Sunday 3 February 2013

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: South Africa's only black billionaire donates half...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: South Africa's only black billionaire donates half...: South Africa's only black billionaire donates half his fortune 2 charity South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe has donated half ...

Missing American mother of two found dead in Turkey

A New York City woman who went missing while vacationing alone in Istanbul was found dead yesterday Saturday February 2nd, and police were questioning 11 people in connection with the case, Turkey's state-run news agency said.

Sarai Sierra, a 33-year-old mother of two, was last heard from on Jan. 21, the day she was to fly home. Her disappearance attracted a lot of interest in Turkey, where the disappearance of tourists is rare, and Istanbul police had set up a special unit to find her.
 
The state-run Anadolu Agency said the body of a woman was discovered Saturday evening near the remnants of ancient city walls and that police later identified it as Sierra's.

Gay guy gets butt implant! Work it girll! Hehe

 
He's a proud black American from Atlanta. Eat your heart out Nicki Minaj! Lol. I hear Atlanta is the gay capital of the US. Na true?

Gay guy gets butt implant! Work it girll! Hehe

 
He's a proud black American from Atlanta. Eat your heart out Nicki Minaj! Lol. I hear Atlanta is the gay capital of the US. Na true?

Gay guy gets butt implant! Work it girll! Hehe

 
He's a proud black American from Atlanta. Eat your heart out Nicki Minaj! Lol. I hear Atlanta is the gay capital of the US. Na true?

South Africa's only black billionaire donates half his fortune 2 charity

South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe has donated half of his $2.65 billion to charity. The beneficiary is the Motsepe Foundation, which was founded in 1999 by the billionaire and his wife, Precious."I decided quite some time ago to give at least half of the funds generated by our family assets to uplift poor and other disadvantaged and marginalised South Africans.

"I was also a beneficiary of various people, black and white, in South Africa and in the US who educated, trained, mentored and inspired me and whose faith and belief in me contributed to my success in my profession, business and elsewhere. The same can be said about my wife, Precious, and we are deeply indebted to them and many more.

 "Most of our donations have been private, but the need and challenges are great, and we hope that our Giving Pledge will encourage others in South Africa, Africa and other emerging economies to give and make the world a better place." Motsepe said
Giving Pledge is a campaign founded by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett in 2010, which encourages wealthy people to donate their fortune to charity. As of November 2012, 91 billionaires - mostly Americans, have committed to the pledge. Motsepe is the first African to do this...but I have a strong feeling that Dangote or Adenuga will be the next. Just watch! *Yimz* Hehe!

Observations & questions for today's emergency activists - By Reno Omokri

Article written by Reno Omokri - Special Assistant ( New Media) to the President.
Some emergency activist DID NOT leave the PDP until they failed to get what they wanted. Being frustrated doesn't make you a progressive!
Their narcissism is evident when they make an article that probably refers to them in passing all about them.
Their vanity is evident when they criticize everything in government and the past as bad except what they achieved.
See more after the cut...

 


They claim to be critics but their intolerance comes to light when others criticize them as their paid social media activists go on overdrive to attack you.

They know what they are doing to the future of youths desperate for attention. Their own children are there but won't be used for such attacks.

Look at the Timelines of their kids and that of their paid attack dogs. They reserve slave work for their hired hands and the honorable for their kids

After sending other people's kids on blasphemous errands they shift the blame on them when the stuff hits the fan.

Those kids blinded by acceptance they may never have gotten at home don't realize their futures are tainted by the voice of Jacob and hand of Esau show they put up.

They use desperate for attention kids to insult religious leaders/political enemies while their own kids show respect in preparation for honorable future roles.

Watch their language out of power. It is so intemperate that the unbiased objective bystander wonders what they will do if given power.

Why wait until they lost out in power to come and say the 'truth'? Patriots don't wait until they are out of power before speaking the truth. Truth is constant. It doesn't become truth only when you lose out.

KWAM 1's mistress, Titi Masha, gives birth to a baby girl

Titi Masha gave birth to a baby girl yesterday 2nd February in a hospital in Chicago, USA. Titi and K1 De Ultimate are kinda like family...but they are now proud parents of a baby girl! Congrats to them


Missing American mother of two found dead in Turkey

A New York City woman who went missing while vacationing alone in Istanbul was found dead yesterday Saturday February 2nd, and police were questioning 11 people in connection with the case, Turkey's state-run news agency said.

Sarai Sierra, a 33-year-old mother of two, was last heard from on Jan. 21, the day she was to fly home. Her disappearance attracted a lot of interest in Turkey, where the disappearance of tourists is rare, and Istanbul police had set up a special unit to find her.
 
