Katy Perry - Roar (Official)

Fifa U17 World Cup | FIXTURES

Fifa U17 World Cup | FIXTURES

All times CAT (SA, GMT+2)

Tuesday 05 November 2013

49	Argentina	v	Mexico	Dubai	15:00
50	Sweden	v	Nigeria	Abu Dhabi	18:00

Friday 08 November 2013

Dozens killed in Iraq bombings

A wave of bombings has rocked the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and a northern village, killing at least 39 people and wounding more than 70, security and medical officials have said.Two of the bombs exploded on Sinaa street in central Baghdad, two more in Husseiniyah near the city, and one each in Baghdad Jadida and Maamal in the capital's east and Dura in its south.The late afternoon and evening attacks follow a bombing earlier in the day in Mosul in country's north that left at least 15 dead.Violence in Iraq has reached a level not seen since 2008, when the country was just emerging from a brutal sectarian conflict.The bloodshed, which has included sectarian attacks, has raised fears of a relapse into the intense sectarian bloodshed that killed tens of thousands of people during 2006-2007.With the latest attack, more than 370 people have been killed so far this month, and more than 5,050 since the beginning of the year, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.

Source,http://www.aljazeera.com/news

Passed away,Solomon Lar a political veteran

An announcement by the government of the central state of Plateau said Lar, 80 years old, died in a US hospital.

Lar, veteran of many political struggles in Nigeria and first civilian governor of the old Plateau state in the Second Republic(1979-1983), was widely rumoured to have died a few days ago. But relations said he was alive, but on life support.

The Plateau state governor, Jonah Jang, announced his death on Wednesday in Jos.

“He died at about 3.00 a.m. American time (about 9.00 a.m. Nigerian time),” the governor told reporters on Wednesday evening.

Lar was born in Pongaa, Langtang, Plateau State in April 1933.

WORLD OF SOCCER

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - GROUP E 

watch out for 90mins action package on


TUESDAY 22ND OCT 2013

FC SCHALKE 04          VS       CHELSEA                @19:45

STEAUA BUCHAREST   VS       BASEL                @19:45


and don't forget to stay tune for a live commentary on this media.

Plane Crash at the domestic wing of MMA nigeria

An airplane has crashed at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammad Airport (MMA2) in Lagos. The plane which belongs to Associated Airline is said to have been carrying 20 passengers to Akure from Lagos on Thursday morning.

health benefits of watermelon

• In the modern world, one must be very careful about his/her health and a popular saying also states “Health is wealth”. Fresh fruits and vegetables are necessary for everybody to keep their system functioning and going all day long for days. Fresh fruits and vegetables are necessary to keep our body and mind healthy and among fruits watermelon plays a beneficial role in keeping our body healthy and functioning. As watermelon has many benefits it also has many side effects if one consumes too much of these fruits.Watermelon benefits are typically uncountable and many and some of these many benefits are listed below:
• Firstly a good source of vitamins (A, B6 and C) and in addition to it, it also contains antioxidants and phytochemicals that help in maintaining the body. Also watermelon contains lycopene that gives the particular red color to the fruit.Health benefits of watermelon are actually expansive and the fruit also contains traces of the mineral potassium which helps in the day to day functioning of the

Models To Honour Uti, Melvin, Beverly

Brother Africa stars, Melvin, Uti and Beverly are part of the celebrities that will add spice and glamour to this year’s Green White Green Models Nite. The event is part of activities  to mark Nigeria’s 53rd Independence Anniversary.

Green White Models Nite will take place on the  September at Kingsize Lounge, Ikeja, and will feature designers like Mark Couture, among others, who will showcase their latest fashion designs.

boat mishap

No fewer than 42 people were drowned in a boat mishap on River Niger close to Malilli village in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, central Nigeria.

About 100 others on board were missing in the mishap which occurred at about 2 p.m. on Friday.

The Public Relations Officer, Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Malam Ibrahim Hussaini, confirmed the incident to NAN in a telephone interview on Saturday.

Hassaini said the incident occurred around 2 pm when the traders were returning from Malili village back to Tunga Illo village across the River Niger, after the day’s market.

He said the details were sketchy, but the boat which had over 150 passengers capsized midway and drowned 42 people,

Smoking in prisons to be banned in Britain

Smoking was banned in communal areas in British jails in 2007 as part of a national ban on smoking in public places.

