Author: Chronicle Editor

Taylor Swift must face a jury trial over accusations that she copied lyrics for Shake It Off from another song. A US judge has refused Taylor Swift’s request to dismiss the case, saying a jury may find that her 2014 hit copied girl group 3LW’s 2001 tune Playas Gon’ Play. Both tracks feature variations of the phrases “players gonna play” and “haters gonna hate”. The judge had previously rejected the case, saying the lyrics were too “banal” to be copyrighted. In his original ruling, District Judge Michael W Fitzgerald cited 13 earlier songs that featured similar phrases, including Playa Hater…

Newcastle have made contact with Manchester United over a possible January deal for England midfielder Jesse Lingard, 28. (Sun) Manchester United have drawn up a four-man shortlist in case 34-year-old Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani joins Barcelona, including Norway’s Erling Haaland, 21, Portugal’s Joao Felix, 22, Germany star Timo Werner, 25 and Swedish youngster Alexander Isak, 22. (Mail) Chelsea and Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku, 28, will return to Serie A before the end of his career, his agent has said. (Tuttosport, via Goal) Inter Milan have not held any contract discussions with Dutch defender Stefan de Vrij, 29, amid interest from…

At least 100 people were feared dead in Kentucky after a swarm of tornadoes tore a 200-mile path through the US Midwest and South, demolishing homes, levelling businesses and setting off a scramble to find survivors beneath the rubble, officials said Saturday. The powerful twisters, which weather forecasters say are unusual in cooler months, destroyed a candle factory and the fire and police stations in a small town in Kentucky, ripped through a nursing home in neighboring Missouri, and killed at least six workers at an Amazon warehouse in Illinois. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the collection of tornadoes was…

Adds that with innovative ideas, skills, this generation can find solutions to local, global challenges Even as the Federal Government’s National Development Plan 2021-2025 aims to chart a path for the county’s future, Nigeria’s young generation can find solutions to present and future local and global challenges, with the right ideas, innovation and application of technology, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. Prof. Osinbajo, who was speaking today at the 60th anniversary of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, in Osun State, also told the graduating class that the future belonged to them, urging them “to pay attention to…

Arsenal boosted their Champions League qualification hopes as they cruised past Southampton at the Emirates Stadium despite captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being dropped from the squad. Stand-in skipper Alexandre Lacazette opened the scoring for the Gunners in the 21st minute, finishing off a superb 16-pass team move. And Martin Odegaard doubled the lead six minutes later heading home from close range. Arsenal dominated throughout and added a third after 62 minutes with defender Gabriel nodding in a Gabriel Martinelli corner. The Gunners jump up to fifth in the Premier League table, one point off the top four, while Southampton stay 16th.…

Mohamed Salah’s coolly taken penalty for Liverpool ensured Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard’s much-heralded return to Anfield ended in defeat. Tyrone Mings was penalised midway through the second half for a foul on Salah, who took the spot-kick himself for his 14th Premier League goal of the season. Liverpool were earlier kept out by keeper Emiliano Martinez, while Salah missed a great chance to add a second. The win keeps Jurgen Klopp’s side a point behind leaders Manchester City, who beat Wolves 1-0 earlier on Saturday. Gerrard suffers Anfield disappointment Gerrard made it clear he wanted points not sentiment on…

Jorginho’s stoppage-time penalty ensured Chelsea avoided conceding further ground in the Premier League title race with a dramatic victory over Leeds United at Stamford Bridge. Teenager Joe Gelhardt, brought on as an 81st-minute substitute, appeared to have earned a late point for Leeds with his first touch – the 19-year-old sliding in to send Tyler Roberts’ low cross past Edouard Mendy. In a hugely entertaining encounter featuring three converted penalties, Raphinha put the visitors ahead with the game’s first spot-kick after 28 minutes following Marcos Alonso’s mistimed challenge on Daniel James. But Chelsea, knocked off top spot in the table…

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Mainz at the Allianz Arena. The visitors took a shock lead courtesy of Karim Onisiwo’s close-range header midway through the first half. Kingsley Coman’s confident finish from Corentin Tolisso’s pass restored parity, before Jamal Musiala completed the turnaround with a low strike. Moussa Niakhate went closest to a late equaliser but shot straight at Manuel Neuer. The result means manager Julian Nagelsmann has won 100 games in Germany’s top-flight, spanning spells with Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich. Nagelsmann’s side move six points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund, who were held…

•Governor tours project site, excited at progress Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos says the 32-metric tons per hour rice mill constructed by Lagos State Government in Imota area of Ikorodu division will start operations before end of first quarter in 2022. Sanwo-Olu said the facility would be subjected to a pre-production test run before the end of first quarter next year, after which the full production capacity would be activated rice production. Two years after his first visit, the Governor went on an on-the-spot assessment of the biggest agro project being undertaken by a sub-national Government. He was accompanied by…

Weeks after the 2020 election, a Chicago publicist for hip-hop artist Kanye West traveled to the suburban home of Ruby Freeman, a frightened Georgia election worker who was facing death threats after being falsely accused by former President Donald Trump of manipulating votes. The publicist knocked on the door and offered to help. The visitor, Trevian Kutti, gave her name but didn’t say she worked for West, a longtime billionaire friend of Trump. She said she was sent by a “high-profile individual,” whom she didn’t identify, to give Freeman an urgent message: confess to Trump’s voter-fraud allegations, or people would…