Novak Djokovic scored his best-ranked victory in almost a year by coming through his nightmare first round against world number 20 Kei Nishikori at the Madrid Open on Monday.

The 12-time major champion could now face Kyle Edmund in round two, if the Briton wins his own awkward opener on Tuesday against the talented Daniil Medvedev.

Not long ago, Djokovic versus Nishikori would have been a match for the latter stages of a grand slam but struggles with fitness and form caused these two to meet first up on Manolo Santana.

Djokovic prevailed 7-5, 6-4, producing some scintillating tennis when it mattered most to register his first win over a top-20 opponent since the Serb beat Gael Monfils at Eastbourne in June last year.

At their best, Djokovic and Nishikori were perhaps the games two outstanding athletes, renowned for their speed in defence and stamina over five sets.

But injuries, to the wrist for Nishikori and elbow for Djokovic, have left each attempting recoveries and it was certainly evident here that both are still some way away.

If Edmund beats Medvedev, he may fancy his chances against a player he is yet to take a set off in three meetings.

Djokovic, however, will be keen to draw on the positives. His movement was better and he delivered in the crunch moments. There were also a handful of breathtaking retrievals the 30-year-old would have been proud of in his prime.

Four games both players would have liked to forget prompted an exchange of breaks in the middle of the opening set but Djokovic stepped up a gear at 5-4.

Nishikori resisted two rasping forehands but finally caved two games later as Djokovic clinched the frame.

Djokovic seemingly defied physics by lashing one smash into the net early in the second but found his groove again at 5-4, breaking Nishikori to seal victory in just under two hours.

Maria Sharapovas clay-court revival is also gathering pace after the Russian had earlier eased past Romanian big-hitter Irina-Camelia Begu in the womens tournament.

Sharapova arrived in Spain on the back of four consecutive defeats but two wins, the latest a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Begu, have sent the 31-year-old into the last 16.

Frances Kristina Mladenovic will now await Sharapova, who is showing signs of rhythm ahead of the French Open later this month, which she won in 2012 and 2014.

Source: NAN

Neymar will attend Tuesdays French Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and minnows Les Herbiers, PSG captain Thiago Silva said.

He is fully motivated but sad that he cant train with us. He will be there to support us tomorrow at the Stade de France and I think hell be happy, Silva told reporters at a press conference on Monday ahead of the game.

Neymar returned to Paris on Friday to continue his recovery, two months after undergoing surgery on a broken bone in his foot in his native Brazil.

He is unlikely to play again for PSG this season, his focus now on being ready in time for Brazils World Cup bid in June and July.

Silva added: Neymar is doing well. Its clear hes making progress. Hes already working in the gym.

PSG are overwhelming favourites to beat third-tier strugglers Les Herbiers in Tuesdays game at the Stade de France, having already won the Ligue 1 title and the League Cup this season.

They were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in the last 16, shortly after Neymar suffered his injury in a game against Marseille.

It would take a shock of seismic proportions for Qatar-backed PSG, even without the still injured Neymar, to slip up against a team of modest players struggling to stay in Frances partly amateur third division.

PSG are fresh from winning the Ligue 1 title and are hoping to secure a clean sweep of the domestic trophies when they run out at the Stade de France for a game that will be attended by President Emmanuel Macron.

Revenue of almost 500 million euros ($596m) last year makes them the seventh-richest club in the world according to Deloittes latest Football Money League.

That helped them splash out a world-record 222 million euros on Neymar last year and commit to spending 180 million euros to buy Kylian Mbappe from Monaco.

With average gates of around 1,300, Les Herbiers annual budget is around two million euros and prevents them from offering more than 3,000 euros a month to their players.

The figures suggest PSG will easily win the French Cup for the fourth year running, and record 12th time overall, but Les Herbiers are not worrying about that.

That is not how we should look at this match, insisted their coach Stephane Masala as he spoke to the press on Monday at the Stade de France.

I am a young coach and I am here to learn. I hope the players are there to learn and I hope PSGs great players will give us a lesson. We wont be an embarrassment, even if we get hammered.

