FA CUP 4TH ROUND: Saturday’s Match Reports

Manchester City thwacked Aston Villa, Tottenham ease past League One strugglers Colchester, Ighalo late goal send the Hornets to the fifth round; While Hammers hold Liverpool to earn replay....

Nacer Chadli scored twice as Tottenham eased into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 4-1 victory over League One strugglers Colchester.

The Premier League side made seven changes for the trip to the Weston Homes Community Stadium and took the lead in the 27th minute when Chadli fired home from the edge of the box.

Eric Dier doubled Spurs' lead after the break with a deflected shot before Chadli headed in the third after Marvin Sordell hit the post for the hosts.

An 80th-minute own goal from Ben Davies gave Colchester faint hope of a comeback but that was soon snuffed out as Tom Carroll added the visitors' fourth.

The win extends Spurs' impressive away form - they are now 10 games unbeaten on the road and have scored in their last 15 consecutive away matches.

While Colchester who are bottom of League One and without a league win since October, were knocked out to face the league woes.

Odion Ighalo came off the bench to net a late winner as Watford beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 in the FA Cup fourth round.

The hosts had looked set to extend their unbeaten run to 14 games in all competitions in a contest where two much-changed sides mustered little at the City Ground.

Ighalo capitalised on Kelvin Wilson's error in 78 minutes to fire home in a 1-0 victory that consigned Forest to their first defeat since November 21.

It was Wilson's inability to deal with Allan Nyom's right-wing cross that presented the Nigerian with the chance and it provided another low moment in this fixture for the centre-back, who was sent off in the last meeting between these two following a clash with the matchwinner.

The two managers made 15 changes between them and there was a first appearance for Watford goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon following his switch from Sunderland earlier this month.

Wonderkid Kelechi Iheanacho's hat-trick kept Manchester City's quadruple dream alive as they strolled to a 4-0 FA Cup win over Aston Villa.

The striker's treble saw Manuel Pellegrini's men cruise in the fifth round just days after they reached the League Cup final.

City also remain in the hunt to regain their Premier League crown and face Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League next month.

The impressive Iheanacho added to his early strike with a cool penalty before running through unchallenged in the second half to claim the match ball.

Raheem Sterling hooked in a fourth at Villa Park to ensure Sergio Aguero and David Silva were never needed from the bench.

But in 19-year-old Iheanacho, who now has eight goals this season, they have a striker who demonstrated he can be an able deputy to Aguero after he ran Villa ragged.

He left the hosts - last season's beaten finalists - to concentrate on their survival battle with Remi Garde's side 10 points from safety.

A blunt Liverpool attack failed to break down West Ham in a goalless FA Cup fourth-round match at Anfield on Saturday evening.

Hammers goalkeeper Darren Randolph denied Christian Benteke twice and Joe Allen once as the Reds pushed for a winner late on, but a much-changed Liverpool line-up lacked a cutting edge.

Enner Valencia wasted West Ham's best opportunity after 16 minutes, but the forward miscued his header when left unmarked in the Reds box.

The replay now adds another game to an already crowded fixture list for both sides, with the Reds also set to contend with Europa League action and the Capital One Cup final next month

FULL RESULT

Colchester 1 - 4 Tottenham FT

Arsenal 2 -1 Burnley FT

C Palace 1 - 0 Stoke FT

N Forest 0 - 1 Watford FT

Oxford Utd 0 - 3 Blackburn FT

Shrewsbury 3 - 2 Sheff Wed FT

Portsmth 1 - 2 B'mouth FT

A Villa 0 - 4 Man City FT

Reading 4 - 0 Walsall FT

Bolton 1 - 2 Leeds FT

W Brom 2 - 2 Peterboro FT

Bury 1 - 3 Hull City FT

Liverpool 0 - 0 West Ham FT 

Alexis Sanchez net prove decisive as Arsenal progress into FA Cup fifth round

Alexis Sanchez scored on his first start since November as Arsenal kept their dream of a third straight FA Cup alive with a 2-1 victory against Championship side Burnley at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners' opener came from an unlikely source as Calum Chambers put his side ahead on 19 minutes with a superb curling effort before Sam Vokes powered a header past David Ospina to bring the visitors level.