The state-run Anadolu Agency said the body of a woman was discovered Saturday evening near the remnants of ancient city walls and that police later identified it as Sierra's.

The agency said she was found with a head wound and a blanket near her body. She was wearing jeans, a jumper and a jacket, and still had her earrings and a bracelet.
Police reached by The Associated Press refused to comment on the case.
Sierra, whose children are 9 and 11, had left for Istanbul on Jan. 7 to explore her photography hobby and made a side trip to Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Munich, Germany. She had originally planned to travel with a friend, but ended up traveling alone when her friend canceled.
She was in regular contact with friends and relatives, and was last in touch with her family on Jan. 21, the day she was due back in New York. She told them she would visit Galata Bridge, which spans Istanbul's Golden Horn waterway, to take photos.
The body was found not far from the bridge and near a major road that runs alongside the sea of Marmara. Here tourists often photograph dozens of tankers waiting to access the Bosporus strait.
On Saturday, police stopped traffic there as forensic police inspected the area.

Anadolu suggested Sierra may have been killed at another location and that her body may have been brought to the site to be hidden there.

At least 11 people were being questioned in Istanbul, Anadolu said, and a police official at the site told journalists that two of them were women. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters about the case. Earlier, Anadolu had said nine people were detained.

It was not clear if a Turkish man Sierra had exchanged emails with during her stay in Istanbul was among those being questioned. He was detained for questioning Friday, then released. Turkish news reports said Sierra had arranged to meet the man on Galata Bridge, but he reportedly told police the meeting never took place.

Shortly after her body was discovered, a woman came forward and told police she had seen a white car parked near the city walls as she was driving there the night of Jan. 29, Anadolu reported. She said a man was trying to remove "something" from the car.

"At that moment, I noticed a woman's hand," Anadolu quoted the woman as telling reporters after talking with police. The agency said she declined to give her name.

Sierra's husband, Steven, and her brother, David Jimenez, traveled to Istanbul to help search for her. Sierra's mother, Betzaida Jimenez, said Saturday that she couldn't talk about the case when reached in New York.
Shortly after Sierra was reported missing, Turkey set up a special police unit which scanned hours of security camera footage in downtown Istanbul in search of clues. A Turkish missing persons association joined the search, handing out flyers with photos of Sierra and urging anyone with information to call police.
While break-ins and petty thievery are common in Istanbul, the vast and crowded city is considered relatively safe compared to other major urban centers. Sierra's death was unlikely to have a significant impact on tourism, a large component of the Turkish economy.
In 2008, an Italian artist, Pippa Bacca, was raped and killed while hitchhiking to Israel wearing a wedding dress to plead for peace. Her naked body was found in a forest in northwest Turkey. A Turkish man was sentenced to life in prison for the attack.

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: African Entertainment arrives with new movie L-R: ...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: African Entertainment arrives with new movie L-R: ...: African Entertainment arrives with new movie L-R: Alakwe, Atuma and Ikebuego | credits: The Nigerian film industry is set to ex...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Okah Knows Fate 4 March

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Okah Knows Fate 4 March: Okah Knows Fate 4 March  A South African court Friday postponed by a month sentencing of the leader of the Movement for the Emancipation o...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Reps Lawan, Emenalo remanded in prison  Nnamdi Fel...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Reps Lawan, Emenalo remanded in prison  Nnamdi Fel...: Reps Lawan, Emenalo remanded in prison   Nnamdi Felix / Abuja Lawan Farouk and Boniface Emenalo, both Chairman and Secretary of Nigeria...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Oil exploration to start in Borno, says VP Sambo  ...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Oil exploration to start in Borno, says VP Sambo  ...: Oil exploration to start in Borno, says VP Sambo   Nigeria’s Vice President Namadi Sambo said Saturday that prospects for the improveme...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Man buries five kids after tragic fire incident  B...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Man buries five kids after tragic fire incident  B...: Man buries five kids after tragic fire incident   BY FEMI ADI/KADUNA A Nigerian father of five children has done the unplea...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Veteran journalist Ayo Ositelu buried  Pall bearer...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Veteran journalist Ayo Ositelu buried  Pall bearer...: Veteran journalist Ayo Ositelu buried   Pall bearers for Ayo ositelu before the burial today Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta The...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: AFCON 2013: Mali knock out South Africa  Mali play...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: AFCON 2013: Mali knock out South Africa  Mali play...: AFCON 2013: Mali knock out South Africa   Mali played party poopers in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals for the second time w...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Galliani: Real Madrid wanted €18 million for KakaT...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Galliani: Real Madrid wanted €18 million for KakaT...: Galliani: Real Madrid wanted €18 million for Kaka The AC Milan CEO has revealed the Italian side were priced out of signing the Brazilia...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Manchester United will falter in title race, insis...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Manchester United will falter in title race, insis...: Manchester United will falter in title race, insists Mancini The Italian is adamant the fixture pile-up will take its toll on Sir Alex F...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Callejon: Real Madrid players receive racist insul...