Source: NAN

By Ifeanyi Nwoko

The President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara are currently meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

It is unclear the agenda of the meeting, however, last week, the Senate mandated its Leader to interface with the executive over the fragrant disregard of the National Assembly by the Inspector General of Police.

The Senate had berated the Police IG Ibrahim Idris for failing to honour its invitation over the killings across Nigeria as well as the arrest and harassment and detention of their colleague, Dino Melaye.

As at the time of this report, a source close to the President of the senate could not confirm the agenda or the details of the meeting between the number one citizen and the number three and four citizens of Nigeria.

Our Correspondent gathered that the meeting started after Buhari returned from Daura, Katsina state where he went to attend the APC Ward Congress in his ward.

More details shortly

Below are more pictures from the meeting.

Source: NAN

Soyode

Mr Ali Soyode, an industrialist and founder of Europes first ethnic media and satellite television, BEN TV, has declared his intention to run in the 2019 presidential election.

Soyode, who made the declaration on Monday in Abuja, said that he took the decision after consultations with youths, leaders, elders, trade unions, Non-Governmental Organisations, among others.

He has yet to announce the platform under which he would contest.

Soyode, who is also an agriculturist, said his ideals were encapsulated in the acronym YEEEEEEES; hence the slogan `Yes, we can.

He listed the ideals as youth empowerment, economy, education employment, energy, enterprises (agriculture, health), elders, experts (experience, quality and enforcement of policies), and security.

We have the youth and the experience of our elders and both are needed to make Nigeria greater nation.

We have the ability to meet our challenges because we have the most needed resources, human capital and blessing of natural resources that abound in the country as well as millions of highly skilled Nigerians in the Diaspora.

Our economy sincerely needs diversification, moving away from oil to manufacturing and services.

Our education is falling; many have called for a national emergency in the education sector and educational standards actually declining in parts of the country.

He said that employment would be one of the cardinal points of his administration, adding that in a technology-driven world, the innovative and creative minds of Nigerians would be empowered.

Soyode, fondly called the `BRIDGE, said he would also focus on security as the benefits of living in a great nation like Nigeria would not be enjoyed without security.

He said he would reform the armed forces and the police by increasing their budgets, training them and equipping the necessary tools to fight crime.

To me, police officers are as important as any officer or executive in the Nigeria.

Their job is not to prosecute those that have the resources to hire private security officers, but to deal with anyone breaking the law and safeguard the properties and belongings of the common people.

All options will be explored to help reduce crime; and as shared before on equality, whoever is found guilty will face the full force of the law.

Let this be a warning to the foreign killers in Nigeria; leave the country now; it is the end of the road.

The bridge will not allow you to cross over into killing our people, burning our people; burning our properties, he said.

He said that Nigeria needed peace and security for the economy to grow; for tourism industry to grow and attract tourists.

The presidential aspirant said he was a detribalised Nigerian committed to charting a new course for the country.

Source: NAN

The crisis rocking the Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after Saturdaysinconclusive primary took a different dimension on Monday as police have sealedthe partys secretariat.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports thatprotesters, who claimed tobe sympathetic to the aspiration of the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, had besieged the secretariat onthe Ajilosun- Ikere road where they announced the removal of the state executives led by Chief Jide Awe.

NAN reports that the protesters also announced the immediateformation of a pro-Fayemi caretaker committee.

Armed policemen, however, arrived the secretariat shortly and drove everyone out before sealing off the party secretariat.

The protesters saidthey were at the secretariat to register their disapproval over the conduct of the members of the State Working Committee.

The protesters, who brandished placards with various inscriptions, alsopassed vote of no confidence on Awe and the partys spokesman, Taiwo Olatunbosun, alleging that they were supporting a particular aspirant.

Relying on Article 21 (7) of the partys constitution, the protesters disbanded the SWCand set up a Caretaker Committee headed by the APC Chairman in Ise/Orun Local Government Area, Mr Michael Egunjobi.

The protestersalso laced thegate of the party withfetish materials made from palm oil and egg.

