Ameobi will be available for Mandela Challenge, says Keshi

The Newcastle forward will make the friendly against South Africa according to the Super Eagles coach Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has quashed insinuations that Shola Ameobi might miss the Nelson Mandela Challenge against South Africa next month due to an arm injury.

Keshi said the Newcastle forward is healthy and will not miss the game that will ensure his return to the side after dropping out before the final announcement of the squad to the Africa Cup of Nations in January.Ameobi picked up a late injury in a pre-season friendly between the Magpies and Portuguese club Rio Ave on Sunday.

He had come on as a second half substitute to score his side’s lone goal in the 3-1 loss, but then fell on his arm. His exact state of health had been unknown with the club yet to release the results of a planned x-ray.

However, Keshi has given assurance that the player is in good shape.

“I have spoken to Shola and the guy is fit and healthy and will be available for the Mandela Challenge. He told me so himself, so any other news to the contrary I don’t believe.” Keshi said.

Manchester United prepare final €41m bid for Fabregas

Manchester United will make an improved third bid worth €41 million for Cesc Fabregas after Barcelona rejected their latest offer for the midfielder, Goal understands.

The Blaugrana have turned down United’s second bid for Fabregas - worth €35m plus add-ons - and have told the Premier League champions the former Arsenal captain is not for sale. United, however, are preparing a third and final bid to test Barcelona’s reserve as the club’s vice-president, Ed Woodward, looks to provide new manager David Moyes with a stellar midfield signing this summer.

The Premier League champions would offer Fabregas a wage package worth around €233,000-a-week but fear they will be unable to agree a fee with Barcelona to take the player to Old Trafford. Moyes confirmed on Monday that United had lodged an improved bid for Fabregas, as the 26-year-old is ready to consider his future at the Camp Nou, with former club Arsenal holding a €29m buy-back clause and also monitoring the situation.

Barca expect to keep Fabregas, particularly in light of Thiago Alcantara’s departure to Bayern Munich, and United sources are increasingly pessimistic about the club’s chances of landing the Spain international. "This is the final push," a source close to the deal told Goal. "They are only willing to give it one more go, and know that if this fails they have other options."

Moyes publicly admitted United may be forced to accept defeat in their pursuit of Fabregas, while Barcelona are believed to have given the English club short shrift, not least because their second offer was made on the same day that coach Tito Vilanova announced his resignation for health reasons.

United are considering alternatives should they miss out on Fabregas, with Luka Modric, Yohan Cabaye and and Marouane Fellaini all on Moyes’ shortlist to add creativity and attacking threat to his midfield. United made their first bid of €29m for Fabregas last week, which the Catalans immediately rejected, prompting Woodward to leave the pre-season trip to Australia ahead of schedule on Wednesday.

Fabregas returned to his hometown club in 2011 after eight years at Arsenal, but has struggled for a regular starting spot at the Camp Nou. He still made 32 appearances for Barca last season, scoring 11 goals and providing 11 assists.

Barcelona set to appoint Martino

Gerardo Martino has agreed a three-year deal to replace Tito Vilanova as Barcelona coach and is set to be announced by the Catalan club on Tuesday.

Martino, nicknamed 'Tata', impressed Barca sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta when the two spoke via video conference on Monday and the Argentine will travel to the Catalan capital in the coming hours to put pen to paper after Vilanova stepped down on Friday to continue his treatment for cancer.

Barca sources claimed late on Monday the deal was still to be ratified by the board, but an agreement has already been reached for Martino to join the Spanish side. The 50-year-old, who will be accompanied at Camp Nou by fitness coach Elvio Paolorroso and assistant Jorge Pautasso, has beaten former Barcelona midfielder Luis Enrique to the post.

Luis Enrique joined fellow Liga side Celta Vigo only last month and his signing proved complicated so late into the summer, with the Galician outfit already well into their preparations for the new season.

Martino will be the fourth Argentine to coach Barcelona (after Helenio Herrera, Roque Olsen and Cesar Luis Menotti) and links up with fellow Rosario native Lionel Messi. Messi has spoken highly of the former Newell's and Paraguay coach and the attacker's brother Matias congratulated Martino on Monday evening. "Welcome Tata!!" he wrote on Twitter. "Let's hope we can continue on the right path!! Thanks Tito!! God bless you!!"

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ezequiel 'Pocho' Lavezzi also showed support for his compatriot on the social network site. "How cool that Barcelona have chosen an Argentine to be their coach," he wrote. "Total success, Tata!"

