Saturday 1 June 2013

Real Madrid want to take more than just Gareh Bale ftrom Tottenham


If Spurs fans thought that things couldn’t get any worse for them after Spanish giants Real Madrid came calling seriously to snap up their mercurial winger Gareth Bale, it now appears that Los Blancos also want Tottenham’s manager Andre Villas-Boas. AVB’s claims that Tottenham will not sell their star man Bale to Real Madrid could soon turn out to be a thing of the past as it appears that the Portuguese himself is on the most wanted list to replace the grumpy Jose Mourinho at the Santiago Bernabeu. Popular Spanish Daily AS believes they have got their hands on Real Madrid’s managerial short list for the summer, and Andre Villas-Boas is no.3 on that list behind Carlo Ancelotti, who Paris St. Germain are thus far refusing to release, and German treble winner Jupp Heynckes, who is unfortunate to get the heave ho from Bayern Munich despite such a successful season at the helm. Tottenham will probably do their best to block a move for Villas-Boas, but should he leave there aren’t too many high quality managers around who could take his place, leaving Spurs in a bit of a conundrum should matters come to a head.

CESC FABREGAS: I will not join Manchester United


There has been a lot of rumours linking Ex-Arsenal captain,Cesc Fabregas with a possible move to the Premier League [preferably Manchester United]. Other reports also suggest a possible move to the Emirates Stadium.A source reported this morning that he heard Cesc Fabregas himself on radio revealing that he will not join Manchester United. WHAT THE SOURCE SAID: I didn't copy it from any page.I didn't copy it from twitter.I didn't read it from any newspaper.I heard Fabregas with my own ears today on Radio Catalunya. He said, "All rumours linking me with Manchester United are false,I will not join Man Utd." Believe me or not,I heard Fabregas himself saying this live today on Radio Catalunya. If this source happens to be telling the truth,that means the chances of Arsenal signing Fabregas is very high because with the way things are at Camp Nou, Cesc could be forced to hand in a transfer request.

Khloe Kardashian Reveals Kanye West 'Would Feel Weird Being The Only Guy' At Kim's Baby Shower

So she's roped in Lamar and Scott too!
Kim Kardashian is set to celebrate with a star studded baby shower this weekend but the question is, will her man Kanye West show up? Sister Khloe isn't so sure! Khloe and Kourtney are throwing Kim a lavish shower tomorrow, but whilst big names like Fergie and Beyonce have reportedly been invited, we're sure the one person she really wants there is Kanye. WIth the rapper lying low over the past few months, there's been conflicting reports as to whether he'll turn up. Khloe attempted to put the record straight yesterday, but seemed to make the rumours worse, by revealing that the rapper "feels weird" about being the only man at the girl-friendly event! "I think Scott [Disick[ and Lamar [Odom] might bring Kanye," Khloé told Ryan Seacrest Friday on his KIIS-FM morning show. "That might happen at the end. That's what we were all deciding. Kanye said he feels like it's weird for him to be the only guy. I'm like, it happens to all girls, so if all the guys come at the end, it's good." We're sure Khloe's hubby and Kourt's boyfriend can help Kanye feel at home!
 

 Khloé, added there's one male in particular she wants present for the entire shower, and it's not Kanye! "I want Rob [Kardashian] to be there the whole time because I feel bad," she explained. "He's, like, left out of all this stuff, so I said come the whole time. I don't know if he is." It sounds like Kanye could do with some Kardashian bonding time as it was revealed yesterday that Kim's step-brother Brody Jenner has never met the star whilst his dad Bruce, married to Kim's mum Kris, has only met him once! Kim's step dad Brody Jenner and his dad Bruce spoke with Extra at The Grove in Los Angeles last night where Kimmie's step bro revealed his lack of contact with the rapper: "I've never met him," the 29-year-old insisted. Dad Bruce meanwhile added that he's "only met him once. Yeah, he's not around, he was in Paris the whole time writing, and he just hasn't been around," Bruce said of West.

