SHAKIRA TO CLOSE WORLD CUP WITH WAKA WAKA ANTHEM.

SHAKIRA will close the 2010 soccer World Cup in style on Sunday (11Jul10) when she takes to the stage in South Africa to perform the official anthem, WAKA WAKA (THIS TIME FOR AFRICA). The Colombian star headlined the opening ceremony in Soweto last month (Jun10), kicking off the soccer tournament by singing the track with local group FreshlyGround. And she will bring the sporting event to a close in a similar fashion - although organisers promise Sunday night's celebrations will be more of a spectacle to watch.

Jermaine Craig, spokesman for the South African organising committee, says, "(It will be) more youthful and a bit more technologically advanced (with) nice lighting effects and special effects planned." The closing ceremony will begin at 6.30pm local time, two hours before the big final takes place at Soccer City. The Netherlands will find out who they will face later on Wednesday (07Jul10), when Germany takes on Spain in the only remaining semi-final match.

SHAKIRA TAKES TIME OUT TO VISIT SCHOOLS IN SOUTH AFRICA DURING WORLD CUP.

Shakira kicked off her stay in South Africa for the soccer World Cup on Wednesday (09Jun10) by visiting a school to teach her famous dance moves to students. The Colombian singer is currently in Soweto to perform the official 2010 FIFA World Cup anthem, Waka Waka (This time for Africa), at a celebratory concert on Thursday (10Jun10) - the day before the tournament begins. The pop star, a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, is also using her time in Africa for philanthropic work, making a trip to Isu'lihle Primary School to meet local kids.

Shakira toured classrooms and chatted to pupils, before giving a group of excited children a dance lesson, reports the Associated Press. And she also stressed the importance of education, telling reporters, "(The World Cup is) a great opportunity to bring all the attention to issues as important as education. Seventy-two million kids around the world (are) not able to attend school, of which 32 million are African. So this is our chance to make this World Cup's lasting legacy education for all."

SHAKIRA'S WORLD CUP ANTHEM BOMBS WHILE KNAAN'S IS DA BOMB!

Pop star Shakira's official World Cup anthem "Waka Waka" has received an unofficial "No, no" from South Africans.

The song, which is a collaboration with South African band Freshlyground, was released to radio stations last week but has not hit the right note with soccer fans in the host country.

"It's horrible," local fan Lindi Munonde said. "I'm not standing for it. I mean what is our president doing about it?"

"Waka Waka — Time for Africa" takes its inspiration from Cameroonian music, but South Africans aren't convinced Colombian singer Shakira is the right person to represent Africa's first World Cup.

"Really, I mean, how is Shakira going to sing the African part of it?" said Nomaswazi Thomo, another local fan from Johannesburg.

The "Whenever, Wherever" star is to travel to South Africa to sing the new anthem, alongside Freshlyground, before the July 11 World Cup final at the 94,000-seat Soccer City stadium near Soweto.

The 33-year-old Shakira is one of a string of international artists also performing at FIFA's June 10 Kickoff concert to mark the start of the tournament.

The Kickoff lineup, which includes American artists Alicia Keys and Black Eyed Peas, was criticized in South Africa, where locals felt their own musicians had been sidelined. World Cup organizers have now agreed to add more local artists.

Radio stations in South Africa say there has also been a strong reaction to the Waka Waka song.

"I love it that South Africans are just coming together as South Africans and saying, 'We've got our own people and it's an African World Cup. It's ours,'" 702 Talk Radio presenter Jenny Cryws-Williams said. "We are going to put on a fantastic World Cup. Why don't we have South Africans doing it for us?"

Toronto rapper K’Naan's "Waving Flag" has been adopted as Coke’s officially licensed anthem for the World Cup. Sounds like KJ is right on that one. Some Shakira's hits ain't that so hot afterall. LOL!

SHAKIRA DELIVERS SPEECH TO OXFORD STUDENTS.

Shakira has followed in the footsteps of stars including Michael Jackson and Jon Bon Jovi by addressing students at England's prestigious Oxford University - using her speech to call for better access to education across the world. The Hips Don't Lie hitmaker stood up in front of an audience at the institution's famed Union on Monday night (07Dec09) to talk about her role as an ambassador for charity UNICEF and her own The Barefoot Foundation, which aims to improve education for impoverished children.

The singer thanked the students for taking the time to listen to her talk, and went on to address the topic of universal access to education. She said, "I am somewhat mystified as to why you are here because there won't be any singing, any hip shaking whatsoever. "I was born in Colombia, growing up in the developing world where education is perceived as a luxury and not as birthright. So how do I go from Barranquilla, Colombia, come to occupy the same stage as Newton, Churchill? Lord knows, I am no Mother Theresa. But here I am nonetheless. My career gives me an enormous opportunity to communicate issues that I believe strongly should be communicated

SHAKIRA IS SUPPORTING ILLEGAL DOWNLOADERS!

Shakira has waded into an ongoing U.K. debate over illegal downloads - insisting the controversial practise brings her "closer to her fans".Lily Allen spearheaded a campaign last month (Sep09) to stop illicit file-sharing and called on the British government to help beat illegal downloaders, who she fears will destroy the music industry. Sir Elton John, Annie Lennox and George Michael backed her protest - but the Whenever, Wherever hitmaker, who has sold millions of records worldwide, is sympathetic to illegal downloaders.

Shakira tells Sky News, "I like what's going on because I feel closer to the fans and the people who appreciate the music. It's the democratisation of music in a way, and music is a gift. That's what it should be, a gift." Allen is adamant the practise means artists just starting out in the music business will struggle - but singer Nelly Furtado has also joined the debate, insisting losing sales is irrelevant to success.

She adds, "If you love music you're going to make it anyway. You'll find an audience, and you may not make like millions of dollars but you'll make enough to have a house and a family and a car."

SHAKIRA TO APPEAR IN UGLY BETTY.

Colombian pop sensation SHAKIRA is heading to the small screen - she has landed a cameo role in TV hit UGLY BETTY.The Hips Don't Lie hitmaker will play herself in an episode of the show, set on a photoshoot in the Bahamas. Ugly Betty creator Silvio Horta tells People.com, "We've mentioned her several times over the course of the series and have always wanted to work with her. She's an enormous Latina icon, as is Betty, and we thought it was a perfect fit.