Kano Varsity To Resume January 6

 

The Kano University of Science and Technology (KUST), Wudil, will commence academic activities on Jan. 6.
This information is contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations of the university, Alhaji Sabo Nayaya, in Kano on Saturday.
The statement stated that the decision to commence lectures on Jan. 6 was taken after its Senate reviewed the school’s academic calendar.

Unilorin Lecturers To Teach From Homes By 2014 – Registrar

 

The Registrar of the University of Ilorin, Mr Emmanuel Obafemi, has said that the institution would, from January 2014, be fully digitalised.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Ilorin, Obafemi said that the development would make it possible for lecturers to be able to send assignments to their students via the Internet.
“As from Jan. 2014, University of Ilorin lecturers would be able to send assignments to their students through the Internet from the comfort of their homes,’’ adding that students would also be able to respond respond via the same channel.

Pilot Deliberately Crashed Mozambican Airlines Plane

 

A preliminary investigation has revealed that a Mozambican Airlines captain, whose plane went down in Namibia in November, had a clear intention of crashing the aircraft.
Captain Herminio dos Santos Fernandes manipulated the autopilot in a way which “denotes a clear intention” to bring the plane down, said Mozambican Civil Aviation Institute (IACM) head Joao Abreu on Saturday.
The plane was flying from the Mozambican capital Maputo to Luanda in Angola in torrential rains and crashed in the swamps of Namibia’s Bwabwata National Park on November 29, killing 27 passengers and its six crew.

Mikel: Chelsea Wants to Top the League By Christmas.

  John Obi Mikel says he and his Chelsea teammates want to top the Premier League table by Christmas.

Jose Mourinho’s men could go clear at the summit of the league standing with a victory against Arsenal at the Emirate Stadium on Monday.
The Super Eagles midfielder was full of praise for the rejuvenated ‘Gunners’, who has undoubtedly proved their critics wrong so far this season, admitting their North London rivals are a threat to Chelsea’s title challenge.
“There has been stability at Arsenal. And I think people criticising them for failing to win a trophy has helped too,” Mikel told Premier League Television (PLTV). They have not won a trophy yet but you can see they are heading in the right direction.”

John Obi Mikel Celebrates With Teammates During Their Victory Over Fulham at Stamford Bridge.

“Arsene Wenger is building something at Arsenal and it’s showing now in the way they are playing and their current position in the league table.
“They have a very good chance of winning then league title but so do we.”
The ‘Blues’ have lost a reasonable number of games from a winning position so far in the ongoing season, which their Portuguese boss insists is the players’ doing, and has urged them to improve and finish off opponents within glimmers of opportunities, as well as holding down their markers at critical points of the games.

Sean Tizzle: “I’m a heart-breaker”

 

Fast rising music sensation, Sean Tizzle has put himself in the spotlight as he revealed in a recent interview that he THINKS he is a heart-breaker.
The “Sho Le” crooner revealed this in a recent interview with Hip Hop World Online on his rapidly expanding fan base, music career, his fascination with “bling-bling” and for the ladies, what to expect if you fall in love with him.
Single and probably ready to mingle, Sean Tizzle was quick to respond to heartbreaks, love and girlfriends. “Na me dey break hearts, I be Taio Cruz.” he says.
He later elaborates “Usually when I see the signs I run. A man must fall in love, though he may not fall in love again till he marries. But I was in love for 7 years…and now my heart is strong. I am emotional when I’m in a relationship though. When I’m in, I’m fully in.”

The Return Of Afro Candy: Banned By Facebook

 

Controversial US-based Nigerian soft-P0*n actress and producer — Judith Opara Mazagwu, a.k.a AfroCandy has returned to Facebook, weeks after she was restricted from posting unclad pictures on her page by the administrators of the social network.
The mother of two announced her comeback on her Facebook page during the week, saying “I was gone for a minute now I am back again…I won’t be posting anymore sexy stuffs here because of the censorship imposed on me by Facebook. Even though I am not as explicit as the Hollywood stars are..on the social network.”

Fifa sued for ticket irregularities

Football | World Cup 2014

 Brazilian prosecutors want Fifa and local World Cup organisers to pay nearly $2 million in damages for alleged ticket irregularities at a Confederations Cup venue.
Prosecutors in the northeastern state of Pernambuco say organisers did not provide the services that fans paid for at the Arena Pernambuco during the warm-up tournament this year, especially in relation to seating location.
Fifa's agent in tickets sales, MATCH Services, has also been included in Friday's court action.
Many fans complained that their seats were not as good as shown when they made the purchases, and that some ticket orders forced people to sit in opposite sides of the stadium. The unhappy fans included some who bought the most expensive tickets for the three matches played at the Arena Pernambuco in June.
Prosecutors said they took action after interviewing some of the fans who complained about their tickets, with many saying they thought they would be sitting near the field but ended up sitting high up in the stands. Some allegedly had their views obstructed.

