Spicy Joe Vibes Blog

Manchester City have extended the contract of midfielder Frank Lampard until the end of the season. The 36-year-old's deal from New York City was due to expire at midnight on 31 December but he will now stay until the summer and miss the start of the MLS season. Former England international Lampard is available to face Sunderland in the Premier League on Thursday. Lampard has scored six goals in 17 appearances for City this season. BBC Sport's David Ornstein: "Lampard 'signed' for New York City FC in July but with the new MLS season not starting until March, he joined Manchester City - who part-own New York City - until January.Crucially, this was not a loan deal but a short-term contract signed as a free agent. It is understood the contract was for the entire season, with a break clause that was agreed would be activated at midnight on 31 December.City needed that break clause removed if Lampard was to remain with them, which happened on Wednesday." He signe...

Leading US stocks closed lower on the last day of 2014, but still managed to notch overall gains for the year. The Dow Jonesfell 160 points to 17,823.07, closing below the symbolic 18,000 benchmark it hit in December. The index finished up 7.5% for 2014, its sixth straight consecutive year of gains. The broader S&P 500index shed 21.45 points to 2,058.90 and the tech-heavy Nasdaqlost 41.39 points to 4,736.05. The S&P 500 ended the year up nearly 12% and the Nasdaq was the biggest winner, gaining over 14% in 2014. It was the third consecutive year of gains for both indices. The Dow closed at a record high 38 times, while the S&P 500 did so 53 times in 2014 - buoyed by low-interest rates, the strengthening US recovery, and a flurry of corporate activity, particularly in relation to mergers and acquisitions. Most analysts are optimistic that 2015 will be one in which the US economy continues to be a source of global growth, pushing US shares even higher. Low volume Retailer H...

At least 53 people have died in flooding and landslides caused by tropical storm Jangmi in the Philippines, disaster officials say. More than 80,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in a number of central and southern provinces. Weather warnings had been issued, but officials say some people may have underestimated the situation. The deaths follow severe flooding in Malaysia, where more than 145,000 people sought refuge in shelters. Landslides in the central provinces of Samar and Leyte led to the deaths of 29 people alone, the Philippines' Office of Civil Defense said. 'A deluge' The local mayor of Catbalogan, in Samar province, said her town had been taken by surprise by a landslide that killed 19 people. "We did not expect a deluge. We thought the hill where the landslide hit was tough as rocks," Stephany Uy-Tan told the AFP news agency. "There was no evacuation, people were just advised to prepare for possible landslides." Thousands of pe...

There was pandemonium on Wednesday on Wharf Road, Apapa, Lagos, as the Apapa branch of Ecobank Nigeria Plc went up in flames. PUNCHMetrolearnt that the fire began around 10am as a result of an electrical surge. The management of the bank was said to have evacuated the hall and asked customers to move to a nearby branch for their banking operation. The Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, toldPUNCH Metrothat the agency received an alert from the bank and firefighters from the Sari Iganmu division were deployed in the area. He said only the bank was affected as the firemen were able to control the inferno from spreading to surrounding buildings. He said, “Yes, the banking hall of Ecobank was gutted by fire on Wednesday morning. Fire station from the Sari Iganmu division responded with 10,000 litres of water. The fire was put off around afternoon.” When contacted, an official of the bank in the Corporate Communication Department, who did not want to be named, equally c...

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says he is delighted with how his team have performed over the first half of the season.Sky-Sportsreports. The Premier League sides have all now played each other once and the first return fixtures of the season will be on New Year’s Day, when Chelsea travel to Tottenham. The Blues have set the pace over the first half of the campaign and, although what was once an eight-point lead has been trimmed to three by Manchester City, Mourinho is happy with how things are going. “Everybody starts with the same points and, if we have one more point than them, we did well,” he said. “We are top of the league at the end of the first round because we deserve it and because it is a consequence of what we did. “Chelsea is playing very well since the beginning of the season. That’s the only thing we work at, the only thing we concentrate on. “And, in the second part of the season, we are going to try to do exactly the same thing. “Against Tottenham, we will be there aga...