'I'm Not Leaving!' Jada Pinkett Smith Gushes About Will Smith As She Puts Break Up Rumours To Rest


Jada Pinkett Smith has gushed about her husband Will Smith, claiming she would never leave the After Earth star. Speaking on their sixteen year marriage she credits communication as the key to their successful relationship as she insists: 'What could make me not love him?' The world appears to be in love with her husband, so it's no wonder Jada Pinkett has nothing but good things to say about her spouse. Putting a definitive end to any speculation about breakups she said: "What is the thing that Will could do that would make me not love him? That would make me abandon him? I can’t think of one. I’m sorry. " "He’s the best warrior you will ever find,” she gushed to Redbook magazine. Will and Jada's relationship has outlived most of their Hollywood peers, and the pair have two kids together, Jaden Smith, 14, and Willow Smith, 12. However Jada claims their children could be the only reason they would ever split. "If he did something bad to the kids – now we’ve got a problem. But that’s it. We’ve had such an extraordinary life together.” she explained. Perhaps the reason their relationship has survived is because they do not look to peers for advice. [Seeking advice from others] is dangerous,” Jada explained. “Intimacy is a very complicated thing. There is nothing I could ever say to anyone that would give them a clear understanding of what happens between us – so why get anyone involved?” "If you are giving your life to someone and this is the only person you deeply love, then you should be able to come to that person with anything. There shouldn’t be a person I need to talk to outside of him. And I don’t want my friends, who have a great affinity for both of us, to feel like they have to take sides.” Instead Jada suggests that addressing problems directly is the best approach to resolving issues. “[Will and I] work all that out with each other; that’s part of being in an intimate relationship,” Jada said. Aww they are too cute!

Cossy Orjiakor responds to Afrocandy's offer to stair....Source - Linda Ikeji's Blog:

Cossy tells  Punch Like I said, talk is cheap. I’ll like to have a dinner date with Richard Branson, it’s just a wishful thinking. It’...

Kim Kardashian to spend $1m on birth

Los Angeles - Kim Kardashian's birth looks set to cost more than $1m. The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star is expecting her first child with rapper Kanye West in July, and the couple are splashing just under R40 000 per day on a deluxe birthing suite at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, where the 32-year-old star is expected to spend at least three days. A source said: "This is not going to be just any delivery, even by celebrity standards. "Kim has already spent tens of thousands of dollars to make sure things go down without a glitch." Kim and Kanye have splashed out thousands to ensure the maternity suite, which features a full-size bath tub, two beds, a flat-screen TV, as well as a separate sitting room with a sofa and a dining table, will be decorated with dozens of white roses.
Restaurants on call
In case the couple don't enjoy the three gourmet meals they will get each day, the reality star has also made sure several of her favourite restaurants are on call for the duration of her stay. Kim is splashing almost $1 000 a day on a photographer to capture her first week as a mother and the delivery, during which she will be wearing top of the range clothing after the couple spent $25 000 on luxury lingerie in Paris last month to ensure she will look the part while giving birth. The source told National Enquirer magazine: "[Kim] had no intention of wearing a plain old hospital gown that's been worn by other women." And Kim's push present - a gift traditionally given to a mother from her partner after she has the baby - is expected to send the total cost of her birth into the seven-figure mark. The source added: "Kanye better have done his shopping. Kim is expecting a huge reward for all the months she's spent with swollen feet, a big weight gain, morning sickness and a massive baby belly."

Christian killings continue unabated

Abuja - The state of emergency has done little to stop the killing and persecution of Christians by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect, a religious the organisation said. The Christian Association of Nigeria cited a number of incidents that have occurred in the northern parts of the country in recent days. The north is the bedrock of Boko Haram acts of banditry, culminating in the declaration of a state of emergency earlier this month. The organisation reported that its executive member in Gwoza Local Government, Rev. Luka Bazigila and a member of the COCIN Church, Yohanna, were shot dead while attending a Christian fellowship. CAN Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Kenny Ashaka, added members of the sect also killed the step mother of the Medical Director of the Borno State Hospital, when they could not find the doctor at home. He said a Muslim guard, employed by a Christian architect in Abuja, was mistaken for a Christian and shot dead. One COCIN member on the Mandara Mountain was burnt by members of Boko Haram on Sunday morning. Despite the killings, CAN urged Christians to pray for peace and unity of Nigeria as well as an end to the insecurity.

Cynthia's murder: Absence of counsel stalls trial

Lagos- The trial of Cynthia Osokogu’s alleged murderers was on Friday stalled by the absence of the defence counsel, Victor Opara. Opara, who is the Counsel to Nwabufo, sent a letter notifying the court that he was sick. Four suspects: Okwumo Nwabufo 33, Olisaeloka Ezike, 23, Orji Osita, 33, and Ezike Nonso, 25, are standing trial before an Ikeja High Court for the alleged. Ade Ipaye, Lagos State Attorney-General, told the court presided over by Justice Olabisi Akinlade that he was served with a copy of the letter in the court. Following the development, the judge adjourned the matter to June 21, for continuation of trial.