Sherwood eager to pursue Spurs adventure

Football | Barclays Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur's interim head coach Tim Sherwood hopes to be given the job on a permanent basis after a 3-2 victory at Southampton in his first Premier League game.
Sunday's success at St Mary's got Spurs back on track after they were thrashed 5-0 at home by Liverpool in Andre Villas-Boas's last game and Sherwood now wants to discuss his future with chairman Daniel Levy.
"What would be ideal for me would be to have a chat with the chairman and see what's best for the football club moving forward," he said.
"I need to know what they're thinking. I don't want this job for five minutes. That's no interest to me. Are we going to move it forward or not?

Al Qaeda apologises for Yemen hospital attack

 

It’s something you don’t often hear from the leaders of a terrorist group known for violence: We’re sorry.
But that’s just what the head of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula said in a video message Sunday, apologizing for a hospital attack in Sanaa earlier this month that left dozens of people dead.
The attackers were directed not to assault the hospital or mosque in an attack against a Yemeni Ministry of Defense compound on December 5, but one fighter made a mistake and attacked the hospital, leader Qassim Al-Raimi says in the video.

Naval chief blames insiders for sea piracy

 

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, says insiders are involved in incessant attacks on ships in Nigerian waters, especially in the Niger Delta region.

Ezeoba said this in Brass, Bayelsa State, while reacting to the recent attack on Marshal Island-flagged vessel, MT. ALCHE; and the abduction of a Ukrainian captain and a Greek engineer by pirates off the coast of Brass.

Besides, the Niger Delta region has continued to witness kidnapping of expatriates for ransom despite huge amount of money spent in the amnesty programme granted the region’s former agitators.

In most cases, the companies were forced to pay large amount of money as ransom to rescue their employees from the kidnappers’ den.

S’Sudan crisis: Rebels seize oil-producing region

 

The South Sudan’s government said on Sunday that rebels had seized the capital of a key oil-producing region and fears grew of all-out ethnic civil war in the world’s newest country.
The UN announced that it was trying to rush more peacekeeping forces to landlocked, impoverished South Sudan, as foreign powers urged both sides to stop fighting, fearing for the stability of an already fragile region of Africa.
The South Sudan government said that it was no longer in control of Bentiu, the capital of Unity State.
“Bentiu is not currently in our hands. It is in the hands of a commander who has declared support for Machar,” it said.
Information Minister Michael Makuei said on Saturday that an army divisional commander in Unity State, John Koang, had defected and joined rebel leader and former Vice-President Riek Machar, who had named him the governor of the state.

El-Rufai loses brother, nephew in car crash

 

El-Rufai

Tragedy struck in the family of a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, on Saturday as it lost two of their members to a car accident.

It was learnt that three others were also killed in the accident.

Although it could not be ascertained where the accident occurred, the two of the five deceased were el-Rufai’s immediate brother, Ibrahim; and his nephew Lawal Sani- Gwandu.

Ibrahim, who recently left the services of First Bank of Nigeria, was said to be older than Sani-Gwandu, and both were reported to have been married with children.

Falconets beat Tunisia 4-0 in return leg qualifiers

 

The Nigerian U-20 women football team, the Falconets, on Sunday qualified for the final round of the World Cup qualifiers after defeating Tunisia 4-0 in the return leg match in Tunisia.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Nigeria won the first leg of the second round qualifiers match against Tunisia 4-0 at the National Stadium, Abuja, on Dec. 14.
The team’s Media Officer, Elizabeth Kah, told NAN in a telephone interview after the match on Sunday that the team was delighted to make it to the next round.

World Record Athlete, Usain Bolt Races Against A Bus

 

The world record holder or simply put the fastest man in the world — Usain Bolt thrilled his fans and a crowd in Buenos Aires, as he raced against a bus and won.
The bus had no chance against the Jamaican sprinter in the 80m exhibition race as Bolt appeared to take it seriously going in, then began to jog, only to pick up his pace again before crossing the finish line.

Ikechukwu Falls Flat And Injures Self While Attempting A Backflip On Stage

 

You know, I read somewhere that rapper, Ikechukwu Killz was a professional martial artiste, but I think I must have read a very incorrect report.
The muscular rapper might have bitten more than he can chew as he attempted a back-flip at the MTN Loud In Naija concert in Owerri, but didn’t land with his feet as expected.