Welcome to Memafor's Blog: Callejon: Real Madrid players receive racist insul...: Callejon: Real Madrid players receive racist insults The versatile attacker fears that football could be fighting a losing battle agains...

I won't let criticism ruin my career, says Liverpool's Henderson

After a difficult start to life at Anfield, the Reds youngster is bullish about his future and believes the poor reception he received early in his time will help in the long-term

EPL; Jordan Henderson; West Ham United Vs Liverpool

Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson has spoken of his determination to forge a successful career for himself after a difficult first season at Anfield.





Henderson moved from boyhood club Sunderland for €18.4 million in 2011 but struggled in his first season, and has said those experiences have helped him improve as a player.

“I don't think what's happened will have done me any harm. I think I might have needed it, to be honest,” he told The Guardian.

“You will get criticism throughout your career. All the best players have had it at some stage and they haven't let it ruin their careers. I won't either.”

Henderson also said that the biggest challenge when he moved to Liverpool was stepping up to match the ability of his more illustrious team-mates like Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez.

He added: “It was just different. When I was at Sunderland I didn't think I was the star or anything but here you have people like Stevie and [Luis] Suarez and Pepe Reina and Carra [Jamie Carragher], who have been the best players for many years.

“And straight away, you have to try to match their ability. It was a step up, a challenge. I felt I was playing well at times, just not on a consistent basis which is what you have to do at Liverpool.

“That's what I needed to get my head around the most: that I had to do it all the time, not just occasionally. When you come to a club like Liverpool you need to perform straight away and consistently.

“Looking back, I don't think I did that. There were games when I thought I'd played well. It just wasn't every single week and that isn't enough for a club like Liverpool. I needed to learn that.”

Now, the man who has won five caps for England and travelled as part of the Euro 2012 squad believes manager Brendan Rodgers has been key in his improvement this season.

He said: “OK, it might not have gone to plan at the start, but I knew I could turn around and get it right. I knew I just had to take it on the chin.

“Even though I wasn't in the team, I felt that if I kept going, kept working hard, kept fighting, I would get my chance again, and that I would take it.

“The manager's been brilliant with me, to be fair. He's told me the things I need to work on and how I can get better.

“He's looked back on previous games and talked to me about the things I can improve tactically, how I can be more disciplined, the positions I take up.

“I feel as if I've done that now. I'm still working on it but I feel I'm doing better now.”

Liverpool star Suarez is a top player, admits Mancini

The Uruguayan has been in blistering form under Brendan Rodgers this season, notching 17 goals in 23 Premier League matches, and the Manchester City boss is among his fans

Luis Suarez
Getty Images
Roberto Mancini has revealed his admiration for Luis Suarez as the striker prepares to spearhead the Liverpool attack against Manchester City on Sunday.
Bet: Returns: Manchester City £18.50 Draw £36.00 Liverpool £42.00 PaddyPower

Often a controversial figure during his time in England, Suarez has been making headlines for the right reasons this season, notching 17 goals in 23 Premier League appearances.

The former Ajax man added to his tally for the season in Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Arsenal and Mancini is well aware of the threat his defence will face.

“Suarez for me is a top player,” the Italian told reporters. “I like him because he is strong and he works hard. “For me, he is one of the best in England. I like his quality. He has quality and he is strong.”
Mancini was quizzed on any potential interest in the player at the end of the season, with the reigning Premier League champions weakened in attack following the sale of Mario Balotelli to AC Milan, but refused to be drawn on the matter, stating "he is a Liverpool player".

Sturridge excited by the prospect of 'telepathic' partnership with Suarez

The 23-year-old has combined well with the Uruguayan since making his move to Liverpool in January and hopes the pair can replicate some of the Premier League's great striking duos

Luis Suarez,Daniel Sturridge,Liverpool
Daniel Sturridge believes his partnership with Liverpool team-mate Luis Suarez can go down as one of the greats.
Bet: Returns: Manchester City £18.50 Draw £36.00 Liverpool £42.00 PaddyPower

The two have forged an impressive early understanding in Brendan Rodger's side and Sturridge believes it can only get better with time.