The authorities of the Nigerian Army have established General Court Martials in three cities to try various allegations of offences against soldiers involved in the on-going counter-terrorism ad counter-insurgency operation in the North-East. The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Olajide Laleye, who said this during a press briefing on recent developments in the Army in Abuja on Wednesday, said that the courts were in operation in Abuja, Lagos and Jos. However, the Army spokesman was silent on the number of officers and soldiers undergoing trial in the military courts established to try all cases of misdemeanor involving the operation. Laleye explained that it would be difficult to put a figure to the number of military personnel undergoing trial as the number was frequently changing while several others had been jailed, with others had been discharged and acquitted. He said that the success or failure of the on-going counter terrorism operation was largely dependent on adhe...

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has said the country will be liberated from the ills plaguing the different sectors in the New Year. Ikuforiji said the election of the All Progressives Congress at the federal level would end the “16 years of strangulating rule of the Peoples Democratic Party-led central government.” He made the statements on Wednesday in a New Year message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Adebayo. He said, “As we all make it to this New Year, which would not have been possible but for the grace of the Almighty God over us all, we all should give thanks to God for His abundant mercies over us all, despite the excruciating pains that our people have suffered. And then we should all be ready to also celebrate this year which I am sure will be the year of total liberation for all Nigerians from all the numerous ills that made life miserable for our people since the PDP-led federal government came to power in 1999. “Now that ...

The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Wednesday, described the comment credited to Vice President Namadi Sambo that industries were relocating from Lagos because of tax, as a serious display of ignorance. The governor was, however, quick to note that the statement credited to the VP might not be what he said. The governor spoke during the maiden edition of end of the year media chat in the Lagos House, Ikeja. He said, “He probably was misquoted because if it was true, it shows a serious display of ignorance. “As the Chairman of the Nigerian National Economic Council, if the VP misunderstands what is happening in the commercial capital of the country, it may be a very revealing index into their understanding of the country’s economy. “It may also confirm to you some of the things you hear from the President when he said he receives all sorts of contradictory advice; maybe this is part of it. It is a very dangerous statement to make; it is either ignorant or diabolical, or bot...

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 presidential election, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has said President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party have run out of ideas. He also noted that the administration had equally run out of excuses for its inability to provide quality leadership for Nigerians. Buhari said this in a New Year message to Nigerians on Wednesday. He noted that announcements made by the Presidency and its agencies over the last one month, had dampened the morale of many Nigerians. According to him, President Jonathan and the ruling party have devalued the Naira which means that the price of goods and services will rise thus increasing the burden of ordinary Nigerians. In the statement signed on his behalf by the Director, Communications of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr. Dele Alake, Buhari said by Presidency’s own admission, he was promising Nigerians a tougher 2015. Buhari was quoted as saying, “Our opponents have not only run o...

President Goodluck Jonathan has vowed to deal decisively with anyone who may decide to foment trouble before, during and after the 2015 general elections. He said he would wield the big stick against troublemakers because of the post-2011 elections violence that erupted in some parts of the country. Jonathan read the Riot Act in his New Year message broadcast on radio and television networks early on Thursday morning. He said his administration would not tolerate a repeat of the 2011 orgy of violence. “After the 2011 general elections, some unpatriotic elements embarked on an orgy of violence, resulting in the destruction of lives and property. That will not be allowed to happen this time around. This government will act decisively against anyone who disrupts the public peace, before, during or after the 2015 general elections,” the President declared. Jonathan observed that the general elections were important for the country, saying their successful conclusion would further strength...

The Central Bank of Nigeria sold $5.3 billion to defend the naira in October even as foreign exchange inflow into the economy fell by 5.4 percent during the month. Emefiele Disclosing this in its economic report for October, the CBN said that the decline in foreign exchange inflow was driven by 21.3 percent decline in receipts from crude oil exports. The report revealed the impact of the decline in crude oil prices on the nation’s economy and especially on the foreign exchange market. The report stated, “Provisional data indicated that foreign exchange inflow and outflow through the CBN was $3.23 billion and $5.30 billion, respectively, in the review month, resulting in a net outflow of $2.07 billion, compared with the net outflow of $0.02 billion in the preceding month. Relative to the level in the preceding month, inflow fell by 23.7 per cent, but indicated a growth of 1.7 per cent above the level in the corresponding period of 2013. The development, relative to the preceding month ...

