BUSINESSLIVE- Oil prices fell more than $2 per barrel Friday as Saudi Arabia and Russia discussed easing production cuts that have helped push crude prices to their highest since 2014. Brent crude futures fell $2.35, or 3 percent, to settle at $76.44 a barrel. The global benchmark lost about 2.7 percent this week, its largest weekly drop since early April. The contract hit its highest since late 2014 at $80.50 last week.

REUTERS - A soccer fan blacklisted by Russian authorities for bad behavior was granted a document allowing him to attend World Cup matches, while several other fans have skirted a stadium ban, Reuters has found.

REUTERS - U.S. ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman Jr. pulled out of an event on Friday that would have required him to be in the same room as Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian metals tycoon subject to U.S. sanctions.

APRNEWS - Africa’s second-largest crude producer, Angola, is cutting tax rates on development of marginal oil fields, a new feat, Joao Lourenco, the country’s president, is trying, in order to slow down the decline of oil production.

ECOFINAGENCY - Russia is likely to set an industrial zone worth $7 billion in Egypt’s North-Eastern city Port-Saïd, a statement from the Russian trade ministry indicated.

THEGUARDIAN - After leading La Liga giants, Atletico Madrid, to beat Super Eagles’ Team B to win the maiden GOtv Max Cup on Tuesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, coach Diego Simeone declared that it would be difficult for Nigerian players to stop superstar, Lionel Messi and his Argentina squad when hostilities resume at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

REUTERS - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday any retaliation against U.S. sanctions must not hurt the Russian economy or partners that do business in Russia, signaling that a package of counter-sanctions measures being prepared may be watered down.

GUARDIAN - Russian President Vladimir Putin held a rare meeting with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad on Thursday and said the situation in Syria is now favourable for the beginning of a “political process” which would lead to the withdrawal of foreign forces.

NEWSGHANA - There were no surprises on the list of 32 names that Croatian national head coach Zlatko Dalic announced on Monday in the official press release by the Croatian Football Federation (HNS-CFF).

REUTERS - Sergei Skripal, a former Russian spy who was left in critical condition by a nerve agent attack in Britain more than two months ago, has been discharged from hospital, England’s health service said on Friday.