"It’s early days but the signs are that we’re playing well together. I’m sure that will continue,” he told The Telegraph.

"As you play with someone more regularly, you do things telepathically, you know where they’re going to be and you start playing off the cuff.”

Sturridge returns to Manchester City on Sunday hoping to prove a point to his old employers after he left the club for Chelsea in 2009.

While he showed potential and promise at City and then Chelsea, the 23-year-old believes we will now finally see what he is capable of after a fine start to his Anfield career.

"It’s always a weight off your shoulders if you start quite well," he added.

"It has been a good start. I’m hard on myself and I like to do a lot better than I am doing. There’s a lot more to come from me. I’ve been performing OK but this is a fraction of what I’m actually able to do.

"Hopefully I’ll be able to show what I’m really capable of doing in the months and years to come, when I’m playing week in, week out and I’m fully fit."

Why formulaic Manchester City will look enviously at Liverpool striker Suarez

The reigning Premier League champions' title defence has stuttered this season largely due to their strikers, while the Uruguayan has been excelling for the inconsistent Reds

Luis Suarez

It is hard to believe that Manchester City might covet anything that Liverpool currently possess, despite the Reds' illustrious and oft-referenced honours list.

City have a Premier League title, a lucrative modern ground, a transfer kitty which dwarves their domestic rivals' and one of the most well-stocked squads in European football. And yet, when they host Brendan Rodgers's men on Sunday afternoon, they will know that three points are far from certain - largely thanks to the presence of Luis Suarez amongst the opposition.

Even during their 23-year league title drought, the Merseyside club have always seemed to boast at least one world-class striker amongst their ranks. This season, Suarez has proved that he is no different to the likes of Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen and Fernando Torres in that regard, by putting in a string of inspirational performances and plundering 17 Premier League goals. 

 Unfortunately, all this has come for a wildly inconsistent team whose challenge for a Champions League spot has failed to truly spark. For that reason, City could be forgiven for looking on longingly at the Uruguayan's contributions and opining that they would be of more use at a club with title aspirations, such as themselves.

Roberto Mancini's side could certainly do with the help. They find themselves 10 points adrift of rivals Manchester United at the top and, most tellingly, five points short of their own total last season after the same amount of games.

The reasons for this are clear, with City having posted four more draws and one fewer loss than last season at the expense of three wins. The champions may have defended just as impressively as during the opening 24 games of the 2011-12 campaign, having conceded just 19 goals, but the absence of 18 goals in the 'For' column in comparison is indicative of the root of their decline.

Under normal circumstances, such season-to-season fluctuations might not matter. But, when your biggest rivals have added the Premier League's deadliest marksman and, by virtue of that, five points to their own tally, then the ramifications are clear.

Of course, United's improvement is not the sole cause for this swing, with the idea that City have been somewhat 'worked out' this season becoming increasingly plausible. Put frankly, the champions can occasionally look predictable, are too often caught playing the game at right-angles and could be accused of adhering to an overly formulaic structure.


These are the sorts of adjectives which could never correctly be applied to Suarez, a player who embodies spark, ingenuity and other such exciting superlatives when he steps across the white line. That he has attempted over two-and-a-half times more dribbles (188) than City's most prolific ball-carrier, Sergio Aguero, (70) perfectly indicates the individual brilliance that the 26-year-old brings to the table.

And Liverpool fans know better than most that the forward's barely believable mastery of the art of the nutmeg is not just showy inefficiency. Allying this to a clear-cut-chance conversion rate of 54 per cent whilst creating 10 such chances so far this season - a pair of statistics that are unmatched by his City counterparts - is proof of the substance which underpins the style.

To have done all of this whilst playing in a team who, with respect, boast less talent among their ranks than those clubs fighting for the title is truly remarkable. And, whilst it may not boost Suarez's chances of winning any Player of the Season awards at the end of the campaign (his controversial personality may prove enough to rule out that notion) it is certain to keep his stock high amongst managers, like Mancini, who may be on the prowl for a striker come the summer.

That said, on Sunday at least, City will hope not to be given a reminder of that on which they are currently missing out.


Glen Johnson: Manchester City won't miss Balotelli

The Liverpool right-back launched a critique of the controversial figure following his move to AC Milan, believing that the striker's absence will not be felt by the Citizens

Glen Johnson of Liverpool profile pic
Liverpool right-back Glen Johnson has criticised Mario Balotelli following his departure from Manchester City, voicing his belief that the striker, who "winds himself up", won't be missed.