7 Best Foods To Support Kidney Function Your kidneys provide vital service to your body — they filter waste from your blood and send it to your bladder. They also regulate blood pressure, manage water re-absorption, control the acidity in the body, and balance electrolyte levels. Considering their importance, eating a diet to promote kidney health could be one of the best things you can do. The following seven foods will support your kidneys and make their job easier. Foods to Support Kidney Function 1. Cherries These tasty little fruits help reduce redness and swelling and contain a healthy amount of vitamin C as well as vitamin K, folate, vitamin B6, magnesium, and citrate. The tarter the cherry, the higher the level of citrate. Citrate reduces uric acid in the blood stream which can lead to gout and arthritis. Those who eat cherries have been found to have lower uric acid levels and a lower risk of gout attacks. 2. Cranberries Cranberries also offer high levels of vitamin C and man...

Herrera, Januzaj Back in Man Utd Training Manchester United have been boosted by the return of midfielder Ander Herrera and forward Adnan Januzaj. Louis van Gaal’s men prepare for their first match of 2015 away to Stokes on January 1. It was a welcomed improvement at the pre-game media briefing on Tuesday, with the 63-year-old revealing Herrera and Januzaj have resumed training after recovery from injury and illness respectively. “Herrera has trained today for the first time with us and Januzaj has also trained two training sessions with us,” said van Gaa. Ander Herrera is Back in Man Utd Training. Image: Man United via Getty. “They don’t have match rhythm [yet]. Januzaj was ill and you have to recover from your illness, not from your tiredness. Maybe it’s worse to recover from illness.” Asked if he would have more players available for the Stoke game than he had for the game at White Hart Lane on Sunday, Van Gaal replied, “No”. Luke Shaw made his first-team appearance since the victo...

Workers of four state owned tertiary institutions in Edo have threatened to resume their suspended industrial action in January next year, over the non-payment of salaries owed them by the state government, in addition to the call for the infrastructural upgrading of the institutions. The workers, under the Coalition of Unions of State Owned Tertiary Institutions‎, had on December 1, suspended their indefinite strike which grounded activities in the affected institutions for over three months, in order to continue discussions with the state government. The institutions are the College of Education, Igueben; College of Education, Ekhiadolor, College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi and Institute of Management and Technology, Usen. ‎It was also learnt that over 30 staff of IMT, Usen, had ‎been sacked by the management of the institution as a result of their involvement in the suspended strike. The ‎President of the coalition, Fred Omonuwa, told The PUNCH on Wednesday that the workers were sac...

BENIN—THE Austrian government has contacted the Nigerian Police over the death of an Edo State-born lady, Ms Rose Aifuwa, who was allegedly murdered on Christmas eve by her boyfriend, Festus, popularly known asTwo Million. The incident occurred at Upper Mission Extension in Benin. The suspect allegedly knocked the mother of three down with his car, which dragged her for over 500 meters, after the deceased requested the suspect to pay her money, estimated at over N10 million. Vanguardlearned from the state Police command that the Austrian government had called to find out what happened, following information that the deceased flew into Nigeria with her Austrian passport. It was learned that the suspect, who is a spare parts dealer, was married to an Igbo woman here in Nigeria, but had been overseeing his lover’s investment here in Nigeria. It was gathered that the deceased, who has a dual citizenship, had been supplying the suspect with spare parts for sales, but found out that the sus...

Almost half of Nigeria’s cargoes due to be exported in January are still available, Reuters has reported, even as oil prices reach the $50s trough, almost $10 below Nigeria’s benchmark price. The backlog has pushed Nigerian oil differentials versus Brent to their lowest since at least 2009 BFO-QUA at 65 cents a barrel, down 80 per cent since May, said Reuters. And it is also creating a discount frenzy between African and Gulf oil producers to Asian buyers. Asia has become a hotspot for a price war between African and Gulf oil producers who, hobbled by bulging global supplies and waning demand, are offering steep discounts to defend their market share in the world’s top net crude buying region. The competition is welcome news for Asian buyers. If oil stays near $60 per barrel, import costs for the world’s second biggest oil consumer, China, would drop to under $125 billion a year, versus $222 billion in 2013 when crude averaged $110. But for producers, it means more competition, and Af...