Niger govt to ban smoking in public

Minna - The Niger State Government has forwarded a bill to ban smoking in public as well as workplaces, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Ibrahim Sule, has said. Sukle gave this indication at a news briefing in Minna on Friday to mark the 2013 World No Tobacco Day.. According to him, the ministry has forwarded the bill to the state Ministry of Justice for advice, from where it will go to the state Assembly after vetting. "We are trying to get a law in place to stop smoking in the public in the state. “The draft of the bill is now in the Ministry of Justice. “It is hoped that when the bill is signed into law, it will spell out stiffer penalties for defaulters.'' He said the law would help to protect not only smokers but also second hand smokers from its attendant health consequences on the two groups. The commissioner said that the ban would also affect tobacco advertising, increase taxation on tobacco, regulation of tobacco sales and making sure all public spaces and workplaces were smoke-free. Sule expressed regret that cigarette smoking in public places had not abated after it was outlawed in 1990. He appealed to the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of the National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB) 2009.

58 women and children wit Boko Haram ties released

Maiduguri - Nigeria's military released 58 women and children suspected of having links with Islamist insurgent group Boko Haram to local governments on Friday, who will in turn return them to their homes in a gesture meant to draw moderates into peace talks. President Goodluck Jonathan is launching his biggest offensive yet to oust Islamist insurgents seen as the main threat to Africa's top oil producer from their strongholds in the northeast. But he says he also wants to pursue a peaceful resolution with fighters willing to surrender. "The detainees will be rehabilitated and integrated into the society," Yobe State Attorney General Ahmed Mustapha Goniri said while receiving 38 women and children from the military. Borno state Governor Kashim Shettima, one of many urging the government to release low-risk detainees as a good-will gesture, said a further six women and 14 young men were handed over to him on Friday. "This marks a milestone in our quest for peace and to restore normalcy," he said. Jonathan ordered the release of the detainees and has offered amnesty to any Boko Haram's members who surrender on the advice of a peace resolution committee he set up in April. Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau, who has dismissed peace talks and says his fighters are repelling the offensive, has repeatedly demanded that the government release the wives and children of its members who were being held in detention. It was not clear how many of the released women were wives of Boko Haram fighters or were just accused of helping the sect. While critics have welcomed an alternative approach to ending the violence, security experts believe the most hardened Boko Haram cells will never surrender and the longer fighting continues the more civilians will lose faith in any peace offer. Jonathan declared a state of emergency on May 14 in the three northeastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, which have been the worst hit by Boko Haram's four-year insurgency that has killed more than 3000 people and left remote regions under the insurgents' control. Thousands of extra troops were sent to the region and Boko Haram camps were hit with air strikes. The military has since claimed the insurgency has been halted. The intervention followed a surge in violence by Boko Haram, which wants to establish an Islamic state in its northeast heartland, where it launched an uprising in 2009. Islamist groups like Boko Haram and the al Qaeda linked Ansaru have become the biggest risk to stability in Nigeria, Africa's top oil producer and second largest economy. Nigeria had been criticised by human rights groups for the detention of women and children without any formal charges. Nigerian soldiers have also been accused of carrying out extra-judicial killings, torturing suspects and causing mass civilian casualties during offensives. The army denies it commits rights abuses and says civilians die in crossfire.

Transfer window: Premier League club-by-club guide

Christian Benteke, Marouane Fellaini and Júlio César are almost certain to attract interest in the transfer window and what would Tottenham do with all that money if Gareth Bale left? 

 