The controversial Italian was subject to one of the prolonged transfer sagas of the January window and eventually left on the last day of the month, moving to AC Milan for a fee believed to be around the £20 million mark.

The 22-year-old had endured a tough first half of the season with the Citizens, managing a paltry return of three goals in 20 appearances as he struggled to feature ahead of Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Carlos Tevez.

Johnson, whose Liverpool side face Balotelli's old team tomorrow, clearly feels this was the right decision for Manchester City, as he voiced his belief that the other strikers at the club will produce on a more regular basis.

"No, I don’t think City will miss ­Balotelli, they have got some fantastic players and they’ve got a lot of players who will score a lot more goals than Mario did. I’m sure they won’t miss him too much," he told reporters.

“I’m not being disrespectful to the guy, everyone in the country knows what he’s like. On his day, he can be a great player, but City have got other great players who do it a lot more often and score more goals than him."

Balotelli's discipline issues were well-documented during his time in England - he picked up 11 yellow cards last season - and Johnson also suggested that Balotelli had something of a propensity towards petulance.

"Mario winds himself up, you don’t need to do too much as an opposition defender," he continued.

“We all have our faults, but Mario let his side down with silly red cards and stuff like that. He’s a great player, but we didn’t see that enough.”

Missing American mother of two found dead in Turkey

A New York City woman who went missing while vacationing alone in Istanbul was found dead yesterday Saturday February 2nd, and police were questioning 11 people in connection with the case, Turkey's state-run news agency said.

Sarai Sierra, a 33-year-old mother of two, was last heard from on Jan. 21, the day she was to fly home. Her disappearance attracted a lot of interest in Turkey, where the disappearance of tourists is rare, and Istanbul police had set up a special unit to find her.
 
The state-run Anadolu Agency said the body of a woman was discovered Saturday evening near the remnants of ancient city walls and that police later identified it as Sierra's.

The agency said she was found with a head wound and a blanket near her body. She was wearing jeans, a jumper and a jacket, and still had her earrings and a bracelet.
Police reached by The Associated Press refused to comment on the case.
Sierra, whose children are 9 and 11, had left for Istanbul on Jan. 7 to explore her photography hobby and made a side trip to Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Munich, Germany. She had originally planned to travel with a friend, but ended up traveling alone when her friend canceled.
She was in regular contact with friends and relatives, and was last in touch with her family on Jan. 21, the day she was due back in New York. She told them she would visit Galata Bridge, which spans Istanbul's Golden Horn waterway, to take photos.
The body was found not far from the bridge and near a major road that runs alongside the sea of Marmara. Here tourists often photograph dozens of tankers waiting to access the Bosporus strait.
On Saturday, police stopped traffic there as forensic police inspected the area.

Anadolu suggested Sierra may have been killed at another location and that her body may have been brought to the site to be hidden there.

At least 11 people were being questioned in Istanbul, Anadolu said, and a police official at the site told journalists that two of them were women. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters about the case. Earlier, Anadolu had said nine people were detained.

It was not clear if a Turkish man Sierra had exchanged emails with during her stay in Istanbul was among those being questioned. He was detained for questioning Friday, then released. Turkish news reports said Sierra had arranged to meet the man on Galata Bridge, but he reportedly told police the meeting never took place.

Shortly after her body was discovered, a woman came forward and told police she had seen a white car parked near the city walls as she was driving there the night of Jan. 29, Anadolu reported. She said a man was trying to remove "something" from the car.

"At that moment, I noticed a woman's hand," Anadolu quoted the woman as telling reporters after talking with police. The agency said she declined to give her name.

Sierra's husband, Steven, and her brother, David Jimenez, traveled to Istanbul to help search for her. Sierra's mother, Betzaida Jimenez, said Saturday that she couldn't talk about the case when reached in New York.
Shortly after Sierra was reported missing, Turkey set up a special police unit which scanned hours of security camera footage in downtown Istanbul in search of clues. A Turkish missing persons association joined the search, handing out flyers with photos of Sierra and urging anyone with information to call police.
While break-ins and petty thievery are common in Istanbul, the vast and crowded city is considered relatively safe compared to other major urban centers. Sierra's death was unlikely to have a significant impact on tourism, a large component of the Turkish economy.
In 2008, an Italian artist, Pippa Bacca, was raped and killed while hitchhiking to Israel wearing a wedding dress to plead for peace. Her naked body was found in a forest in northwest Turkey. A Turkish man was sentenced to life in prison for the attack.

