"Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho: Premier League rivals 'are buying the title"

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says his Premier League rivals are now the ones attempting to buy their way to glory, a charge that used to levelled at the Blues.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says that the contenders for the Premier League title are trying to buy silverware.
The current Premier League champions brought in Asmir Begovic and Falcao this summer for minimal fees and have not spent more than £30 million on one player since signing Fernando Torres from Liverpool back in 2011.
The Blues have still spent significant cash on the likes of Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard and Nemanja Matic in recent years, but Mourinho claims that others are now trying to mirror the kind of spending that he enjoyed when he first took over the club in 2004 and lavished over £150m on players like Didier Drogba, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Arjen Robben and Petr Cech.

"In the beginning of Mr Abramovich coming to Chelsea, Chelsea was buying the title," Mourinho said after the friendly win over PSG on Saturday. "Now, they are buying the title. All of them, they are buying the title.
"It is up to us to be strong and to fight them and, obviously, to try and win it again, even without the big investments."
Manchester City spent £49m alone on bringing in Raheem Sterling this summer, while Manchester United and Liverpool have also spent large amounts of money on improving their squads ahead of the new season.

Schweinsteiger joins Manchester United

The experienced German midfielder has ended his 17-year association with Bayern Munich, reuniting with old boss Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford in a £12 million deal

Bastian Schweinsteiger has completed his move to Manchester United from Bayern Munich, signing a three-year contract with the Red Devils.

The Germany international flew into Manchester over the weekend, underwent a medical on Sunday and has now penned personal terms to seal his £12 million move.

The transfer marks a reunion with former Bayern boss Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford, with the Dutchman having been the driving force behind a deal for a player he helped turn into one of the world's best central midfielders.

Van Gaal believes Schweinsteiger's experience will be invaluable to his squad, and will soon be able to partner the German alongside Morgan Schneiderlin after agreeing a deal with Southampton for the Frenchman.

The duo are likely to compete with Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera and Daley Blind for places in United's starting XI next season, while more arrivals - including a centre-back and striker - are expected.

Schweinsteiger won eight Bundesliga titles and the Champions League with Bayern, also winning the World Cup last summer, and has insisted that he was only ever going to leave the Bundesliga giants for a move to United.

He told the club's official website: "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Bayern Munich, it has been an incredible journey and I didn’t take the decision to leave lightly.
"Manchester United is the only club that I would have left Munich for. I feel ready for this new and exciting challenge in what I regard as the most competitive league in the world and I am looking forward to working with Louis van Gaal again.

"I will never forget my time at Bayern Munich and I would like to thank everyone at the club and the fans for the great memories."

Yemi Alade ft. Selebobo – Na Gode. Listen, Enjoy, Download

“Effyzzie Music‘s leading lady Yemi Alade is extremely thankful on the first single lifted off her sophomore album, which is slated for a 2016 release. The rousing highlife gem is christened “Na Gode”, and features the track’s producer Selebobo. “Na Gode” which means “thank you” in Hausa preaches the message of gratitude and giving; no matter your present situation, you have to be thankful or better still say “Na Gode”, because it could be worse not forgetting aiding the less privileged individuals in the society. Asides the message, “Na Gode” a mid-tempo cut that is fated to cause a musical uproar and find a home on any playlist.After birthing monster hits “Johnny” and “Tangerine”, Yemi Alade and Selebobo collide again to serve “Na Gode”, a song critics are already labelling “classic”. Listen, download, buy, share, enjoy and do not forget to say “Na Gode”

Enjoy

Floyd Mayweather Jr. stripped of WBO welterweight title

Floyd Mayweather was stripped of the WBO welterweight title
He won by defeating Manny Pacquiao
for failure to comply with the organization's rules.

ESPN - The WBO stripped pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather of his welterweight world title on Monday for his failure to comply with the organization's rules.

Mayweather claimed the WBO welterweight title when he outpointed Manny Pacquiao on May 2 in a 147-pound unification fight that shattered all financial records for a boxing match, including total gross, pay-per-view subscriptions, closed circuit revenue, live gate, foreign television sales and sponsorships.

