#HEADLINES

= Two hundred and sixteen Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora have signed an online petition asking the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities to end the industrial dispute which has kept public universities shut for four months.

= The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has claimed responsibility for yesterday’s fire outbreak, which it termed “sabotage” at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Refinery in Warri, Delta State.

= Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will visit the White House today for talks with President Barack Obama. They are expected to focus on the issue of U.S. drone strikes against militants along the Afghan/Pakistan border.

= Longtime regional competitors China and India have agreed to strengthen defense cooperation along their disputed, and sometimes tense, Himalayan border.

= Relegated Shooting Stars of Ibadan have parted ways with their coaches led by Hakeem Busari. Shooting Stars media officer Jubril Arowolo confirmed to newsmen that Busari, Tunde Odubola and fitness trainer Addy have been shown the exit door after the famous Ibadan club plunged to the lower league on Sunday. 

= Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger accused his side of being "naive" as they suffered their first Champions League defeat of the season, beaten at home by BORUSSIA Dortmund.

= American rapper, Ja rule wants to release a cook book inspired by his time in prison. The rapper who spent almost two years in prison for gun possession and tax evasion insists every recipe in the book will be ''microwavable'' as that was how he had to make dishes in jail.