Mourinho: I'm responsible for Madrid loss

The Portuguese coach was evidently unamused with his players' performances in their 1-0 defeat against Granada, criticising the efforts they put in over a poor 90 minutes

José Mourinho, Real Madrid

A bizarre Cristiano Ronaldo own goal - the first of his career - handed the hosts a fairytale lead, when the winger's attempted clearance of a corner glanced wrongly off his head and flew into Diego Lopez's net.

Karim Benzema had the opportunity to cap off a los Blancos fightback at the death, but shockingly side-footed wide from point-blank range to summarise a miserable outing for the Spanish champions.

"When we win and everyone plays well it's the result of self management, but when we lose it's the responsibility of the coach," an irate Mourinho thundered at reporters. "So we didn't play well today, we weren't ourselves, so now I'm the one responsible.

"We didn't manage a draw, and the result bothers me. It bothers me also that in the first half we were terrible, and, even if we tied in the second half, there would have been very little to be satisfied about."

The 50-year-old found fault with Barcelona again, citing the Liga leaders as having an extra day to recuperate after their Copa del Rey encounter on Wednesday night.

"It's been clear for a long time that teams do not have control of their calender. It was a huge and physically exhausting game on Wednesday, yet one team plays today, while the other plays tomorrow. It has always been the case," he continued caustically.

"A few of our players who played today were tired, because they worked tremendously in the full game against Barcelona.

"But I don't know why there were others who played today and were tired, yet they were either on the bench, or in the stands, on Wednesday."

Mourinho's season with Madrid has become dogged with frequent public run-ins with his squad, leading to rumours of him losing the support of his players growing in number.

Callejon: Real Madrid players receive racist insults

The versatile attacker fears that football could be fighting a losing battle against racism, after admitting that Blancos have to deal with the issue on a regular basis

Cesc Fábregas, José Callejón, Sami Khedira | Real Madrid v Barcelona | Clásico
Getty Images
Jose Callejon has revealed that Real Madrid players are often the victims of racial abuse, and fears that it will be difficult to completely kick racism out of the game.

Barcelona defender Dani Alves complained about racist insults after Wednesday's Copa del Rey semi-final at the Santiago Bernabeu, and Callejon has revealed that the Brazil international is not the only player in La Liga who has to deal with the matter.

"Real Madrid is one of the clubs that has been on the receiving end of the most racist insults. It has happened to us and it is a problem that cannot be completely stamped out," the versatile attacker said at a press conference.

"It happened to [Kevin-Prince] Boateng in Italy and it is a matter of serious concern which we all hope will die out one day once and for all."

Fifa president Sepp Blatter recently stressed that national football associations should punish racism harshly, saying that deducting points and relegating a team would be a good sanction.

Manchester United will falter in title race, insists Mancini

The Italian is adamant the fixture pile-up will take its toll on Sir Alex Ferguson's men and has not given up hope of his side repeating the miraculous fightback of last term

Roberto Mancini
Getty Images
Roberto Mancini is adamant Manchester United will slip up in February as they try to balance their Premier League title charge with Champions League aspirations.

United currently lead rivals City by seven points as they gear up for a month which sees them take on Real Madrid away, as well as throwing up domestic clashes with Fulham, Everton, Reading and QPR.

Yet although Sir Alex Ferguson's men enjoy a commanding lead at the top of the table, Mancini is in no mood to give up hope just yet, having seen his team dramatically claw back an eight-point deficit in the final six games of last season.

PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST

Manchester City are 19/1 with BetVictor to beat Liverpool 3-0
"When we arrive at the end of February, the gap will be very, very small," he told reporters.

"In every championship, never has one team won a title in January. We should fight until April. If they have seven, eight, nine points in April it could be difficult. But in this moment we have a big chance.

"Every team during the season has two or three weeks when they don't play well, when their performances go down and they don't score.

"Even if you have fantastic strikers, like the situation we had last year, there were some moments when we scored three or four goals a game but then didn't score for three or four games and we didn't know why.

"It could be the same for them now."

On Sunday City face a challenge of their own as they take on Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium, and Mancini took the opportunity to praise his opposite number, Brendan Rodgers, who almost became his assistant three years ago.

"I talked with him but for me it was easier to take David [Platt] because I played with him, I knew him very well and David spoke Italian," he added. "I was impressed with Brendan. I met him in Milan. I spoke about him with our chief scout [the former technical director Mike Rigg] and also with Garry Cook [the former chief executive].
"He impressed me because he knows his football very well, he showed he is a good manager in the last two years. I'm not surprised he went to Liverpool because he's a good manager."