Sanchez, who returned to Arsenal's starting line-up alongside Francis Coquelin, restored the home side's lead in the 53rd minute as the holders held on to book their spot in Monday's fifth round draw.

Arsener are now 14 games unbeaten in the FA Cup 

Arsene Wenger's side have now switch their attention to defending the trophy that they have won for the past two seasons. While Burnley who sit third in the Championship, will now turn their attention back to promoting to the Premier League.

Arsenal made nine changes from the side that lost 1-0 to Chelsea last weekend with Mohamed Elneny coming in for his debut and Sanchez and Coquelin returning to the starting line-up following long injury lay-offs.

Syrian Peace Talk: Main Syrian opposition team head to Geneva

A delegation from Syria's main opposition group flew to Geneva on Saturday to assess whether to join Damascus government officials in United Nations-brokered peace talks, an opposition representative said.

The 17-strong team included the head of the Saudi-backed Higher Negotiation Committee (HNC), which includes political and militant opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's five-year civil war.

The HNC has said it wants to discuss humanitarian issues including a stop to Russian and Syrian government bombing before engaging in the peace talks that started on Friday in Geneva.

Russian air strikes on Syria have killed nearly 1,400 civilians since Moscow started its aerial campaign nearly four months ago, a group monitoring the war said on Saturday.

"We are going to Geneva to put to the test the seriousness of the international community in its promises to the Syrian people and to also test the seriousness of the regime in implementing its humanitarian obligations," Riyad Naasan Agha said.

"We want to show the world our seriousness in moving towards negotiations to find a political solution," he told Reuters. 

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Saturday the Geneva talks must ensure human rights are upheld as participants work towards a political transition in Syria.

"Humanitarian law must be respected and the objective of a political transition actively pursued to enable the talks to succeed," Fabius said in a statement sent to Reuters.

The HNC's demands include allowing aid convoys into rebel-held besieged areas where tens of thousands are living in dire conditions, Agha said.

The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said on Saturday that 16 people have starved to death in the government-besieged town of Madaya since aid convoys arrived this month and blamed the authorities for blocking medical supplies shipments.

Agha said the opposition delegation, including HNC head Riad Hijab and chief negotiator Asaad al-Zoubi, would not call for a complete cessation of hostilities but would demand an end to "the indiscriminate shelling of markets, hospitals and schools by the regime and its Russian backers".

Russia and Syria deny targeting civilians, saying they take great care to avoid bombing residential areas.

In separate comments before heading to Geneva, Zoubi said they would not engage in any negotiations before these goodwill measures were taken.

He said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry gave assurances by phone to the HNC's leadership, saying Washington supported a UN-backed political transition period without Assad - a bone of contention among warring parties.

Migrant boat capsize off Turkey's Coast, left More than 30 dead...

At least 33 people drowned and 75 others were rescued after a boat carrying migrants to Greece sank off Turkey's western coast, a local mayor and Turkish news agency Dogan reported on Saturday.

The Turkish coast guard was continuing search and rescue efforts where the boat sank off the coast of Ayvacik, a town across from the Greek island of Lesvos. It was not immediately clear how many migrants had been on board.

"At least 33 people are dead but I am afraid the numbers will rise as divers continue the search," Mehmet Unal Sahin, the mayor of Ayvacik, told CNNTurk news channel by phone.

"Local people woke up to the sound of screaming migrants and we have been carrying out rescue work since dawn. We have an 80-kilometre-long coast just across from Lesvos, which is very hard to keep under control."

At least five of those who died were children, the Dogan news agency said, and rescued migrants were hospitalized with hypothermia symptoms. It said the migrants were of Syrian, Afghan and Myanmar origin.

More than one million refugees and migrants arrived by land and sea in the European Union last year and some 3,600 died or went missing.

Around 500,000 refugees from the five-year-old war in Syria traveled through Turkey and then risked their lives at sea to reach Greek islands in 2015. Despite the winter conditions and rough seas, the exodus has continued, albeit at a slower pace.

Turkey is the first stop on Syrian migrants' journey to the European Union.

Turkey struck a deal with the EU in November pledging to help stem the flow of migrants to Europe in return for 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) in financial aid for the 2.5 million Syrian refugees it is hosting, as well as renewed talks on joining the 28-nation bloc.