But prisoners are still allowed to smoke in their cells and 80 percent of inmates indulge in the habit across England and Wales, according to the National Health Service (NHS).

Now ministers are looking at banning smoking altogether amid concerns about the health impact of the smoke on non-smoking staff and inmates.

A pilot scheme is being launched early next year in a number of jails in southwest England, with a full ban likely to be rolled out within 12 months, the Times newspaper reported.

"We are considering banning smoking across the prison estate and as part of this are looking at possible sites as early adopters," a spokesman for the Ministry of Justice confirmed.

Steve Gillan, general secretary of the Prison Officers' Association, welcomed the move, which prison staff have campaigned for. He said it was necessary to avoid compensation claims for passive smoking.

Balochistan earthquake:Death toll rises

A helicopter carrying relief goods to earthquake stricken Awaran was attacked in Mashkay Tehsil.

According to security sources, small arms were used to fire at the helicopter which did not receive any damage.

Federal Minister Abdul Qadir Baloch said that relief work was ongoing in the affected areas of the province but there was still a shortage of food, water and tents.

Inspirational

The difference between a successful person and others is not lack of strength not a lack of knowledge but rather a lack of will. 

–Vince Lombardi

119 Prison Inmates FREED

“Go and sin no more,” Phillips told the inmates during a visit.

The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, on Wednesday set free no fewer than 119 inmates from Kirikiri Medium and Maximum Security Prisons in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit was part of activities marking the 2013/2014 Legal Year of the state judiciary.

Twenty inmates were released from the maximum prisons, while 99 were set free at the medium prisons.

She said the exercise was aimed at congesting the prisons of inmates particularly those who had been awaiting trial for several years.

“This is my third visit to Kirikiri since I was sworn in as chief judge on June 14, 2012.

“I must say that despite my routine visits, the figures of inmates keep rising. So, for those of you who are fortunate to be on the roll today, I admonish you to refrain from crimes.

“It will indeed be so painful that after your release you are again found wanting and brought back here.

“It will be a mockery on me and other members of the judiciary here present if you are seen here again, ” Phillips said.

Earlier, the Controller of Prisons, Mrs Catherine Ononye, expressed gratitude to Phillips for the gesture, saying the exercise will reduce the number of awaiting trial inmates.

Ononye, who bemoaned the poor capacity of the prisons, said the facility was meant for prisoners and not those awaiting trial.

“There are 2,554 inmates in the medium prisons with capacity for only 835. And out of this number, more than 2,100 are awaiting trial.

“At the maximum prisons, there are 748 inmates of which 400 are awaiting trial.

“This makes the visit of the chief judge important as the prison is meant for prisoners, and not those awaiting trial, ” she said.

Kenyatta: Mall siege over

Nairobi - Kenya's president announced on Tuesday that a siege of a Nairobi shopping mall was over, but said losses from the attack by Islamist gunmen were "immense" and 67 people had died.

"We have ashamed and defeated our attackers, that part of our task is completed," President Uhuru Kenyatta said in a televised address to the nation.

"Our losses are immense," he said. "We have been badly hurt, but we have been brave, united and strong. Kenya has stared down evil and triumphed. We have defeated our enemies and showed the whole world what we can accomplish."

Kenyatta said 61 civilians and six members of the security forces died in the siege. He said five attackers had been killed and that there were 11 suspects in custody.

The president also called three days of national mourning.

A group of attackers marched into the four-storey Westgate Mall at midday on Saturday, spraying shoppers with automatic weapons fire and tossing grenades.

Somalia's al-Qaeda-linked al-Shebaab said it carried out the attack.

Kenyatta said that "forensic investigations are under way to establish the nationalities of all those involved"

SPORTS MOTIVATION

There are 2 types of athletes: Those who truly desire 

success, and those who are trying to avoid failure, I 

truly desire success, do you?

Kenya forces comb Westgate site

Kenyan security forces are combing the Nairobi shopping centre attacked by suspected al-Shabab militants, as they seek to secure the site.

An explosion and bursts of gunfire were heard coming from the Westgate complex on Tuesday morning, as speculation grew that the operation was nearing its end.