Galliani: Real Madrid wanted €18 million for Kaka

The AC Milan CEO has revealed the Italian side were priced out of signing the Brazilian midfielder, saying that their desired figure was "unthinkable"

Ricardo Kakà - Real Madrid
Getty Images
AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani has claimed that the reason the club failed to sign Kaka was because Real Madrid asked for an unrealistic amount of money.

The Brazilian enjoyed immense success during a six-year spell at the Italian side but has struggled to leave a lasting impression in the Spanish capital, leading many to believe that there was a possibility that he would make a return to Milan.

However, Galliani has spoken out as to why the projected move failed to come to fruition.

"The story about Kaka is a closed chapter for me," he told Corriere dello Sport. "Real Madrid wanted €18 million - a figure that given his age and salary demands made a deal frankly unthinkable."

While Madrid's asking price may have been steep for a 30-year-old who has had multiple injury problems, €18m would still represent a massive loss on the €68m that los Blancos paid for the Brazil international in 2009.

The Rossoneri may have missed out on Kaka, but they signed Mario Balotelli from Manchester City for an estimated €19m in an attempt to give them more attacking options as they attempt to challenge for a Champions League place.

AFCON 2013: Mali knock out South Africa  

Mali played party poopers in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals for the second time within a year as they defeated South Africa 3-1 on penalties Saturday.
A tense match of few scoring chances had ended 1-1 after extra time with Tokelo Rantie putting Bafana Bafana (The Boys) ahead on 31 minutes and Seydou Keita levelling with 58 minutes gone.
Cheick Tidiane Diabate, Adama Tamboura and Mahamane Traore converted shootout kicks for the Malian Eagles while Soumbeyla Diakite saved from Dean Furman and May Mahlangu and Lehlohonolo Majoro blazed wide.
Mali knocked out co-hosts Gabon at the same stage of the 2012 tournament — also after a shootout following a 1-1 draw — and have now reached the semi-finals six times in eight appearances.
Mali goalkeeper, Soumbeyla Diakite saves 2 penalty kicks
Mali goalkeeper, Soumbeyla Diakite saves 2 penalty kicks
South Africa made two changes and Mali one from the teams that clinched qualification for the knockout phase with draws against Morocco and the Democratic Republic of Congo respectively in final group games.
Siboniso Gaxa replaced suspended Anele Ngcongca at right-back for South Africa and coach Gordon Igesund preferrred midfielder Reneilwe Letsholonyane to injury-prone striker Katlego Mphela in a 4-5-1 formation.
France-born Mali coach Patrice Carteron also had to make an enforced change with goalkeeper Diakite coming in for banned Mamadou Samassa, who picked up two cautions in the three-match pool phase.
This was only the second Cup of Nations meeting between the countries with hosts Mali overcoming South Africa 2-0 in a 2002 quarter-final that featured then-rising star Keita.
South Africa trooped off the field at half-time with a deserved 1-0 lead before a capacity 60,000 crowd at Moses Mabhida Stadium in this Indian Ocean city thanks to a goal on 31 minutes from lone striker Rantie.
Mahlangu pounced on the Malian clearance of a long kick from goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, drove forward and passed to Thuso Phala, whose cross left unmarked Rantie with the simple task of tapping the ball into the net.
It was a mixed opening half for the Sweden-based scorer as an early run into space produced a shot superbly smothered by Diakite, but he was yellow carded on 40 minutes and had to go off injured before half-time.
Mali did not figure much as an attacking force, bar a sizzling edge-of-box shot from former Barcelona midfielder Keita that flew over, but reminded Bafana Bafana (The Boys) of the power in his left boot.
Wide midfielder Samba Diakite, a reluctant participant as he wanted to help the relegation struggle of English Premier League outfit Queens Park Rangers, retired injured midway through the first half with Sigamary Diarra coming on.
The cagey nature of the game continued into the second half until 33-year-old Keita stunned the crowd on 58 minutes with a close-range header from a Mahamadou Samassa cross that entered the net off the right elbow of Itumeleng Khune.
South African nerves were frayed and they almost gifted the visitors a second goal soon after when Samassa intercepted an under-cooked back-pass from Gaxa and Khune had to dash off his line and make a brave block.

