OPERATION PYTHON DANCE- ABIA GOVERNOR TO MEET WITH BUHARI

Governor of Abia state, Okezie Ikpeazu is set to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari, over the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South East.

This was contained in a statement posted on Facebook, by Ikpeazu’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Sam Hart.

It comes after the Governor reached an agreement with the Nigerian Army , for troops to be withdrawn from Aba and Umuahia.

Part of the statement read: “With the expected exit of soldiers from the streets, we must warn that we will not tolerate agitators and protesters taking over the streets for any reason at all.

“I will also be meeting the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Mohamaudu Buhari, to discuss possible ways of relaxing the Operation Python dance 11 in the state for now.”

Ikpeazu also sounded a note of warning to the agitators, stating that “Members and sympathizers of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) should henceforth desist from spreading false rumors capable of throwing our state into disorder. Those spreading such falsehood will be dealt with, according to the Law.”

ANTI-GRAFT WAR -EFCC CONFIRMS MOVES TO EXTRADITE DIEZANNI

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, confirmed that plans were underway to extradite former Minister of Petroluem, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

This follows calls from various quarters for her to be extradited from the UK, after different allegations of corruption were levelled against her.

The EFCC acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu, made this known while addressing journalists, civic groups and others.

“I want you to know that nobody will go unpunished. We are even seeking to extradite Diezani, but investigations are still ongoing,” Magu said.

“We have reached a level where nobody can stop us in the fight against corruption, but we all must realize that we are all stakeholders, and this fight is for the future generation.”

He added that all Nigerians must play their roles, “because EFCC can only do its best; but we must support the agency, and the law should take its course, policies should be strengthened, and punishment must be meted out in good time.”

2019: APC ALLEGEDLY SUMMONS MAMA TARABA FOR OPENLY SUPPORTING ATIKU

Minister of Women Affairs, Senator Aisha Alhassan on Thursday appeared before the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress.

The Minister met the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun with the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.

Although, details of the closed door meeting are sketchy at the time of this report, it was learnt that the Minister was asked to explain herself in the light of the recent controversy generated by her media comments.

The minister stormed out from the meeting and rushed into her waiting vehicle without addressing the waiting journalists.

Mama Taraba, as Alhassan is popularly called triggered controversy when she declared that he would support former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar even if President Muhammadu Buhari opted to contest in 2019.

“Baba Buhari did not tell us that he is going to run in 2019.

 

Minister of Women Affairs, Senator Aisha Alhassan on Thursday appeared before the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress.

The Minister met the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun with the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.

Although, details of the closed door meeting are sketchy at the time of this report, it was learnt that the Minister was asked to explain herself in the light of the recent controversy generated by her media comments.

The minister stormed out from the meeting and rushed into her waiting vehicle without addressing the waiting journalists.

Mama Taraba, as Alhassan is popularly called triggered controversy when she declared that he would support former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar even if President Muhammadu Buhari opted to contest in 2019.

“Baba Buhari did not tell us that he is going to run in 2019.

“Let me tell you today that if Baba said he is going to contest in 2019, I swear to Allah, I will go before him and kneel and tell him that ‘Baba I am grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve your government as a minister but Baba just like you know I will support only Atiku because he is my godfather. If Atiku said he is going to contest,” she had said.

SEE THIS 6'9 INCH RUSSIAN MODEL WITH THE LONGEST LEGS IN THE WORLD

The Russian model who officially has the longest legs in the world is set to break into Hollywood after she appeared on This Morning, where presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield used ladders to interview her.

Ekaterina Lisina, 29, whose 52.4in legs are recognised by the Guinness World Records 2018, revealed that her newfound fame from her stint on the TV show has seen her offered an exciting film role - and admits she is being inundated by male attention.

The model, who is 6ft 9in, is already known in her hometown of Penza, Russia, for having the biggest feet for a woman - a UK size 12.

Ekaterina Lisina, 29, who is 6ft 9in, is recognised by Guinness World Records 2018 for having the longest legs and has now revealed that her newfound fame has seen her offered an exciting film role

She is set to break into Hollywood after she appeared on This Morning, where presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield used ladders to interview her

A former professional basketball player with an Olympic bronze, she has an offer for an upcoming movie called Rugby Girls, she revealed.