Picture Credit: Reuter

In Kogi, Gov. Bello dissolves all boards of Parastatals and Agencies...

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Friday dissolved the boards of the state’s parastatals and agencies.

This is contained in a statement issued in Lokoja by the Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr Edward Onoja.

The statement noted that the dissolution takes immediate effect, directing the chairmen and Directors-General of the affected agencies to hand over government’s property in their possession to the most senior officers.

It explained that the dissolution was to pave way for the restructuring of the boards and to take stock of their state with a view to positioning them for greater efficiency and performance.

However, the statement added that the office of the Accountant-General and three statutory boards are not affected by the order.

They are: Judicial Service Commission, Civil Service Commission and the State Independent Electoral Commission.

Bello thanked all the chairmen and members of the dissolved boards for their services to the state and wish them well in their future endeavours.

Akpabio denies ownership of foreign accounts

The Minority Leader of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio on Friday in Abuja denied reports in the social media alleging he made an attempt to withdraw money from his foreign accounts.

In a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Anietie Ekong and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the senator said that he did not own any foreign accounts.

NAN reports that the social media was awash with news of an alleged foiled attempt by the Senator to withdraw 7.2 billion dollars from his foreign accounts in Dubai.

``The attention of the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio has been drawn to a report circulated in the internet linking him with ownership of houses/mansions in Dubai.

`` We state categorically that Senator Akpabio does not own any foreign account in any part of the world.

``If such account is found, the Federal Government of Nigeria should seize the money and investigate the origin of such account, and prosecute the owner.

``In addition, he does not own any property in Dubai or in any foreign country.

``Akpabio served his people diligently for eight years as the governor and the transformation of the State within this period, which has gained world acclaim, is there for all to see,” it said.

The statement said that two foreign groups ``Wikileaks” and The Global Peace Movement Group, UK had in 2010 cleared Akpabio of having any foreign account while he was governor.

It accused the opposition in Akwa Ibom of masterminding the reports of quest to withdraw money from his foreign account.

``That some people out of political mischief should publish a purported attempt by the senator to withdraw through a CBN source a phantom sum of 7.2 billion dollars is ridiculous.

``It is the height of character assassination. We challenge these purveyors of falsehood to publish the full details of the purported 7.2 billion dollars account.

``We urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to seize such sum and prosecute the owner if it does exist,” it said.

Anambra: S/Court sacks 3 senators, 11 H/Reps

The Supreme Court on Friday sacked the three senators and 11 members of the House of Representatives representing Anambra.

The senators are Andy Uba, Stella Oduah and Uche Ekwunife.

Delivering judgment, Justice Binta Ogunbiyi held that the lawmakers were illegally foisted on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by an unrecognised state executive of the party led by Chief Chukwudi Okasa.

Ogunbiyi held that the Chief Ejike Oguebego-led executive was the only constitutionally recognised leadership of the PDP to conduct the party’s primaries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the decision prematurely terminates the tenure of the former Aviation minister Oduah in the senate.

It also quashed the legislative career of Sen. Andy Uba presidential aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Ogunbiyi ruled that the candidates who emerged from the primaries conducted by the Oguebego-led group were the true representatives from the state to occupy the vacant seats.

``The decision of the apex court is done to restore justice and discourage impunity in the polity.

``The judgment also lays out the proper procedures for selection of political parties legislative candidates,’’ she held.

Mr Chris Uba, Sen. Andy Uba younger brother and Prince John Emeka are expected to take over the seats vacated by Uba and Oduah respectively.

NAN further reports that a bye-election would be conducted to fill the senatorial seat occupied by Sen. Uche Ekwunife, who was sacked on December 2015 by the Court of Appeal.

In December 2014, the Federal High Court had ruled that the Ejike Oguebego-led executive was the only constitutionally recognised leadership of the party in Anambra that could conduct the PDP primaries.

Despite that ruling, the parallel state executive of the PDP led by Chief Chukwudi Okasa went ahead to conduct parallel primaries.

NAN reports that by this judgment, the apex court reaffirmed the verdict of the Federal High Court declaring that the Oguebego-led executive had the sole right to conduct the primaries in that State.

