Sam Allardyce set to be named as new England manager

Sam Allardyce will be named as the new England manager - with confirmation expected in the next 24 hours.

Allardyce will leave Sunderland after nine months at the Premier League club.

The 61-year-old replaces Roy Hodgson, who resigned after the surprise defeat by Iceland at this summer's Euro 2016 finals in France.


Allardyce, a former West Ham, Newcastle and Bolton boss, spoke to the Football Association last week and has been chosen ahead of Hull's Steve Bruce.

The only remaining issue to be settled is compensation to Sunderland, with Allardyce having a year left on his contract at the Stadium of Light.

The club issued a statement on Wednesday, saying it was "aware of the intense media speculation", but that Allardyce remained in charge "at the present time".

It added: "We share in the anger and frustration of our supporters and would like to assure them that we are working to conclude the matter in the best interests of Sunderland AFC."

Allardyce was present as Sunderland beat Hartlepool 3-0 in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday.

The FA board meets on Thursday, when it is expected Allardyce's appointment will be officially confirmed.

Both Sunderland and Hull had urged the FA to act quickly, with the new Premier League season less than a month away.

Allardyce was interviewed for the England job following Sven-Goran Eriksson's departure after the 2006 World Cup but Steve McClaren was appointed.

His first competitive game in charge will be a World Cup qualifier in Slovakia on 4 September.

Allardyce will become the 15th permanent England boss, the pinnacle of a managerial career that started at Blackpool in 1994 and has taken in 467 Premier League games - behind only Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Harry Redknapp.

He has never won a major trophy but did secure promotion to the Premier League with both Bolton and West Ham, and won Division Three with Notts County in 1998.

As a player, Allardyce started at Bolton in the 1970s before spells at Sunderland, Millwall, Coventry, Huddersfield, West Brom, Irish club Limerick and US side Tampa Bay Rowdies before ending his career at Preston.

(BBC)

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Court remands five persons accused of murdering Kano woman for alleged blasphemy

A Kano Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday denied bail to the five men who allegedly killed 74-year-old Mrs Bridget Agbahime in Kano on June 2. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Agbahime was murdered at Kofar Wambai Market, Kano, over alleged blasphemy.

The accused persons: Dauda Ahmed, Abdulmumeen Mustafa, Zubairu Abubakar, Abdullahi Abubakar and Musa Abdullahi, were charged with inciting, disturbance, culpable homicide, joint act and mischief.

The presiding judge, Chief Magistrate Muhammad Jibril, in his ruling said the court, under Section 361 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, had the discretion to hear the bail application. But it has no power to grant the accused persons bail, he said. “Though, no material evidence to give the court, first information report is simply information.

“It shows the jurisdiction of a court to admit an accused person to bail, only when there is no evidence to prove the accused person committed an offence.’’ He said that the court had no power to grant the five suspects bail, though the court is convinced that investigation had been completed in the case diary sent to the State Ministry of Justice for legal advice.

Jibril, therefore, ordered the five suspects to be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case to Aug.18, for further mention.

However, Gambo Abdulsalam, the Defence Counsel for all the suspects, told the court that he would forward the bail application ruling to the High Court, Kano. He said this was to enable him seek for their bail, since the court has the right to grant them bail.


Earlier, Prosecutor Ekwe Sunday had opposed the bail application in view of the gravity of the offence. He said that the suspects committed a capital offence in nature. The prosecutor, therefore, urged the court not to grant the suspects bail because of the sensitive nature of the case.

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USA 2016: Trump apologizes for using Michelle Obama quotes in Melania speech

Melania Trump

A Trump staffer apologized Wednesday for using remarks by Michelle Obama in a speech delivered by Melania Trump at the Republican National Convention that ignited a deeply embarrassing plagiarism row.

The speech from the ex-model, watched by millions on television on Monday night, amounted to a nightmarish start for the convention and subjected her husband’s presidential campaign to withering scrutiny.


Melania Trump had “always liked” the Democratic first lady and had “read me some passages from Mrs Obama’s speech” as examples of what she wanted to tell the convention, said staffer Meredith McIver.

“I wrote them down and later included some of the phrasing in the draft that ultimately became the final speech. “I did not check Mrs Obama’s speeches. This was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused,” she said in a statement released by the Trump campaign. “No harm was meant.” McIver said Trump had refused to accept her resignation, saying that “people make innocent mistakes,” according to her statement.

“I apologize for the confusion and hysteria my mistake has caused,” said McIver, who was identified as an in-house staff writer from the Trump Organization.

“I personally admire the way Mr Trump has handled this situation and I am grateful for his understanding.”

Trump took to Twitter Wednesday to comment on the swirling controversy, saying: “Good news is Melania’s speech got more publicity than any in the history of politics especially if you believe that all press is good press!” He also took a swipe at the media, which he has repeatedly alleged is biased against him and favors Democratic presumptive presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who herself has recently been mired in an email scandal.