Awe, who was said to have narrowly escaped assault by the irate party members, was ferried to safety from the secretariat by mobile policemen.

As atthe time of filing this report, police vans werestill stationed at the secretariat which was under lock and key.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 27 aspirants have rejectedthe position canvassed by the National Working Committee of the partythat the botched primary would continue from where it ended on Saturday.

Some of the aspirants led by former Gov. Segun Oni on Monday met at a location in Ado Ekiti and rejected the position of the NWC that the committee which conducted the primary should returnand complete the exercise.

The aspirants,who were reacting to a statement credited to theNational Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said that the ballot cast onSaturday in five local governments before the violence erupted had beenrendered invalid.

Among those present at the forum, apart from Oni, wereSen. Babafemi Ojudu, Opeyemi Bamidele, Bimbo Daramola, Sen. Ayo Arise, Sen. Gbenga Aluko, Kola Alabi, Muyiwa Olumilua, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, Debo Ranti Ajayi andDr Bayo Orire.

The spokesperson for the group, Yaya-Kolade, said the fact that the votes were not counted, collated and announced at the venue, had rendered the process invalid.

She declared that the 27 aspirants would not accept attempts to validate unverified results of the few delegates that had cast their votes onSaturday neither would they accept the Tanko Al-Makura-led committee again as umpire.

Source: NAN

The letter by the Peoples Democratic Party to the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres is preposterous and comical, the presidency said today.

The letter signed by the National Chairman of the opposition PDP, Prince Uche Secondus accused President Muhammadu Buhari of several sins, including alleging that his administration was at the verge of destroying Nigerias democracy.

The presidency, in a statement by Senior Special assistant on media, Malam Garba Shehu, said the letter was a demonstration that the PDP was a bad loser, desperate for another chance after they were kicked out in 2015 for failing the nation and its people.

PDPs lecture on democracy and the rule of law coming from a party with a tradition of undemocratic rule is a desperate attempt to pervert history and the course of justice, he said.

The sermon, is both trite and hollow, coming from a party with intolerance for dissent as its hallmark. A party that humiliated opposition parties and stunted their growth. This was the atmosphere that nurtured the birth of the All Progressives Congress (APC.)

The war against corruption, for which many more politicians may soon be docked, cannot be misrepresented as an attack on human rights and Mr. Secondus should not try to mislead the UN. Nigerian politicians at all levels have been used to dispensing with state funds in whatever manner they please, and to have someone, an administration, finally saying, No. It doesnt matter how big or important you think you are; the law must come against you That is not something they are used to at all. For the PDP, as has now emerged, national security was the major source of their funding.

The PDP Chairman and all other politicians against whom the countrys anti-corruption agencies have on-going investigations, should be assured that it is only a matter of time before the law catches up with them, and makes them pay for the grief their mismanagement of the past has caused, and is still causing Nigerians. Nigerians suffered because of the poison sowed by the PDP.

If the public were privy to some of the facts and figures on corruption that President Buhari and the anti-corruption agencies are, they would understand the passion that drives the determination to nail these callous men and stop them in their corrupt tracks.

Regarding the accusation that President Buhari is behind the spate of herdsmen and farmer clashes in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, all we will say is that it as an embarrassing charge that the PDP would make, conveying an allegation from the beer parlours of Nigeria to an international body like the UN.

The PDP certainly has no shred of evidence to make such an allegation. These are comments driven by tribalism and that age-old trick of balkanisation in a bid to score political points. This should not surprise anyone given the politics of anger, violence and polarisation that are the stock-in-trade of the PDP.

The various lengths to which President Buhari has gone to end the spate of killings, such as mobilising state resources against the attackers, approving the setting up of new police and army formations in the affected areas, and the recruitment of thousands into the police and other arms of the military, are a few of the several steps taken which a more reasonable opposition will acknowledge.

What can President Buhari possibly gain from the killings? There is no intelligent angle from which you analyse the matter and see any possible gain for this government in the wanton destruction of life and property going on. For the new PDP leadership on the other hand, incapable of thinking big about the nation, they see and treat the unfortunate spate of killing of innocent Nigerians as political gift, about which they seem very happy to cite as the basis for a return to power. They feel bad at every turn the country improves, which is beyond comprehension. They should bury their heads in shame.