Veteran journalist Ayo Ositelu buried  

Pall bearers for Ayo ositelu before the burial today

Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
The body of the former Chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area and a veteran sports journalist, Deacon Elijah Ayodele Idowu Ositelu was committed to mother earth at exactly 2:00 p.m Saturday at the Ositelu House (Oluwaseyi Mansion) at Ogere- Remo in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, southwest, Nigeria.
Pall bearers for Ayo ositelu  before the burial today
Pall bearers for Ayo ositelu before the burial today
Ositelu died on Wednesday 9 January, 2013 few hours after watching Nigeria Super Eagles in a friendly match against Cape Verde national team in Faro, Portugal. He was 69 years old.
Delivering a sermon at the thanksgiving service held at the open ground of the Ositelu Memorial College, Ode-Remo road, Ogere- Remo, the officiating Minister, Archbishop John Ogunsile J.P said that Nigerians should not mourn the deceased rather they should “celebrate the good life our man had spent on earth to the benefit of mankind and the glory of the Lord.”
The clergyman, who titled his lecture, ‘Levity of Life’, took his sermon from the book of Samuel 39 verse. 4-6 and Job 9 verse 12. He asserted that every soul will die one day, but warned that people should all strive to be of good character before their death.
Leke and Oyinkansola Ositelu with their mother, Aribike Ositelu
Leke and Oyinkansola Ositelu with their mother, Aribike Ositelu
L-R,Prof Bukky Ositelu,Bababunmi and Obajimi Ositelu
L-R,Prof Bukky Ositelu,Bababunmi and Obajimi Ositelu
In separate tributes to the late Ayo Osilelu popularly called Arena,the Council of Reverends in which he was one of them stated that, “death has snatched a rare gem from us, we guess you might have played your own part. You came, you saw and by the grace of God, you conquered.”
Mr Ademola Dada, President of the Island Club described the deceased as a complete gentleman who have been of great inspiration to all that came his way. He said: ”We are consoled by the assurance of almighty God that He will wipe off our sorrow. Although, you are no longer with us, God will comfort your family and all of us
who are mourning you today”.
His classmates at Igbobi College, Lagos: Set 58-62 said they are still in shock with the death of their friend and colleague.
Speaking on behalf of the deceased classmates, Sir Segun George said: “We don’t believe Elijah Joe, as we fondly called him when we were in school, had died. We spoke few days before his death on our plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our graduation from the school. We have even set up a Committee in which he was one of the members. Now he has gone. We love him, but God loves him most”.
Mrs Fashola at the burial
Mrs Fashola at the burial
The wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dame Abimbola Fashola described the death of Arena as a great loss not only to Nigerian sports but to the nation at large.
”It is a mistake to say that Nigerian sports has lost this man, the entire nation is mourning this great man and I believe that his legacies will leave after him,” Mrs. Fashola said.
The first wife of the deceased, Prof.(Mrs Bukky Adefule Ositelu described her late husband as a brother and a multi talented man who used his talent positively. She added that his late husband started his sojourn in journalism on the hospital bed.
Ayo Ositelu: Goodnight
Ayo Ositelu: Goodnight
According to her, “he was a multi talented man who maximized his God-gifted talent very well. He started his journalism work on the hospital bed after he had an appendix operation. I was with him on the bed after the operation and he said, he wanted to start writing for The Punch newspaper. He dictated his first article to me. We later sent it to the newspaper and it was published. That was how he started writing till death dropped the pen from his hand”, she recounted.
Ositelu was survived by wives, Prof. Bukky Ositelu and Mrs Aribike Ositelu and seven children, Morayo Ositelu, Bisayo Muhammed, Obajimi, Eniola, Bababunmi, Leke and Oyinkansola Ositelu.

Fire Guts Lotto Office in Ijebu Ode  

The Lotto office in Ijebu_ode

Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
Fire said to have been sparked by a faulty air conditioner gutted a lotto office in the western Nigerian town of Ijebu Ode in Ogun state.
The Lotto office sat on the popular Ibadan Road and belonged to the Ijebu business magnate, Chief Kessington Adebutu, a.k.a. Baba Ijebu.
The Lotto office in Ijebu Ode
The Lotto office in Ijebu Ode

People watched helplessly as the two-storey building burnt, until the fire service men arrived.
Witnesses said the fire caused pandemonium in the area as many of the staff were seen jumping down to the rescued hands of the sympathisers outside.
According to one witness:”we were inside the bank when suddenly we were asked to move out that there was a fire outbreak at the building beside the bank. We all ran outside to see people on the main road and serious gridlock had occurred.
“Some boys were seen jumping down from the building and people were rescuing them but I can confirm to you that there was no casualty as at this time because all the workers inside were saying nobody remained inside the building again”, he disclosed.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...