BIGNEWS24HOURS: 12/15/13

Sunday 15 December 2013

N Korea Leader Visits Ski Resort Pet Project Days After Executing Uncle

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un visited a ski resort under construction in the northeast of the country to check on the progress of his pet project, state media reported, just days after he had his uncle, Jang Song-Thaek executed.
The Masik Pass Ski Resort made headlines in August when Switzerland blocked a $7.6m sale of ski lifts to Pyongyang, calling it a “propaganda project” for the regime.

Iranian intelligence authorities have arrested a man on charges of spying for Britain’s MI6, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
The head of the Kerman region’s revolutionary court, Dadkhoda Salari, told the FARs agency on Saturday that the suspect made contact with British agents 11 times in recent months, both inside and outside the country.
According to Salari, the suspect has admitted his guilt and is currently on trial.

At least 25 people were killed in regime air raids on rebel districts of the northern city of Aleppo on Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
They were killed when regime forces unleashed an aerial attack using explosive-laden barrels over the eastern Aleppo districts of Sakhur, Ard al-Hamra, Ansari and Haydariyeh, said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.
Fourteen children and an 18-year-old boy are among 25 people killed, he said updating an earlier toll, and warning that the toll could rise because many people were wounded, some in critical condition.
The Aleppo Media Centre (AMC), an activist network on the ground, reported several air attacks on rebel-held areas of the city.
Once Syria’s commercial capital, Aleppo has suffered massive destruction since a rebel offensive in July last year.

Lionel Messi

Mandela

The stock market can seem intimidating for the inexperienced investor, but it needn’t be. Stocks are the basic units of ownership of a corporation. When you buy shares, you are buying part-ownership in a business. As the company grows, prospers and makes a profit, you could earn a dividend and enjoy capital appreciation. But if the company is not profitable, your shares depreciate in value and you could lose money.

Facebook friends of President Goodluck Jonathan are divided over the now famous 18-page letter written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in which he (Obasanjo) strongly criticised the present administration.

Obasanjo had in the letter accused the President, among other things, of not honouring his words, and taking actions calculated at destroying Nigeria as well as running a killer squad.

A check on the President’s Facebook page on Sunday showed that some of his 1.1 million followers who dropped comments on his page are torn between pledging their support for the President or castigating him over the content of the 18-page stinker.

If you have ever said or done the wrong thing at the wrong time, you should read this. Neuroscientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and the University of California, San Diego, have successfully demonstrated a technique to enhance a form of self-control through a novel form of brain stimulation.

Study participants were asked to perform a simple behavioral task that required the braking/slowing of action — inhibition — in the brain. In each participant, the researchers first identified the specific location for this brake in the prefrontal region of the brain. Next, they increased activity in this brain region using stimulation with brief and imperceptible electrical charges. This led to increased braking — a form of enhanced self-control.

Mba uncertain as Eagles step up training

Super Eagles ‘B’ team will step up their training from Monday officials of the team have said in Abuja. They are now to train twice daily as the battle for the final squad to the 2014 CHAN hits the peak.

The pressure for final places in the team going to South Africa suggest that old regulars like Chigozie Agbim, Sunday Mba, Solomon Kwambe, Gambo Mohammed, Benjamin Francis and Azubuike Egwuekwe are not sure of shirts. Coach Stephen Keshi has made it clear that only the fittest and the best as proved in training will be picked for the tournament.

Football | Super Eagles

Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama has revealed that one of the biggest problems he’s had to face in France is mastering the French Language.
The 31-year-old has been in great form this season with Lille OSC where he has conceded in just three of the club’s 17 league games this season.
Enyeama reckons his French will improve remarkably in the coming days but admitted that he still struggles to communicate in the language.

Football | Europe

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid continued to set the pace in La Liga as Real Madrid lost ground at the top with a draw at Osasuna.
Arsenal's Premier League lead was cut to two points following their 6-3 loss at Manchester City and Liverpool climbed to second with a 5-0 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur.

Football | Barclays Premier League

Manchester United manager David Moyes has called for referees to offer better protection to winger Adnan Januzaj despite seeing his side convincingly win 3-0 at Aston Villa.
Two goals in the space of three first-half minutes from Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley's 52nd-minute effort ensured the hosts were well beaten on Saturday as United won a first league game in five attempts.
But Moyes was unhappy with the number of tackles made on the Belgian-born youngster and wants referees to take action.

Football | Barclays Premier League

Despite mauling Premier League leaders Arsenal in another goal fest at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes style improvements are required to get more from his talented squad.
The Chilean tactician, whose side fought back from two goals down to beat Bayern Munich 3-2 away in the Champions League on Tuesday, watched joyfully as his charges cut through a jaded Arsenal with ease in a 6-3 victory on Saturday that left the Londoners' two-point lead at the top looking flimsy.
City's haul took their total to 47 goals in 16 league matches, with 35 of them coming in their eight home games this season.