Everton's Marouane Fellaini, whose contract contains a £24m release fee, may attract interest from Manchester United. =Arsenal= Money to spend? The oft-touted figure of £70m is really shorthand for whatever Arsène Wenger wants. With lucrative commercial deals secured, the club feel they are equipped to operate at the top level of the market Who's spending it? Wenger. The manager has total control over every aspect on the technical side Ins? A goalkeeper, a defensive midfielder and a striker. In the likely event that Bacary Sagna leaves, having rejected a contract offer, a right-back, too. QPR's Júlio César is a goalkeeping target. The young Auxerre striker Yaya Sanogo will sign but the club will chase a bigger name up front Outs? Andrey Arshavin and Sébastien Squillaci will be released upon the expiry of their contracts DH =Aston Villa= Money to spend? Randy Lerner is still intent on keeping things tight following the spending of previous managers Who's spending it? Paul Lambert will call the shots but in accordance with Lerner's budget restrictions, overseen by the chief executive, Paul Faulkner. Expect more talent-spotting from outside the Premier League Ins? A priority will be securing a new contract with Andreas Weimann and keeping hold of the much-coveted Christian Benteke but the Ipswich left-back Aaron Cresswell and the Crewe midfielder Luke Murphy are targets Outs? Shay Given could be on his way to Hull City with Brad Guzan having tied down the goalkeeper's spot, while Bent's departure seems inevitable JR =CARDIFF CITY= Money to spend? Vincent Tan has pledged to spend up to £25m on players during the summer to ensure Cardiff's stay in the Premier League is a permanent one Who's spending it? Malky Mackay will be key to any comings and goings although the Malaysian owners spoke of a need to "strategise well" in the transfer window Ins? No player scored more than eight goals for Cardiff in the second tier last season so strengthening up front is crucial. Kenwyne Jones and Bafétembi Gomis have both been linked with moves Outs? Cardiff may not want to dispose of players who performed so well in gaining promotion, but if anyone is to be replaced it may be their full-backs JR =CHELSEA= Money to spend? Roman Abramovich will presumably seek to supply new manager José Mourinho with reinforcements, even though this club still aspire to comply comfortably with financial fair play regulations. That might, potentially, necessitate at least one notable sale Who's spending it? The technical director, Michael Emenalo, is nominally overseeing the recruitment and scouting department and will liaise with the manager and owner to secure purchases Ins? They will seek a central midfielder and a striker as priorities, but additions to defence and a back-up goalkeeper required Outs? The likes of Florent Malouda and Yossi Benayoun will leave under freedom of contract. The intrigue will come if rivals bid for David Luiz, Ramires or Fernando Torres DF =CRYSTAL PALACE= Money to spend? The club's four owners have suggested around half of the money generated by promotion will be invested in transfer fees and wages Who's spending it? The manager, Ian Holloway, will draw up his wish-list and submit it to the co-chairman, Steve Parish, for discussion Ins? There is an acceptance that the squad will need strengthening throughout, not least because the best player, Wilfried Zaha, has been sold to Manchester United and the top scorer, Glenn Murray, will miss the start of the new season with knee ligament damage. It would not be outlandish to suggest they need six additions to be integrated immediately into the first team Outs? There will be players who depart under freedom of contract, but Palace are not seeking to sell DF =EVERTON= Money to spend? David Moyes was still waiting to discover whether a budget believed to be in excess of £10m included wages when the offer from Manchester United changed everything. Whether anyone activates Marouane Fellaini's £24m release fee will have a big say Who's spending it? No one, yet. Moyes had total control over football operations as Everton manager and his replacement, Roberto Martínez is the firm favourite, will expect the same Ins? Whoever takes over needs to add strikers plus younger competition for the established goalkeeper and centre-halves. The club has remained in contact with January target Leroy Fer, the FC Twente midfielder Outs? Everton cannot afford to streamline their squad any further but John Heitinga, with 12 months remaining on a lucrative contract, can go AH =FULHAM= Money to spend? Not a huge amount, which explains why Martin Jol has already recruited Derek Boateng and Fernando Amorebieta on free transfers and Sascha Riether for an undisclosed fee Who's spending it? Jol pinpoints the players but the level of funding available will be determined by the chairman, Mohamed Al Fayed Ins? They will seek to add another centre-half to the books, with West Bromwich Albion's Jonas Olsson a potential target, and a ball-playing central midfielder Outs? Some of the older guard will depart; the likes of Chris Baird, Simon Davies, John Arne Riise and Aaron Hughes are expected to leave among a host of players whose contracts are expiring. It remains to be seen whether Mark Schwarzer agrees terms to extend his stay at Craven Cottage DF =HULL CITY= Money to spend? Unknown but will not be paying top dollar or taking extravagant gambles. Nick Thompson, the managing director, says Assem Allam and Ehab Allam, Hull's father-and-son Egyptian owners, intend funding around six signings Who's spending it? The Allams have the final say and Thompson is heavily involved but Hull are reliant primarily on their manager Steve Bruce's transfer market nous Ins? Ahmed Elmohamady is close to a £2m switch from Sunderland and George Boyd has joined from Peterborough but a new striker and goalkeeper remain priorities. Bruce covets