Nigerian security
forces have arrested the suspected brain behind the numerous attacks of
the Boko Haram Islamist sect in the Diffa region of Niger which is not
quite far from the Nigerian border.
Bata - Herve Renard once broke Ivorian hearts at the African Nations Cup but the French coach was hailed as their hero on Sunday after his Ivory Coast team lifted the continental crown.
They beat Ghana 9-8 in a dramatic shootout following a subdued final that finished goalless after extra time at the Estadio de Bata to win the title after a 23-year wait.
The much-travelled Renard had previously heaped heartache on the Ivorians in the 2012 final under similar circumstances when his Zambia side won a shootout 8-7.
Having lost two of the last three Nations Cup finals on penalties, the Ivory Coast finally triumphed in Bata, winning when Boubacar Barry saved Razak Braimah's spot kick before the Ivorian keeper converted his penalty moments later.
Barry is a key figure in Ivory Coast's Golden Generation, a talented bunch who helped the nation reach consecutive World Cups and made several strong showings in the Nations Cup.
However, despite the presence of the likes of Didier Drogba, the Toure brothers, Yaya and Kolo, Gervinho and Salomon Kalou, they had failed to lift the African title having lost on penalties in the 2010 and 2012 finals.
During the shootout with Ghana on Sunday there were echoes of the Ivorians' 2012 defeat by Renard's Zambia.
"There's something about being here," Renard said, remembering his team's triumph three years ago when the finals were co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
"I don't know exactly what it is, but there has to be something."
In that match Ivory Coast's key striker Drogba missed a penalty and history repeated itself when Wilfried Bony smashed his first spot kick against the bar on Sunday.
Renard's Zambia defeated Ivory Coast following shootout misses from Gervinho and Kolo Toure but, despite the Ivorians missing their first two penalties on Sunday, his new charges overcame their Nations Cup final hoodoo to lift the crown.
Toure was one of the players who converted his penalty in Bata while Gervinho, who also missed three years ago but did not take part in Sunday's shootout having been substituted, could not bear to watch and sat in a chair facing the other way.
"The shootout failure of 2012 was in my mind," he said. "There were so many things going on in my thoughts. After so many finals, so many disappointments, this had to be the one."
Barry, the hero on the night, only started the match following an injury to first-choice keeper Sylvain Gbohouo and came good in the shootout following a jittery display.
As in 2012, when Zambia stopper Kennedy Mweene made crucial penalty saves and scored himself, the much-derided Barry saved Braimah's weak spot kick before shaking off cramp to fire home the winner and send his team into a frenzy of celebration.
Madrid - Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo drew criticism in the changing room by partying for his 30th birthday hours after a 4-0 defeat by rivals Atletico, media reported Monday.
Leading sports daily Marca called the Portuguese striker's birthday bash after Real's Madrid derby defeat in the league on Saturday "The Party of Discord."
"Pictures of the celebration did not go down well with Real Madrid's captains" Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos, Marca wrote on Monday.
Ronaldo hosted teammates including second-choice goalkeeper Keylor Navas, defender Pepe, Fabio Coentrao, Luka Modric, Sami Khedira and James Rodriguez, who recently had foot surgery, newspapers reported.
Participants including Colombian singer Kevin Roldan, who was invited to entertain guests at the party, posted photographs on social networks of Ronaldo and various grinning teammates.
"The online social networks were on fire with fierce criticism from fans," reported Madrid sports newspaper AS.
Disgruntled Twitter users even generated a special hashtag, #lafiestadeladeshonra, or "party of disgrace".
"It was a trending topic all day from 12:00 pm," AS said.
Cristiano's agent Jorge Mendes told Cadena SER radio station on Sunday he himself was "very annoyed" by the photographs.
"When there is an event that is totally private and then you see someone is leaking pictures of it, clearly you get annoyed," Mendes said.
The agent said the player was "gutted at the defeat" -- a claim echoed by other figures close to Ronaldo, including Chelsea and former Real manager Jose Mourinho.
"People spent the first two hours of the party encouraging him because he was sad about the defeat," Mendes said.
Barcelona newspaper Sport reported that some Real players who missed the party were going to "demand an explanation from the Portuguese player and his fellow partygoers".
Real Madrid are currently top of the Spanish league on 54 points, but Saturday's loss left them just a point ahead of their fierce rivals Barcelona. Current champions Atletico are three points behind in third place.
Football super-agent Jorge Mendes has denied that David De Gea has signed a new deal at Old Trafford.
Teamtalk report that Manchester United's Spanish goalkeeper David De Gea is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal at the club.
The 24-year-old goalkeeper, who is arguably United's player of the season, has just over a year left on his current deal with the Manchester giants.
Mendes told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser: "It's not true that the deal is done,"
"I am negotiating his contract renewal but we haven't signed anything yet. As of this moment, we will see what happens.
"We're holding talks and at this moment, it seems he could continue with United, but as I say, we haven't signed anything yet."
De Gea signed from Atletico Madrid in 2011 in a deal worth a reported £18 million.
Real Madrid remain interested in De Gea as a long-term successor to Iker Casillas.
Polokwane - A farmworker who went missing and was unreachable on his cellphone was found dead at George's Valley, Tzaneen, on Monday, Limpopo police said.
Maswazi Philemon Chaveni had been killed and locked inside his shack, Lieutenant Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said.
Ngoepe said Chaveni had not been seen for days and did not respond to phone calls from relatives.
"He was staying alone in the shack within the farm. Then today they decided to visit where he stays and found him dead in the shack with his hands tied at the back with a plastic rope," he said.
The motive for the killing was not known.
We Must Remain Calm But Resolute
Following the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the 2015 general elections by six weeks, I wish to appeal for utmost restraint and calm by all Nigerians, especially the teeming supporters of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This postponement, which
What's your reaction to the report making the rounds that you are getting married?
Now ok, first I've been married on the internet for more than three times! They first
