Leaders ask Nigerians to stop talks of 2015 polls

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan and former Secretary General of the Commonwealth,Chief Emeka Anyaoku ,yesterday again asked Nigerians especially the political class and the media to stop the undue focus on the 2015 elections.  Their views echo that of many other eminent leaders who view the 2015 debate as pre-mature and a distraction.  Jonathan said the focus should be “governance first”, stressing: “We are just talking about one year of a government of four years. Why should we begin to talk about 2015. Let us keep away from whether...

Read more »

UNILAG shut, govt defends name change as protests persist

Even the closure yesterday of the rechristened University of Lagos(UNILAG) could neither douse nor stop the vehement protests by students and academic staff against the Federal Government’s action. Hundreds of aggrieved students for several hours resisted the attempt of the university’s authorities to shut down the school and force them out of their halls of residence. The school’s authorities had yesterday issued a statement, ordering the closure of the institution for two weeks but the students vowed not to leave the Akoka campus. They alleged...

Read more »

Historic British mansion has 48 rooms but no toilet

Fans of the British television drama "Downton Abbey" could live out the drama in a counytrside estate of similar stature that has recently gone up for sale. Apethorpe Hall, an idyllic British manor with an astounding 48 rooms, has hit the market for what is considered a "bargain" price of 2.5 million pounds (about $3,882,500). There's just one catch: The place doesn't have a bathroom. The Daily Mail reports that the house was originally built between 1470 and 1480 by Sir Guy Wolston, then sold to Sir Walter Mildmay.  It reportedly stayed...

Read more »

Suspected Seattle gunman d*es

A Seattle man suspected of multiple shootings has d*ed Wednesday night, a hospital spokesman told the Associated Press.  Officers believe the man was responsible for a Wednesday morning k*ling spree that has now left five people d*ad: four from a Seattle cafe, and one at a downtown parking lot as part of a carjacking.  The Seattle Times identified the suspect as Ian Lee Stawicki, a 40-year-old Seattle resident. His brother, Andrew Stawicki, said, "It's no surprise to me this happened. We could see this coming. Nothing good is going...

Read more »

Truck hits students at Calif. high school; 8 hurt

HEMET, CALIF.- A high school junior in a pickup truck speed through a red light and into dozens of teenagers who were crossing a street outside a California high school Wednesday, leaving eight people injured, three of them critically, authorities said. Classes at Hemet High School had just ended for the day when Daniel Carrillo, 18, who was in a 1994 Ford Ranger with his twin brother and a friend, plowed through a crosswalk, California Highway Patrol Officer Darren Meyer said. About 30 people were in the crosswalk, headed toward the student...

Read more »

Usain Bolt plays down Justin Gatlin's London 2012 chances

Usain Bolt has dismissed suggestions former Olympic champion Justin Gatlin will provide the biggest challenge for his 100m crown at London 2012.  Gatlin, who won 2004 gold in Athens before a four-year drugs ban, clocked 9.87 seconds in Doha two weeks ago. "I don't want to sound rude, but Gatlin's had his chance," said Bolt. "He's been on top, but to say 'get ready for the Gatlin show' is funny . "He has a few guys to get past before he should be worried about me." World indoor champion Gatlin staked his claim as a contender for the Olympic...

Read more »

Spurs notch 20th straight win

The San Antonio Spurs have taken a 2-0 lead in their NBA Western Conference finals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.  A spectacular shooting performance propelled the Spurs to a 120-111 victory at the AT&T Center on Tuesday. With victory, San Antonio become just the fourth team in NBA history to notch 20 consecutive wins with their last loss coming back in April against the Los Angeles Lakers. Even more impressive is that 10 of those have come in the play-offs with the Spurs sweeping the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers...

Read more »

Casillas breaks international wins record with Spain's victory over South Korea

In what was his 130th appearance for Spain, Casillas won his 95th match for the national team, breaking the record for the highest number of international victories that had been set by France's Lilian Thuram and matched by Egypt's Ahmed Hassan.  The 31-year-old custodian was introduced in the second half and did not concede a goal, while watching Alvaro Negredo score La Roja's fourth goal of the night. Casillas, who also recorded his 74th clean sheet with the national side, has also become the fourth-highest-capped goalkeeper in football,...

Read more »

Hulk deal to Chelsea 90 per cent complete - report

The highly-rated Brazilian has been sought after by the Stamford Bridge outfit for a while, with many expecting the 25-year-old to follow former Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas to Stamford Bridge a year ago.  The move did not materialise, however, with Hulk remaining at Porto for a further year. Yet it now seems the Blues have got their man, with a £40 million fee reportedly agreed.  Hulk enjoyed another successful campaign at Porto last season, scoring 21 goals in 38 games as he helped guide the Portuguese giants to their second...

Read more »

Davids backing Dutch firepower

Edgar Davids played in three European Championships for Netherlands, twice losing out at the semi-final stage. A combative midfielder with the ability to create, Davids was one of the most recognisable faces on the international scene over an 11-year period with the Dutch side. Davids retired from football in 2010 after a short-lived spell with Crystal Palace, but before that enjoyed a distinguished career which took him from Ajax to AC Milan, Juventus, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur.  A winner of one Champions League,...