the Celtic centre-forward Gary Hooper, Burnley striker Charlie Austin, Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, Aston Villa keeper Shay Given, and Besiktas keeper Allen McGregor. He is also eyeing Sunderland's Phil Bardsley Outs? German striker Nick Proschwitz has struggled to adapt so cash could be re-couped by offloading him LT =LIVERPOOL= Money to spend? Brendan Rodgers insists no figure has been set and no wonder. He has already started spending and more than £70m could be incoming if Luis Suárez, José Reina, Martin Skrtel and Andy Carroll are sold Who's spending it? The manager claims he has the final say but the managing director, Ian Ayre, has stated all targets will be considered by a committee, understood to include the head of recruitment, Dave Fallows, chief scout Barry Hunter and head of analysis, Michael Edwards Ins? An entire new spine, potentially. Kolo Touré has started the defensive rebuild, and Kyriakos Papadopoulos of Schalke, Sporting Lisbon's Tiago Ilori, Ajax's Toby Alderweireld and the Lille left-back Lucas Digne are under consideration. The Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas is almost signed, a bid is in for Sevilla's Luis Alberto and a lot more may follow Outs? Carroll, Sebastián Coates, possibly Skrtel, Reina and Stewart Downing, plus several fringe players AH =MANCHESTER CITY= Money to spend? Despite the club's stated adherence to Financial Fair Play there would be no surprise if £100m in transfer fees alone is in the budget Who's spending it? The fact that Manuel Pellegrini or AN Other is yet to be confirmed as Roberto Mancini's successor is immaterial as Txiki Begiristain, the director of football, is the driver of all football strategy, including recruitment Ins? A keeper to provide competition for Joe Hart, with Reading's Alex McCarthy the required calibre of candidate. One, maybe two, central defenders – Liverpool's Martin Skrtel would be ideal – and a host of forward operators: Málaga's Isco, a playmaker, Sevilla winger Jesús Navas, and in the striker department, Napoli's Edinson Cavani, Stevan Jovetic of Fiorentina and Liverpool's Luis Suárez Outs? Up to a full XI of players could be shown the door. In addition to Kolo Touré, who should join Liverpool, Costel Pantilimon, Joleon Lescott, Gareth Barry, Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz, Scott Sinclair, John Guidetti, Maicon, Edin Dzeko and Wayne Bridge all have varying degrees of doubt over their future JJ =MANCHESTER UNITED= Money to spend? The outgoing manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: "Any time we have asked for money from the owners they have delivered. That will apply itself this year. There is no doubt about that." The sense is that if his successor David Moyes wants to land one big name – Gareth Bale, say – the Glazers would sanction a a £50m splurge Who's spending it? This is an interesting one as the official answer is Moyes, but as transfer strategy for the new season has been underway since February, Ed Woodward, the new chief executive, is also a key player as the bridge between the Ferguson regime and that of the new manager Ins? Moyes is considering moving for Everton's Marouane Fellaini with Real Madrid's Luka Modric also of interest. He is also sure to keep tabs on Cesc Fàbregas. At this point Moyes also hopes to retain the unsettled Wayne Rooney Outs? Anders Lindegaard is surplus to requirements and there continues to be no resolution to Nani's new contract discussions so his future remains in the balance. Anderson has become a fringe player so Moyes may sell the Brazilian. Nemanja Vidic has only a year remaining on his contract so while it would be a surprise if he were sold, when the two serious knee injuries that plagued his last two seasons are factored in a sale would not shock JJ =NEWCASTLE UNITED= Money to spend? Unknown. Newcastle are in a healthy financial position and anxious to avoid another relegation skirmish but Mike Ashley, the owner, does not part with his cash lightly Who's spending it? Alan Pardew, the manager, is involved but chief scout Graham Carr remains a hugely influential prime mover while Derek Llambias, the managing director, does the deals Ins? Pardew would like more experience along with a relaxation of the policy whereby Newcastle generally sign players aged 25 and under boasting high re-sale value. Carr is now concentrating onthe Dutch and Belgian, as well as the French, markets although Will Hughes, the Derby midfielder, is a target. Two new strikers are needed plus a centre-half with St Etienne's forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and FC Twente's defender Douglas under consideration. Retaining Hatem Ben Arfa and Yohan Cabaye appears high priority Outs? Danny Simpson and Steve Harper have said their goodbyes and could be followed by striker Shola Ameobi and, possibly, midfielder Cheik Tioté LT =NORWICH CITY= Money to spend? Having already splashed an impressive £8.5m on the striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel from Sporting Lisbon, further signings may follow but they are unlikely to eclipse that figure Who's spending it? Chris Hughton has brought in a number of players since his appointment last summer, mainly from Leeds United, and the majority have proved shrewd signings Ins? Only two Premier League clubs scored fewer goals than Norwich last season so attacking midfielders could be added to Hughton's squad to complement Robert Snodgrass and Anthony Pilkington Outs? The arrival of Van Wolfswinkel could spell the end of Grant Holt's stay, although the club recently turned down an offer from Melbourne Heart as it did not meet their £2m valuation JR =SOUTHAMPTON= Money to spend? A large chunk of Liebherr Trust money is likely to be available again this summer following showdown talks between the chairman, Nicola Cortese, and the owners. Last summer the Saints' outlay was £33m