Lewandowski receives FOUR awards from Guinness Book of Records after five-goal blitz

Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski has had his record-breaking five-goal haul against Wolfsburg officially honoured by the Guinness Book of Records.

The striker, 27, came off the bench to score five times in eight minutes and 59 seconds in September’s Bundesliga match, breaking four world records. He has scored the most goals by a substitute in the Bundesliga (five) and the fastest Bundesliga hat-trick. It was also the fastest four goals in the league and the fastest to five

Upon receiving the awards from Guinness World Records, Lewandowski said: "When you are a young player I never dared to dream about something like this, to score five goals in nine minutes. But it happened. I did it.

"I don't know if anybody else will be able to repeat this. I never thought about it, but I did it. Everything has to come together; timing, luck, fitness, form and the match itself. Of course I would like it if this was never to be repeated again. In this moment I am just happy that these four records belong to me now."

The Poland striker, who has scored 26 goals in 25 appearances for club and country this season, is planning to donate the boots he wore on the night to charity.

Lewandowski's record-breaking night
Fastest Bundesliga hat-trick (three minutes and 22 seconds)	Fastest five goals in a Bundesliga match (eight minutes and 59 seconds)
Fastest four goals in a Bundesliga match (five minutes and 42 seconds)	Most goals scored by a substitute in the Bundesliga (five)

Soccer-Chelsea submit plans for new 60,000-seat stadium

Premier League champions Chelsea have submitted a planning application to re-develop its Stamford Bridge ground into a new 60,000-seater stadium, the club said on Tuesday.

The application, which involves the demolition of the 41,600-seat stadium and other buildings currently on the site, will be examined by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.

The council have set a deadline for comments on the application of Friday, 8 January 2016. The current ground, which dates back to 1877 and home to the west London club since 1905, holds only 41,600.

In a statement on their official club website, Chelsea said that the new stadium would see "facilities improved for every area" and offer an "outstanding view" from every seat in an arena "designed to create an exciting atmosphere".

Chelsea’s London rivals Arsenal play in the 60,000-capacity Emirates Stadium, while Tottenham Hotspur are in the process of building a new White Hart Lane ground to hold 60,000.

West Ham United are moving into the Olympic Stadium next year so Chelsea could find themselves playing in the smallest ground of any of the main London clubs before long.

Rubbish piling up in Johannesburg

The streets of Johannesburg city centre in South Africa are covered in rubbish.

Since Monday last week Pickitup workers belonging to the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) have been on strike, demanding higher wages and better working conditions.

The municipal workers want a standardised basic salary of 10,000 rands ($460) a month.

At the moment, they say salaries can vary widely according to the district in which they are based.

Demonstrators emptied bins in the city centre, and have not been collecting rubbish in many residential areas.

Pickitup Managing Director Amanda Nair said it was costing her company R2 million a day to remove the rubbish that has piled up since last week.

Talks are under way to try and resolve the dispute and there are concerns that the piles of rubbish could pose a health risk.

World's second-largest diamond 'found in Botswana'

A Canadian mining company operating in Botswana says it has found the second largest "gem quality" diamond ever discovered.

The Lucara Diamond Corporation said in a statement this week that the stone measures 1,111 carats, making it the biggest find in more than a century.

The Royal Collection Trust, which oversees British royal treasures, says the largest diamond ever found was the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, unearthed in South Africa in 1905. That diamond was cut into smaller pieces that are part of the crown jewels.

Lucara, which is based in Vancouver, says it also found two other large white diamonds in the same mine, Karowe, in Botswana. Those diamonds measure 813 carats and 374 carats.

Botswana is a major diamond producer.

‘Magical’ blue diamond sold for $48m

Blue diamond, a polished blue gem diamond discovered last year in South Africa's Cullinan mine, has been auctioned for $48.4m in Geneva Switzerland, according to Sotheby.
The precious mineral was cut from a 29.6-carat diamond which also yielded the Star of Africa blue diamond in the British crown jewels. The cushion-shaped diamond, planted on a ring, was bought by a private collector from Hong Kong.
The sale came after rival auction house Christie's sold a similarly rare 16.08-carat pink diamond for $28.5m.
Two years ago, a diamond, Pink Star; was sold for what is believed to be a record breaking $83m (£52m) - also at a Geneva auction by Sotheby.
Spokesman of Sotheby, David Bennett, described it as "magical", adding: "I've never seen a more beautiful stone.
"The shape, the colour, the purity, it's a magical stone and everybody, I think, who put it on their finger thought so."

German ex-Chancellor Helmut Schmidt dies at 96

Former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, who is credited with guiding West Germany through economic turbulence and Cold War tension in the 1970s and early 1980s, has died at the age 96.
Schmidt's doctor, Heiner Greten, told the state news media that he died Tuesday afternoon in Hamburg. The doctor declined to go into any further detail.
The center-left Social Democrat led West Germany from 1974 to 1982, when he lost power to conservative Helmut Kohl, reported CNN. He remained politically active even after leaving office, going on to become an iconic elder statesman, weighing in on Germany's political debates into his 90s.
In addition ,Mr Schmidt was an architect of the European Monetary System, which linked EU currencies and was a key step on the path to the euro.He was credited with helping to consolidate the country's post-war economic boom.
He will be remembered as one of the most popular German leaders since World War II.

Kenyan officials bought 'sex toys' with taxpayers' money

A senior government minister in Kenya has been summoned by MPs to explain what they describe as strange purchases - including sex toys and a condom dispenser - by officials in her ministry.

Devolution and Planning Minister Ann Waiguru is due to appear before a parliamentary committee later today to explain the alleged purchases at inflated prices.
MPs allege that the condom dispenser was bought for $250, a television screen for $19,000 and pens for nearly $100. It is still unclear how much was spent on sex toys.

In a twist development ,Ms Anne Waiguru has hit back at allegations that sex toys and a female condom dispenser were among items bought with taxpayers' money by her ministry. 

"Both by law and in practice, I do not procure. I do not purchase anything for the ministry. I don't sign or negotiate contracts," she said in a tweet.
"Where instances of possible malpractice has been brought to my attention I have called in investigative authorities," Ms Waiguru added.