and there were more than 200,000 'likes' from around the world," he said.

Rihanna also posted pictures of herself playing with a herd of elephants in the street Friday night, after which she tweeted: "They all hail Empress when She walk by."

On the same night, she tweeted a few unprintable comments about what she apparently witnessed at an adult show in one of Phuket's red-light districts.

Saturday's tweets were devoted to the beach and photographs of the singer in a black bikini on a boat surrounded by turquoise water with limestone cliffs in the distance.

Before leaving Thailand on Sunday, she tweeted from the airport: "Gave the immigration guy my passport and he handed me this in return without a word. Lol." It was a picture of the singer that said "I love Rihanna."

Her next stop was Singapore before heading to Australia and New Zealand.

Hongkong Braced For 'Strongest Storm On Earth' As 180mph Monster Super-Typhoon Usagi Gains Strength Over The Pacific

A monster Super Typhoon has intensified explosively in the last 24 hours and remains on track to wreak havoc in Taiwan, the Philippines and potentially Hong Kong over the weekend.

Over the last day Super Typhoon Usagi, which is now the strongest storm to form on earth this year, has seen winds increase from 75mph on Tuesday to over 160 mph today. The cyclone is now classified now as a Super Typhoon and is considered the equivalent of a category 5 hurricane.

The storm, which is expected to maintain its current strength for at least the next 24 hours, is on course to dump 1000mm of rain (three times the annual London rainfall) on Taiwan over the next three days. The storm is set to roar between the Philippines and Taiwan before hammering the southern Chinese coast, and possibly Hong Kong, later in the weekend.

Experts have said that due to the lack of 'hurricane hunter' aircraft in the Pacific they can't accurately measure how strong the storm is, and that it may be even stronger.

According to Quartz one satellite-based estimate ranks the storm as the most powerful on the planet since 1984, having a minimum central pressure of 882 millibars.

Typhoon Usagi will first batter coastal Taiwan bringing with it damaging winds, a significant storm surge and heavy and persistent rain, before heading towards Hong Kong.

Peak winds are at that time predicted to have weakened to around 100mph.

The storm is currently estimated to be creating waves as high as about 15 meters (50 feet) as it passes through the Luzon Strait which separates Taiwan and the Philippines.

Usagi is a very large tropical typhoon with a diameter of 1,100 kilometers (680 miles). Its outer rain bands were extending across the main northern Philippine island of Luzon and southern Taiwan and strong winds outward up to 220 kilometers (135 miles).

It is packing the 24-hour rainfall accumulation of 500 millimeters (nearly 20 inches) near the center of the typhoon. Philippine weather bureau forecaster Alvin Pura said that the typhoon had gathered strength and speed with gusts of 240 kph (150 mph).

The Batanes Islands, population 16,000, were placed under the highest storm alert, while lower warnings were raised in at least 15 northern provinces where officials warned of flash floods, landslides and storm surges.