The death has been announced of Osayi Omoigui, a young lady who was set to wed on 10th January 2015 having had her engagement on 19th August 2014. Osayi was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Monday, 29th December 2014 and she is said to have died instantly. It’s a very sad incident for her husband-to-be, family members and friends who are mourning the demise of a young loving soul. Already, friends had bought off the aso-ebi for the wedding till the news of her death broke. Osayi’s Facebook timeline is flooded with emotional tributes: Gama Hope: Any other person can believe de story oh, but as for me hmm never. She will not die before her time. We must celebrate de wedding. She was my Chief brides mate early dis year, we were together yesterday in church. Now u expect me to receive dis news? De wicked must not go unpunished. David Ihua: Can you see this, Osayi Omoigui? This deep despair that a stranger has brought to us so swiftly. Your light was so bright that it transcended time and...

Having the Nigerian green passport alone does not make you a Nigerian,there are other things that add up to it.We Nigerian have very peculiar stuffs in common irrespective of our diverse culture and differences in religion. Here are 15 things that shows you’re a typical Nigerian: 1.You Shout Up NEPA. Power is still a big problem in Nigeria,if you’ve lived or still living in Nigeria you know what I am talking about. So you get excited and screamUp Nepa!when the electricity comes on? My friend you’re a Nigerian. 2.You wear Special Outfit for Sundays or Fridays. We Nigerians are very Religious people and very few of us are Godly,sad truth. We don’t joke with our Religious activities. Most Nigerians reserve the best of the best clothes for Sundays (for the Christians) and Fridays(for the Muslims). In fact offering time in churches are like fashion shows with everyone trying to cat walk and show off their beautiful dresses . 3.You don’t ask people their age and you don’t like to tell peop...

Passengers on Flight 8501 knew they were going to their doom: Search pilots reveal victims had time to put on life-jackets before jet crashed - and two were found holding hands in the Java Sea *Seventh body pulled from water at crash site was wearing a life-jacket *Pilot assisting search added that three victims were found holding hands *Details indicate passengers knew plane was about to crash and suggests some may have been alive after impact *Two coffins arrived at Juanda Airport for identification earlier today *Family members have been stationed there since the plane vanished from radars just 42 minutes after departing the airport on Sunday *Next of kin have been asked for DNA samples to help identify the victims *More victims are expected to arrive at the airport as the day progresses *But search for further bodies is being hampered by stormy weather Strong winds and currents moved floating wreckage 30 miles overnight Passengers on board doomed AirAsia flight 8501 would have hav...

Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge is set for a January return, according to manager Brendan Rodgers, who hinted he was unlikely to dip into the transfer market to solve the club's current striker issues. Sturridge last played for Liverpool in August after suffering a thigh injury on international duty with England and his absence has been keenly felt as the Merseysiders have struggled for goals and consistency in a disappointing start to the season. With close-season signing Mario Balotelli failing to score a Premier League goal and Rickie Lambert, another summer arrival, struggling to cement a place in the side, Sturridge's return to action cannot come soon enough for last season's runners-up. "He's coming back into the country in early January to finalise his rehab here," Rodgers told reporters on Wednesday. "Hopefully at some point in January – the middle to end – he'll be available to play." Rodgers has drafted Raheem Sterling into a makeshif...

Newcastle United's Senegalese striker Papiss Cisse issued an apology on Wednesday after being banned for three matches for elbowing Everton's Seamus Coleman. Referee Craig Pawson did not notice the incident during Newcastle's 3-2 home win in the Premier League on Sunday, but Cisse accepted a charge of violent conduct on Tuesday after being charged retrospectively. Cisse will not play for Newcastle before he travels to Equatorial Guinea for the Africa Cup of Nations and he expressed remorse for his actions in a message on the Newcastle website. "I'm sorry for doing something like this. I'm not the sort of player who does something like this," he said. "It is not like me. I am not an aggressive player, but in football you cannot do something like this." Cisse, who has scored five times in his last six matches, will miss Thursday's home match against Burnley, Saturday's FA Cup third-round trip to Leicester City and the away match at Chelsea...