The National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) supervised the primaries conducted by Oguebego’s executive on Dec 6 and Dec. 7, 2014 .

At the end of the exercise, the NWC of the PDP and INEC declared Chris Uba winner for Anambra South, Prince John Emeka for Anambra North, and Annie Okonkwo for Anambra Central.

Court denied Nnamdi Kanu bail

A Federal High Court in Abuja has denied bail to the  leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra and founder of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, and his two other co-accused. Punch news reported.

Kanu and two others  are being prosecuted for treasonable felony and other offences bordering on their agitation for secession ‎of the Republic of Biafra from Nigeria.

‎Justice John Tsoho in rejecting the accused persons’ bail application on Friday held that they were not entitled to bail as they failed to show that they would not continue to commit the alleged crime for which they were being prosecuted.

The judge also upheld the contention by the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Mohammed Diri, who had opposed the bail application, to the effect that the accused were likely to interfere with and intimidate prosecuting witnesses.

The judge also ruled that contrary to the contention by defence lawyers, the charges preferred against the accused were not trumped up.

The court held that rather than contradict the allegations levelled against the accused persons in the counter-affidavit filed by the prosecution in opposition to their bail application, the defendants only went on to insist that the agitation for the Republic of Biafra was within their right.

The judge also ruled that Kanu’s admission that he was a dual citizen of Nigeria and Britain further heightened the possibility of him jumping bail.

The judge ruled that rather than grant bail to the accused person‎, he would order an accelerated hearing of the case with the possibility of hearing it on daily basis.

The judge ordered that the accused persons should remain in Kuje prison throughout their trial.

He adjourned till February 9, 10, 11 and 12 for trial.

Kanu, David Nwawusi and Benjamin Madubugwu were being prosecuted on six counts of treasonable felony and unlawful possession of firearms preferred against them by the Federal Government.

Sudan's President orders opening of border with South Sudan

Sudan's President has ordered the opening of the border with South Sudan for the first time since the South seceded five years ago, Sudan's state news agency reports.

The Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported that President Omar al-Bashir issued the decision Wednesday, asking authorities to take all measures to implement the action.

The border between the two countries, which have had tense relations since South Sudan's secession, remains disputed.

South Sudan, a landlocked country of about 11 million people in east-central Africa, seceded from Sudan in July 2011 after decades of conflict, making it the world's youngest nation.

The two countries became embroiled in disputes over ownership of valuable oil supplies and eventually signed an agreement to withdraw their respective forces from a 14-mile-wide demilitarized zone between the countries.

But the tensions between the countries were soon overshadowed by a brutal civil war that erupted in South Sudan in December 2013, with forces loyal to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir clashing with those backing his sacked vice president, Riek Machar.

The United Nations estimates that more than 2.2 million South Sudanese have been displaced, most of them internally, and says that the country has faced serious food shortages and disease as a result of the conflict.

China Charged a Canadian for Spying and Stealing State Secrets

A Canadian man who ran a cafe in China is charged with spying and stealing state secrets, state media reported Thursday.

Kevin Garratt was indicted by prosecutors in the northeastern city of Dandong, where his trial will be held, the state-run Xinhua news agency said.

Authorities detained Garratt and his wife Julia in August 2014. She was released on bail last year, CNN partner CBC News reported, but her husband remained in custody pending an investigation.

Chinese investigators "found evidence which implicates Garratt in accepting tasks from Canadian espionage agencies to gather intelligence in China," Xinhua said.

The couple's children have decried their parents' 2014 arrest as ridiculous.

Simeon Garratt told Hong Kong's South China Morning Post that the allegations were "wildly absurd" and "crazy."

At the time, he described his parents as "openly Christian" and said they were involved in sending food aid to North Korea. He told the newspaper the accusations "(sound) like something somebody made up. I really don't know why. It's just so absurd."

Canada finds the indictment "concerning" and has discussed the case with the Chinese government, a Global Affairs Canada spokesperson said. Consular officials are providing assistance to the couple and monitoring developments, the spokesperson said.

Canada's Conservative Party called for officials to push for Garratt's release and said it was concerned the indictment could be part of a broader crackdown on international nongovernmental organization workers in China.