Read more »

Balotelli rails against racists

Manchester City's Mario Balotelli insists he will storm off the pitch if racially abused while playing for Italy at next month's European Championship. Balotelli has been the target of racist attacks both on and off the pitch in Europe, and is adamant he will not stand for such behaviour in Poland and the Ukraine. UEFA officials have the authority to abandon any match if violence or abuse is taking place, but Balotelli says he will be the first to act. "Let's see what happens at the Euro," Balotelli told France Football. "I hope that...

Read more »

Stray dog completes 1700km China race

Stray dog has completed a 1700km journey across China after joining a cycle race from Sichuan province to Tibet. The dog, nicknamed "Xiaosa", joined the cyclists after one of them gave him food.   He ran with them for 24 days, covering up to 60km a day, and climbing 12 mountains. Cyclist Xiao Yong started a blog about Xiaosa's adventures, which had attracted around 40,000 fans by the end of the race. Yong now hopes to adopt Xiaosa...

Read more »

Liberia ex-President Charles Taylor get 50 years in prison

Taylor has been sentenced to 50 years in jail by a UN-backed war crimes court.  Last month Taylor was found guilty of aiding and abetting rebels in Sierra Leone during the 1991-2002 civil war.  Special Court for Sierra Leone judges said the sentence reflected his status as head of state at the time and his betrayal of public trust. Taylor, 64, insists he is innocent and is likely to appeal against the sentence, correspondents say.  The appeal process could last up to six month...

Read more »

Earthquake hits Italy friendly

The Italy-Luxembourg friendly has been cancelled after an earthquake hit the Emilia-Romagna region on Tuesday.  The Euro 2012 warm-up game was scheduled to take place at the Ennio Tardini in Parma, but the Italian football federation (FIGC) and the local authorities chiose to cancel the international following Tuesday's events.  The 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit just after 9am local time, and within 90 minutes four aftershocks measuring above 4.0 were also felt. Ten people have reportedly died in the quake, all in the Modena...

Read more »

Ranieri to coach Monaco

The 50-year-old Roman, who was shown the door at San Siro by Massimo Moratti in March, is set to be unveiled as Marco Simone's successor in the coming days. Ranieri had been heavily linked with former club Fiorentina in recent weeks, but the Viola now look set to appoint Vincenzo Montella as their new coach. The vacancy at Monaco sprang up recently following the dismissal of former Italy international Marco Simone, who had led the Rouge and Blanc to a disappointing eighth-placed finish in the French second division. The side from the Principality...

Read more »

YEKINI: How Abacha and team-mates contributed to Yekini’s demise(A MUST READ)

Not many know about the humble beginning of the naïve boy from Ira in Kwara State of Nigeria. Some versions have it that he was just a car spray painter while another version says he was a corner street vulcaniser, helping to repair punctured tyres of vehicles in Kaduna. What most later found out was that he played in the Nigerian league for United Nigeria Textile Limited, UNTL Football Club of Kaduna between 1981 and 1982 from where he joined Shooting Stars of Ibadan.  It may have been at Shooting Stars, fondly called Up sootin by...

Read more »

LETTER OF APPLICATION BY AN AKWA-IBOM GIRL.

"An apprication to be jour serfant.   Here is the summarly of my cfi.  My name is Ekaette my inklish name is Yulet(Juliet). Ah yam flom Ibiaku Ntok Okpo in Akwa Ibom stead(state). I blought up in Ayekunle den we relogate to Jaba @ Lakos. Ah yam a fery vunny and hadt worging kirl, my hoppies are picking snail and planting casafa. I know how to dance asonto and etighi. ...My best musician is yokodo. I can sing tiwa safage and ron yassi. I have a strong glush on marfin regord. I like gooking, gleaning and washzing. Oka mma...

Read more »

Woman Gives Birth To LIVE Monkey In Benue State

It sure sounds unbelievable, but a young Nigerian woman has been delivered of a monkey-like monster in Otukpo, a popular town in Benue State. The outré event took place recently at St Theresa Hospital, Otukpo, when the woman said to be the wife of a hunter from Oju Local Government Area of the state gave birth to a creature that looks like a monkey.   The strange delivery, we gathered came as a surprise to the already mother of nine the who had successfully delivered nine children in the past and was having her 10th child before...

Read more »

LETTER FROM A MOTHER TO A DAUGHTER (MUST READ FOR EVERY LADY)

LETTER FROM A MOTHER TO A DAUGHTER "My dear girl, the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If when we talk, I repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt to say: “You said the same thing a minute ago”... Just listen, please.  Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same story night after night until you would fall asleep. When I don’t want to take a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass me. Remember when I had...

Read more »

Nigerian appointed London police first black commander

Victor Olisa, a UK-based Nigerian and a Chief Superintendent with the London Metropolitan Police has been appointed as the first black commander for Bexley local council in London. "Policing runs in the family and I have always wanted to be a police officer and ethnicity does not affect that" Olisa told the Europe Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in his reaction on the appointment in London. Olisa, whose grandfather was a police officer in Nigeria, said his focus was on the job rather than on being the ``first black''...

Read more »