Source: NAN

Brazils former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says he is very much a candidate in the elections coming up in October, despite having been in jail for a month, the newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo reported Monday.

The message was given by theologian Leonardo Boff, who visited Lula in prison in the southern city of Curitiba.

Lula will only renounce his candidacy if it is proven that he owned a penthouse which he allegedly renovated in a corrupt deal, according to Boff.

He wants to return to power to give a central place to Brazilian policies for the poor, Boff was quoted as saying.

Lula was jailed on April 8 after being sentenced to 12 years for corruption and money-laundering in connection with the renovation of a beachside penthouse.

The renovation was bankrolled by a company seeking contracts with the state oil giant Petrobras.

Lulas lawyers have launched an appeal process in an attempt to overturn his conviction so he can contest the October 7 elections. Opinion polls indicate he would win these with a large majority if he were to run.

Lulas Workers Party has said it has no plan B in case he is not allowed to represent it in the elections. However, Brazils electoral tribunal is expected to bar him from the poll.

Source: NAN

Israel is bracing for a barrage of missiles to be launched toward military positions along its northern front from Syria by Shiite militias trained and funded by Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Iran is reportedly very determined to carry out an attack. Intelligence reports have indicated such an attack is in the advanced planning stages and might soon be executed as Iran vowed to do in retaliation for an alleged Israeli air strike against the T4 airbase near Homs used by the IRGC two months ago.

Israel has allegedly uncovered involvement by Hezbollah commanders and senior operatives from Shiite militias in the planning of the retaliatory strike.

It is believed these militias, along with experts from Hezbollah under the command of the IRGCs Quds Force Commander Maj.-Gen. Qassem Soleimani, will launch precision-guided missiles or armed drones from a base in Syria.

The idea is to use heavy Iranian missiles, including the Fateh-110 under the command and with the advisory work of Hezbollah but without an IRGC presence, Channel 10 reported on Sunday night, adding that Hezbollah members from Lebanon have been brought to Syria to train Shiite militia members for the attack.

While military officials have briefed mayors across the country on the latest developments, the heads of local councils in northern Israel have told residents there have been no special instructions or precautions issued.

While Hezbollah and the IRGC are the only groups that have the weapons and know-how to launch such an attack, it is believed the missiles will be launched by one of the many Shiite militia groups deployed in Syria to give Tehran the ability to deny their role.

14 killed in alleged Israeli airstrike on Syrian airbase, April 10, 2018 (Reuters)

According to Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi, a research fellow at the Middle East Forum, there are several key candidates who might launch the missile barrage for Iran.

The Syrian civil war has led to the expansion of the IRGCs network of regional clients, Tamimi told The Jerusalem Post.

[There are] a variety of groups that could possibly strike Israel on its behalf, such as one of the many new Syrian Hezbollah groups integrated into the registers of the Syrian armed forces, or one of the Iraqi groups that emerged during the war, like Harakat al-Nujaba and its Golan Liberation Brigade.

Another possible group, Tamimi said, was a Palestinian organization linked to Hezbollah and the IRGC, such as the Force of Return, which is currently fighting for the regime of Bashar Assad in the Yarmouk camp outside Damascus.

But it still remains the case that Lebanons Hezbollah, which maintains some bases in Syria, is the most likely and capable of carrying out an attack, Tamimi said.

According to Michael Horowitz, senior regional analyst at Le Beck, a Middle East-based geopolitical consultancy group, having Hezbollah carry out the attack would go against the plans by Tehran, which is said to be trying to avoid full-fledged war with Israel.

This would defeat the purpose of using Shiite militias, which in my opinion was meant to enable Iran to respond without actually provoking an escalation, Horowitz told the Post.

In recent months, Israel has have identified and released pictures of several air bases throughout Syria it said are being used by Iranian forces. The pictures have been released to the media in an effort to deter Iran from carrying out their strike, as those bases would likely be targeted by Israel in response.