Mayweather, who holds two other alphabet welterweight world titles, missed the 4:30 p.m. ET Friday deadline by which he had to pay a $200,000 sanctioning fee from the May 2 fight (for which he earned more than $220 million) and vacate the two junior middleweight titles he also holds.


Floyd Mayweather was stripped of the WBO welterweight title he won by defeating Manny Pacquiao for failure to comply with the organization's rules. Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports
"The WBO world championship committee is allowed no other alternative but to cease to recognize Mr. Floyd Mayweather Jr. as the WBO welterweight champion of the world and vacate his title for failing to comply with our WBO regulations of world championship contests," the WBO wrote Monday in its resolution.

It is against sanctioning organization rules for boxers to hold world titles in multiple weight classes. The WBC and WBA had been breaking their own rules by allowing Mayweather to hold their titles, but the WBO upheld its rules.

Typically, the WBO will allow a fighter 10 days to decide which weight class he wants to continue to hold the title in if he wins titles in multiple weight divisions. The WBO gave Mayweather two months to decide.

Once the Friday deadline expired, the WBO sent the issue to its championship committee, which voted Monday afternoon to strip Mayweather of the belt for not complying with either request.

"The WBO has the utmost respect for Floyd Mayweather Jr. and all that he has accomplished during his storied career," the WBO wrote in its resolution. "Mr. Mayweather has always agreed with and understood that world championships have both privileges and responsibilities and that status as WBO champion is subject to and conditioned on compliance with the WBO rules and regulations."

The Mayweather camp was displeased by the ruling.

"It's a complete disgrace," Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe told ESPN.com. "Floyd will decide what, or if any, actions he will take. But in the meantime he's enjoying a couple of hundred million he made from his last outing and this has zero impact on anything he does.

"Floyd Mayweather has a great deal of respect for each and every organization, as he has always had in his 19-year career, but he will not be dictated to by any organization or person as it relates to his decision making."

After Mayweather (48-0, 26 KOs) defeated Pacquiao to unify three of the four major welterweight world titles, he spoke at length at the postfight news conference about how he planned to vacate all his titles in order to give younger fighters the chance to realize their dreams of winning belts.

"I don't know if it will be Monday [May 4] or maybe a couple weeks," Mayweather said in the news conference. "I'll talk to my team and see what we need to do. Other fighters need a chance. Give other fighters a chance. I'm not greedy. I'm a world champion in two different weight classes. It's time to let other fighters fight for the belt."

After Mayweather's pronouncement, the WBO sanctioned the June 27 fight between former titleholder Timothy Bradley Jr. and junior welterweight titlist Jessie Vargas for its vacant welterweight title. When Mayweather heard, he objected to the WBO in a letter from his lawyer, John Hornewer, on May 20. The WBO then laid out to Mayweather what he needed to do to keep the title, namely pay the fee and vacate the junior middleweight belts.

The WBO also reclassified the Bradley-Vargas bout for the interim title. With the WBO withdrawing recognition of Mayweather as its welterweight titleholder, it soon will formally elevate Bradley, who won a unanimous decision against Vargas, to full titleholder.
"I'm not surprised at all because of the individuals involved we're talking about," said Ellerbe, believing that WBO president Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel went out of his way to help Top Rank's Bob Arum, who promotes Bradley and Vargas and who is close to the WBO.

Mayweather has 14 days to file a written appeal with the WBO, but the decision is unlikely to be changed, even if he does appeal. Ellerbe said Mayweather has not decided yet if he plans to appeal.

"We have the best attorney in the game, John Hornewer, and we are fully aware of what our rights are," Ellerbe said. "Floyd will decide what he wants to do."

Mayweather has won 11 world titles in five weight classes, from 130 to 154 pounds, during his brilliant 19-year career. He plans to next fight Sept. 12 -- the opponent has not been announced -- to complete his six-fight contract with Showtime/CBS. The 38-year-old has said that he plans to retire after that.

#Verdict: ‘APC Has Won The Battle And Lost The War’ – President Buhari Says

NAN – President Muhammadu Buhari has said that all APC faithful must collectively come together to rise above the current crisis threatening to engulf the party.