'The filming will take place in England. I will have a chance to be listed in the Guinness Book as the world tallest actress too,' she said.

'It will be screened in two years time at the world cup in Japan.

'It is about women's rugby championship in 1991, mainly behind the scenes stuff.

Credit - Daily Mail

WORLD'S OLDEST GIANT PANDA DIES AT 37 (PHOTOS)

The world's oldest captive giant panda has died at the age of 37 - more than 100 years in human years.

A zoo in China said on Thursday that the female bear, named Basi, died of 'illnesses' yesterday morning as they gave her an emotional send-off befitting a minor celebrity.

The well-love animal was found as a starving cub in a frozen river in 1984. She quickly became a national star after being trained to perform various sports stunts, such as weight lifting and biking riding.

Basi died at the Strait Panda Research and Exchange Centre in Fuzhou, south-east China's Fujian Province, after having fallen ill since June.

She was said to have died of multiple illnesses, including liver cirrhosis and renal failure, reported Xinhua News Agency.

State television reported live on Thursday from the centre, which held a memorial in her honour.

'With a heavy heart, we solemnly announce today that the original model of 'Panpan', the mascot for the first Asian Games (in China, 1990), and an angel of friendship both at home and abroad, giant panda star Basi died at 8:50am on September 13, 2017 at the age of 37,' the Straits Giant Panda Research and Exchange Center in Fuzhou said on social media.

According to Chen Yucun, director of the centre and the carer of Basi for 33 years, a museum is being built to commemorate the panda and will be named after her. 

'Basi's body will be put in Basi Museum, which is being constructed for people to forever remember her and share the spirit of the harmonious development between humans and nature,' Mr Chen said to Xinhua.

Mr Chen talked about the bear as if she had been his own daughter.  

HURRAY! YOU CAN NOW UN-SEND THAT EMBARRASSING WHATSAPP MESSAGE

 Thanks to a new WhatsApp feature, the days of regretting an embarrassing message will soon be a thing of the past.

The messaging service is releasing a new 'Delete for Everyone' feature that will let you unsend messages.

Users will only have five minutes from when the message is sent to delete it, and only messages that haven't been opened by the recipient can be removed.

'We are looking for enriched lives, more control over things over things around us, [and] more control over that stupid little device in your pocket, which is basically a read-only device right now, with horrible means of output.

'I would like our devices, whether they are vended by us or by partners, to be on a million people within three or four years.' 

The technology works by focusing on the sets of signals that control movement as they travel through the spinal column.

SCIENTISTS REVEAL THAT A MIND-CONTROLLED SMART PHONE WOULD BE A REALITY AS EARLY AS 2018

Typing a message to a loved one or searching the web could be as simple as a thought, thanks to new mind-control system currently in development.

Experts from CTRL-Labs believe they could have a watch-strap sized device to control your smartphone with your thoughts for release to early adopters by 2018.

The slim gadget could also make virtual reality more immersive, by eliminating the need for handheld controllers.

In an in-depth article for Wired, reporter Steven Levy explores the work being done by the New York based company. 

It might seem the stuff of science fiction, but CTRL-Labs counts engineers and neuroscientists from some of the world's top academic institutions, including Stanford, John Hopkins and Imperial College London, among its staff and advisers.

It was founded by three PHD graduates from Columbia University who wanted to develop Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) technology to its full potential.

Many other big tech names are exploring this next frontier in human-machine interaction.

Some, like Elon Musk, have proposed a physical chip implanted directly into the brain to allow this to happen, as well as to enhance our intelligence.

But CTRL-Labs has already built a non-invasive prototype device, in the form of a wearable armband, that lets its user control an on-screen keyboard, or even play games.

Company CEO and co-founder Thomas Reardon, who demonstrated the fabric band for Wired told the website: 'When I see these announcements about brain-scanning techniques and the obsession with the disembodied-head-in-a-jar approach to neuroscience, I just feel like they are missing the point of how all new scientific technologies get commercialised.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - LIVERPOOL 2 SEVILLA 2- MATCH REPORT

Liverpool did not get the dream Champions league return they bargained for after a costly 2-2 draw with Sevilla. Jurgen Klopp was forced to call upon wantaway star, Phillipe Coutinho, as his  Liverpool side found themselves one goal short of victory in a Champions League game they had once seemed certain to win.