“The media is spending more time doing a forensic analysis of Melania’s speech than the FBI spent on Hillary’s emails,” he wrote. Michelle Obama, a Harvard-educated lawyer, has high approval ratings across the country and in Melania’s home city has been embraced in New York fashion circles for her sense of style and elegance.

With millions watching on television, the Slovenia-born former model delivered an eloquent and seemingly heartfelt defense of her husband. “Donald is, and always has been, an amazing leader,” said the 46-year-old.

“Now, he will go to work for you.” Despite the unmistakable similarities to remarks given by Michelle Obama at the 2008 Democratic convention, the Trump campaign initially denied any wrongdoing, then made a tacit admission before attempting to insulate Melania, adding to a picture of a campaign in chaos.

But at the convention itself, many Republicans were unperturbed, with delegates and party members praising Melania for her grace and poise in delivering a speech in what is thought to be her fifth language.

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Military has defeated Boko Haram – Dambazau

The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, on Wednesday said the military had defeated the Boko Haram fighters in the North-East.

Dambazau disclosed this in Port Harcourt at a two-day seminar with the theme: “Media Engagement in Crises Situation for Military, Security and Response Agencies,” partly organised by the Centre for Crisis Communication.

He said that the Federal Government was now focused on rebuilding and relocating the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their respective communities and homes.

“The war in the North-East with the Boko Haram has been fought and won – as the Boko Haram elements have been routed, degraded and are being decimated.

“The task before us is winning the peace, as the victims are gradually returning to their homes, while government is rebuilding, reconciling, and rehabilitating the victims.

“We are also in the phase where crisis management and communication become indispensable to build confidence and consensus among the people,” he said.

Represented by Mr Willy Bassey, a Director in the Ministry, the minister said that government was now focused on partnering with the media to ensure that information was properly managed.

He said the country was currently faced with security challenges in form of cattle rustling, pastoralists and farmers clashes, militancy, kidnapping, cultism and secession agitations which required effective media management.

According to him, if information is not properly managed by the media, it could create a gulf between the people and government which would lead to undesirable outcomes and possibly engender crises.

“The media as a watchdog of the society is duty-bound to report the truth and balanced report while avoiding sensationalism, half truth, embellishment, misinformation, falsehood and blackmail.

“Journalists should ensure internal cohesion, unity and harmony rather than fanning disunity, ethnic and religious disharmony, panic and fear as is being experienced in the Social Media,” he said.

Dambazau said the ministry was currently formulating and implementing new policies to boost operations of five security outfits under the ministry.

Earlier, retired Air Commodore Yusuf Anas , the Secretary, Centre for Crises Communication, said the seminar was aimed at bridging the gap in communication between the people, government and the media.

Anas said the seminar would brainstorm and proffer solutions to the existing communication gaps with the hope of mobilising stakeholders to promote effective communication management in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants who attended the programme included information officers from the Defence Headquarters, Army, Navy, Air Force, the Police and Department of State Services (DSS).

Others are: the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Prisons Service, National Intelligence Agency, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), among others. (NAN)

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BREAKING: Buhari removes Semenitari, appoints Akpabio’s ex-deputy, Ekere as NDDC MD

Nsima Ekere

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, sent to the Senate a letter nominating former Deputy Governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Mr. Nsima Ekere as the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

He also named former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, as NDDC Chairman.

Nsima Ekere will replace, Mrs Ibim Semenitari who has been the acting MD of the NDDC since December 21, 2015.

The nomination letter sent to Senate President Bukola Saraki may be read on the floor of the Senate on Thursday.

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Fayose offers 100,000 hectares of land to agric investors

Gov. Ayo Fayose has approved the donation of 100,000 hectares of land to investors, who are willing to embark on farming to improve agricultural production in Ekiti.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Kehinde Odebunmi, stated this on Wednesday while addressing participants at the ongoing 2016 Agric. Summit, holding in Ado Ekiti.

The commissioner said the government was ready to offer incentives to individuals and corporate bodies willing to invest in farming and other farm-based commercial activities in any part of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the governor had allocated another 10,000 hectares of land to members of the state chapter of Cassava Growers Association of Nigeria for ethanol production.

Odebunmi explained that the incentives were to create agribusiness and investment-friendly environment, capable of revolutionising agriculture as a big-time revenue earner in the state.

He enjoined the people of the state to embrace farming by cultivating lands in their neighbourhoods or farmsteads to plant stable food crops.

The commissioner said such efforts were capable of becoming something tangible in the long run, as the state strives to overcome its current economic problems.

“Agriculture remains the only sure way to get the country out of its economic woes, “ he said.

The commissioner ‎explained that the summit was in line with the efforts of the state government to reposition the state’s economy. (NAN)

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You have 14 days to stop attacks on Yoruba land – OPC warns Niger Delta militants

The pan-Yoruba organisation, the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, reformed, has issued a 14-day ultimatum to suspected Niger Delta militants to desist from attacking communities in the South West, else the Ijaw people in the region would gear up for reprisal attacks.

