600 Kids For 2014 'Mark D Ball' Basketball Clinic

No fewer than 600 kids are presently taking part in the 2014 edition of Mark D Ball basketball clinic, an official has said.

The coordinator of the programme, Obande
Ogbole told Daily Trust on Saturday at the Otukpo basketball arena that the kids were drawn from all over the country.

"There are above 600 kids here up from 300 last year," he said.

The clinic is divided into two categories, the
teenagers and the minors.
The Programme coordinator who said there won't be any coach from the USA to train the kids this year, expressed confidence in the ability of the local ones.

"This year, no international coach is coming
because of the political situation in the country
but the local coaches will do well."

He said since the inception of the programme,
tons of kids have been identified and moved up
the basketball ladder.

"At the just concluded Milo basketball
championship, all the kids of Jesus College of
Otukpo who won the competition in Lagos, came from 'Mark D Ball'," Ogbole noted.

He also added that a lot of the kids identified at
'Mark D Ball' have travelled out to pursue their
carrier in basketball.

Basically, the kids at this year's edition will be
taught the basics of basketball which includes
shooting, blocking, passing, movement on the
ball, guarding amongst others.

The clinic which started Saturday afternoon, 27th December 2014 will end on Wednesday 31st December, 2014.
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Eight Most Important Things In Life That Most People Ignore

1. Heavy rains remind us of challenges in life.
Never ask for a lighter rain, just pray to God for a better umbrella. - That is the attitude!

2. Life is not about finding the right person, but creating the right relationship. It's not how we care in the beginning, but how much we care till the very end.

3. Some people always throw stones in your path. It depends on what you make with them; a Wall or a Bridge? - Remember you are the architect of your life.

4. Search for a good heart, but don't search for a beautiful face, because beautiful things are not always good, but good things are always beautiful.

5. It's not important to hold all the good cards in life, but it's important how well you play with the cards you hold.

6. Often when we lose all hope & think this is the end, remember God and pray, it's just a bend, not the end.'

7. Have faith and have a successful life.
One of the basic differences between God and humans is, God gives, gives and forgives. But the human gets, gets, gets and forgets.
Be thankful in life...

8. If u think it is your alarm clock that woke you up this morning, try putting it beside a dead body and you will realise that it is the Grace of God that woke you up.

If you are grateful to God, share this to all your friends.
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Kindly Vote Wisely, Fashola Appeals To Nigerians

Fashola has advised Nigerians to ensure that they cast their votes wisely in the upcoming general elections at both the national level and more importantly in Lagos State.

Quoting The PUNCH, he said, "Lagosians have the responsibility to keep the change that has been achieved so far. You will do so with your votes; that is your power.

"Please ensure that you go and collect your voter's card in order to protect what you have built in Lagos.

"Lagos is too important to Nigeria, it is too important to Africa, it is too important across the world, to be entrusted to those who want to experiment with it.
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Enyeama makes CAF final list of three

Super Eagles captain Vincent Enyeama has been shortlisted for the last three in the race for the 2014 Glo/CAF African Footballer of the Year award. The Confederation of African Football released the names for the final picks on their website on Thursday, The PUNCH reports.

The other players on the list are expectedly the reigning African Player of the Year, Yaya Toure of Manchester City and Cote d'Ivoire and Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who plays for Borussia Dortmund in Germany.

"Gabonese midfielder Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure have made the final top three for the 2014 African Player of the Year.

"The trio made the cut following votes from head coaches or technical director of the national associations," CAF wrote to the media on Christmas Day.

According to The PUNCH, mainly outfield players dominated the awards in the last two decades until Enyeama progressed to this final stage. No goalkeeper has won the African topmost award since CAF completely took charge of the event. Moroccan goalkeeper, Badou Zaki, was the last goalkeeper to win the award but the Moroccan won the award in 1986 while it was still organised by France Football.

The other Nigerian in the race, Ahmed Musa and Ghana captain, Asamoah Gyan, were cut from the top five list released last month.

The award ceremony will hold in Lagos on January 8 at Eko Hotel.

CAF also released the names of top three finalists for the Africa-based Player of the Year award. They are the duo of Akram Djahnit and El Hedi Belamieri of Algeria and ES Setif FC and Firmin Mubel Ndombe of Congo and AS Vita.

Nigeria is dominating in the women category. For the Women Player of the Year category, Nigeria's Asisat Oshoala and Desire Oparanozie were shortlisted along with Annette Ngo Ndom of Cameroon. Oshoala also made the top three of Youth Player of the Year with her Nigerian team mate Uchechi Sunday and Fabrice Ondoa of Cameroon. Oshoala is highly favoured for both awards.