The Brazilian who had his heart set on Barcelona for much of the summer dusted himself down and tried to cast a spell over Sevilla, a team who had emerged from a disorientating first half to claim a point that even they seemed to accept with a degree of surprise. It was not simply that Roberto Firmino missed a penalty, although that did not help, it was that a Liverpool attack that had threatened to slice the  visitors into pieces gradually ground to a halt.

In the first half, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, scorer of Liverpool’s second, looked like one of Europe’s great emergent attacking forces and the futile attempts of Nicolas Pareja in conceding a penalty before the break showcased it perfectly. First, he tried to dispossess Mane by handling the ball and when that did not work  he wrapped a hand around the winger’s waist.

Having previously scored the first, Firmino clipped the post with his penalty just minutes before half-time. It was a game in which Liverpool finished with 24 attempts on goal, seven on target and just the two goals to show for it. Sevilla managed just two on target and scored them both, the 72nd minute equaliser from Joaquin Correa a beautifully executed finish, before Klopp unleashed Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from the bench in quick succession.

By then Sevilla’s coach Eduardo Berizzo had already been sent to the stands by the Dutch referee, having proffered the ball to Joe Gomez for a throw-in and then tossed it away as the full-back reached for it, the second time the Argentine coach had committed the offence. Berizzo offered the excuse that he did it the second time to even up his earlier mistake – an excuse that was hard to believe.

Eduardo Berizzo was sent to the stands for not giving Liverpool their ball back. Twice. Credit: BT Sport

“I did throw the ball away and I was trying to waste time to stop the advantage [enjoyed by Liverpool],” Berizzo said. “When a similar thing took place and we were chasing the game I still decided to throw the ball away and make up for what I had done [even though Sevilla were losing]. I wanted to do the sportsmanlike thing. I explained that to my counterpart.”

His counterpart Klopp had ended the game in something of an emotional state, with Gomez also dismissed in the last few seconds for a second yellow card. The Liverpool manager said he was invited into the Sevilla dressing room afterwards to have a discussion with the opposition following a game in which both benches sniped at each other, and generally speaking the German was philosophical about the chances his team had missed.

Credit- Telegraph

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - IMPERIOUS RONALDO PUTS REAL MADRID IN CRUISE CONTROL - MATCH REPORT

An imperious Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice on his first competitive start of the season as Real Madrid beat APOEL Nicosia 3-0 on Wednesday to get their quest for a third successive Champions League crown off on the right note.

Ronaldo has been banned from domestic football since August for pushing a referee and only needed 12 minutes to get back amongst the goals in the competition where he is the all-time top scorer, meeting Gareth Bale's low cross to arrow home.

The Portuguese struck the underside of the crossbar early in the second half then moments later hit his 109th Champions League goal by powering home from the spot after APOEL's Spanish defender Roberto Lago was harshly penalised for handball.

 

Captain Sergio Ramos rubber-stamped what was a routine victory for Madrid over the Cypriot champions with a scrappy overhead kick in the 61st minute.

Ramos also scored for Real Madrid in a comfortable win Credit: Getty Images Europe

Ronaldo was denied another penalty and a potential hat-trick when he was tripped in the area but his appeals went unnoticed, while late in the game he had a goal chalked off for a clear offside.

Elsewhere, Shakhtar Donetsk stunned Serie A's Napoli with goals either side of half-time to win 2-1 in their Champions League Group F match on Wednesday.

Brazil's Taison put the Ukrainian champions up 1-0 on the quarter-hour mark by controlling a backheel flick by Facundo Ferreyra on the edge of the box before beating goalkeeper Pepe Reina with a low drive.

In the 58th minute Reina misread a curling cross by Taras Stepanenko from the left that connected with Ferreyra, who tapped in the ball for Shakhtar's second goal.

Napoli failed to capitalise on their chances after Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik scored in the 72nd minute from a penalty awarded for a foul on Dries Mertens.

Credit - Telegraph

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- JOHN STONES' BRACE HELPS RAMPANT CITY TO A 4-0 ROMP OVER FEYENOORD - MATCH REPORT

He may have come underfire for dodgy performances last season but John Stones showed last night that he could handle the pressure on the big stage after netting a sublime brace in their UCL clash against Feyenoord.

 

The Dutch champions were making their first appearance in the Champions League for 14 years and, let’s face it, looked very much like a Europa League outfit, but City would still have bullied better teams playing like this.