At least 62 people have been killed with more than 170 injured.

Meanwhile, Kenya's foreign minister said "two or three" Americans and a British woman were among the attackers.

In an interview with the US TV programme PBS Newshour, Amina Mohamed said the Americans were 18 or 19 years old, of Somali or Arab origin, and lived "in Minnesota and one other place".

She said the Briton was a woman who has "done this many times before".

Ms Mohamed appeared to contradict earlier comments from Kenya's interior minister, who suggested that all the attackers were men - though some may have been dressed as women.

The BBC's Mike Wooldridge in Nairobi says Ms Mohamed's remarks have fuelled media speculation about the possible involvement of Samantha Lewthwaite, the widow of one of the men who carried out attacks on London's transport system on 7 July 2005

British officials said they would not be drawn on the identity of the attackers while investigations continue.

The Kenyan Red Cross has told the BBC that 63 people remain unaccounted for.

Early on Tuesday a Kenyan officer at the scene said he believed there could be two or three attackers left inside the building.

Kenyan officials said earlier that three "terrorists" had been killed, and that 10 people had been arrested.

The Somali Islamist al-Shabab movement has said it carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenyan military operations in Somalia.

Kenyan Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku told the BBC late on Monday that the operation would continue overnight, but stressed it was in its final stages.

"The terrorists could be running and hiding in some stores, but all floors now are under our control," he said. "There is no room for escape."

The interior ministry said it believed all hostages had been released.

Blood donations

As night fell on Monday, flames and thick smoke continued to rise from the building an hour after four large explosions shook the neighbourhood.

Between 12 and 15 militants stormed the Westgate centre on Saturday, throwing grenades and firing on shoppers and staff.

At least 18 foreigners are among the dead, including six Britons, as well as citizens from France, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, Peru, India, Ghana, South Africa and China.

Bedwetting

Nocturnal enuresis is the medical term for bedwetting. Most children wet the bed occasionally or even nightly during the potty-training years. In fact, it is estimated that seven million children in the United States wet their beds on a regular basis. Controlling bladder function during sleep is usually the last stage of potty-training. In others words, it is normal for children to wet the bed while sleeping during that learning process. Bedwetting is typically not even considered to be a problem until after age 7.

Bedwetting in children is often simply a result of immaturity. The age at which children become able to control their bladders during sleep is variable. Bladder control is a complex process that involves coordinated action of the muscles, nerves, spinal cord and brain. In this case, the problem will resolve in time. On the other hand, it may be an indication of an underlying medical condition, such as obstruction of the urinary tract. If bedwetting persists beyond the age of 6 or 7, you should consult your pediatrician.

There are both primary and secondary forms of bedwetting. With primary bedwetting, the child has never had nighttime control over urination. The secondary form is less common and refers to bedwetting that occurs after the child has been dry during sleep for 6 or more months. Secondary bedwetting may be caused by psychological stress but may be the result of an underlying medical condition such as constipation or urinary tract obstruction. With secondary bedwetting, contact your doctor for an evaluation.

Symptoms of Bedwetting:

Bedwetting refers to involuntary urination during sleep in children over the age of 5. Bedwetting may occur at any point during the night but usually occurs during the first few hours of sleep. Occasional bedwetting for children over the age of 5 is not uncommon but if it happens more often than 2-3 times per month, parents should consult their pediatrician.

How to Treat Bedwetting:

Because bedwetting tends to happen during the first few hours of sleep, a good method of preventing it is to make sure that your child goes to the bathroom before bed. Commonly prescribed behavioral methods for treating the problem include:

• • Establishing a regular bedtime routine that includes going to the bathroom
• Waking your child during the night before he/she typically wets the bed and taking him/her to the bathroom
• Developing a reward system to encourage your child, such as stickers for dry nights
• Talking to your child about the advantages of potty-training, such as not having to wear diapers and becoming a "big kid"
• Limiting beverages in the evening - even those last minute water requests
• Using a "bell-and-pad" which incorporates an alarm that goes off whenever your child's pajamas or bed become wet during an accident. These systems teach your child to eventually wake up before the bedwetting occurs

As a last resort, a doctor may prescribe medication for bedwetting, either for short or long-term use. Some examples are imipramine (an antidepressant), which relaxes the bladder, and desmopressin, a man-made copy of a normal body chemical that controls urine production at night. Although medication usually helps, bedwetting typically resumes once the child stops taking the medicine. As with any drug, it is important to monitor your child's response to the medication.

