Berlin reels after nine inmates escape Plötzensee prison*

*Berlin reels after nine inmates escape Plötzensee prison*

Berlin authorities are the target of ridicule and disbelief after nine prisoners escaped or absconded from one prison in the space of five days. Six remain on the run from Plötzensee jail after four separate incidents. Last Thursday, four inmates used an angle grinder and hammer from the prison workshop to break through a ventilation shaft. They then crept under the perimeter fence.

Despite CCTV capturing the escape, it was 41 minutes before it was noticed. Two of the four prisoners - who were serving sentences for theft, aggravated assault and extortion - are reported to be still at large.

Berlin's Senator of Justice Dirk Behrendt has so far faced down calls for him to resign, saying he has assembled a commission of experts to eliminate vulnerabilities in the prison system.

*Liverpool are now open to negotiate for Philippe Coutinho*

*Liverpool are now open to negotiate for Philippe Coutinho*

Liverpool have changed the tune of their discourse over Philippe Coutinho and are now open to any eventuality: either selling the Brazilian playmaker in January or agreeing a deal for his transfer in the summer.

Agreeing a fresh contract with the 25-year-old appears at this stage to be the least likely of outcomes given Liverpool’s acceptance that the player has made up his mind to leave and the fact that Barcelona have made little secret of their desire to add Coutinho and Atlético de Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann to their squad as a matter of priority in 2018.

As things stand, Liverpool have yet to receive an offer from Barcelona over which to adopt a position. But it is in the post and will be worth 110 million euros up front with an extra 40 million in add-ons.

Josep Maria Bartomeu feels he has a moral obligation towards the player for the efforts Coutinho has made to force the transfer through: pressuring Liverpool with a supposed injury that caused him to miss the game against Burnley and will also see him absent for the FA Cup Merseyside derby against Everton on Friday.

On the other side of the coin, Luis Suárez and Leo Messi are extremely keen on the arrival of a player who will improve a squad in need of reinforcements.

Paris Hilton � Is Engaged 💍to Chris Zylka!*

*Paris Hilton � Is Engaged 💍to Chris Zylka!*

Paris Hilton is engaged to her boyfriend Chris Zylka!

Chris, 32, popped the question on a ski trip in Aspen, Colorado over the weekend! "I am so excited to be engaged to the love of my life and my best friend," the 36-year-old former reality star told People. "He is perfect for me in every way and showed me that fairytales really do exist!"

The couple were first linked earlier this year, and Paris called Chris "the one" a few weeks later.

Trump to Kim: My nuclear button is 'bigger and more powerful'

*Trump to Kim: My nuclear button is 'bigger and more powerful'*

US President Donald Trump has boasted that his nuclear button is "much bigger" and "more powerful" than North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's. Mr Trump's tweet is the latest contribution to an increasingly personalised feud between the nuclear-armed leaders. Mr Kim threatened earlier this week that his nuclear launch button was "always on my table".

Unsurprisingly, Mr Trump's unorthodox words sent social media into a frenzy. It ended a quick-fire day of tweeting by Mr Trump in which he took credit for a lack of plane crashes, announced awards for "corrupt media" and threatened to pull aid from Palestinians for failing to show "appreciation or respect".

Android Go could bring Oreo to smartphones as cheap as $30 in India starting this month*

*Android Go 📱 could bring Oreo to smartphones as cheap as $30 😱 in India starting this month*

Android Go is designed to make it possible for smartphone makers to produce ultra-cheap devices that can still run Google's latest OS.

Now, though, a report is claiming that Google is working with OEMs in India to get Android Go devices launched, including one that costs just $30...

Citing multiple anonymous sources, Factor Daily reports that Google is currently working with several OEMs in India to produce smartphones with Android Go based on Oreo.

However, taking a device down to just $30 would be impressive, as the average cost of a 4G phone in the country is generally about $100.

Dates for those phones to launch are still unclear, but Micromax's device is apparently launching "on Republic Day or around it," meaning it will probably arrive toward the end of the month.

*Ethiopia to release all political prisoners, says prime minister*

*Ethiopia to release all political prisoners, says prime minister*

Ethiopia's prime minister has announced the release of all political prisoners and the closure of a notorious detention centre which allegedly used torture to extract confessions. Hailemariam Desalegn told a press conference charges would also be dropped for those still awaiting trial. The move was designed to allow political dialogue, he said.

Ethiopia is accused by human rights groups of using mass arrests and detention to stifle opposition. However, this is the first time the government has admitted to having any political prisoners, previously describing them as "criminals", BBC Ethiopia correspondent Emmanuel Igunza says.

Campaign group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the government of using anti-terrorism laws to jail its critics. The exact number of people in detention is not known. However, thousands have been detained since 2015, when there were widespread protests calling for political and economic reforms, prompting a crackdown.