Buhari made the call in Abuja on Friday at the first National Executive Council (NEC) emergency meeting of All Progressives Congress (APC) after its victory at the polls.

He said party members should strive to win the war (National Assembly crisis) as they won the battle (general elections).

He said: "APC has won the battle and lost the war which is a paradox of democracy and we shall see how we shall manage it.

"How do we manage it? We move forward.

"I have already appealed to you through the chairman, the leadership of the party, through the governors, through our lawmakers and the APC must not disappoint its constituency, the nation.

"We have had to convince our individual constituencies that we are worthy of sacrifices they had made in staying awake days and nights, travelling all over the country and making sure the party emerged victorious.

"What subsequently happened is human and as human beings we are not perfect but let our collective actions prove that we’ve won the election, the battle, and we will eventually win the war," he said.

Buhari further urged the party members to honour the platform through which they won the elections and gave a background of how he contested his present position and lost three times.

"Whoever wants to run for elected office as a Nigerian must have a platform and that platform is the political parties hence the superiority of the party because that is our platform," the president said.

He told the story of the party from the beginning when other parties came together to form APC, how INEC rejected their initial merger, how the first convention was planned and who was instrumental at the initial stage.

"I am going through all these (stories) because not all of us here participated in this and for you to reflect and thank the leadership of the party at various stages for going through all these which wasn’t easy.

"But God in his infinite mercy has paid us by giving us success, let us not throw this success to the wind.

"Let us as members of APC no matter our personal differences, get together and meet the mandate given to us by this country.

"This is my personal appeal and, in the name of God, whatever your personal interest is and ambition, please keep it close to your heart and in your pocket.

"Let APC work and let this system work and let us have a government that will earn the respect of our constituencies.

"I appeal to you to please continue working together and please accept the superiority of the party….because I respect the superiority of the party," he said.

The president congratulated the APC Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, for leading the party to victory and acknowledged the presence of the president of the Senate and speaker of the House of Representatives.

Earlier, Odigie-Oyegun said it was unfortunate that the first NEC meeting was convened hurriedly but congratulated the members on the landslide victory at the polls.

"The main item on the agenda is the ratification of aspects of members of the Board of Trustees," he said.

He lauded the character of the president and his deputy, saying APC became easily believable because of their integrity.

He said that "(APC) governors have swollen from 14 to 22 and we are still counting."

NAN reports that Buhari arrived at the party secretariat at 11:04 am. and left at 12:40 pm.

The governors of Sokoto, Kebbi, Plateau, Imo, Bauchi and Lagos states were among dignitaries at the event.

Others were APC National Working Committee members, state chairmen, former governors, senators and zonal leaders.

AMVCA AWARDS HIGHLIGHTS

The prestigious Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCA) took place on Saturday, March 7, 2015 at Eko Hotel Convention Centre.

The event which was transmitted live on Africa Magic stations via DSTV, saw Kunle Afolayan walk away with the biggest awards of the night thanks to his 'October 1' movie which won 9 awards! ‘October 1’ which had a total of 13 nominations won the awards for ‘Best movie’, ‘Best Director (Kunle Afolayan) and ‘Best Actress in a Drama’ (Kehinde Bankole).

OC Ukeje won the 'Best Actor' award while Kehinde Bankole was the recipient of the 'Best Actress' prize. Best supporting actor and actress went to Blossom Chukwujekwu and Linda Ejiofor respectively.Another big winner of the night was Rita Dominic and Mildred Okwo's 'The Meeting' which won the 'Best Movie (Comedy)' and spun awards for Femi Jacobs (Best Actor in Comedy) and Rita Dominic (Best Actress in Comedy).

There were music performances from The Mavin Crew, Diamond Platinumz and comedic theatrics from Basketmouth and Eddie Kadi.

Psquare always gets the last laugh in a bad way. The duo were slated to perform last- after the show had ended. This isn’t the first time this is happening that they would be performing while guests are taking their live. Sometimes it works for them, other times, maybe it isn’t such a good idea.

OC Ukeje

Check out the full list of winners below.