Stephen Sillett's laboratory is dangling 90 metres above the ground. It is an intricate web of ropes and instruments strung up in the branches of a tree. And in the windy conditions that plague Tasmania's forests, it can be distinctly precarious. "You can hear big gusts come through like freight trains pounding along their way toward you," says Sillett, a forest ecologist at Humboldt State Universityin Arcata, California. "As the gust hits, then the whole tree top just lays over and there's big old blows. It's amazing." In the morning dew or rain it becomes this luminous green. It is truly beautiful The trees in question are mountain ash, the tallest flowering trees in the world. They are not quite the tallest trees of any kind: that record belongs to the coast redwoodsof the western US. But that might be because things have been skewed against the mountain ash. It turns out that humans have been cutting them down in their prime, and they may have...

Tony Pulis guided Crystal Palace to Premier League safety last season before leaving that role in August Tony Pulis is set to be named West Brom head coach on a two-and-a-half-year deal to succeed the sacked Alan Irvine. The 56-year-old former Stoke and Crystal Palace manager is likely to be confirmed in the position on Thursday. It is hoped he will be in the stands at Upton Park for West Brom's New Year's Day Premier League visit to West Ham. There are still some details to be decided, but the deal to make Pulis the club's fourth head coach in a year is expected to proceed without a problem. Tony Pulis management history 1992-1994:Bournemouth 1995-1999:Gillingham July 1999-January 2000:Bristol City January 2000-October 2000:Portsmouth 2002-2005:Stoke 2005-2006:Plymouth 2006-2013:Stoke November 2013-August 2014:Crystal Palace West Brom will retain their continental structure - in which the head coach works to technical director Terry Burton and sporting director Richard ...

The reigning champions trail leaders Chelsea by three points ahead of their clash with mid-table Sunderland on New Year’s Day. City won the title last season despite having trailed both Arsenal and Liverpool for long periods during the campaign and Nasri believes that knowhow gives City an advantage in the current title race. Nasri Celebrates Scoring against Man Utd during the 2013-14 Campaign. Image: Getty. “Everyone is stronger,” said the Frenchman. “We get older, we get more mature and stronger mentally. You learn to deal with different situations. At this club we’ve been through all the different situations. We know how to deal with the pressure. We know we are good at being second and chasing someone. We’ve done it before. We know how to deal with every situation and we are ready for it.” Manuel Pellegrini’s side spurned a good opportunity to cut Chelsea’s lead to a point on Sunday when they squandered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with struggling Burnley after Chelsea were held to a 1-...

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday said he did not expect Nigerians to shower praises on him while still in office. He said it was normal that public office holders would only be commended after leaving office by the time their achievements were compared with those of their predecessors. Jonathan spoke while granting audience to a delegation from his home state, Bayelsa, led by Governor Seriake Dickson. But the President’s wife, Patience, was again absent during the visit of the Bayelsa delegation. Jonathan, however, told members of the delegation that his wife would have joined him to receive them but for an urgent trip she made outside Abuja. He said Patience left Abuja in the morning for their home state to oversee the preparation for the traditional marriage of his cousin’s daughter holding in Bayelsa State on Saturday. He said he would also be travelling for the event on Friday and return to Abuja on Sunday. Members of the delegation led by Dickson were in the Presidential Vi...

Federal Government has declared Friday January 2, 2015 as public holiday to mark Eid-el Maloud. Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, who made the announcement in a statement by the Permanent Secretary in the interior ministry, Magaji Abubakar, on Tuesday in Abuja, urged Muslim faithful and indeed, all Nigerians to pray for the peace and unity of the country. Moro further urged all Nigerians to eschew violence in the run off to the 2015 general elections and to “support President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda to move Nigeria to the next level of development.” The minister wished all Muslim faithful and Nigerians a very peaceful celebration.

Two patients who recently returned from west Africa tested negative for Ebola in Britain on Wednesday as calls mounted for a review of airport screening procedures following a confirmed case this week. The two had been tested separately at hospitals in Aberdeen in Scotland and Cornwall in southwest England. The patients were unconnected to the only diagnosed case in Britain — Pauline Cafferkey — a volunteer nurse who contracted the disease while working at an Ebola treatment centre in Sierra Leone. Cafferkey was being treated at the Royal Free Hospital in London, which has the only isolation ward in Britain specially equipped for Ebola sufferers. The nurse raised concern about her temperature to airport officials when she returned to London from Sierra Leone via Casablanca in Morocco on Sunday. Her temperature was taken at London Heathrow Airport but did not raise alarms and she was cleared to take a connecting flight home to Glasgow. She was eventually diagnosed with Ebola on Monday....