OPC issued the threat while reacting to recent attacks by suspected militants on Imusin and Ogijo in Ogun and some riverine communities in Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

The group in a statement by Comrade Dare Adesope entitled, ‘‘Incursion of Ijaw militants into Yoruba land: Enough is enough,’’ threatened reprisal attack if the suspected Ijaw militants failed to end the incursion into the South-West at the end of the ultimatum.

According to the group, the attack in the South-West was an affront on the Yoruba nation and it would not be accepted.

The statement reads in part, “Enough of these invasions, killings and kidnapping of our people right on our own soil. We of the Oodua Peoples Congress (Reformed) have waited for this long, hoping that the government would curb the deadly acts of the Ijaw people on our kinsmen in their fatherland in Ogun and Lagos states.

But, it has now dawned on us that the lives and properties of our people and, indeed, the masses are of no importance to those in authorities and the marauding militants.

“It is a known fact that we, the Yoruba, are the most contented, accommodating and tolerant among all the ethnic groups in Nigeria. We wholeheartedly welcome other tribes coming into our states either to reside or do business. But, if they want to take our hospitality for stupidity, we are ready to prove to them that the gentility of a tiger is not an act of cowardice. Before now, it was the Fulani herdsmen, now it is the Ijaw people that are on the prowl. Enough is enough

“Consequently, we are giving the Ijaw militants a 14-day ultimatum to allow peace to reign in our land. If they fail to heed the warning, it will henceforth be an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. We will prove to them that Lagos belongs to the Yoruba and not a no man’s land that they tend to erroneously claim.

“If they must care to know, we have information and facts about where their leaders’ properties are situated in the entire South-West and where their people reside in our midst as well.”

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Hundreds Escape Death as Lord's Chosen Church Auditorium Collapses in Asaba (Photos)

According to reports making rounds online and social media, hundreds of worshippers, escaped death few hours ago as the auditorium of The Lord’s Chosen Church, Aniahaba street, Cable point in Asaba, the Delta State capital, collapses.

See more photos below;

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Watch Kate Henshaw's Crazy Birthday Dance that Got People Talking (Video)

Kate Henshaw

Nollywood actress, Kate Henshaw threw caution to the wind during a dance session as she marked her 45th birthday in Lagos State.

Kate Henshaw upheld her position as the centre of attraction on her 45th birthday as she threw a lavish party that was attended by a galaxy of stars.

The divorcee and mother of one stole the show in style as she showcase her native dance skills to a commercial dance track.

Ace Nigerian comedian, Ayo Makun shortly joined her in the traditional dance with a brief display of comic relief which he is famed for.

Watch the interesting video below:

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OMG!!! Meet the Woman with World's Largest Natural Breasts Making Millions

Annie Hawkins-Turner

A woman with the largest natural breast in the world has shown off her massive asset as she reveals she makes millions from it.

A mother with the world's largest natural breasts has revealed how her 102ZZZ-cup assets have netted her millions.

The woman identified as Annie Hawkins-Turner, who is better known by the pseudonym Norma Stitz (a play on the phrase “enormous t**s”), is celebrating 25 years since she turned her giant boobs into a successful business.

In a report by The Sun, the 57-year-old fetish model from Atlanta, Georgia has held the Guinness World Record for her eye-poppingly voluptuous cleavage since 1999 and her breasts are still growing.

The breasts weighing a staggering 65lbs each and are over four and a half foot in length has proved to be a beneficial asset. Speaking about how it all started, Annie said she began developing breasts at the age of five, and by nine they were a size 36D.

“When I was a teenager I struggled with the fact my breasts just kept growing and growing,” she said.

“Finally I was diagnosed with of gigantomastia, a condition that involves slow, progressive growth of breast tissue which is why my breasts continue to grow even today.”

Annie was dubbed “whale boob girl” by her peers and feared boys only wanted to date her because of her large chest.

After she dated and married her husband who later passed away, he encouraged her to make money from her massive asset. Her husband, Allen Turner, an air force officer who was 20 years her senior encouraged her which later saw the business bloom.
“To my shock I discovered Allen loved big women and thought my breasts were magnificent,” she said.

“Despite the age gap we got on really well.  He boosted my confidence continually told me I was beautiful and accepted me and my kids.”
After dating for five years the pair got married and Allen encouraged Annie to start making the most of her super-size breasts.

“He encouraged me to send in some pictures to a specialist magazine a year after we met and I was inundated with requests,” she said.

“It was a magazine that featured white women and I was featured, breaking, I guess, another record.”

Annie’s career blossomed from there - she set up a website and charged men to admire her boobs. Within months she had over a million subscribers and made £40,000 in her first year. Annie credit’s her success to Allen and says without him she would not have achieved the career she has.

He sadly died of lung cancer in 2003 but Annie has carried on with her business, which sees her model, lecture and make special appearances.

All is not that rosy though. She cannot sleep on her back because the weight of assets could crush her, has to have s*x on her side and has never breast fed her children – Darius and Clara – in case she smothers them.

But she feels these inconveniences do not matter because her boobs have earned her over a million pounds.

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