It says a lot about how Guardiola wants to play and the number of players he commits to attack that centre-half John Stones should open and finish the scoring with two headers, with goals from Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus sandwiched in between. There was elegance to City’s play, yes, but it was striking just how physically strong they looked. As relentless as they were ruthless, they refused to give their opponents time to catch their breath. “We weren’t ready for that,” Giovanni van Bronckhurst, the Feyenoord coach, admitted.

Stones actually made two blocks from Feyenoord’s only two ventures forward of note that, in their own way, will have satisfied Guardiola as much as the goals given the criticism that continues to be aimed at the England man defensively. But Kevin De Bruyne was City’s orchestrator-in-chief, popping up all over the place to drive his team forward with that languid, understated brilliance of his.

“Kevin is one of the best players I’ve ever seen in my life in that he can make absolutely everything [happen]”, Guardiola said. “As for John, there is no doubt about his quality. His two goals were so important but John knows what is the gap where he has to improve – defending the duels. He’s so young, he is able to achieve and when he does he will become an exceptional central defender. It’s a perfect start for us. Last season we were not able to win one game away. That’s why if you want to make a step forward you have to do this.”

John Stones scored twice for the visitors Credit: getty images

The biggest compliment you could pay City is that they had barely got out of third gear in the 25 minutes it took to run up a three-goal lead and end this as a contest. You got an idea of what it must have been like to be a Feyenoord player in the space of a few seconds late in the first half when Michiel Kramer made no attempt to play the ball as he kicked out at Kyle Walker and then Tonny Vilhena hacked down De Bruyne.

Feyenoord were pegged so far back that they rarely got out of their defensive 5-4-1 shape, with Walker and Benjamin Mendy looking to get in behind the full-backs, and the constant rotation and movement of the omnipresent De Bruyne and the two Silvas, David and Bernardo, made them so hard to pin down. 

It was like trying to trap a pesky mouse. And that is before we get to Aguero and Jesus up front. Guardiola’s obsession with signing Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez is hard to fathom when he has a pair like that to pick from and Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling cannot even get in the side. Is Sanchez honestly an upgrade on Aguero or Jesus? And how much value is there in bringing a 28-year-old to the club when it could make it even harder to accommodate Bernardo (23), afforded only his second start since a £44 million move from Monaco, and Sane (21), a substitute again despite a swashbuckling two-goal cameo against Liverpool.

It took 97 seconds for City to get on the scoresheet and the only shock was the identity of the goalscorer. David Silva crossed from the left and Stones powered down a header that hit Vilhena before worming through his legs. 

Credit - The Telegraph

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - HARRY KANE MASTERCLASS ENDS TOTTENHAM'S WEMBLEY HOODOO

Harry Kane craves the Champions League to be his stage; to be his proving ground; to show he is world class and he provided more compelling evidence that he is just that as Tottenham Hotspur thrillingly defeated Borussia Dortmund to banish their Wembley woes and give themselves an outstanding opportunity, already, of progressing in Group H.

It may only be the first tie of six but, with Real Madrid also in this group, and with Apoel Nicosia expected to be the whipping boys, the head-to-heads against Dortmund were always going to be defining. 

Afterwards manager Mauricio Pochettino was clear on how important the result was for his team. “Massive,” he said, adding that it felt like more than just three points to “build the confidence and trust at Wembley and the perception we can get for the future”.

Kane scored twice, and created Spurs’ opening goal in an entertaining, open tie, although they were fortunate when Dortmund had a goal ruled out for offside, which would have made it 2-2. Moments after, Kane scored.

Spurs will believe they were due that luck having suffered at this stadium for so long but, even in victory, there was a setback, with Jan Vertonghen shown a second yellow card after it was deemed he had caught substitute Mario Gotze with a flailing arm in the face in injury time. He will receive a one-match ban.

This was only Spurs’ second win in 12 matches at Wembley and only their third victory in 10 Champions League games. It was an important win against one of the big European beasts, who serially reach the knockout stages and whose last appearance here was in the 2013 final.

Kane celebrates scoring Tottenham's second Credit: Getty images

Kane thrived against them. He has now scored 29 goals in 27 matches in all competitions for Spurs this year and this was the third successive Champions League match in which he has scored. Kane is getting better and better and is beginning to belong in that rarefied company of elite strikers, imposing himself for club and country. Europe is taking notice and, when he was substituted late on, he departed to a standing ovation.