President Goodluck Jonathan has decried the use of the social media worldwide to create social discontent and anarchy in the society. Jonathan said this when he met with a delegation of traditional rulers and leaders from Bayelsa, on Tuesday, in Abuja. He said that the social media initially meant for good had become a tool to disseminate evil. Cue in audio ‘‘ These days, there are all kinds of stories. It is all over the world, leaders are being lambasted, especially with the social media now. ’’People use what knowledge had created for negative reasons. ‘‘Just as I was told that the person who invented dynamite, later regretted that invention because he thought he was coming up with something to solve human problem. “ But when he got to know about the level of destruction, human lives that are being blown up because of explosion, the man regretted that invention. “What is supposed to be used for the common good was turned to negative purposes. “I always say that I will not even expe...

Anti-Islamist Beji Caid Essebsi, 88, was sworn in as Tunisia’s first freely elected president at a ceremony in parliament on Wednesday. The election of Essebsi, a veteran of previous regimes, is seen as a landmark for the birthplace of the Arab Spring, where longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was toppled four years ago. Essebsi’s victory over outgoing president Moncef Marzouki capped Tunisia’s sometimes troubled transition to democracy and has won praise from Western leaders. Essebsi told parliament he would be “the president of all Tunisians” and “the guarantor of national unity”. “There is no future for Tunisia without consensus among political parties and members of civil society,” he said. “There is no future for Tunisia without national reconciliation.” Essebsi’s opponents have accused him of seeking a return to the era of Ben Ali, who clung to power for 23 years, combining authoritarian rule with a degree of prosperity and stability for his people. Following independence ...

A 37 yr old Nigerian man, Ibe Godwin Uzochukwu has been sentenced to death by hanging in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia after he was found guilty by a Malysian high court for trafficking 2,150.4 grammes of methamphetamine. He was arrested with the drugs at KL International Airport (KLIA), Sepang in 2011. According to court documents, Ibe was arrested with the banned drugs upon his arrival at the exit Route, KLIA Arrival Hall, at 4.30pm on July 1, 2011. After listening to the submission of the prosecuting counsel, the judge who presided over the case, Datuk Halim Aman, found Uzochukwu guilty and sentenced him to death by hanging.

A 16-year-old girl, Helen Ezeh, in Delta State has given birth to triplets. Reports say she delivered the babies in Owhelogbo community, in the Isoko North Local Government Area of the state. The children were said to have been born prematurely, after just seven months of pregnancy. However, both the mother of the children and the newborns are doing well. The father of the children, John Eyavoro has also reportedly given thanks to God for the miraculous birth.

This is disgusting and might make you a lil bit sick . Shoppers in a busy commercial street were left covered in human excrement after an overfilled septic tank exploded. The foul incident took place when the tank on board a truck erupted in Hechi City in southern China. A witness to the incident, Dong Tang, told local television: ‘I noticed some people gathered in the street and thought there had been a car accident. ‘I wasn’t really paying attention, but then the smell hit me, it was disgusting. ‘And then I realised that a tank filled with disgusting brown liquid had exploded, splattering it all over the street and the people who were shopping or walking past.’

Chelsea will begin 2015 protecting a three-point lead in the Premier League title race but will heed the words of their grand old striker Didier Drogba who warns that it is simply not enough. “We start again a new championship,” boomed the Ivorian, as Chelsea prepared to visit their fierce London rivals Tottenham on New Year’s Day, with champions Manchester City, at home against Sunderland, still snapping at their heels. Everything bodes well for Jose Mourinho’s soaring side, not least the fact that on the seven previous occasions his teams have been leading their respective leagues at Christmas, they have always gone on to take the title. Mourinho’s faithful old lieutenant Drogba, though, believes it will have to be a particularly special achievement for the ‘Special One’ to maintain that extraordinary sequence. “I think it’s going to be tough,” Drogba said, reflecting on how Chelsea’s one-time eight-point lead has been whittled down. Indeed, if City had not blown a 2-0 lead on Boxin...

