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KANYE West wants Kim Kardashian to drop her famous surname when they marry. The 'Power' rapper is adamant his bride-to-be takes his last name, causing a tense moment over Christmas when her mother, Kris Jenner, suggested Kim become Kardashian-West. A source said: "Everyone at the table gave a thumbs up, except for Kanye. He sat quiet and stern faced, then blurted forcefully, 'She will be known as Kim West. My wife will bear my name only!"

Los Angeles - Sheriff's deputies are investigating Justin Bieber for yet another dispute with a neighbour that could land him in court. Los Angeles County Sheriff's spokesperson Steve Whitmore says Bieber has been named as a suspect in a misdemeanour vandalism and assault crime report for allegedly throwing eggs at a neighbour's home in their gated Calabasas neighbourhood on Thursday evening.

Super Eagles psychologist, Dr. Robinson Okosun, believes there will be a positive response from the Nigerian footballers at the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in South Africa when they face Mozambique tomorrow. The Super Eagles were largely unimpressive in their opening game of the championship on Saturday which they lost 1-2 to Mali in Cape Town. Tomorrow, the home-based Eagles will face Mozambique in their second preliminary game and Okosun believes a much better performance is guaranteed against the Mambas. “I have spoken to all the 23 players and the dominant feeling, even amongst those that did not play (against Mali in their opening game) on Saturday is anger. They are angry with themselves for not performing as well as they know they can and will channel that in a positive manner to deliver a crucial victory on Wednesday,” Okosun said on telephone from Eagles camp in Cape Town.

Cristiano Ronaldo ended the four-year dominance of Lionel Messi when he was awarded the 2013 FIFA Ballon d’Or in Zurich on Monday. The tearful 28-year-old Real Madrid and Portugal star, who won the award in 2008, had been the overwhelming favourite to pip Barcelona and Argentina wonder Messi, winner the previous four years, and France’s Franck Ribery, who claimed the treble with Bayern Munich in 2013. Ronaldo won with 27.99% of the votes ahead of Messi (24.72%) while Ribery was third (23.36%) according to France Football, co-organisers of the award with FIFA.

The President of the Nigerian Union in Western Cape, South Africa, Azu Okparaugo, said the Super Eagles should not be written off in the ongoing CHAN tournament. He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Cape Town on Monday that in spite losing 1-2 to Mali in the opening match, the Eagles had the potential to come back to reckoning in the tournament. Okparaugo said Nigerians in South Africa had the confidence that the Eagles could bounce back to winning ways.

TRAGEDY struck in Effurun, Delta State, yesterday, as a Delta City 14-passenger town service commercial bus caught fire, killing 10 passengers including a pregnant woman. Four people, including the driver, survived. The bus was heading towards Enerhen Junction. 

ABUJA (AFP) – Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has approved a bill banning gay marriage and same-sex partnerships that sparked international condemnation, his spokesman said on Monday. “I can confirm that the president has signed the bill into law,” Goodluck Jonathan’s spokesman Reuben Abati told AFP, without specifying a date but adding that it happened earlier this month. Abati said Jonathan signed off on the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill 2013 because it was consistent with the attitudes of most people towards homosexuality in the west African nation. “More than 90 percent of Nigerians are opposed to same sex marriage. So, the law is in line with our cultural and religious beliefs as a people,” he added.

Workers of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, today embarked on a nationwide protest against the non-payment of their entitlements by the Federal Government. The protest was led by the National Union of Electricity Employee, NUEE and other union bodies in the power sector.  At exactly 10 minutes pass 11 am in Lagos, Marina, the aggrieved workers took to the street, chanting solidarity songs and displayed posters with various inscriptions. During the protest, the workers said their unsettled terminal benefits which include severance payment, retirement gratuity, death benefits, and pension deduction among other entitlements have not been paid by the federal government.