IK Ogbonna: “Managing my bald head is a challenge”

 

Please explain to me how managing a head that doesn’t grow hair is a challenge???
Well, in this recent interview with the Punch, actor and model Ik Ogbonna talks about the cause of his bald head and he also reveals his fashion weakness.

I’ve not made up my mind on APC — Atiku

 

Former Vice- President Atiku Abubakar has said he has not made any decision on whether to join the All Progressives Congress or not.

Atiku, a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, stated this in response to our correspondent’s inquiry on whether he had finally made up his mind to defect to the opposition party.

Rather, he said he was still going to have meetings with his supporters before he could take a decision.

Abubakar, who spoke through his spokesperson,  Mr. Garba Shehu, in Abuja said the decision would not be made until he met with his supporters and other stakeholders.

Obasanjo embraces APC

 

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Saturday.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday openly threw his weight behind the All Progressives Congress when some national leaders and governors of the APC visited him, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

Our correspondent gathered that the APC leaders at the meeting solicited Obasanjo’s support for the party in the forthcoming elections.

I have no regret dumping Italy for Nigeria — Ukah

 

Poland-based defender, Ugo Ukah, has been excluded from the national team after just one game for the Super Eagles. In this interview, the 29-year-old, who holds Italian citizenship, tells ’TANA AIYEJINA that he has no regrets committing his international future to Nigeria

 You were born in Italy to Nigerian parents but you chose to represent Nigeria internationally. How did you feel making your debut in 2011 against Zambia in a friendly game in Kaduna?

It has always been a great feeling and pleasure to wear the green and white jersey of Nigeria. I love Nigeria as a country. Even though I was not born in Nigeria, my dad resides there and he always updates me on life and other things about the country. Apart from that, I was a fan of the Super Eagles ever since I knew what football was all about. I was privileged to watch the Eagles at the 1994 World Cup, which incidentally, was their first appearance and ever since, I have had the passion to play for the team. Playing for Nigeria means a lot to me; it means I am a legitimate citizen of Nigeria and it also shows that I am patriotic. My dad was very happy with my decision. Before my arrival in Nigeria for my first cap, I had already spoken with him and the family in the United Kingdom and they were so happy to see me fulfilling my childhood dream. It’s a nice feeling and I am ready to do more.

CHAN 2014 SHAME: Home-based Eagles lack training kits

As African football fans anxiously await the commencement of the 2014 African Nations Championship, scheduled for South Africa from January 11 to February 1, it is not the same story for Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles, who are making their debut in the competition.

The Eagles are taking part in the competition exclusively designed for African players active in their domestic leagues, for the first time, having failed to qualify for the two previous events in Cote d’Ivoire (2009) and Sudan (2011).

Azeez scores first La Liga goal

Football | Nigeria

Nigerian midfielder, Ramon Azeez scored his first goal in Spain’s La Liga on Saturday as Almeria beat Real Betis 1-0 on Saturday.
The 21-year-old netted with a left-footed effort off an Aleix Vidal assist in the fourth minute to chalk up his first league goal of the season.
Four minutes later, Azeez had a chance to double his tally on the night but shot wildly following a brilliant set piece by Verza Rabasco.

Pellegrini ends Hart's City exile

Football | Barclays Premier League

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has revealed Joe Hart has finally been restored as his club's first choice goalkeeper.
Hart made his first Premier League start since October 27 as City kept their title challenge on track with a 4-2 win at Fulham on Saturday and he is set to keep his place for the immediate future.
The England international was dropped by Pellegrini after a series of errors culminated in a costly blunder in City's 2-1 defeat at Chelsea and he had only appeared in three Champions League and League Cup ties until the weekend visit to Craven Cottage.

Club champs Bayern eye more titles

Football | World Club

Coach Pep Guardiola has already targeted more silverware for Bayern Munich next year after the European champions claimed their fifth title of 2013 by lifting the Club World Cup.
Bayern's 2-0 win over Moroccan champions Raja Casablanca in Saturday's final in Marrakech came at a canter with goals by Brazil's Dante and Spain's Thiago Alcantara in the first 22 minutes.
The Bavarians now go on a two-week holiday before their winter breaking training camp starts in Qatar in January as Guardiola looks to fine-tune his all-conquering squad.
"Five titles in one year is a great achievement for Bayern," said Guardiola, who took charge in June having won 14 titles in four years as Barcelona coach.