Coping with Bedwetting:

There are products that parents can buy for school-aged children with enuresis:

• Disposable absorbent underpants
• Reusable absorbent underpants
• Sleeping bag liners
• Moisture alarms that go off when the child begins to wet the bed

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Sleep Aids and Insomnia

If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, or you wake up feeling unrefreshed, you may be suffering from insomnia. Insomnia is a symptom. It may be caused by stress, anxiety, depression, disease, pain, medications, sleep disorders or poor sleep habits. Your sleep environment and health habits may also play a role in your sleep problems.

Some medications can lead to insomnia as well. These include medications for cold and allergy (some antihistamines and decongestants, high blood pressure (antihypertensives), heart disease (betablockers), thyroid disease and birth control (hormones), as well as asthma and pain medications (containing caffeine).

Some common sleep disorders can also cause poor sleep. These disorders range fromrestless legs syndrome (a creeping, crawling sensation in the legs only relieved by movement) to a bed partner's sleep apnea (a breathing disorder with loud snoring and brief periods when breathing stops).

Insomnia may be experienced for a few days, for two to three weeks, or it may be chronic, lasting for three weeks or more. Chronic insomnia is more difficult to treat, and doesn't go away on its own. You may need to see a physician or sleep specialist.

Many people experience insomnia, particularly women before and at the onset of the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy and menopause.

TREATMENT:

Treating insomnia with medication is the most common treatment for these sleep problems. Twenty-five percent of Americans take some type of medication every year to help them sleep.

Medications may be taken when:

• The cause of insomnia has been identified and is best treated with medication.
• Sleep difficulties cause problems in accomplishing daily activities.
• Behavioral approaches have proven ineffective and the person is unwilling to try them.
• A person is suffering insomnia-related distress and beginning behavioral therapy.
• Insomnia is temporary or short-term.
• Insomnia is expected or occurs in association with a known medical or biological condition (e.g. Premenstrual Syndrome) or an event such as giving a speech or traveling across time zones.
• If sleep problems persist, it may be time to seek professional help. Your doctor can help determine how to treat your problem and may refer you to a sleep specialist.
  
  

Ajimobi Sacks Commissioners, Advisers

Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi this afternoon dissolved the executive council of the state. Source close to the governor said that the governor kept the decision to his chest as he never showed any sign of relieving his aides of their jobs.

Affected were the commissioners, advisers and assistants.

Disclosing this in a statement, the Director, Cabinet, Mr. Dotun Omokemi stated that the decision was made after the weekly executive council meeting held today.

Governor Ajimobi was quoted to have said that the development was aimed at injecting fresh blood into the administration in the quest to serve the state better.

The governor thanked the commissioners and Special Advisers who made up the executive council for their contributions so far and asked them to immediately hand over to the Permanent Secretaries in their respective ministries.

source;pmnews

Nairobi Westgate attack 'Assault begins' to break siege

kenyan security forces appear to have launched an assault on the Westgate shopping complex in the capital Nairobi in an attempt to break the siege there.

Gunfire and explosions were heard at the complex and a cloud of smoke could be seen billowing from the building.

A Kenyan police official said that security forces had rescued some hostages held by the attackers.

More than 69 people have died and more than 170 have been injured since the attack began on Saturday.

The Somali al-Shabab movement has said it carried out the attack.

It said it was in retaliation for Kenyan military operations in Somalia

The latest round of gunfire and explosions appears to be a dramatic turn of events in the security forces' operation, the BBC's Mike Wooldridge reports from Nairobi.

Television pictures showed troops running towards the complex. About 10 attackers were thought to be inside.

"We're increasingly gaining advantage of the attackers," inspector general of Kenyan police David Kimaiyo said in a tweet.

It is not clear as yet what caused the blasts, or what impact they are having on the operation to rescue hostages taken by the militants, our correspondent reports.

More troops can be seen on the move around the building, he adds.

Kenyan Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku said that the fire at the building was started by the "terrorists".

Two of the attackers were killed this morning, and others injured. He gave a death toll of 62, lower than that of the the Kenyan Red Cross, who say 69 died.

