Copa Del Rey: Barcelona thump Elche, Sevilla win at Granada

Barcelona set aside its off-field troubles and put on a show in which Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez scored in rout of Elche.

Neymar opened the scoring from a Suarez cross in the 35th minute. Suarez scored his fourth goal this season when he deftly dribbled past defender Sergio Pelegrin before fooling goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton into diving the wrong way in the 40th.

Neymar was brought down in the penalty area in the 45th  earning defender Enzo Roco a yellow card  and Messi coolly converted it, earning a halftime ovation from fans at the Camp Nou.

I’m ready to die for Nigeria —Obasanjo

A former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has said he can sacrifice his life in the interest of Nigeria. However, he said he would not do the same for any political party.

He said this on Thursday during a visit to his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta by the presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party, Dr. Martins Onovo.

He said since he left office his pre-occupation had been the promotion of the country’s interest, adding that it would be foolish for anyone to say Nigeria did not belong to anybody.

Henry Okah was paid to kill me – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday stated that the estranged leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) Henry Okah was paid to assassinate him when he masterminded bomb attacks within the premises where Nigeria was celebrating its 50 years independence anniversary.

The President stated this at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos in a PDP rally where he predicated his statement on a headline he read in a national daily which read that MEND dumps Jonathan.

Serena Williams and John Isner takes US into Hopman Cup final

Serena Williams has the chance to make Hopman Cup history after powering the US into Saturday’s final of the mixed-teams event.

Needing to win their tie against the Czech Republic 3-0 in order to qualify for the decider, the US shot out to a 2-0 lead thanks to singles wins by Williams and John Isner.

Williams overcame the wobbles in the second set to beat Lucie Safarova 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, before Isner defeated Adam Pavlasek 7-6, 6-2 at Perth Arena.

Novak Djokovic loses in three sets to Ivo Karlovic in Doha quarters

Novak Djokovic suffered a surprise loss against Croatia's Ivo Karlovic 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 in the Qatar Open quarter-finals in Doha. 

Karlovic, 35, served 21 aces as the world number one struggled to control his ground strokes in high winds. 

Karlovic said: "I was feeling good despite the wind. I know he wasn't able to show his full range."

Yaya wins fourth successive CAF Player of the Year award

Manchester City’s Yaya Toure has been named the African Player of the Year 2014 by the Confederation of African Football, CAF, at an awards ceremony held in Lagos on Thursday evening. 

Toure won the title for a fourth straight time beating off competition from Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama and Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the title.

Many Nigerians and pundits expected Lille’s Enyeama to win the award based on the Super Eagles exploits at the 2014 Fifa World Cup Brazil, but it wasn’t to be, as the Ivoirian Toure was called up to the podium again winning the award for a record fourth time after previous successes in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Transfer news: Former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes signs for Manchester United

Manchester United have signed former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes on an 18-month contract, with the option to extend for a further year. 

The 32-year-old has been a free agent since leaving the Catalan club last summer and has been training with United for three months in order to help him recover from the anterior cruciate ligament injury he suffered in March.

Valdés said: "It is a real honour to sign for Manchester United. I would like to thank Louis van Gaal and the club for allowing me to do my rehabilitation and to train with the team at the Aon Training Complex."

Seun Kuti demands how Buhari intends to create 720,000 jobs

Seun Kuti has demanded an explanation on how the APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari intends to create 720,000 jobs if he becomes the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He is reacting to a recent report which quotes Buhari’s running mate,‎ Yemi Osinbajo as saying, ‘We would provide 20,000 jobs in each Nigerian state when we are elected......' (Read here)
 

In his reaction, Seun Kuti tweeted that an explanation should be made on how they intend to achieve what was promised and where they intend to get the funding from.

Buhari vows to compel corrupt officials to return loot

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Muhammed Buhari, on Thursday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, pledged to revamp the agricultural and power sectors, if elected.

Mr. Buhari made the pledge at a campaign rally.

He was accompanied by John Oyegun, the National Chairman of the APC; Timipre Sylva, a former Governor of Bayelsa; Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers and other chieftains of the party.

Brisbane International: Maria Sharapova cruises into semi-finals with win over Carla Suarez Navarro

Top seed Maria Sharapova wasted little time in booking her spot in the semi-finals of the Brisbane International with a straight sets victory over Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro.

The 27-year-old Russian was on court for 69 minutes in registering a 6-1 6-3 triumph over the world No 17.

Auckland Open: Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams through to semi-finals

Caroline Wozniacki overcame Julia Goerges in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of the Auckland Open.

The former world No 1 and tournament top seed was forced to dig deep against the big-serving German, winning 6-4 6-4 to book a last-four clash with Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.

 Third seed Venus Williams had to come from 2-4 down in the second set to beat Russian Elena Vesnina 6-2 6-4 in their quarter-final tie.

Homeless woman ‘caught having sex with dog’ after good Samaritan offers her place to stay

A good Samaritan who offered a homeless person a place to stay allegedly caught the woman engaging in sexual activity with her dog.

The homeless woman approached someone in a South Oakland shop, US, and explained she was homeless and four months pregnant.

After hearing about her plight, the Samaritan extended an invitation to take her home where she cooked her dinner and offered her a clean set of clothes and a good night’s sleep.

Woman finds a five-foot long boa constrictor as she investigates a blocked toilet

A woman who took a plunger to her blocked toilet recently pulled out something even more terrifying than the standard blockage material.

It turned out that a 5ft long boa constrictor was sitting in the toilet at Stephanie Lacsa’s office in San Diego, which she only discovered when it came slithering out following her plunging.

