Brazil 2014: Sports minister backs Keshi to lead Eagles

 

Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, on Wednesday said the Federal Government had confidence in the ability of the Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, to lead the national team to the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

He however added that if Keshi feels he needs additional technical support, the government would gladly oblige him.

How Jonathan will lose in 2015

 

With no known accomplishment in public service, President Goodluck Jonathan rode to the Presidency in 2011 on a wave of undefined hope with the assistance of an unsuspecting media, and a gullible electorate. To his supporters, Jonathan was a bolt of lightning that would unite Nigeria, restore prosperity, and bring “a breath of fresh air” to the polluted politics of Abuja, and Nigeria in general. His detractors, on the other hand, saw a recluse with a murky past and little evidence to warrant the adulation heaped on him. Who was right? As his first term drags on painfully, it has become clear that Nigerians who supported and voted for him had invested their hope in a phantom. Under Jonathan’s leadership, the economy has, forget the chest-thumping rhetoric of the finance minister, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, been a mess and this country has never been more divided.

External reserves drop to $44.84bn

 

CBN headquarters, Abuja

Nigeria’s external reserves have dropped to $44.84bn, according to a latest Central Bank of Nigeria’s report.

The reserves, which fell to the $44bn mark on November 8, had hovered on $44.9bn until November 15 when it recorded $44.89bn.

It, however, dropped to $44.84bn on Monday.

The reserves had fallen to a 10-month low at $44.9bn on November 8.

The last time the reserves dropped to $44.9bn was on January 17, 2013.

According to the data, the reserves dropped steadily from $45.9bn on September 20 to the $44.9bn on November 8. This means the reserves fell by $1bn within seven weeks.

The external reserves had fallen to a nine-month low at $45.083bn on October 14, about $83m above the $44bn mark.

Explosion kills three, injures 10 in Ondo Nigeria

 

An explosion at a facility of the Ondo State Water Corporation in Araromi Obu, Odigbo Local Government Area has left three persons dead and 10 others injured.

Those killed in the explosion that occurred at 11.30pm on Tuesday included a boy and his grandmother.

The victims were said to have died of contamination arising from the chemicals they inhaled from one of the cylinders of the corporation that exploded on Tuesday night.

Residents of the area, many of whom were already asleep when the incident occurred, were scared out of their houses by the sound of the burst. Some others made their way to the premises of the water corporation only to inhale the poisonous fumes from the burst cynliders.

Thailand Open event sold to China

Tennis | ATP

Falling spectator numbers and a general decline in local tennis interest since the 2007 retirement of Paradorn Srichaphan has killed the Thailand Open, with the ATP 250 event sold to organisers in Shenzhen, China, officials confirmed on Thursday.

The move to the metropolis just across the border from Hong Kong comes after 11 editions in Bangkok and takes effect immediately for the event to be staged in the last week of September 2014.
The Thailand Open had been steadily declining over recent editions, with organisers finding it increasingly difficult to attract world-class players.

Chenene doubtful for Pirates clash

Football | Telkom Knockout

There is uncertainty over Bennett Chenene’s participation in Saturday’s Telkom Knockout semifinal against his former club Orlando Pirates because of a family bereavement.
Club sources said Chenene’s grandmother had passed away and they were uncertain about the funeral arrangements, which might inhibit the winger from playing in the vital cup tie at Atteridgeville.
The club already have to do without defenders Roscoe Petersen and Thabo September.

Messi lauds Ronaldo's goal-scoring power

Football | Spain

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi praised archrival Cristiano Ronaldo's goal-scoring prowess in an interview published on Thursday as speculation mounted that the Portuguese international could be picked as World Player of the Year.
A day after picking up a Golden Boot award for scoring 46 league goals last season, more than any other player in Europe, the 26-year-old Messi paid respect to his Real Madrid rival.
"I don't know if Cristiano Ronaldo is at his peak but he is always there scoring goals in all the games and taking part in his club and national side," Messi told Spanish sports daily Marca and other European sports journalists.
"He has been doing that for many years and whether he is at his peak or a bit less makes no difference."

No return date yet for Carroll

Football | Barclays Premier League

Goal-shy West Ham United still have no idea when record signing Andy Carroll will be able to return from a foot injury.
The London club, only out of the relegation zone on goal difference, host Chelsea on Saturday with manager Sam Allardyce admitting he is in the dark about Carroll's fitness.

The 24-year-old, who has not played a game for the club since signing on a permanent basis for 15 million pounds ($23.74 million) from Liverpool in June after a spell on loan, has been receiving treatment in Amsterdam since injuring his right foot in training in September.
"We are trying to get a date out of the guys over in Amsterdam but they are reluctant to give us any clear indication of when he's going to be able to join us back here and start training with the squad and getting back into the team," Allardyce told a news conference.

Ayew out for eight weeks

Football | Ghana

Ghana forward Andre Ayew has been ruled out for two months with a knee injury that requires surgery, his Ligue 1 club Olympique Marseille said on Thursday.
Ayew sustained the injury in his country's 2-1 defeat to Egypt in the second leg of their World Cup playoff on Tuesday.

Zambia call-ups delight Chilumba

Football | Zambia

Power Dynamos coach Tennant Chilumba is excited to see five of his players called up for Zambia’s 2013 Cecafa Cup outing.
The five call-ups sees Power contribute the largest number of players to Patrice Beaumelle’s 27-member provisional team named on Wednesday.
Power has not enjoyed a high profile presence in the Zambia setup for the last two years with goalkeeper Joshua Titima the only Chipolopolo regular these days.
Titima has been joined in the ranks by defender Lawrence Chungu and midfielder Emmanuel Chimpinde.