Nadal, Federer, Djokovic advance in Paris

Tennis | ATP

World No 1 Rafa Nadal broke the stubborn resistance of Poland's Jerzy Janowicz's to win 7-5 6-4 and reach the last eight of the Paris Masters on Thursday.
In the semifinals of the Paris event - one of only three Masters titles the Spaniard has yet to win - Nadal faces local favourite Richard Gasquet who, along with Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, have completed the ATP World Tour finals line-up.
Both players won their third-round matches at Bercy but it was Canadian Milos Raonic's defeat by Tomas Berdych that sent them into next week's season-ending showdown in London.
They join Nadal, Novak Djokovic, David Ferrer, Juan Martin del Potro, Berdych and Roger Federer in next week's showpiece. All eight reached the Paris Masters quarterfinals on Friday.
World No 2 Djokovic and 17-times grand slam champion Roger Federer, who is ranked sixth, also advanced.

Murray wants glory or bust in Australia

Tennis | Australian Open

Wimbledon champion Andy Murray said on Thursday that he will only compete in next year's Australian Open if he feels capable of mounting a serious challenge to win it.
Murray became the first British man to win Wimbledon for 77 years in July, but he missed the latter part of the season after undergoing surgery on his back in September.
He is now working his way back to full fitness, but says he will not cut any corners in his preparations for the Australian Open, which begins on January 13.
"I would be disappointed to miss the Australian Open because it's a Grand Slam. It is a tournament all the players want to play at," he said.

Nadal, Federer, Djokovic advance in Paris

Tennis | ATP

 World No 1 Rafa Nadal broke the stubborn resistance of Poland's Jerzy Janowicz's to win 7-5 6-4 and reach the last eight of the Paris Masters on Thursday.
In the semifinals of the Paris event - one of only three Masters titles the Spaniard has yet to win - Nadal faces local favourite Richard Gasquet who, along with Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, have completed the ATP World Tour finals line-up.
Both players won their third-round matches at Bercy but it was Canadian Milos Raonic's defeat by Tomas Berdych that sent them into next week's season-ending showdown in London.
They join Nadal, Novak Djokovic, David Ferrer, Juan Martin del Potro, Berdych and Roger Federer in next week's showpiece. All eight reached the Paris Masters quarterfinals on Friday.
World No 2 Djokovic and 17-times grand slam champion Roger Federer, who is ranked sixth, also advanced.

Brazil to offer more flights

Football | World Cup 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brazil said on Thursday it will provide additional flights and new routes to meet massive air traffic demfor next year's World Cup. "We are going to increase flights on existing routes and open new routes" between Brazilian host cities, Civil Aviation Minister Wellington Moreira Franco said.
He said details were still being worked out but as an example stressed the need to create an air link between Cuiaba, in central-west Brazil, and Salvador in the northeast.
The two are among the 12 Brazilian cities that will host World Cup games.
His remarks followed a public outcry over the exorbitant air fares for the first World Cup to be held in Brazil since 1950.

Costa, Villa give Atletico victory

Football | Spain

Atletico Madrid kept pace with leaders Barcelona and restored their five-point lead over third-placed city rivals Real when Diego Costa and David Villa each scored a penalty in a 2-1 win at Granada in La Liga on Thursday.
Atletico, King's Cup winners last season, have won 10 of their 11 league games this term, a record only bettered by unbeaten champions Barca, and their only setback was this month's 1-0 defeat at Espanyol.

Roma set record with tenth straight win

Football | Italy

AS Roma became the first team to win their opening 10 Serie A games of the season when they overcame bottom side Chievo 1-0 thanks to Marco Boriello's late header on Thursday.
The defiant visitors defended resolutely and physically for more than an hour and looked capable of denying Roma the record until striker Boriello broke the deadlock in the 67th minute.
Roma, under new coach Rudi Garcia who took over at the start of the season, have 30 points, five clear of Juventus and Napoli with more than a quarter of the campaign completed.

Milan losing touch with UCL spots

Football | Italy

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri knows if his team do not start picking up points soon the unthinkable will happen and they will lose touch with third place and Champions League football next season.
Milan, who host Fiorentina on Saturday (1945 GMT), have taken one point from their last two games to renew the almost inevitable speculation about Allegri's future, something he has had to live with throughout the last two seasons.
After his side were held 1-1 at home by Lazio on Wednesday, leaving them 13 points off third spot, Allegri produced the familiar lines Milan fans have become tired of hearing recently.
He complained about injuries, said they performed well, failed to take their chances, lost concentration and made no real mistakes apart from the goal they conceded. And he said they would fight on and do better next time.

WCup pain could cost Mexico millions

Football | World Cup 2014

Mexico businesses could lose as much as $650 million if the country fails to beat New Zealand in their World Cup playoff and qualify for the 2014 finals in Brazil, according to sports marketing expert Rogelio Roa.
Mexico face New Zealand at the Azteca on November 13 and in Wellington a week later in a two-leg intercontinental playoff for one berth at the 2014 finals.
Miguel Herrera, whose club team America are Mexican league champions, was handed the reins as Mexico's fourth coach in less than two months after his predecessors failed to see the team through as expected from the CONCACAF qualifiers.

Argentina call up two uncapped stars

Football | World Cup 2014

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella has named two uncapped defenders in his squad for friendlies in the United States against Ecuador and Bosnia next month.
Fiorentina's Facundo Roncaglia and Lucas Orban of Girondins Bordeaux were called up on Thursday as Sabella looks to shore up a defence that has been frequently exposed by the counter-attack ahead of next year's World Cup finals.