‘I thought my eyes were deceiving me, but as soon as I saw the flicker of its tongue, I definitely knew what it was, in fact, a large snake heading straight towards me,’ she said.

Brisbane International: Roger Federer comes from behind to defeat wild card John Millman

Roger Federer avoided an embarrassing start to the new season as fought back from a set down to defeat Australian wild card John Millman at the Brisbane International.

A runner-up in last year’s tournament, Federer was broken once to drop the opening set and trailed 3-1 in the second against a player ranked 153rd in the world.

Premier League: Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge closes on comeback

Liverpool are set for a major boost to their season, with striker Daniel Sturridge set to return from his rehabilitation in the United States.

The England international has not played for the Reds since August 31 because of thigh and calf problems and Rodgers will be desperate to see the 25-year-old back in action to reignite their stuttering season.

Premier League: Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho charged for criticising referee

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has been charged by the Football Association for criticising officials after December's 1-1 draw at Southampton.

Mourinho was upset at referee Anthony Taylor for not awarding a penalty with midfielder Cesc Fabregas instead booked for diving after going down in the area under Matt Targett's challenge.

After the match at St Mary's on December 28, Mourinho said: "There is a campaign against Chelsea. I don't know why there is this campaign and I do not care."

2015: Osinbajo says Buhari will create 720,000 jobs if he becomes president

 

Ahead of the February presidential election, Vice Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), has said that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) will create 20,000 jobs in each 36 states of the nation.

Osinbajo gave this assurance in Osogbo City Stadium on Wednesday while addressing crowd of supporters of the party at the end of a 10 kilometer walk, tagged “Walk for Change Nigeria.”

A little about Bonang Matheba, D’banj’s rumoured new girl

Its no more news about the rumoured sizzling romance between Kokmaster D’banj and super hot South African lady, Bonang Matheba....

South Africa’s Bonang Matheba, also known as Queen B, is a beauty to behold. Aside Queen B's stunning body, Bonang Matheba sure has a great personality and profile.....

Bonang is South Africa’s favourite media personality. She’s a 28-year old beauty who was born in Mahikeng, South Africa on June 25, 1987. She’s a radio host, TV presenter and style icon known for her electric personality, husky voice and magnetic smile. A global brand ambassador for Revlon Cosmetics, she is also SA’s number 1 social media queen and over 7m South Africans are said to listen to her radio show....

APC calls DSS ‘findings’ from raid of party offices hogwash, disservice to Nigeria

CREDITS: DAILYPOST

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed as “hogwash”, what it described as the “so-called findings of the DSS following its Gestapo-like raid on the party’s offices in Lagos, saying the ‘findings’ presented to the media by the agency on Wednesday is a great disservice to Nigeria and an embarrassment to all intelligence-gathering organizations around the world”.

Teenage suspect 'arrested after handing himself into police' over Paris magazine massacre that left 12 dead

Two brothers and a teenager were last night revealed as the three suspects linked to a deadly terrorist attack on an anti-Islamist newspaper in France.

Said Kouachi, 34, and Cherif Kouachi, 32, both from Paris, were identified along with Hamyd Mourad, 18, from the north-eastern city of Reims.

Anti-terrorism officers hunting the terrorists issued photographs of the two brothers describing them as 'armed and dangerous'. 

It came as a French official close to the case said Mourad had surrendered to police 'after seeing his name on social media' and was arrested at an undisclosed location.   

It appeared last night that the hunt for the other men had turned to the Croix Rouge region of Reims, some two hours by car from Paris.

Dozens of members from France’s elite anti-terror unit surrounded an apartment building and there were reports a flat had been searched.

                     

Suspects: The three men were named as Cherif Kouachi (left), 32, his brother Said Kouachi (right), 34, and Hamyd Mourad, 18, of Gennevilliers.

SSS accuses APC of plotting hacking; says party has security personnel, foreigners as members

CREDITS: PREMIUMTIMES

The State Security Services, SSS, said it had uncovered lists containing names and photographs of security personnel, foreigners and under-aged children on the registered members list of the All Progressive Congress, APC.

The spokesperson of SSS, Marilyn Ogar, disclosed this on Wednesday at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

Copa del Rey: Fernando Torres debuts as Atletico Madrid beat Real Madrid in last-16 first leg

Fernando Torres made his second debut for Atletico Madrid as the Spanish champions beat Real Madrid 2-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey capital city derby.

Returning to the club where he established his reputation before moving on to represent Liverpool, Chelsea and AC Milan, striker Torres had a largely quiet game and was substituted after an hour.

Atletico were impressive and deserving winners against the cup holders, who slip to a second consecutive defeat after their 22-game winning run was ended with defeat at Valencia over the weekend.

S’South can collapse economy if Jonathan loses —Agbaje

The Lagos State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has warned that if President Goodluck Jonathan fails to win next month’s election, the South-South could shut down the oil sector and this would affect the nation’s economy which is oil-dependent.

Novak Djokovic cruises past Sergiy Stakhovsky in Doha

 

World number one Novak Djokovic made short work of his second-round match against Sergiy Stakhovsky at the Qatar Open in Doha on Wednesday.

The Serb, top seed for the tournament, only needed 61 minutes to despatch his Ukrainian opponent 6-2 6-1.

Auckland Open: Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams advance to the quarter-finals

Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams both recorded straight set victories to advance to the quarter-finals of the Auckland Open.

Top seed Wozniacki battled back from a 5-2 deficit in the second set to overcome American teenager Taylor Townsend 6-1 7-6, while Williams defeated Japan’s Kurumi Nama 6-4 6-1.