There was much debate afterwards over Spurs’ tactics; that they have learnt from bitter experience to box a little bit more cleverly, to defend a little deeper and strike on the break and, while there was a variation in their approach, they were simply not as secure as that would suggest, although Serge ­Aurier was impressive on his debut at right wing-back.
Dortmund, depleted by injury, were dangerous throughout and there was an outstanding save from Hugo Lloris to deny Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after he met a flicked-on corner at close-range. 

Aubameyang was again denied a goal when he slammed a crisp half-volley around Lloris only for the striker to have – wrongly – been deemed offside. Before that, Dortmund had another effort ruled out after the ball was turned in by Christian Pulisic, with Aubameyang, in an offside position, also ­attempting to score.

ROY KEAN BRANDS CHELSEA'S DIEGO COSTA A " BALLOON"

Roy Keane gave a typically withering assessment of exiled striker Diego Costa, suggesting the champions are better off without a player who is a 'bit of a balloon'. 

 

Costa refused to return to Chelsea's Cobham training ground after Antonio Conte told him he had no future at the club, before going on strike in Brazil for which he was fined. 

His desired move to back to Atletico Madrid failed to materialise leaving an awkward impasse between club and player. Keane though, is in no doubt that Chelsea should not go back. 

"They are better off without him," said Keane on ITV's Champions League highlights show. "The guy is obviously big trouble.

"I know he has done well for them, but he looks to me to be a bit of a balloon. Get rid of him. Have players at your club that want to be there."

Diego Costa claims Antonio Conte sent him a text message that he was not wanted

Alvaro Morata has scored three Premier League goals already, and Conte's have recovered from an opening game defeat to Burnley with three consecutive wins and a 6-0 thrashing of Qarabag in the Champions League. 

Costa is not the first target of Keane's ire from the television studio. Costa's teammate Eden Hazard felt the force of the Irishman's acerbic tongue during Chelsea's doomed 2015-16 campaign in the dog days of the Jose Mourinho era. 

"If I was a team-mate of his I'd kick him up and down the training pitch," said Keane. "Some of the senior players have got to get hold of him. A talented, talented boy, but his attitude is like a spoilt child. He's just absolutely ridiculous."
He was unimpressed with brothers Paul and Florentin Pogba being overly fraternal in Manchester united's Europa League tie with Saint-Etienne, saying: "They spoke more tonight than I have spoken to my brothers in last five years." 

Arsenal forward Theo Walcott may have scored twice in Champions League win over Basel last season, but was another to be told some home truths by the former Manchester United captain. 

Keane said: "It's taken him a while to get a settle at the club, hasn't it? Ten years?"

"Listen the guy [Theo Walcott] needs to relax; he's had a good week.

"Try playing well for the next seven, eight, nine months when the real crunch games come."

PAUL POGBA FACES SIX WEEKS OUT WITH HAMSTRING INJURY

Manchester United fear Paul Pogba will be out injured for at least four weeks in a huge blow to manager Jose Mourinho.

The France midfielder was substituted 19 minutes into United’s 3-0 win over Basel at Old Trafford on Tuesday after stretching awkwardly to win the ball in a challenge with Mohamed Elyounoussi and injuring his left hamstring in the process.

Pogba is thought to have undergone a scan on Wednesday but United are not expected to know the full extent of the damage until he has undergone further tests.

Around a month on the sidelines is thought to be the best case scenario but it could be up to six weeks if the worst fears are realised.

Pogba was struggling to walk after the game. He is also thought to have felt some discomfort to his left thigh and left Old Trafford on crutches.

A month out would rule Pogba out of the Premier League games against Everton, Southampton, Crystal Palace and Liverpool as well as the Champions League game away to CSKA Moscow and the League Cup third round tie at home to Burton Albion.

 

Pogba could miss the League Cup third round tie against Burton Albion Credit: reuters

Marouane Fellaini replaced Pogba and impressed in the Frenchman’s absence. His absence is also likely to see Ander Herrera, who was omitted from the squad against Basel, brought back into the fold after being largely overlooked so far this season. Mourinho is understood to want more from Herrera, who has started just two games this term.

“Paul’s going to be a massive miss for us and hopefully we can get him back fit as soon as possible,” striker Marcus Rashford said. “That’s why you have such a strong squad. It’s good for the manager, it’s good for the players as well because we’re always fighting for competition.”