"I work 400m away and I can see heavy black smoke," local resident Eric Onchangu told the BBC.

"I can see a helicopter and we know there are lots of KDF [security forces] in the area - we have been warned to stay indoors as it's so dangerous," he added.

By Sunday night, Kenyan security forces said they secured most of the shopping centre and that only a small number of hostages remained under the militants' control.

Paolo Di Canio,Sunderland sack head coach

The 45-year-old Italian has won three of his 13 matches since being appointed in March and taken only one point from five league games this campaign.

Sunderland said they will decide on Di Canio's successor in "due course".

Coach Kevin Ball will take temporary charge of the team, with ex-Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo an early favourite for the job.

Di Canio's dismissal leaves Sunderland looking for their sixth permanent manager in less than five years.

The club's statement added: "The club would like to place on record its thanks to Paolo and his staff and wishes them well for the future."

Senior professional development coach Ball's opening duty as caretaker boss is to prepare the side for Tuesday's home Capital One Cup third-round match against Peterborough United at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland then host Liverpool on Sunday and Manchester United on 5 October, with the Wear-Tyne derby against Newcastle on 27 October.

Di Canio started out as a player in Italy and was a forward for Lazio, Juventus, Napoli and AC Milan before a move to Scottish giants Celtic.

He had spells in the Premier League with Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham United and Charlton Athletic before returning to Lazio and finishing his playing career at Cisco Roma.

The Italian began his managerial career when he took over as Swindon boss in May 2011 and guided the club to promotion from League Two in 2012 before resigning in February 2013.

Di Canio then succeeded Martin O'Neill at the Stadium of Light on 31 March but later admitted he feared the sack in the immediate controversy over his arrival.

Embarking upon his first Premier League job, Di Canio had to fend off questions about whether he held fascist beliefs.

He was backed by Sunderland chairman Ellis Short and endeared himself to the fans with a 3-0 victory at Newcastle in his second game as boss.

But Di Canio's men were thrashed 6-1 by Aston Villa and failed to win their final three fixtures, finishing only one place above the relegation zone.

This season started with a home loss to Fulham before the Black Cats drew at Southampton and conceded nine goals in defeats against Crystal Palace, Arsenal and, most recently, West Brom.

After the 3-0 loss at The Hawthorns on Saturday, Di Canio walked over to face the travelling supporters, who made their feelings clear.

"I absorb the insults as it's part of the game - if I was in their position I'd be furious," he said. "But I'm professional: 24 hours a day I work for this cause. One day their reaction will be a different reaction.

"I knew that they were furious. I went to them because I wanted to see their faces. It's easy to go over when they're clapping or singing your name. I'm responsible but my head is up. I won't give up.

"It's obvious we're still not together. We don't have many leaders in terms of desire to play with a premier style.

"I'm never going to change my regime. I am what I am. My way to manage the team is for the top, top level. I have to be clear to everyone - the board, the chairman, the fans - I'm never going to change.

"One day, if I receive the full support from the players, we will turn the corner."

Di Canio publicly criticised some of his squad at the end of last season and worked with director of football Roberto De Fanti and chief scout Valentino Angeloni to sign 14 new players in the summer.

His buys cost £19m in total and included AZ Alkmaar striker Jozy Altidore, Italy international Emanuele Giaccherini and Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone.

But left-back Danny Rose returned to Tottenham following a loan spell, while Sunderland sold goalkeeper Simon Mignolet to Liverpool and, on transfer deadline day, attacking midfielder Stephane Sessegnon to West Brom.

D’banj continues to dominate the ‘MTV Base official naija top 10

D’Banj’s ‘Don’t Tell Me Nonsense’ continues its reign at the top of the MTV Base Official Naija Top 10Powered by Star Music: the Koko Master is enjoying his second week in the number one position!.

DJ Jimmy Jatt is on the ONT white sofa with VJ Ehis this week to run through the week’s movers and shakers on the Naija music scene. This week’s biggest climber is Dr Sid who moves to number 8 with ‘Talented’, meanwhile Burna Boy and Skuki both jump up one place, to number 2 and number 6, respectively.