According to Horowitz, Israel chose to publish such threats to send the message that it will see any attack coming from an Iranian-backed group as one actually coming from Iran, and thus will respond in kind.

Tensions have risen dramatically between the two arch-enemies recently. In late April, Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon told the UN Security Council that there were over 80,000 extremists from all over the Middle East who are members of Shia militias in Syria under Iranian control.

Israeli officials have been warning of Iranian entrenchment on the Golan Heights, an area of key strategic importance for the Jewish state. They have stressed that such activity is a red line for Jerusalem. Officials have also said the northern border is no longer considered two separate entities, but one continuous front.

In February, OC Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Amit Fisher warned not only of the Iranian entrenchment across the border, but also of the return of Syrian troops to an area which was relatively quiet for close to six years while under the control of rebels.

We must prepare ourselves operationally and in terms of intelligence for the growing threat: the return of the Syrian Army and Iranian forces, Hezbollah and others, he said.

Source: Jerusalem Post

Source: NAN

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who has long been outspoken in his defence of womens rights, resigned Monday after denying allegations he had physically abused four women.

While these allegations are unrelated to my professional conduct or the operations of the office, they will effectively prevent me from leading the offices work at this critical time, Schneiderman said in a statement.

Four women with whom he was romantically involved had accused the 63-year-old of non-consensual physical violence, the New Yorker magazine reported earlier Monday, leading New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to call for the lawyers resignation.

Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, the two women who went on record with the magazine, said they sought medical treatment after Schneiderman choked them and slapped them hard across the ear and face.

They did not report the alleged abuse to the police, with Schneiderman reportedly threatening to kill them if they broke up with him.

He denied the allegations in a statement to dpa.

In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity. I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in non-consensual sex, which is I line I would not cross, Schneiderman said.

The attorney general made headlines in February after filing a lawsuit against disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused of sexual harassment and assault and by dozens of women, which he denies.

They knew what was happening, they know how pervasive it was. And yet they did nothing, Schneiderman told reporters in Manhattan at the time.

We have never seen anything as despicable as what weve seen right here, he added.

Under instruction from Governor Cuomo, Schneiderman in March began investigating Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr for his involvement in a 2015 decision not to prosecute Weinstein.

It is of great concern that sexual assault cases have not been pursued with full vigour by our criminal justice system, Cuomo said in a statement at the time.

The district attorneys office reportedly told NBC late Monday that it had begun investigating Schneiderman over the allegations in the New Yorker.

Schneidermans ex-wife Jennifer Cunningham said she found it impossible to believe the accusations.

Ive known Eric for nearly 35 years as a husband, father and friend. These allegations are completely inconsistent with the man I know, who has always been someone of the highest character, outstanding values and a loving father, she said in a statement.

Manning Barishs former boyfriend, novelist Salman Rushdie, told the New Yorker that Schneidermans behaviour crossed a line.

She called me and told me he had hit her, Rushdie was quoted as saying.

Schneiderman served in the New York Senate from 1998 to 2010, before becoming the states 65th attorney general in 2011. He was re-elected in 2014 and rose to recent prominence as a champion of feminist causes. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN

By Polycarp Auta

The Plateau Police Command on Tuesday confirmed the attack on the residence of John Dalyop, the District Head of Gashish in Riyom Local Government Area of the state.

The commands spokesman, ASP Terna Tyopev, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos that the attack was carried out by some armed hoodlums on Sunday at about 10 p.m.

Tyopev, who could not immediately confirm if there was any casualty, however, said that the traditional rulers residence and a vehicle were burnt.

Immediately we received information of the attack, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Riyom mobilised the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) to the scene.

On arrival, it was discovered that the gunmen who are not yet known razed down the residence of the chief and also burnt to ashes a Peugeot 406 vehicle.

Though no life was lost, the district head had shock and was rushed to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) where he is receiving treatment, he said.

Tyopev said that normalcy had returned to the area, adding that investigations were ongoing for possible arrest and prosecution of those behind the crime.

He urged the residents of the area to be calm and law abiding.

Source: NAN