Football | Africa

Galatasaray African duo Didier Drogba and Emmanuel Eboue will not be punished for displaying tributes to Nelson Mandela during a league match.
After a brief hearing, the Disciplinary Committee decided to drop the charges brought against the Ivory Coast internationals by the Turkish Football Federation.

Some of you didn’t even know that famous R&B singer, Mariah Carey was in Nigeria.
Well, it’s too late now because Mariah has gone already.
She visited Nigeria yesterday for Access Bank end of year party and sending off of current chairman.
The multiple Grammy Awards winner left Lagos this morning in a special private jet,

Nelson Mandela Buried At Qunu Ancestral Home

Nelson Mandela has finally been put to rest in his home village after 10 days of international mourning.
The funeral began at 8am local time with a two-hour public ceremony for around 4500 invited guests, including senior politicians and a posse of foreign dignitaries.
The guests gathered in a huge tent at the family compound of the anti-apartheid leader.
Mourners included senior South African officials, veterans of the fight against white rule and foreign diplomats, including US Ambassador Patrick Gaspard and Prince Charles. Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson and former Zimbabwean prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai were also there.

Football | Barclays Premier League

England striker Danny Welbeck made the most of a rare start for Manchester United with a first-half double in a 3-0 win at Aston Villa on Sunday as the champions ended a run of four Premier League games without victory.
Welbeck, recalled in place of injured Robin van Persie, struck twice in three minutes for United who moved up one spot to eighth, 10 points behind leaders Arsenal.

Limpopo crooner, Kcee was one of the Nigerian singers with a very awesome 2013.

Someone really needs to check Kanye’s head if the brother is still sane.
Kanye West, 36, ordered a member of his security team to chase out a female fan from his gig in San Antonio, Texas, after she and a group of friends repeatedly screamed at him to take off his Maison Martin Margiela-created mask that covers his entire face.

R&B sensation and wife of Nick Cannon, Mariah Carey made an undercover landing in Lagos Nigeria yesterday – 14th December 2013.

Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson

The Internet subscriber data on the Global System for Mobile Telecommunication and Code Division Multiple Access platforms is now 56,247,979.

This shows an increase of 5,667,268 from the previous figure of 50,580,711 provided by the Nigerian Communications Commission.

The NCC puts GSM Internet subscription at over 56 million, while that of the CDMA is 169,149.

For the GSM networks, MTN led with 28 million subscriptions, followed by Globacom, Airtel and Etisalat with over 12 million, nine million and five million subscribers, respectively.

Toke Makinwa

Background

My name is Toke Makinwa and I turned 29 last month. I am from Idanre, Ondo State and I come from a very large family. I studied English Literature at the University of Lagos. I am just a girl next door, unpredictable, a lover of life and I am very passionate about God.

Nelson Mandela

The odds are slim for Nigeria to win the 2014 World Cup – some pundits put it at 200/1, others 301/1. No one can blame the analysts for having little faith in the team, after all the Super Eagles have never gone beyond the second round of the competition even after making four appearances since 1994.

While teams like Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Spain and Italy are more favoured to win the tournament, it is a fact that only seeded teams have won the World Cup, except for the editions in 1954, 1958, 1970 and 1986.

Abiola Segun-Williams

Known as Titi K in the soap, Tinsel, Abiola Segun-Williams talks about her career and style

Q: Tell us about yourself

A: I was born in Lagos. I have always lived in Lagos. While I was growing up, my father was very strict, while my mother was a very soft woman. Unfortunately, he died in 1995. I am married to Segun Williams but the name is very general. I wanted to answer just Segun and drop the Williams but it occurred to me that my parent in-laws may feel bad.

Football | World Cup 2014

Around 130 companies are being investigated for selling World Cup tickets on the black market with football's governing body Fifa claiming that some are being offered with a staggering 300 percent mark-up.
Match Services AG, which is the Fifa-sanctioned commercial outlet, confirmed reports in the Brazilian media that some 130 companies and operators are under investigation for offering unauthorised deals.
Some of these already face judicial action in their own countries.

Football | Nigeria

Nigeria's Supersand Eagles have threatened to boycott their last game against Senegal at the ongoing 2013 Copa Lagos Beach soccer tournament over unpaid fees.
Supersport.com can exclusively report that the players held on an open protest shortly after the side beat Lebanon 10-9 in their second encounter at this year's competition on Saturday.

Football | International

Italian Alessandro Del Piero was on the scoresheet as Sydney FC climbed to third in Australia's A-League with a 2-1 win over lowly Melbourne Heart on Sunday.
Del Piero put the Sky Blues in front in the 43rd minute while Serbian striker Ranko Despotovic struck just three minutes later to put Sydney in command.

Football | Spain

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol is considering an end to his illustrious playing career due to on-going fitness problems, Catalan sports daily Mundo Deportivo reported on Sunday.
The 35-year-old has been dogged by injury problems over the last couple of seasons and returned to action following two knee operations in October.