This week’s only new entry is ‘I’m Sorry’ by Illbliss; the hip hop artist sneaks in at number 10 with his first entry in the chart. Timaya, DJ Xclusive and Dammy Krame all remain in the same positions as last week, while former number one ‘E Mi Ni Baller’ by Chidinma falls another place to number three.

Postion	Artiste	Songs
1	D’banj	Don’t Tell Me Nonsense
2	Burna Boy	Run My Way
3	Chidinma	Emi Ni Baller
4	DJ Xclusive	No time
5	Timaya	Ekoloma Demba
6	Skuki	Voom Va
7	Olamide	Durosoke
8	Dr.Sid	Talented
9	Dammy Krane	Xteristics
10	Illbliss	I’m sorry

Every week, the Official Naija Top 10 is put together by an elite judging panel of Nigerian broadcasters, music specialists and tastemakers, working with MTV Base to pick the winners and losers in the week’s chart. On the panel are Onos Ovueraye (Bella Naija.com), DJ Humility (Rhythm FM), DJ Jimmy Jatt, DJ Xclusive (Cool FM), Big Time (Rhythm FM), DJ Caise (The Beat FM), Toolz (The Beat FM) and Osagie Alonge 

Jonathan to offer assistance to Kenya

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday said Nigeria would give support and render assistance to Kenya in its efforts to curtail the scourge of terrorism.

This is contained in a statement issued by his spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, condemning Saturday’s terrorists’ attack on a Nairobi shopping mall in Kenya.

President Jonathan, according to the statement, said the assistance was in line with the spirit of recent agreements for enhanced bilateral cooperation between both countries.

“Nigeria will assist Kenya to avoid a recurrence of the heinous attack,” it said.

The statement said Jonathan also extended heartfelt condolences to President Uhuru Kenyatta and all Kenyans over the loss of lives in Saturday’s terrorists’ attack.

“The President prays that God Almighty will comfort all those who lost their loved ones in the attack and grant the injured speedy recovery,” it said.

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Serena Williams: US Open champion's career in numbers

Serena Williams edged even closer to the most successful female tennis players of all time by winning the US Open on Sunday.

The victory was the world number one's 17th Grand Slam title - only Martina Navratlova, Chris Evert, Steffi Graf and Margaret Court have won more than the American.

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At 31, Williams claims to have never felt better and has no plans to retire any time soon.

Seven athletes failed drugs tests

Seven athletes failed drugs tests at August's World Championships, the International Association of Athletics Federations has announced.

Roman Avramenko of Ukraine, who finished fifth in the men's javelin, was the only one of the group to reach a final at the event in Moscow.

The IAAF said that all seven have been sanctioned or provisionally suspended.

Positive tests at Moscow 2013

• Roman Avramenko, (Ukraine, javelin)
• Massoud Azizi (Afghanistan, men's 100m)
• Elyzaveta Bryzgina (Ukraine, women's 200m)
• Ayman Kozhakhmetova (Kazakhstan, women's 20km walk)
• Ebrahim Rahimian (Iran, men's 20km walk)
• Yelena Ryabova (Turkmenistan, 200m)
• Jeremías Saloj (Guatemala, men's marathon).

It had promised a stringent testing programme in Moscow after a recent series of high-profile doping cases.

Former world champion Tyson Gay and ex-100m world record holder Asafa Powell both tested positive for banned substancesahead of the championships.

Their doping positives were made public in July, a month after it was announced that Veronica Campbell-Brown, 200m champion at London 2012, had tested positive for a banned diuretic - something which is viewed as a masking agent by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The 25-year-old Avramenko recorded a personal best throw of 84.48 in June before competing in Moscow, Vítezslav Vesely of the Czech Republic won the gold medal.

Avramenko tested positive for the steroid dehydrochloromethyltestosterone.

The other athletes found to have tested positive at the World Championships were Massoud Azizi (Afghanistan, men's 100m), Elyzaveta Bryzgina (Ukraine, women's 200m), Ayman Kozhakhmetova (Kazakhstan, women's 20km walk), Ebrahim Rahimian (Iran, men's 20km walk), Yelena Ryabova (Turkmenistan, women's 200m) and Jeremías Saloj (Guatemala, men's marathon).

The IAAF said that in addition to taking urine tests from 538 athletes in Moscow, 1,919 blood samples were collected as part of its Athlete Biological Passport programme, designed to detect abnormalities in an athlete over time.