Who's spending it? Cortese holds the cards and will make the calls in consultation with the Argentinian manager, Mauricio Pochettino, with the pair enjoying a good working relationship Ins? A new striker to complement Rickie Lambert and a top-class centre-half. The Italy defender Davide Astori is on the radar although keeping Gaston Ramírez may be difficult with Juventus reportedly keen Outs? Pochettino will continue to restructure a squad recently inherited from Nigel Adkins and could be tempted to sell Billy Sharp and Emmanuel Mayuka who struggled to feature last season JR =STOKE CITY= Money to spend? The Coates family will support Mark Hughes with a healthy budget but not to the extent of recent years under Tony Pulis. As chairman Peter Coates put it on Thursday: "Ours is the third-highest net spend in the Premier League…It's not really where we can afford to be." Who's spending it? Hughes expects to be joined by his trusted backroom staff of Mark Bowen and Eddie Niedzwiecki and will make the decisions. His advisor, Kia Joorabchian, has already distanced himself from Hughes' poor signings as manager of QPR Ins? Pulis's oft-criticised style cannot be abandoned overnight but Hughes will want to add finesse to the attack, with Junior Hoilett a potential target at QPR. The goalkeeper Jack Butland has already been signed with the first choice Asmir Begovic on his way out Outs? Well-paid strikers Peter Crouch and Kenwyne Jones both endured disappointing campaigns last season and Stoke are unlikely to stand in the way of any offers AH =SUNDERLAND= Money to spend? Unknown. Ellis Short, the owner, accepts the team needs restructuring with at least six signings required but hopes a new recruitment system will identify several bargains Who's spending it? Paolo Di Canio's formal title is head coach but although primarily a training pitch-based "teacher of football", he retains a final say on signings. Transfers will be executed by two immiment appointments; Roberto De Fanti, a Fifa agent, as director of football and Valentino Angeloni, Internazionale's outgoing chief scout as technical director Ins? Cabral is joining from Basel's midfield as are defenders Modibo Diakité and Valentin Roberge from Lazio and Marítimo respectively. Sunderland crave creativity, pace, athleticism and reinforcement in most positions including full-back and, above all, attack. The Portuguese market has been targeted. Celtic's goalkeeper Fraser Forster could replace Simon Mignolet Outs? Titus Bramble and Matt Kilgallon are leaving and Phil Bardsley will surely follow. While that trio have crossed swords with Di Canio, the majority of players are believed to broadly welcome his modus operandi LT =SWANSEA CITY= Money to spend? Michael Laudrup will hope to convince Huw Jenkins to loosen the purse strings and allow him to strengthen the squad ahead of a European campaign Who's spending it? Laudrup will have the final say on all transfers, with the Dane's agent recently saying the manager will remain at Swansea despite rumours to the contrary Ins? A striker, to ease the burden on Michu who proved a revelation last season. An ambitious move for Romelu Lukaku has been mooted, as has a return for Scott Sinclair Outs? Laudrup will hope to recoup a decent fee if Ashley Williams departs, and keeping hold of goalkeeper Michel Vorm will be a priority JR =TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR= Money to spend? Everything depends on whether Gareth Bale stays or goes. The player's camp have indicated they would consider an offer from Real Madrid, even if Tottenham have resolved not to. Bale's sale could be worth around £50m Who's spending it? The manager, André Villas-Boas, would like to see the appointment of a technical director to help him and the chairman, Daniel Levy make things happen; ideally, more swiftly than usual Ins? Leandro Damião of Internacional continues to head a long list of striker targets. There is also interest in the Southampton left-back Luke Shaw; the Wigan midfielder James McCarthy and the Blackpool winger Tom Ince Outs? Doubt surrounds the future of the left-back Benoît Assou-Ekotto and the midfielders Scott Parker and Tom Huddlestone. Assou-Ekotto has made it plain that he wants to stay DH =WEST BROMWICH ALBION= Money to spend? West Brom are often cited within the Premier League as operating an ideal model so expect a sober and parsimonious summer of transfer business Who's spending it? On the football side Steve Clarke, the manager; on what can actually be spent Jeremy Peace, the chairman. As Clarke says of the club's careful policy: "There has been year-on-year improvement for the club over the last few years and that's all we try to do. We will try to improve again next season. There is no reason to doubt that what we're doing is correct because year on year it's working." Ins? Congo international Dieumerci Mbokani of Anderlecht and Wigan Athletic's Franco Di Santo are interesting Clarke Outs? Jerome Thomas, and Gonzalo Jara have been released and there is also surely no future for Peter Odemwingie after his drive down to Queens Park Rangers to desperately try to force a move in the January window JJ =WEST HAM UNITED= Money to spend? £15m net. The club continues to cope with large debt Who's spending it? The manager, Sam Allardyce, with heavy input from David Sullivan. The co-owner is a keen evaluator of the statistics of a prospective signing Ins? More creativity, more quality, particularly up front. They have agreed a fee of £15m with Liverpool for Andy Carroll, who was on loan last season, but it is unclear whether he fancies the permanent move. Massimo Ambrosini, the 36-year-old Milan midfielder, is a target while the club have done a deal for the free-agent left-back Razvan Rat Outs? Carlton Cole will be released. The returning loanee Ravel Morrison faces an uncertain future. The club will fight to keep Mohamed Diamé DH