EUROPA -WAYNE ROONEY'S EVERTON SWEPT AWAY 3-0 BY RAMPANT ITALIAN MINNOWS, ATALANTA - MATCH REPORT

Given the cash splurge at the Merseyside club this summer, you could forgive their fans for the wave of optimism that crept into Goodison Park especially with the return of cult hero, Wayne Rooney. With an astute tactician in Dutch gaffer, Ronald Koeman, the Toffeees were right to dream having qualified for Europe's second tier competition. But all that was swept aside by a swash buckling first half perfomance from their less heralded Italian opponents, Atalanta.

The Telegraph described it as "a night as grey as Everton’s dreadful kit" as Ronald Koeman’s expensively assembled squad were embarrassed by a team making their first foray into Europe for 26 years.

Everton were completely blown away and a third successive defeat will only increase the scrutiny on Koeman after a summer recruitment drive which had promised so much.

All those fears over Everton’s lack of pace appear well founded on this evidence and here in northern Italy they had the cutting edge of a plastic spatula, unable to respond after a three-goal blast in a nightmarish first-half.

The only miniscule crumb of comfort for Koeman is that Manchester United, last season’s Europa League winners, also lost their first group game but this was a reality check equal to a thunderbolt between the eyes for the Dutchman.

Many Everton supporters had stormed off by half-time and Sunday’s trip to Old Trafford, and a reunion with Romelu Lukaku, looks a daunting prospect.

Everton were sliced apart for the second goal Credit: REUTERS

Atalanta, fourth in Serie A last season, were outstanding while their own fans will have savoured the two-hour drive back to Bergamo after such a memorable night.

With their own stadium under renovation, Atalanta will play all their European games 120 miles away in Reggio Emilia but this felt like a home tie, played in a crackling atmosphere.

Everton were under pressure from the start, with Maarten Stekelenburg over-worked in a rare appearance, tipping over a header from Phil Jagielka which was threatening to arc into the defender’s own net after just 100 seconds.

With six changes made to the team humbled by Spurs last weekend, Everton were disjointed and unable to find any rhythm, eventually falling behind in the 27^th minute.

Stekelenburg had saved brilliantly from close-range to deny Andrea Masiello yet from the resulting corner, the Atalanta left-back could not miss from barely a yard out after the ball took a deflection off Jagielka. 

Gomez's stunning strike was the pick of the bunch Credit: ANSA

Atalanta, playing with width and endeavour, increased their lead four minutes before half-time after a stunning strike from their talisman. Alejandro Gomez, known as Papu, was given far too much space to curl the ball into the far corner from 25 yards.

The third goal came just before the break, sparking a mass exodus of Everton fans, as Bryan Cristante exploited defensive hesitancy to advance into the area and direct the ball to the right of Stekelenburg.

Atalanta could have added more goals early in the second half, with Gomez shooting wildly over the bar before Remo Freuler struck the upright, but rarely moved out of second gear.

Rooney was replaced midway through the half after a desperately poor evening, with Everton only managing one shot on target all night.

This was as bad as anything served up during those final months under Roberto Martinez and Koeman has some serious work to do. He must have wished kick-off time had been delayed by an hour, too.

Credit - The Telegraph

STELLA ODUAH DENIES CALLING FOR DIEZANNI'S PROSECUTION

Senator Stella Oduah, representing Anambra North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has denied media reports that she advised President Muhammadu Buhari on how to prosecute former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Reacting to a report by some online media, Oduah said she never spoke on Diezani’s case. She maintained that she did not grant any interview, last Tuesday, as purported by the media reports.

The said reports alleged that the senator had advised the Federal Government to employ due process in prosecuting the embattled former minister.

The lawmaker who expressed sadness over the report, said the report was completely false.

Her words, “I did not grant any interview on Tuesday, i did not speak to any journalist. Moreover, I never spoke on any matter concerning the former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

“The report is untrue. Please disregard that report as it did not come from Senator Stella Oduah. During a recent interview which I granted last week, I only spoke on issues bothering on women, the economy, need for inland ports in the South East, the aviation sector and the PDP governorship primaries in Anambra state,” she said.

Given the fact that the two once powerful women in Jonathan's cabinet did not really get along, one wonders whether there is more to this story.