Brendan Rodgers defends Cardiff's Ma

Football | Barclays Premier League

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers launched a strong defence of under-fire Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash at Anfield.
Mackay was publically criticised by Cardiff's Malaysian owner Vincent Tan this week after he stated he wanted to bring in new signings in January.
Tan told Mackay he would be given nothing to spend in January and it has left the Bluebirds manager in a precarious position even though he insists he will not resign.
Former Swansea City boss Rodgers, who worked with Mackay at Watford when he was manager in 2008, said: "I find it incredible, all the talk about Malky. I know Malky well from having worked with him at Watford and I am probably privy to things even more because I worked in South Wales for a couple of years.

Man Sets Himself On Fire In St. Peter’s Square

 

St. Peter’s Square

A 50-year-old Italian man set himself on fire on St Peter’s Square in a rare event on the famous esplanade and is being treated in hospital with burns over half his body, the Vatican and police sources said.

The man, who worked as a cleaner in a nearby Vatican-run hospital and had a major family dispute on Wednesday, was seen by police in closed-circuit footage covered in fuel and setting light to his clothes.

Indian Uses Morgan Freeman’s Photo In Mandela Tribute

 

An Indian owner of a billboard dedicated to Nelson Mandela was left red-faced after a photo of Morgan Freeman was used instead of one of Mandela.
The billboard was erected on the side of a road in the southern city of Coimbatore as part of memorials across India and the world to Mandela, who died on December 5.

Big Brother Host, Ik Osakioduwa, in Intimate Hug With Lavinia

 

Tall handsome and very married Big Brother Africa host, Ik Osakioduwa shared the above photo of himself and pretty Lavinia at the Fayrouz fashion event in Lagos which they both attended.

Gunmen kill peacekeepers, civilians in S’Sudan UN base

 

Three Indian peacekeepers have been killed in an attack on a United Nations base in South Sudan, Al-Jazeera said.

The UN said attackers from the country’s second-largest ethnic group forced their way into the Akobo base in conflict-wracked Jonglei state on Thursday, pursuing civilians from a rival ethnic group who had taken refuge there.

Feyisekemi wins Next Movie Star Africa reloaded

 

Feyisekemi

From the votes of viewers across Africa straddling the Internet and SMS – as well as judges – Feyisekemi Akinwale has been adjudged winner of the 2013 Next Movie Star Africa Reloaded edition.

The 19-year-old Ondo State native beat eight other finalists to the star prize of a brand new SUV, cash prize and movie roles. Ola Adebolu, Nwanma Odefa, Vaeveni Shikuyele and Imoh Chimezie,  who emerged first, second, third and fourth runners-up respectively, will also get cash prizes and movie contracts for their efforts.

Kwara spends N83m on NECO fees, others

Kwara State Governor Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed

Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has said the state spent N60m for the payment of National Examinations Council and National Board for Technical Education fees of 6,900 pupils that sat the 2013 Senior Secondary Schools Examination.

He added that the government also spent N23m for the conduct of Joint Mock Examination for SS2 pupils in the state.

N255m car scandal: Sack Oduah now, House of Reps tells Jonathan

 

Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah

The House of Representatives on Thursday agreed that the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, breached the 2013 Appropriation Act.

It therefore asked Jonathan to review her appointment for approving expenditure of over N643m for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to procure 54 vehicles this year.

The spokesman for the House, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, when contacted, explained that the lawmakers wanted the minister sacked.

FIFA ranks Nigeria below Iran

 

Nigeria slipped down on the FIFA world ranking and now the least rated team in their Brazil 2014 Group F as the countdown to the World Cup continues.

 In the ranking released on Thursday by the world body, Super Eagles slipped one spot to number 37 while Cote d’Ivoire remain Africa’s best at 17. But while the Eagles slipped one of Nigeria’s World Cup opponents moved by 12 places to now stand at 33. Bosnia and Herzegovina gained two spots to finish at 19th while former World champions Argentina maintained their enviable spot at 3rd. Eagles arrived at the USA ’94 World Cup as the 5th ranked team in the world. Prior to Thursday ranking the Iranians were far behind the Eagles.

Nov/Dec WASSCE: 71% of candidates fail English, Maths

Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike

More than 70 per cent of candidates who wrote this year’s November/December West African Senior School Certificate   Examination  might not gain admission to the nation’s universities  have revealed.

Reason: the candidates failed to obtain the required credits in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

For one to gain admission to the university in the country, one must obtain at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics in WASSCE or Senior Secondary Certificate Examination conducted by the National Examinations Council.

The West African Examinations Council announced the release of the Nov/Dec WASSCE results on Thursday in Lagos.

Suarez has matured –Rodgers

Luis Suarez

  Luis Suarez has matured since his 10 match ban for biting and is thriving on the leadership role he has been handed by the club says manager Brendan Rogers.

The Uruguayan striker has been in scorching form since returning from suspension for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic last season, scoring 17 goals in 11 league appearances, more than the total managed by half the clubs in the Premier League, reports Reuters.

Having appeared to be on his way out of the Anfield club during the off-season and at odds with his manager, he is now more settled in Merseyside. His redemption following a litany of off-field dramas continued on Monday when he was given the Football Supporters’ Federation Player of the Year award, which was voted for by more than half a million fans.

I didn’t buy four cars in one day – Iyanya

 

Iyanya

Kukere crooner, Iyanya, chats with Jayne Augoye about fame and the need for artistes to invest wisely

Rave of the moment, Iyanya Mbuk, considers 2013 his best year ever. Besides sealing mouthwatering endorsement deals with MTN, Zinox Computers and Solo Phones, his appearance fees have also tripled.

When a headline recently screamed, ‘Iyanya Mbuk gets over N130m endorsements deals in 2013 alone’, the  figure sounded exaggerated as far as some people are concerned. But in reality, it is not too far from the truth.

Bafana’s year of mixed fortunes

Football | Bafana Bafana

The year 2012-13 will go down as the year of mixed fortunes for Bafana Bafana who agonisingly failed to qualify for the 2014 Fifa Word Cup.
Bafana began their qualifying campaign against Ethiopia and were held to a 1-1 draw in Rustenburg much to the disappointment of the fans. The result cost Pitso Mosimane his job and Steven Komphela was temporarily in charge before Gordon Igesund was finally given the job.
Igesund had to go head-to-head with the then Bafana assistant and stand-in coach Komphela for the top job but it was the former Moroka Swallows boss who was elevated to the hot seat.

Mourinho feels the heat ahead of Arsenal crunch

Football | Barclays Premier League

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Jose Mourinho admits he is starting to feel the strain of Chelsea's inconsistent form as his side head to Arsenal for a crucial clash against the Premier League leaders.
Mourinho is growing increasingly vexed by the misfiring form of Chelsea's strikers and the Blues boss has so far been unable to find a solution to a problem that threatens to wreck the team's challenge for the title.
Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto'o and Demba Ba have scored just five league goals between them this term, leaving Mourinho under pressure to resolve the issue by making a signing in the January transfer market.
A host of players including Zenit Saint Petersburg striker Hulk and Atletico Madrid forward Diego Costa have been linked with Chelsea, but Mourinho must make do and mend until then, starting with the most significant match of the season to date at the Emirates Stadium on Monday.
While a win for second placed Liverpool over Cardiff at Anfield on Saturday would knock Arsenal off the top, the result of the London derby between the Gunners and Chelsea will been seen as an indication of which club is more likely to last the pace in the title race.