NIGERIA

The big opening ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics is over and done, so it's time for the real attraction: the games themselves. Olympic schedules can be a little confusing to follow, so we've compiled a guide to some of the biggest events at the games, with a special emphasis on American athletes.

A profile of the flag bearer for Team USA, fencer Mariel Zagunis.

Uroko Onoka, a wealthy Nigerian man and local philanthropist, was allegely raped by his six wives after returning home from a bar last Tuesday night.

Why Ghana has been spared much of the chaos that surrounds it in West Africa?

Heavy flooding in the central Nigerian state of Plateau has caused at least 39 deaths and washed away dozens of homes after a dam near the city of Jos overflowed.

The World Wildlife Fund, or WWF, ranked Vietnam the worst country for wildlife protection among 23 nations assessed for enforcement and protection of species prone to poachers, such as rhinos, elephants and tigers. (Check out the full report and list here).

China's giant oil and gas conglomerate Cnooc Ltd. said Monday it will pay $15.1 billion in cash for Canadian oil and gas company Nexen Incorporated (NYSE: NXY), among whose assets are large oil sands and shale gas properties.

File this under Ridiculously Awesome: Frustrated with the constant chatter of attorney Nnajite Okobie and two of his clients, Nigerian Magistrate Adewumi Makanjuola ordered them to either spend five minutes hopping around the court like frogs or pay fines for contempt of court.

Chelsea's big spending summer in the transfer market shows no signs of abating.

Nigerian authorities served Makoko residents with an eviction notice last week. They were given only 72 hours to leave their homes before demolition forces moved in.

Arsenal are still eager to make signings ahead of the new season.

The United States Men's Basketball team begins its quest for a second straight gold medal on Thursday night.

Does the industry deserve the reputation earned by a few rotten apples?

According to United Nations figures, about 220 million women in the developing world who do not want to get pregnant, cannot get reliable access to contraception.

The Nigerian Supreme Court ruled that the sale of a Nigerian aluminum enterprise to Russian conglomerate RUSAL was in fact illegal. Instead, Nigeria's ALSCON should have gone to the original highest bidder: a U.S. firm called BFI.

The Beatles and Rolling Stones were inadvertently stepping into a vacuum ? the biggest rock star in the world, Elvis Presley, was inducted into the army in 1962.

Ike Diogu has made his alma mater, Arizona State University, and his parents' native Nigeria proud after his play helped the African nation become the last country to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics in basketball.

Chelsea appear eager to add pace and creativity to their side in an effort to build on their Champions League success.

The refineries are aimed at replacing Nigeria's decaying refining infrastructure, which has turned the country into a net importer.

An abandoned slave fort in Sierra Leone is undergoing restoration so that it can be opened to the public. Officials hope that it will generate much-needed tourism revenues in the war-torn country.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime released in its World Drug Report 2012 this week data underlying a list of the top 12 cannabis-smoking countries in the world compiled by Business Insider. The good old U.S. of A. landed at No. 7.