Mourinho upbeat as Dortmund hammer Man Utd 4-1

Jose Mourinho said he would not be rushing into judgement on his players as a result of Manchester United's 4-1 drubbing by Borussia Dortmund in Shanghai on Friday.

'Unfair to make any decision. Day by day they are starting to win my trust,' Mourinho said of his players, who only returned to pre-season training 10 days ago.

Dortmund have been back for a month already, and it showed with superior levels of fitness in the International Champions Cup match played in an energy-sapping temperature of 35 Celsius despite an 8.05 pm kick-off.

'I know in pre-season the team in the advance stage of preparation looks better,' he said.

'It happens year after year. It was too obvious. We knew after 10 minutes that one team started training a month ago and played four games.'

Gonzalo Castro scored twice for the German side, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang bagged a penalty and Ousmane Dembele showed why the Frenchman is regarded as one of the best young talents in Europe with a superb finish.

'The reality is even in this situation we have six players still in Europe, plus (Wayne) Rooney and (Chris) Smalling who are only training. That is eight not involved.

'We had no (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic, (Anthony) Martial, (Marouane) Fellaini, (Morgan) Schneiderlin - lots of them aren't here yet.'

It was Mourinho's first defeat as United manager in just his second match, after a 2-0 win at Wigan last Saturday.

The Portuguese former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss reiterated his pre-match comments that he needed one more signing to get the balance of his side right.

'Our fundamental market is 75 percent done and when we sign one midfield player, that will be done,' he said. 'The fundamental market is four players and we just need that crucial one.'

Mourinho's opposite number Thomas Tuchel has been busy in the transfer market in the past two days with the return to the club of World Cup-winning goalscorer Mario Goetze and Germany's former Chelsea star Andre Schurrle.

'I am very happy that the transfer (of Goetze) worked out. By making this decision and committing, Mario has chosen to take the difficult path,' said Tuchel, referring to the 24-year-old striker angering Dortmund's fans by leaving for Bayern Munich two years ago.

The German also praised Schurrle as an unselfish player who would help the balance of his side.

'We urgently needed a player up front. He has special qualities. He puts his ego aside,' said Tuchel.

'We define our style as attacking when we have the ball, and attacking the ball when we are defending. He can do that.'

United face arch-rivals Manchester City in Beijing on Monday. Dortmund will play Pep Guardiola's City in Shenzhen on Thursday to round-out the three-team pre-season tournament in China. - AFP.

‘Do Not Fall Victim to Scammers!’ Faithia Balogun Warns Nigerians

Veteran Nollywood actress Faithia Balogun cried out to her fans to be wary of imposters using her brand to extort unsuspecting victims in a recent post on social networking platform.

The actress who was recently added to the list of 2016 most influential Deltans took to her Instagram page to inform her fans about the complaints she had been receiving from victims and announced her official Facebook , Twitter and Instagram pages.

In an attempt to prevent future occurrence, Faithia posted a screenshot of her official Facebook page with the caption below;

My dear fans, I've received complaints countless times concerning impersonators and scammers using my name and brand to extort unsuspecting individuals on social media platforms. This has been going on for a long time and I'm using this medium to appeal to you; there is only one authentic Facebook account operated by me - the picture is above and that is 'Faithia Balogun' ( www.facebook.com/OfficialFaithiaBalogun ), which I opened recently. I apologize to my fans who have been duped by these scoundrels. I love you all and don't want any of you to fall victim anymore. You can also follow my official Instagram; @FaithiaWilliamsBalogun, my Twitter; @FaithiaWBalogun. Love always.

Faithia Balogun has recently been nominated in the Best Actress of the Year (Yoruba) & Personality of the year category at the 2016 City People Awards.

Rivers Election Crisis: Group Calls For Sack of Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebele

The National Judicial Council and the leadership of the National Assembly have been called upon to call Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebele of the Rivers State High Court and the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly to without further delay effect the swearing in of both Hon. Victoria Nyeche and Andrew Miller who are two APC Members duly elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Speaking to news men in Port Harcourt, the public relation officer of Vanguard for Justice, Equity and Strategy, Barr. Jerome Alali Green condemned the unwarranted and flagrant disobedient of Rule of Law and display of impunity by Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebele and the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly Hon Adams by tampering with the constitutional Rights of the two APC members of Rivers State House of Assembly

The Vanguard for Justice, Equity and Strategy believes that it will be the height of injustice and flagrant abuse of court process to deny Hon. Mrs Victoria Nyeche and Andrew Miller their constitutional rights of being sworn in after they have been successful elected by their constituents.

The vanguard for Justice and Equity, a non governmental organization has called on the National Judicial Council and National Assembly to see that justice is done in this matter and tell Governor Nyesom Wike to stop using Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebele and the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly to perpetuate injustice in Rivers State.

