Obi Mikel has improved, says Ancelotti

Chelsea coach, Carlo Ancelotti said that midfielder, John Obi Mikel has improved tremendously. He added that Mikel was a contributory factor to the 13 goals, the Blues have scored so far this season.

Ancelotti said that last season, the former Nigerian youth international and a regular with the Eagles, struggled to impose himself on the team, but he has been exceptionally different so far.

"Last season, Mikel had an average of 18 per cent forward passes and in the three games this season he had 38 per cent. He's trying to put more balls directly to strikers," Ancelotti said.

The Italian said that Chelsea's aim this season was to play good and attractive football. And he was banking on the likes of Mikel to be in good form.

But during the Nations Cup qualifier against Madagascar last Sunday in Abuja, Mikel hopped off the field after he picked a minor injury.

However, he said that he will be fit for Chelsea's weekend game against West Ham.

"My injury was not a serious one. I had cramps in my thigh and I did not want to risk it any further. That was why I was pulled off," Mikel said.

Vanguard

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Women entrepreneurs to converge in Abuja

Women entrepreneurs from various sectors of the economy will converge next month in Abuja, courtesy of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Business Women Group (NAWORG).

The National Vice President of NACCIMA/Chairperson, NAWORG, Iyalode Alaba Lawson, who disclosed this, Tuesday, in Lagos, said that the decision by NAWORG to bring these women together was for them to use the Nigerian Women Entrepreneurs Exhibition (NIWEX), to showcase their products and services, with a view to bringing to the fore, their business successes and achievements.

According to her, NAWORG is doing this in collaboration with Medallion Marketing Limited.

"The theme of the exhibition, which is "The Role of Women in Economic Development", is appropriate and timely, given the increasing role being played by the women folks in business world over. It is also in line with the on-going reform agenda of the federal government directed at boosting business/trading related activities towards achieving economic growth and development," she stated.

She also urged the political office holders at the federal, state and local government level, and other stakeholders in the economy not to allow politics to crowd or monopolize the economy, especially as Nigerians approach the 2011 election year, adding that it is necessary in order not to derail the positive in road already being made with nascent democracy to make Nigeria a vibrant strong economy as it pursue its vision 20:2020 agenda.

Vanguard

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FBI trains EFCC operatives on anti-terrorism

Instructors from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States yesterday commenced a training programme for operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on anti-money laundering and control of terrorist financing.

The Nigeria Police, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the State Security Service (SSS) are also involved in the two-week training taking place at the EFCC Training and Research Institute, Karu near Abuja. While declaring the training programme opened, EFCC chairman Farida Waziri said it is part of the continuing partnership between Nigeria and the United States in the fight against the twin evils of money laundering and terrorist financing.

"Since the tragic events of 9/11, it has become clear that no country is immune to the evil consequences of money laundering," Farida said adding that "the terror networks that use the dirty money to promote misery and death around the world must be recognized and treated as enemies of humanity.

"To weed out the culture of corruption on which money laundering and terrorism subsist, money launderers and the promoters of terror must be denied any iota of legitimacy; they must not be allowed to exploit the poverty and ignorance of our people," she said.

She assured the U.S. that Nigeria remains open and amenable to all the platforms of partnership needed to win the war against economic and financial crimes.

FBI representative, Victor Mc Collum, said the cooperation between the Nigerian law enforcement agencies and the FBI has been quite outstanding. "Everything we have tried to accomplish here so far, we have been able to do. We have had great cooperation from the institutions we have worked with and we have been able to provide the institutions with some assistance and a lot of collaboration," Mc Collum said.

The 40 participants will be trained on interrogation; hostage crisis negotiation, basic forensics and major case management.

Daily Trust

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