Martino is set to be announced by Barca on Tuesday and is likely to be unveiled by the Catalan club later this week. In the meantime, Jordi Roura will take charge of Wednesday's friendly against Bayern Munich.

Anwarasis trans: 11yr old girl flees family over arranged marriage, speaks out online

Anwarasis trans: 11yr old girl flees family over arranged marriage, speaks out online

Video: Stella Damasus spits fire, condemns underaged marriage

Nigerian movie star and singer Stella Damasus expresses her anger over the issue of underaged marriage being discussed in the Nigerian senate. Stella deserves a standing ovation for this! Watch..

11yr old girl flees family over arranged marriage, speaks out online

The 11 year old Yemen girl, Nada Al-Ahdal (pictured above) who ran away from home after her parents promised her hand in marriage, has spoken out online saying 'she's not an item for sale.'

Nada said she was forced to run away and live with her uncle after she was promised to another man.

"They told me that I am engaged, and that my fiancé had already paid them money and brought the engagement ring. They said that I couldn't leave and even threatened to kill me if I went back to my uncle. I'm not an item for sale, I'm a human being and I would rather die than get married at this age. I've decided that I have two choices: to leave or to die. So I chose the first" Nada said in a video that was released online July 8th

Nada's saving grace is her uncle who has refused to let her family marry her off. Continue...

Hull City to beat Celtic to £1.6m striker Sagbo

Hull City are in pole position to sign Ivory Coast international striker Yannick Sagbo from Evian within the next 48 hours, beating Celtic, who want him as a replacement for Gary Hooper.

New MBGN Queen appointed special assistant on Tourism & Culture

18 year old Anna Ebiere Banner has been appointed Special Assistant on Tourism & Culture to Bayelsa Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson. The governor himself got on stage after she won the crown last night and made her his new special adviser.

You know how some queens come from one state but represent other states at the pageant? Well, that didn't happen with Anna. She's originally from Bayelsa state and I hear she's really 18 years old. She was born  February 18, 1995. 18 year old special assistant to Govuno? OK! Congrats to her!

Bournemouth 0-6 Real Madrid: Ronaldo at the double as Ancelotti era starts in style

Real Madrid started their pre-season campaign efficiently with a comfortable 6-0 win over Bournemouth in evening sun on Sunday, in front of a sell-out crowd. Despite facing an outfit who have only recently climbed into the second tier of English football, Carlo Ancelotti was to take no prisoners with his starting line-up, deploying his star players to devastating first-half effect.

Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Sami Khedira, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel Di Maria and Casemiro gave los Blancos a high-scoring win, with Bournemouth doing little to threaten their clean sheet. Fielding an almost entirely different outfit in either half, Madrid were to utilise all of their options to victorious, free-flowing effect.

Bournemouth went close to having a fairytale start, as a tantalising cross from Brett Pitman was permitted to flash across the face of goal by Pepe, with striker Lewis Grabban inches away from poking the unclaimed delivery beyond Diego Lopez. The script was to revert to normality soon after, however, as Ronaldo converted a trademark long-range free-kick on 22 minutes. The Portuguese rattled a dipping effort into the bottom right corner, leaving Cherries keeper Darryl Flahavan helplessly sprawled in his goalmouth.

Karim Benzema was then given two chances in quick succession, but the Frenchman was denied well by Bournemouth Player of the Year Tommy Elphick. Courtesy of a miscue from the impressive Elphick, his missed clearance allowed for Ronaldo to ruthlessly capitalise on the Englishman's error, skipping past Flahavan in the Bournemouth penalty area before sliding the ball home.

It was 3-0, as Sami Khedira was allowed time and space to connect with an Isco corner, despite Cherries' midfielder Shaun MacDonald failing to clear the Germany international's effort off the goal-line, giving Real Madrid a deserved half-time lead.

After 15 minutes of respite for the English club, Higuain smashed home Madrid's fourth a minute after the restart. New signing Asier Illarramendi threaded the Argentine through on goal, and Higuain wasn't to make any mistake from eight yards.

Ancelotti will be encouraged by tidy performances from the younger contingent of his newly-inherited squad, none more-so than Casemiro. The Brazilian youngster strode powerfully into the box on 83 minutes, thrashing the ball home at the near post after wrong-footing Flahavan, to complete the friendly rout.

Real Madrid next face Olympique Lyonnais on Wednesday in good spirits, as Madrid look to gather some momentum in their pre-season campaign, following an efficient display at Seward Stadium.