Lady Gaga Flaunting Her Ridiculously Long Heels

 

It seems the very controversial pop superstar, Lady Gaga wasn’t satisfied by the massive attention she got after her recent performance in which she stri*ped down unclad.

Rapper 50 Cent Gets Probation In Domestic Violence Case

 

If Chris Brown can get away then 50 Cent should be allowed to walk free too.
G-Unit gang leader, rapper 50 Cent on Monday was all smiles as the Los Angeles prosecutors granted his appeal and gave him a lesser sentence of three years’ probation and 30 days of community service after allegedly kicking the mother of his child and destroying her property during a June altercation.
The 38-year-old rapper, Curtis Jackson, pleaded no contest to a single count of misdemeanor vandalism while three vandalism counts and one count of misdemeanor domestic violence were dropped, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Superior Court said.

2face Hangs With T-Pain In His Home

 

2face is one of the biggest name in the music industry in Africa at the moment; there’s hardly anybody that would come across 2face and say they don’t know who he is.

Olamide Releases Track-list For Baddest Guy Ever Liveth Album

 

King of the streets and baddo, Olamide has released the track list for his highly anticipated album, “Baddest Guy Ever Liveth”.

Nollywood Actress Dumps Acting For Medicine

 

Do you remember Nollywood actress Georgina Onuah? She got married to a medical doctor, in 2006.
Well, the actress has dumped acting for a job in the medical sector.
According to Nigeriafilms, Georgina Onuah got position of a Health Information Specialist at the North American Healthcare Inc. She is actually a Medical Research Auditor.
The ex-actress, who still happily married and blessed with two cute daughters is said to have finally bid acting farewell.

Triple Combo: Omawumi Reunites With Baby Daddy + Shares Blurry Photo Of Them + Gives Engagement Hint

 

Singer, Omawumi has kept her intimate life very secret and till this very day, it’s still a mystery.
It seems the singer has resovled her issues with the father of her daughter.
Omawumi had a child in the US, in 2011; and ever since then, there’s been no word of who the father of the child is.

Syria: Assad Seeks End To Rebel Backing From Foreign Powers

 

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has told UN-Arab envoy that peace talks can only take place when foreign states supporting rebels withdraw assistance.
Assad said this during a meeting with peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi in Damascus on Wednesday.

Bodies Of Migrants Found In Niger Desert

 

At least 87 migrants were found in Niger’s northern desert after they died of thirst and dehydration, just a few kilometres from the border of Algeria, their planned destination, security officials said.
The corpses found were that of 7 men, 32 women and 48 children, in addition to five bodies of women and girls found earlier, a security source said.
All were believed to have died in early October after a failed attempt to reach Algeria that began in late September.

21-year-old Palestinian Killed In West Bank By Israeli Troops

 

A 21-year-old Palestinian man was shot in the chest by Israeli troops during a night raid on village near city of Jenin, medical official say.
An Israeli military spokeswoman said the soldiers had been on an overnight raid in a village near the city of Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, when about 50 Palestinians started hurling stones at them.
Ahmed Imad Yusef, 21, was shot in the chest during the confrontation, medical workers said. Locals said Yusef was unarmed and worked in a vegetable market.

Israel Announces More Settlements

 

Israel has announced plans to build 1500 new homes in east Jerusalem, the part of the city claimed by the Palestinians, just hours after it freed a group of Palestinian prisoners as part of a deal to set peace talks in motion.

Now Aces march Siwahla out the door also

Football | Absa Premiership

 Mkhanyiseli Siwahla has joined Mark Mayambela out of the door at Mpumalanga Black Aces, the club confirmed on Thursday with the club accusing them of turning up drunk at training.
A statement from the club follows breaking news from Supersport.com earlier on Thursday that Mayambela had left the club.
“Following a meeting with management, both players have left the club immediately via a consensual agreement for gross misbehaviour,” it said.
“There were various indiscretions that led to Mark Mayambela and Mkhanyiseli Siwahla been called to an internal hearing following them allegedly coming to training under the influence of alcohol.
“Both players were requested to undergo alcohol tests at the nearby Linksfield clinic, which they both refused.

Robinho called up for Brazil squad

Football | Brazil

 AC Milan forward Robinho was the surprise choice of coach Luiz Felipe Scolari for Brazil's squad to face Honduras and Chile in two friendlies next month.
The mercurial striker was recalled after a two-year absence and will travel to North America as the hosts continue their build-up to next year's World Cup finals.
Willian of Chelsea is also included as is the promising 19-year-old central defender Marquinhos of Paris St Germain.

Fifa rule Cairo safe for WCup playoff

Football | Egypt

Fifa have ruled that Cairo is safe for a 2014 Africa Zone World Cup playoff between hosts Egypt and Ghana.
Ghana had raised objections to Cairo hosting the return leg playoff after the recent anti-government protests in Egypt.
But officials of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) said they have since received a Fifa decision that the game be played in Cairo on November 19 after a visit by their security inspection.
Fifa said that the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to go ahead with a November 10 CAF Champions League return leg final in Cairo further shows the situation in Egypt has normalised.

Gareth Bale © Gallo Images BPL Fantasy League Bale hopes to kick on after slow start

Football | Spain

Gareth Bale gave Real Madrid fans their first real taste of what he is capable of with two goals and two assists against Sevilla on Wednesday and the world's most expensive player believes he has turned a corner.
The €100 million Wales winger's season has been disrupted by injury but his performance in the 7-3 romp at the Bernabeu showcased his strength and pace as well as his lethal left foot, and suggested he is close to full fitness again after recovering from a thigh strain.