Nigeria lawmakers pass anti-gay marriage bill

Associated Press= ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's House of Representatives voted Thursday to ban gay marriage and outlaw any groups actively supporting gay rights, endorsing a measure that also calls for 10-year prison sentences for any "public show" of affection by a same-sex couple. Representatives appeared to unanimously approve the proposal in a voice vote, sending it immediately to President Goodluck Jonathan for him to potentially sign into law in Africa's most populous nation. It wasn't immediately clear if Jonathan would sign the measure, though gays and lesbians already face public ridicule and possible prison sentences in Nigeria. While Western diplomats declined to immediately comment, the United Kingdom already has threatened to stop aid to nations that discriminate against gays. But those threats appear unlikely to assuage the desire of Nigerian authorities to further criminalize homosexuality, part of a wave of such laws in African nations eager to legislate against what they believe is a challenge of their traditional values by the West. Nigeria's Senate previously passed the bill in November 2011 and the measure quietly disappeared for some time before coming up in Thursday's session of the House. A copy of the House bill, obtained by The Associated Press, mirrored what the Senate previously passed. Under the proposed law, Nigeria would ban any same-sex marriage from being conducted in either a church or a mosque. Gay or lesbian couples who marry could face up to 14 years each in prison. Witnesses or anyone who helps couples marry could be sentenced to 10 years behind bars. Anyone taking part in a group advocating for gay rights or anyone caught in a "public show" of affection also would face 10 years in prison if convicted by a criminal court. In its voice vote, the House simply adopted all the clauses previously passed by the Senate without any discussion. The bill now sits before Jonathan for his approval or veto. Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati did not respond to a request for comment Thursday night regarding the president's position on the measure. Chidi Odinkalu, the chairman of Nigeria's National Human Rights Commission, said he only learned about the House's vote late Thursday night. He said the bill, if passed into law, likely would be challenged in court. "If that's the scope, there will be serious issues," Odinkalu said. Gay sex has been banned in Nigeria, a nation of more than 160 million people, since colonial rule by the British. Gays face open discrimination and abuse in a country divided by Christians and Muslims who almost uniformly oppose homosexuality. Across the African continent, many countries already have made homosexuality punishable by jail sentences. Ugandan legislators introduced a bill that would impose the death penalty for some gays and lesbians, though it was amended in November to remove the threat of execution. Even in South Africa, the one country where gays can marry, lesbians have been brutally attacked and murdered in so-called "corrective rapes." Nigeria's proposed law has drawn the interest of European Union countries, some of which already offer Nigeria's sexual minorities asylum based on gender identity. The British government recently threatened to cut aid to African countries that violate the rights of gay and lesbian citizens. However, British aid remains quite small in oil-rich Nigeria, one of the top crude suppliers to the U.S. Hooman Nouruzi, a spokesman for the British High Commission in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, said diplomats were examining the measure and declined to immediately comment. In 2011, U.S. President Barack Obama issued a similar directive asking officials to "ensure that U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect the human rights of" gays, lesbians and the transgendered. That included having diplomats "combat the criminalization" of being gay by foreign governments. Melissa Ford, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, did not respond to a request for comment. Beyond that, the proposed law could have an immediate direct effect on some groups sponsored by USAID, an arm of the U.S. government. Some funding it gives to groups to combat HIV and AIDS in Nigeria includes work with gays and lesbians — something that likely would be criminalized under the proposed law. Nigeria has one of the world's largest populations of people living with HIV and AIDS.