"This case‎ has been concerning to Canadians for many months. We are also deeply concerned for Mr. Garratt's wife, Julia, who remains under a form of house arrest in China," the statement said. "We are urging the government of Canada to use every diplomatic avenue available to advocate on behalf of the Garratts."

Tory Council warns David Cameron says his cuts are 'unrealistic'

A Conservative-controlled local council has written to David Cameron to tell him the cuts included in his budget are “unrealistic”. Independent reported

East Sussex County Council, a Tory stronghold since its creation, said the Government’s fiscal policy would “significantly reduce the quality of life for many people in East Sussex”.

The letter to the PM was signed by Councillor Keith Glazier, who leads the council, and the leaders of the other political party groups in East Sussex.

The local authority has cut more than £78 million since 2010 but has to make further savings of up to £90 million by April 2019, including £40 million from its adult social care budget.

This is despite a plan to increase council tax by 3.99 per cent raising £4.7, the maximum allowed by the Government without holding a costly local referendum.

“The fact that leaders of all parties have put their names to this letter shows that this is an issue which transcends politics,” Mr Glazier said.

“We have done everything possible to ensure we bear our share of the burden of reducing the national deficit, and produce a balanced and responsible budget, but the savings we are now having to make will place a heavy burden on some of our residents.

“We’re calling on the Government to acknowledge the impact of funding cuts, particularly on social care authorities, to work more closely with local councils and to adopt a fairer approach to the way it allocates funding.

The letter was signed by Labour, Liberal Democrat and Ukip group leaders on the council, as well as the leader of the area’s independents group.

The letter was cc’d in to George Osborne, the Chancellor, and Greg Clark, the local government secretary.

Last November Mr Cameron came to blows with his own local Tory council, Oxfordshire County Council.

The Prime Minister was accused of not understanding the impact of his own policies on local services when he claimed the council should be making “back-office savings” and protecting frontline services.

Both East Sussex and Oxfordshire’s budget situation comes despite being two of the more wealthy county council in the UK.

An analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies released before the general election found that cuts to council budgets were sharpest in the UK’s poorest areas.

Inner-city boroughs like Tower Hamlets have lost out by 42.1 per cent since 2010 while leafier areas have comparatively escaped the axe. 

Figures collated by Labour over the summer found that the 10 most deprived councils were facing cuts 18 times higher than that of the 10 richest councils.

2 Dead, 7 Injured As Suicide Bombers Attacks Saudi Mosque

At least two people have been killed and seven others injured in a suicide bombing and shooting attack at a mosque in Saudi Arabia.

Shia Muslims were gathering at the Imam Reza Mosque, in the city of Al-Hofuf, for Friday prayers at the time.

The Saudi interior ministry said that two suicide bombers detonated their vests after security guards prevented them entering the buildings.

“When security men stopped them, one blew himself up at the entrance of the mosque and there was an exchange of fire with the other,” a spokesperson said.

“He was wounded and arrested wearing an explosive belt.”

Footage shared on social media showed the moment of the explosion, which was followed by sounds believed to be gunfire.

The mosque appeared to be full when the blast ripped through the building, blowing out windows, shaking the walls and cutting the electricity.

A separate video claimed to show the surviving gunman being restrained by worshippers, who forced him to lie face-down on the floor as a man appeared to remove a device from around his waist.

There have been numerous suicide bombings targeting Shia Muslims in the predominantly Sunni country in the past year.

Isis has claimed responsibility for several recent attacks that followed a similar pattern, using armed militants wearing suicide vests to shoot worshippers before detonating the explosives.

Manchester United to rival Leicester for Ahmed Musa

Manchester United could make a late bid to try and beat Leicester to the signing of CSKA Moscow forward Ahmed Musa, with the Nigeria international gaining interest in the Premier League.

Leicester have already been linked with the 23-year-old, and are believed to have had a £15m offer rejected by the Russian club as they look to hold out for a fee of at least £18.9m.

But The Express reports that United are showing interest in Musa ahead of Monday’s January transfer window deadline, and they could launch a bid over the weekend to try and snatch the striker out of the grasp of the Premier League leaders.

The Nigeria national team captain Musa has scored 10 goals this season for CSKA Moscow, and his arrival would give United manager Louis van Gaal more options in attack, given that the club have scored the least number of goals this season from the current top eight.