Best Movie: October 1 - Kunle Afolayan

Best Movie (Comedy): The Meeting

Best Movie (Drama): A place in the Stars - Steve Gukas

Best Actor in a Drama: OC Ukeje - Secret Room

Best Actress in a Drama: Kehinde Bankole - October 1

Best Supporting Actor: Blossom Chukwujekwu - Knocking on Heaven's Door

Best Supporting Actress: Linda Ejiofor - The Meeting

Best Actor in a Comedy: Femi Jacobs - The Meeting

Best Actress in a Comedy: Rita Dominic - The Meeting

Best Movie Director: Kunle Afolayan - October 1

Best Art Director (Movie/TV): Pat Nebo - October 1

Best Cinematographer (MOVIE/TV): Stanlee Ohikhuare - Verdict

Rita Dominic

Best Drama Writer (Movie/TV): Tunde Babalola - October 1


Best Comedy Writer (Movie/TV): Tunde Babalola - The Meeting

Best Costume Designer (Movie/TV): Deola Sagoe/Obijei Oru - October 1

Best Documentary: The Gift to the Nile -Yvonne Bassey

Best Lighting Designer: Lanre Omofaye - October 1

Best Indigenous Language - Hausa: Bincike - Hafizu Bello/Abubakar Bashir

Best Indigenous Language - Yoruba: Iya Alalake - Faithia  Balogun

Best Indigenous Language - Igbo: Onye Ozi (The Messenger) - Obi Emelonye



Best Indigenous Language - SWAHILI:
Veve - Srika Hemi Lakhani

FATHIA BALOGUN

Best Make-Up Artist: Sacred by Lola Maja:  October 1

Best New Media - Online: Hard Times - Imoh Umoren

Best Sound Editing: October 1 - Kulanen Ikyo

Best Video Editor: Victoria Akujobi - Reflections

Best Television Series: Shuga

Best Short Film: Oblivious - Kiki Omeili

New Era Award: Ayo Makun (AY) - 30 Days in Atlanta

Industry Merit Award: Amaka Igwe

We wish all the nominees and winners an eventful and successful 2015 in the industry. Kudos!!!

Happy New Year ISIS: 29 U.S. And Arab NYD Air Strikes Devastate Militants Across Iraq And Syria

On New Year’s Day, a total of 29 U.S-led air strikes reportedly devastated ISIS positions, mainly in Raqqa and Kobane in Syria, where Kurdish Peshmerga and YPG forces have been involved in street battles with ISIS militants for months, as well as in Iraq.  As reported by the Guardian today, the city of Dayr az Zawr, which has a population of more than half a million people, was also rocked by numerous strikes.

The town of Mosul in Iraq, which is the location of the strategically important Fallujah dam as well as the town of Sinjar, were also hit hard by a combination of U.S. and Arab jet fighter pilots, from the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS.

The International Business Times also reported today that, in total, 17 bombs were dropped over Syria and another 12 over Iraq, though the exact split between the target cities has not been revealed for military purposes.

It hasn’t exactly been a “Merry Christmas” for ISIS in Iraq and Syria — not that they celebrate Christmas anyway — having enjoyed over 100 air strikes since Christmas Day. The militant group is hurting, and hurting badly, as the West, and even Muslim states, step-up to the reality of the situation they are facing.

Not only have towns like Raqqa and Kobane suffered the wrath of the U.S Air Force, strikes have also hit Al Asad, Al Qaim, Baiji, Kirkuk, and Tal Afar in Iraq.

In a timely visit to troops in the Damascus district of Jobar last night, Syrian dictator Bashar Al Assad went to deliver a New Year’s message. Syrian State TV showed Assad having dinner with soldiers and pro-government gunmen during the rare appearance.

Assad told his troops, “On New Year’s Eve families gather but you decided to be here to protect your country. I like to be with you on this occasion.”

The nostalgic and fatherly Assad visit came as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced that the death toll from the four-year civil war topped 76,000 in 2014 alone. Of the dead, an estimated 17,790 were civilians, including 3,501 children, making it the deadliest year of the civil war in Syria so far.