falcao-is-throwing-his-career-away-by-signing-for-monaco

Radamel Falcao is arguably the third-best forward in the world, coveted by Europe's biggest clubs and at 27-years-old set to embark on the prime of his career. Yet he has now just joined the champions of Ligue 2. How could any true football fan be anything but bewildered by that last statement?Of course, the former Atletico Madrid ace does not owe us neutrals anything. He has got where he is today all on his own; through a combination of exceptional talent and hard work. He deserves his success. He deserves his wealth (as much as any top footballer can truly ‘deserve’ the ridiculous riches bestowed upon him by the modern game). As Tottenham’s refreshingly honest Benoit Assou-Ekotto likes to point out, injury can curtail a career at any moment, so the onus is on a rational-thinking professional to make as much money as possible while he can.However, Falcao has already been handsomely rewarded for his ability to place a ball in the back of a net with great regularity, having been the subject of two multi-million euro transfer deals during an eight-year professional career that has taken him from Argentina to Spain via Portugal.His next move was always guaranteed to be his most lucrative. Indeed, Chelsea were willing to meet the Colombian's reported €60 million buy-out clause in order to take him to Stamford Bridge on what would have been a very handsome wage.Regardless of how the game views the Blues, and the way in which they have acquired their domestic and European success, one would have at least been able to accept Falcao at face value if upon signing for the Premier League outfit, he had claimed that he had joined Chelsea in order to realise his ambition of winning the Champions League.Given the Londoners lifted the trophy last year, we might very well have believed him when he said it wasn’t about the money. However, how else are we expected to react to the news that he is instead to move to Monaco than by presuming that Falcao is motivated solely by financial gain? Surely he won’t have the audacity to claim that he has been lured to Monte Carlo by anything other than a near tax-exempt status that will enable him to earn a net salary of €14m-per-year? Surely he won't insult our intelligence by suggesting that he is driven by anything other than avarice? Surely he won’t speak of 'new challenges' and ‘exciting projects’, as Samuel Eto’o did when he accepted a world-record wage to join Anzhi Makhachkala two years ago? At least in Eto’o's case, he could hide behind the fact that he had won all there was to win in the club game. The Cameroonian arrived in Russia a three-time Champions League winner; Falcao is merely the 'King of the Europa League'. Yet by moving to Monaco that moniker could be as good as it gets for Falcao in terms of his legacy. Indeed, even if les Rouge et Blanc do win their battle with the French Football Association (FFA) over an extremely advantageous tax system that will allow them to attract other money-motivated characters to Monte Carlo, it will be at least another year before Monaco are in the Champions League.Even then, as we have seen with Paris Saint-Germain, it is likely that it will take the Dmitry Rybolovlev-owned outfit a couple of years to establish themselves among Europe’s elite. By that stage, Falcao will be pushing 30 and what should have been the best years of his career will have passed, wasted while plying his trade away from a top club and outside of a truly top league.In a sporting sense, that would be tragic. This is a player who almost single-handedly destroyed Chelsea in this season’s Super Cup final with a hat-trick of the highest order. Four months later, he lit up Camp Nou with a goal of such class that even the home fans could not help but applaud in admiration.It was a perfectly understandable reaction from the Barcelona faithful. It has been obvious to anyone with a modicum of interest in the game that this is a player of rare talent. He belongs at the very highest level. He deserves to be playing Champions League football every year and seemed eminently capable of transforming Atletico into a major European force.Falcao has been blessed with a precious gift and it would genuinely be a crying shame if he does not realise his full potential.As the saying goes, the saddest thing in life is wasted talent. Falcao and his army of agents and financial benefactors have made his choice. It is the wrong one. And it will shape how we remember him forever.

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