The president of the IAAF, Lamine Diack, said: "The specialised analyses and the blood samples taken in connection with the Athlete Biological Passport emphasise the IAAF's firm commitment and resolve to use the most sophisticated methods at our disposal in the fight against cheating in sport."

Is Africa really a drunken continent?

"Africa has a drinking problem," declared a recent article in Time Magazine. But is the evidence there to support such a sweeping statement?

Kate Wilkinson, a researcher at the Africa Check website, is in a good position to know, and she stresses that drinking habits in the continent's 55 countries vary.

"There are different attitudes towards alcohol. Different religious beliefs about consuming alcohol. And to simply make this broad generalisation about the continent doesn't give us much insight," she says.

Reliable statistics on global alcohol consumption are hard to come by, and the numbers that we do have are quite old. Much of the World Health Organization's 2011 Global Status Report on Alcohol and Healthrelies on data from the period 2003-2005.

But to the extent that they can be relied on, the WHO numbers don't appear to support the claim made in the Time article, headlined Africa's Drinking Problem: Alcoholism on the Rise as Beverage Multinationals Circle.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

With just £1 you can get yourself truly messed up - plus two or three other people too”

Boniface NdiranguAlcohol rehabilitation centre manager, Kenya

The WHO report suggests that more than two-thirds (70.8%) of Africans have not touched a drop of alcohol for a year.

"That's largely because many African countries have large Muslim populations," explains Kate Wilkinson.

"If you look at how many people are lifetime abstainers - they don't drink alcohol at all and never have - that's 57.3%."

That hardly paints a picture of an entire continent struggling with alcohol.

There are, of course, some alcoholics in Africa.

Boniface Ndirangu, who runs two rehabilitation centres in Kenya, has many stories to tell about alcohol abuse. He is a reformed alcoholic himself.

"Alcohol has become probably the only source of relief for those out of work, the only source of relief from extreme poverty or joblessness," he says.

He blames new ranges of alcoholic drinks, which are very strong, very cheap, and, in his view, "very dangerous".

"With just £1 ($1.58) you can get yourself truly messed up, plus two or three other people too," he says.

But, stories like this do not mean that Kenya, let alone the whole of Africa, has a problem with alcohol.

Let's take a closer look at the data from the World Health Organization.

The average global alcohol consumption is 6.13 litres of pure alcohol per person over the age of 15, per year. In Africa the average is 6.15 litres, just 20 millilitres higher. That's the equivalent to drinking one double measure (50ml) of whisky more each year.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

In Kenya, while it is the case that 85% of the population had not had a drink in the past year, the people who had drunk alcohol, had consumed a lot”

Furthermore, the WHO excludes seven African countries from the calculation altogether. Crucially, these are countries with large Muslim populations where alcohol is either restricted or banned. If these were included, Africa's average consumption would be lower.

Europe, by contrast consumes 12.18 litres per year - almost double the African figure. So why is it Africa that allegedly has a drink problem?

Perhaps Kenya, the main focus of the Time Magazine article is an outlier?

It does not appear to be so. According to the WHO, Kenya's alcohol consumption per capita is 4.14 litres, putting it 118th out of a list of 189 countries. Moldova tops the table with a per capita consumption of 18.22 litres of pure alcohol. The UK is ranked 17th.

But there is a third way to look at the data - and that is to look at the numbers on binge drinking, or "heavy episodic drinking" to use the formal term. This is important because it is the most harmful way of drinking to the individual concerned.

According to the World Health Organization, a binge drinker is someone who consumes 60g (75ml) or more of pure alcohol on at least one occasion in any week.

When the WHO looked at heavy episodic drinking among those who do drink - and remember that drinkers are the minority in Africa - it found Africa had the highest proportion in the world.

In Kenya, while it is the case that 85% of the population had not had a drink in the past year (when the WHO data was gathered) - compared with just 14% in the UK - the people who had drunk alcohol, had consumed a lot. Almost twice as much per person as in the UK.

Where does this leave us?

Simply looking at average alcohol consumption statistics in Africa would certainly cast doubt on the idea that "Africa is drunk".

But taking a second look reveals those binge drinkers.

While averages are useful, they are not the only statistical fact worth considering.