Essien loaned to Real Madrid

Chelsea Football Club today (Friday) announces that Michael Essien has joined Real Madrid on a season-long loan.
                                      
The 29-year-old midfielder, who joined the club in 2005 from Lyon, will move to the Bernabeu and link up with former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, the man who brought him to Stamford Bridge.

Essien has been a pivotal member of the Blues midfield during his six seasons in west London, winning two Premier League titles, four FA Cups and one Champions League winners' medal.

After making his debut as a second-half substitute against Arsenal at the beginning of the 2005/06 season, he went on to play a key role in helping the Blues secure back-to-back titles.

The Ghanaian scored his first goal for the club during a 2-1 win against Tottenham and won the Goal of the Season for his long-range strike against Arsenal a year later. He followed that up with the same award for his volley against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final. In total he has scored 25 goals for Chelsea in 247 appearances.

He is a popular figure among team-mates, management and supporters

source:  myjoyonline.com 
                                   

                                   

Usain Bolt says he will continue to 'push the barriers'

Usain Bolt says he will continue to "push the barriers" after finishing London 2012 as a triple Olympic champion for the second time.

After claiming 100m and 200m golds, the 25-year-old anchored Jamaica to victory in the 4x100m relay in a new world record time of 36.84 seconds.
"I like to push the barriers," said the 100m and 200m world record holder.

 

 "I like to do things people have never done before because it sets you apart from everybody else."

Bolt, Yohan Blake, Nesta Carter and Michael Frater became the first relay team to ever run under 37 seconds as they left the United States trailing to win gold on the last full day of athletics action inside the Olympic Stadium.
Blake said: "Basically, we are not human, we dropped from space like Mr Bean. Mr Bean is not a normal guy, he makes jokes. We are not normal guys. We are from space, I am from Mars."
But Bolt replied: "Yohan is crazy. If he keeps talking like that, someone is going to put him in a straitjacket one day."
Bolt was part of the Jamaica team that set a new 4x100m relay landmark at last year's World Championships in Daegu and he said: "It is the second time of running a world record with my team-mates and to do it again is an honour.
"To have passed that line in a world record time is wonderful. These guys really pushed themselves to make sure we ran fast and broke the record."

Bolt became the first man to ever defend the 100m and 200m Olympic titles, beating Blake into second in both races.

Jamaica also completed a clean sweep in the 200m, with Warren Weir taking the bronze medal.
"There is great talent coming out of Jamaica," said Bolt. "To be on the podium with my team-mates was wonderful. The relays are always the favourite part of the championships for me because it's much more relaxing. We can laugh and talk about other stuff.
"Individual sports are lonely but when you compete with the team you get to laugh and share a world record together."
Bolt declared himself a "living legend" after his double Olympic title defence but says he will continue to race the rest of the season for his supporters.
"The rest of my races are for my fans," he said. "It will be the first time running as a living legend, so I'm going to see my fans, wave to them, do some crazy stuff. It's going to be fun."
Bolt is expected to compete at the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne on 23 August but is yet to decide whether to run the 100m or 200m.

source:bbc

Mills' Funeral Update: Day 2

Thousands of Ghanaians continue to converge at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Accra to view the body of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, on day two of the of a three-day State funeral.
    
The viewing has been orderly, as security operatives make mourners undergo checks, with meandering queues that stretch towards the military cemetery near the State House.
    
The State House was bedeck with activities on Wednesday night during the vigil for the first day of the funeral ceremony. Several groups of musical and cultural performances galvanised the teeming crowds with dirges, choral, poems and other performances in anticipation of the vigil that starts from 1900 hours.


There is still heavy security presence in the area that has become a sea of black and red colours in  symbolic mourning of the 68-year-old Ghanaian leader, who passed away three days after celebrating his 68th birthday on July 24, at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, while receiving medical treatment.
    
Several high profile Ghanaians including the successor of the late President Mills, President John Dramani Mahama, and his Vice Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, and immediate past First Lady Dr. Naadu Mills and son of the late President, Mr Kofi Sam Atta Mills paid their respect to the late president.

The leadership of the NDC, the NPP and the CPP, as well as former Presidents John Agyekum Kufour and Jerry John Rawlings and wife Nana Konadu, and the their flag-bearers paid their last respects.
   
Mr Ambrose Dery, Deputy Minority Leader, after viewing the body, reflected soberly on the death of the late President Mills and added that it was a reminder of how fleeting life man is.

The head of the Consumer Protection Agency, Kofi Kapito struggled to maintain his composure as he fought back tears after filing past the remains of the renowned professor of law.

Felix Ofosu Kwakye, a leading member of the NDC’s communication team told XYZ News that the death of President Mills will always stay with those who knew what a remarkable man he was.

Nana Ato Dadzie, spokesperson of the Funeral Planning Committee told XYZ News in an interview that despite all the hiccups at the beginning of the ceremony, everything panned out well and that the patience and tolerance that Ghanaians displayed on Wednesday depicts the true nature of the man whose life country celebrates.
 

Source: RadioXYZonline.com

President Mills' Burial service-Day 1

Early this morning at about 7:00am, the casket containing the remains of President Mills was brought out of the 37 Military Mortuary Morgue to mark the commencement of the funeral ceremony of the late president of the Republic of Ghana.

This was after the final funeral ritual was performed by the family of the late president.

A slow funeral procession from the hospital then left for the residence of the late president as customs demands at the Regimanuel Gray Estates at East Airport area.

The remains of President John Evans Atta Mills is currently being conveyed to the seat of government – Osu, Castle.



Many mourners have lined up on the road to view the cortege amidst tears and wailing.

Updates

?8:32: am: ?Cortege moves past the State House.

8:45 am: Cortege has reached the Castle, Osu.

8:51am: Officials at the Castle are saluting the hearse. Mr. Bebaako-Mensah, Secretary to the President breaks down in tears.

8:53am: Chief of Staff John Henry Martey Newman prays for the soul of President Mills at the Castle. He asks for peace and leads the officials to say the Lord's prayer.

9:05am: Cortege leaves Castle for State House

9:30am: Cortege arrives at the State House as the hearse pulls up infront of the Banquet Hall.

9:40am Family head pours libation for the body to be sent inside the Banquet Hall

9:50am: The casket adorned with the red, gold and greed colours of the Ghana flag has being carried inside the Banquet Hall by pallbearers of the Ghana Air Force dressed in ceremonial attire.



10:00am: Dr Richard Anane former Minister under the erstwhile Kufuor administration says Ghana has lost a good man.

10:00am There is a cultural display as fontonfrom drummers and dancers play mournful tunes on the main funeral park.

11:00am: Vice President Amissah-Arthur and President John Dramani Mahama have arrived at the State House to file past the remains of late President Mills. The President is clad in a black suit and leading the entourage to enter the hall.

11:10am: President Mahama, Vice President Amissah-Arthur, widow, Dr. Naadu Mills and Samuel Atta Mills (son of the late President) enter the auditorium.

11:05am: ?Ministers of State are all waiting for the President to file past the remains of President Mills.

12:pm Former President Kufuor pays his last respect.

12:10pm Nana Akufo-Addo, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey and other leading NPP members pay their last respect.

               
12:20pm: Former President Rawlings and wife pay their last respect**


  source: radioxyzonline.com