Wike's Highhandedness: Civil Societies Call For Mass Protest against Nyesom Wike

In a different development, the continued detention of Hon. Ojukaye Flag Amakiri in Port Harcourt prison over trump up charges and the hunting of perceived political opponents by Gov. Nyesom Wike's administration in Rivers State have called for the attention and condemnation of several civil societies in the state.

The latest is from a group known as Alliance for Transparency and Good Governance, who in a press conference signed by the coordinator, Engr. Erasmus Obele Nwankpa, expressed concern over unnecessary use of state powers by Gov. Nyesom Wike.

The Civil Society Group in the statement called on the judiciary in Nigeria to monitor the activities of the judges in Rivers State, particularly on the matter of the remand order made by Justice Iyaye Lamankara, the Chief Judge of Rivers State against Hon. Ojukaye Flag Amakiri in his absence without plea.

The civil society group argued that the action's of the Chief judge of Rivers State to hear and remand an accused person (Ojukaye) without the traditional criminal Justice rules of first taking plea on the charge, amounts to abuse of court process, breach of fundamental human Rights and injustice

The Alliance for Transparency and Good Governance, said that if Gov. Nyesom Wike and his cohorts in Rivers State judicial supermarket as referred to by the National Chairman of People's Democratic Party, Alhaji Ali modu Sheriff, is not checked, the state will soon turn to "jungle Justice" where perceived political enemies can be thrown into prison without trials as is currently the case in Rivers State.

The Alliance for Transparency and Good Governance joins other civil society groups like; Patriotic Initiatives and Vanguard for Justice, Equity and Strategy to call on President Mohammed Buhari and the Chief Justice of the federation Hon. Justice Mahmod Mohammed to call Gov. Nyesom Wike and his associates in Rivers judiciary to stop hounding innocent citizens in the state or face mass actions by civil society groups in the state.

Election Tribunal: Tension as APC leaders plot to deliver Bayelsa to Sylva

There was palpable tension in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital on

Thursday following jubilation of supporters of the governorship candidate

of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last election, Timipre

Sylva, over reports of an impending favourable ruling in his favour by the

election petition tribunal.
Sylva had filed a petition at the Bayelsa Governorship Election Tribunal

sitting in Abuja to contest the victory of governor Henry Seriake Dickson

at the last election.
Although the tribunal will deliver its judgement on his petition in a yet

to be fixed date, sources told journalists that the “positive mood” in the

Sylva's camp was sequel to alleged “confirmation” received from some

influential citizens within the APC that judgement will likely go the way

of their candidate at the tribunal.
A top source who pleaded anonymity reliably informed last night that Sylva

had met with the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a

recent trip to London, who allegedly assured him of victory at the

tribunal now set to deliver judgement.
Sources said APC leaders led by the Secretary to Government of the

federation, Engr. Babachir Lawal, had in pursuit of the matter to a

“logical end” gotten a “firm confirmation” from the Presidential Villa

regarding the judgement since, according to the source, the APC was bent

on retaining one of the oil producing South-South states.

On Thursday, the information has started generating ripples in the PDP

political camp, while tempers have started rising to condemn the alleged

favourable judgement in waiting.
Some key supporters of the Dickson-led PDP were also said to have met on

the issue on Wednesday night on what step to take on the matter.

A source said, “It is true that Sylva's supporters were in celebratory

mood over the report. They were also said to be sewing uniforms already;

buses are being arranged to convey thousands of supporters to Abuja to

witness the landmark judgement. The development is brewing so much tension

in the state right now. It is a wait and see situation.”

But the State Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Keku Godspower in his reaction,

said he did not want to comment on the matter since it was still in the

tribunal.
He, however, replied to further probing thus: ”All I can only say is that

our faith is in God and in the judiciary. So let God be the judge. The

judiciary is the last hope of the common man and it will not be right for

anyone to try to intimidate, stampede or unduly influence the judiciary

into giving judgement in its favour simply because you're in power today.

Anyway, all power belongs to God”.
Recall that two civil society groups, Bayelsa Patriots and Good Governance

Initiative had drawn the attention of the public to plots by the APC and

Sylva to manipulate the tribunal judgement in their favour.

The post Election Tribunal: Tension as APC leaders plot to deliver Bayelsa to Sylva appeared first on Pointblank News .

5 Foods To Help You Sleep Better In Middle Age

Restful shuteye at night can sometimes become elusive as we get older. Not only does it become more challenging to fall asleep, it’s also harder to stay asleep like we were able to in our younger years. Your sleep rhythms can change ― perhaps that’s why you’ve noticed you’re adhering to the “early to bed, early to rise” adage. Other sleep and health conditions, including insomnia, also make it difficult to get well-rested and get enough deep sleep. It’s commonly thought that older folks don’t need much sleep, but according to the National Sleep Foundation, your sleep needs don’t change drastically as you go from adult to older adult. 

Here are a few things you can add to your diet that might help you sleep a little better.