The trio of Clinton Nj'jie and Vincent Abubakar from Cameroon and Yacine Brahimi from Algeria made the top three of the Most Promising Talent Award while Algeria, Libya and Nigeria were listed for National Team of the Year award.

The award sponsors Globacom said in Lagos on Thursday, "As the Glo-CAF partnership hits the ninth-year we at Glo take pride in the significant strides our alliance with CAF has achieved in raising the quality and popularity of football in Africa."
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108 Christmas babies born in Gauteng

More than 100 babies were born in Gauteng by Christmas afternoon, the provincial health department said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Prince Hamnca said a total of 108 babies were born in the province. Mamelodi Hospital and Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital each delivered 14 babies, while Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital and Kalafong Hospital delivered 11 each.

In KwaZulu-Natal 65 babies were born at government hospitals, Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo said.

"We are delighted, of course, to welcome these new lives on Christmas Day, which is a very special day, as we all know."

He expressed concern that five of the mothers were teenagers.

"I did speak to them... If you are a 17 year-old, and you are delivering a child weighing 3.8kg, chances of delivering safely are slim.

"It actually places your own life and the baby's in danger, and it is something that all of us as society need to begin to talk about and discourage."

He said young people should be encouraged to abstain from sex, or practice safe sex at all times.

In Limpopo 53 babies were born.

The first baby, a girl, was delivered at Donald Frazer hospital, followed by a boy at Mankweng Hospital.

"These babies were all born healthy, their mothers are well and in high spirits," said spokesperson Macks Lesufi.

Statistics from the other six provinces were not
immediately available.

SAPA
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Three Illegal Shebeens Shut Down In Eastern Cape, South Africa

Three illegal shebeens were shut down and their three owners arrested in Kei Bridge, Eastern Cape police said on Thursday.

"The suspects were on Thursday arrested and charged with dealing in liquor as they did not have licenses to trade in liquor," said spokesperson Captain Jackson Manatha.

"Their three shebeens were closed by the Kei Bridge police."

The three women aged 25, 45 and 46 were released and warned to appear in the Butterworth Magistrate's Court on 7 January.

The confiscated liquor, estimated to be worth R12 000, would be destroyed, Manatha said.

SAPA
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Two Teenage Robbers Arrested In Soweto

Two teenagers were arrested for allegedly robbing a shop in Zola, Soweto, on Thursday with a toy gun, Gauteng police said.

Warrant Officer Kay Makhubela said the two allegedly pointed the toy pistol at the shop owner and took an undisclosed amount of money, prepaid airtime vouchers and cigarettes.

"We the police arrived at the scene [and]... found out that the gun the suspects used was a toy gun."

The two were arrested and would appear in the Protea Magistrate's Court on Monday to face a charge of business robbery.

SAPA
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Al-Shabab Militants 'Bomb' African Union Base

Al-Shabab militants have launched an attack on the main African Union military base near Mogadishu airport in Somalia.

Explosions and gunfire could be heard in the vicinity, AU spokesman Col Ali Houmed told AFP.

Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack and says its fighters are inside the base.
The African Union has over 20,000 troops in the country to help the weak government battle al-Shabab.

Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al-Shabab's military spokesman, said that fighters had breached the compound's defences.

"Our fighters have entered AU's Halane base by force through the gate and now fighting is going on inside the base," he said.

According to the BBC, the AU base is on the edge of the compound of Mogadishu's international airport.

The base also hosts the British and Italian embassies and is used as the headquarters for United Nations operations in Somalia.

Aleem Siddique, a UN spokesman in Somalia, told Reuters news agency that all UN staff were safe.

Earlier in December, at least six people were killed when al-Shabab attacked a UN convoy near the airport.

Various armed groups have been battling for control of Somalia since the overthrow of President Siad Barre in 1991.
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Al-Shabab Militants Attack AU Military Base In Somalia

Al-Shabab militants have launched an attack on the main African Union military base near Mogadishu airport in Somalia.

Explosions and gunfire could be heard in the vicinity, AU spokesman Col Ali Houmed told AFP.

Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack and says its fighters are inside the base.
The African Union has over 20,000 troops in the country to help the weak government battle al-Shabab.

Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al-Shabab's military spokesman, said that fighters had breached the compound's defences.

"Our fighters have entered AU's Halane base by force through the gate and now fighting is going on inside the base," he said.
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Ghana: Tema Motorway Accident; 5 Feared Dead

A gory accident that occurred on the Tema Motorway in the Greater Accra region has reportedly left five people dead, citifmonline reports.

The accident, which reportedly happened on Thursday, involved a Hyundai vehicle heading towards Aflao in the Volta Region.

The survivors of the accident include three children and four adults.

The others involved in the incident are also receiving treatment at the Tema General Hospital.

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