Louis van Gaal has accused the English Football Association of ruining the quality of the round leather game with its relentless Christmas and New Year fixture scheduling. Earlier this week, Manchester United captain, Wayne Rooney, claimed it won’t be long before a player gets seriously injured during the busy hectic period. Van Gaal had claimed that the English tradition of playing every two or three days is ruining the Barclays Premier League as a spectacle. He said: ‘Everybody knows the body cannot recover in 48 hours. UEFA and FIFA has a rule, scientifically proven, everybody knows it, but we play. ‘It’s the culture of England, but it’s not good for the players and not good for the game. The FA and fans want attractive football but you see the second half [against Tottenham]and…’ Van Gaal then sarcastically clapped his hands. United travels to Stoke City on New Year’s Day for the lunchtime fixture in good form, having not lost any of its last nine games. While Van Gaal may not be ...

Arsène Wenger has accused Internazionale of messing Arsenal around with a proposed January move for Lukas Podolski. The manager described the Italian side’s reported desire to take Podolski on loan as a “joke” and said the club was “not serious” about the player. “They talk,” Wenger said. “There are only talks. Podolski is a player of Arsenal football club and I want him to stay. Apart from that, what it is to be professional is that as long as you are somewhere, you give your best to justify your wages and your love for the club. I hope that he will still be an Arsenal player at the end of January. Inter? That is a joke. Inter is not serious.” Wenger said Podolski was hardly at a stage in his career where he would benefit from gaining playing time and experience on loan. “That’s not the case for Podolski but players who need practice because they’re at a very young age,” Wenger said. Inter’s representatives were in London for talks with Arsenal on Saturday and said they were ready t...

Seven suspected Boko Haram terrorists on Monday met their end when an Improvised Explosive Device, IED, which they carefully concealed in a Toyota Pick-up van for an apparent deadly suicide mission, exploded before they could get to their target in Biu Market, Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. A security source, who spoke toPUNCHon condition of anonymity from Biu, said the suspected terrorists hid the explosives among bags of beans and maize to create the impression that they were traders going to the market. But the IED-laden vehicle exploded before they could get to the market, which the source said was their main target. He said, “A Toyota pickup van loaded with maize and beans with IED hidden under it belonging to Boko Haram insurgents exploded near Chikwarkir village of Biu killing all its seven occupants. “The insurgents must have intended to sneak into Biu Market to detonate the explosives and thereby kill many people. As you know, it is harvest period and people are taking t...

Army Trains 142 NSCDC Personnel On Weapons Handling, Counter-Terrorism At least 142 men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have been trained on counterterrorism and weapons handling by the Nigeria Army. The Commandant of the 31 Artillery Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Abba Dikko, who made the disclosure yesterday at the Batch C passing out ceremony in Minna, the Niger State capital, said the training involved practical and theories for 129 workers of the NSCDC state command and 13 from the zonal command on weapon handling. According to the Army Commandant, the lessons on counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency were added to the curriculum to get the participants better equipped for contemporary security challenges. “The training commenced with a directive from the army headquarters to train NSCDC personnel nationwide on the same subject. “The participants exhibited sustained interest and good character, which enhance the smooth conduct of the course”, Brig.-Gen. Dikko said....

Swansea’s Shelvey Charged With Violent Conduct Swansea City midfielder Jonjo Shelvey has been charged with violent conduct by the English Football Association (FA) following an incident during Monday night’s defeat at Liverpool. The incident was not seen by the match officials but match footage was later assessed by the video review panel. The Englishman appeared to fling back an arm into the face of the German defender during the Swans’ 4-1 defeat at Anfield. Shelvey, 22, has until 18:00 GMT on Wednesday to respond to the charge and faces a four-game ban, beginning with the Welsh outfit’s game at Queens Park Rangers on New Year’s Day.

LAGOS—Twenty-five ships laden with petroleum products and other commodities have arrived at Lagos ports, according to the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA. The NPA said yesterday in Lagos that the ships were waiting to discharge their contents at the ports. It said 12 of the 25 ships would discharge petrol, while a ship was laden with Low Pour Fuel Oil, LPFO. “The remaining 12 ships arrived at the ports with food items such as bulk rice, general cargo, bulk gypsum, fresh fish and bulk fertiliser.” The NPA added that 44 ships carrying containers laden with assorted goods, foods, petroleum products and other commodities were expected to arrive at Lagos ports from December 30 to January 15, 2015. “Two other ships are bringing into the country petrol and diesel, while two ships containing buckwheat and four others containing fresh fish are also being expected, ” it said. The NPA said 15 other ships would arrive with charcoal, bulk rice, bulk salt, used vehicles, bulk sugar, bulk fertiliser, ...