1. Tart cherry juice

The sound of this drink may make you wince, but one study found that older adults with insomnia who drank this potent drink morning and night, for two weeks straight, were able to sleep around 90 minutes longer. Tart cherries are believed to be an excellent source of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate our sleep. Another small study found that just drinking the juice for a week increased subjects’ melatonin levels and their sleep efficiency. 

2. Protein-rich foods

If you’ve already jumped on the high-protein bandwagon, there’s good news. No, we’re not talking about a whittled-down waist. A recent study found that middle-aged adults who are overweight, can improve their sleep quality by going on a lower-calorie, higher-protein diet. The protein came from sources like beef, soy, pork, legumes and dairy. 

The National Sleep Foundation recommends pairing a protein with a carb as a bedtime snack if you need one, to better release the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan. Try a combination like cheese and crackers or peanut butter and toast.

3. Nuts

Tryptophan helps your body produce serotonin, which you might know as a feel-good hormone that can help with your mood. But it also helps you sleep. Nuts, like walnuts and almonds, are good sources of tryptophan. Some studies have even found that walnuts can directly increase melatonin levels. Almonds are also rich in magnesium, a deficiency that has been linked to insomnia. 

4. Fatty fish

In a study conducted by the University of Oxford, researchers found that in children with sleep disturbances, supplementing their diet with omega-3 helped them get nearly an extra hour of sleep. Other research has suggested that omega-3s can help reduce inflammation and may assist with sleep apnea. 

You can get plenty of omega-3s in your diet through eating oily fish like salmon and tuna. 

5. Passionflower tea

If you’re a tea or coffee drinker, you probably know that it’s best to avoidcaffeine six or more hours before your bedtime to make sure it doesn’t disturb your ability to sleep. But having a warm drink before bedtime can be soothing and help promote relaxation for some people. Passionflower tea is a great option if you’re having trouble sleeping. The herb is touted for its calming effect and one small study found that a low dose of it, taken in tea, can help improve sleep quality for people who have mild sleeping problems. It’s important to note that as with any herbal supplement, passionflower can have interactions with other medications, and you should discuss this with your health care provider before using it, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. 

David Cameron Gets Hustled Out of Downing Street, but the Cat Stays

The only member of the household on Downing Street to be spared the indignity of one of the fastest political transitions in recent memory will be Larry the Cat, a tabby who holds the title of chief mouser to the cabinet office.

The sudden victory of Theresa May, Britain’s home secretary, in the Conservative Party’s leadership contest on Monday put Prime MinisterDavid Cameron in the unenviable position of having to vacate his residence in about 48 hours. A large blue moving van pulled up on Downing Street on Tuesday to retrieve the Cameron family’s belongings.

It is a rite of passage Britain has experienced many times, but one that is unfamiliar for most Americans. In the United States, a newly elected president has more than two months — between Election Day in early November and Inauguration Day, Jan. 20 — to set up a new administration.

Transitions in Britain are far swifter. A prime minister typically takes up official residence at 10 Downing Street upon getting the job, as Mr. Cameron did in 2010, when his Conservative Party took power after 13 years of Labour Party government.

But the transition can seem even more jarring when a prime minister takes office without a general election. This occurred most recently in 2007, when Gordon Brown succeeded Tony Blair, and before that in 1990, when John Major took over from Margaret Thatcher.

“The prime minister has said he is glad there will not be an elongated leadership process,” a spokesman for Mr. Cameron’s office said in a phone interview on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity because of government protocol. He noted that the need for stability engendered by Britain’s vote to leave the European Union had created a sense of urgency. “This is how British democracy works. When the leader changes, the prime minister changes, and the evacuation of the premises soon follows. It’s a quick departure, but it is what it is.”

Mr. Cameron led his final cabinet meeting on Tuesday. On Wednesday, after his final prime minister’s questions in Parliament, he will visit Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation. Shortly after, Ms. May will be granted an audience with the queen and invited to form a government. She and her husband, Philip, will most likely pose for a photo in front of 10 Downing Street with Mr. Cameron and his family, as their predecessors have done.

Larry the Cat will be staying, the government spokesman said wryly, adding that Ms. May would inherit the tabby, adopted from an animal shelter in 2011 to help address a rat problem.

Photo

David Cameron prepares to hand over to Theresa May

David Cameron will leave Downing Street for the final time as PM later, with Theresa May waiting to replace him.

Mr Cameron will face his last Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons, before heading to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the Queen.

He told the Daily Telegraph: "As I leave today, I hope that people will see a stronger country. It has been a privilege to serve the country I love."

After taking office, Mrs May will set about naming her own frontbench team.

The current home secretary, 59, was the only remaining candidate in the Conservative leadership contest following Andrea Leadsom's withdrawal on Monday.

'Thriving economy'

The contest began when Mr Cameron, who has been prime minister since 2010, announced he would step down after losing the EU referendum in June.

Mr Cameron told the Telegraph: "I came into Downing Street to confront our problems as a country and lead people through difficult decisions so that together we could reach better times.

"As I leave today, I hope that people will see a stronger country, a thriving economy, and more chances to get on in life."