BENIN—A 55-year-old man, identified as Osaro, has been arrested by men of the Edo State Police Command for allegedly defiling his nine-year-old daughter. Osaro, according to his wife, Stella, had earlier impregnated their 17-year-old daughter, just as she told newsmen at the Ogida Police Division, Benin, that she recently returned to her husband’s house after he said he had repented. She said: “My husband wanted to sleep with my second daughter. He later succeeded in sleeping with my other daughter. After impregnating the girl, he begged me several times to forgive him. “He started the church I attended and confessed what he had done. The church members begged me and I accepted him. He has already paid my bride price so I went back. “After we had settled, my husband started with our daughter again. The little girl told me what she was going through in the hands of her father. I asked my husband, but he denied. He said he had stopped the act since he repented. “One afternoon, I caught ...

Real Madrid Star, Cristiano Ronaldo has on Monday, December 29, 2014 been named the Best Player of the Year as he bagged the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai. The Portuguese player has enjoyed a wonderful year in his career as he has broken almost all football records in history. He has the highest numbers of goals in a single Champions League season as he led Real Madrid to their 10th title with 17 goals in the tournament. Ronaldo At Awards Ronaldo Grabs Globe Soccer Awards (Photo Credit: TN Sports) Ronaldo is arguably the most deserved player of the 2014 FIFA Ballon d’Or for the second year in a row, and third time in his career. He has been listed alongside Lionel Messi and Manuel Neuer for the prize, which is schedule to be announced on Monday, January 12, 2014. Speaking at the award in Atlantis Palm Hotel, Ronaldo said he is hoping that the success in Dubai will be replicated in Zurich. “I hope that it can be a good signal but I’m not worried about that. The people who vote know what...

The Ogun State government has announced payment of the December salary of workers in the state with an additional 10 per cent bonus, in spite of the financial challenges experienced by states across the federation. This was disclosed yesterday by Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Taiwo Adeoluwa, at a press conference in Abeokuta, the state capital. According to Adeoluwa, the disclosure became imperative to counter the claim of the chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council, JNC, in the state, Mr Abiodun Olakanmi, who insisted that December salary had not been paid. The JNC chairman, earlier on a radio programme, alleged that civil servants in the state had not received their December salary. The SSG said, “I am happy to tell you that December salary of all workers in Ogun State has been paid today. “I am equally happy to announce to our workers that additional 10 % bonus has been paid along with the salary. What this means is that our workers will be receiving two alerts”. In res...

The presence of the Maj.-Gen. Mohammadu Buhari’s running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at a concert organised by award-winning hip hop artiste, Olamide, in Lagos on Sunday has become a subject of a raging online debate. Online commentators questioned the attendance of Osinbajo, the presiding pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Olive Tree Parish, Banana Island, Lagos, at the event, which was described by many as “worldly.” Such people argued that no “spirit-filled” pastor would find it comfortable listening to “worldly” music in passing, let alone attending a live concert where many of such songs would be rendered. Responding to the photos splashed on social media, showing Osinbajo while the concert was underway, one Shydoo Shadrack wondered on Twitter if the cleric had not begun backsliding occasioned by his foray into politics. “Are we sure Osinbajo is a born-again Christian needless to talk of being a pastor? What was he doing at a worldly musical concert? Or was it that th...

A 12-year-old boy, Samson Egunje, has been accused of killing his friend, Samuel Igbekele, in the Ikotun area of Lagos State. The incident happened on Saturday on Omoboriowo Street. Residents said the suspect, a primary six pupil, had been looking for the victim all day, saying he abused him in the morning and threatening that he would stab him in revenge. Egunje was said to have stabbed Samuel with a bottle in the neck that evening while he (Samuel), a primary three pupil, ran errand for a neighbour. After the attack, the victim reportedly held his neck as he ran across the road in a frantic effort to get to his parents’ house which was a few kilometres away. Samuel, after taking some feeble steps, was said to have collapsed. A resident, Ibrahim Sulaiman, said he saw him on the floor in a pool of blood that night. He said, “I was under a tent where some people had had a wedding ceremony. I saw some kids playing with bottles and I drove them away. “After I finished drinking with my fr...