Author: Chronicle Editor

West Ham have accused Dimitri Payet of showing a lack of “commitment and respect” after the France international rejoined Marseille for £25m. The Hammers insist they did not need to sell Payet and joint-chairman David Sullivan said he wanted the player to stay to “make an example” of him. But Sullivan added that manager Slaven Bilic approved the sale in “the interests of squad unity”. Payet has signed a four-and-a-half year deal with the Ligue 1 club. West Ham’s statement in full Joint-chairman David Sullivan. The club would like to place on record its sincere disappointment that Dimitri Payet did…

Gunmen believed to be Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamic extremists attacked a convoy of motorists along a recently secured highway, killing at least seven people and injuring many others, including soldiers in a military escort, witnesses said. The Maiduguri-Biu highway has been one of the most dangerous routes in northeastern Nigeria for three years because of Boko Haram attacks. The Nigeria military recaptured it last year and declared it safe, but the military escorts motorists moving in convoy along the road. Eyewitness, Dauda Pambe, said he was among the travelers guarded by soldiers when gunmen launched the ambush attack on Saturday.…

Roger Federer won his 18th Grand Slam title and first for five years with a thrilling five-set victory over Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final. The 35-year-old Swiss won 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-3 to claim his fifth Melbourne title and extend his lead at the top of the all-time men’s major winners’ list. Nadal, 30, remains tied in second with Pete Sampras on 14 Grand Slams following his first final since 2014. Federer’s previous major title came at Wimbledon in 2012. “I’ve been coming here for almost 20 years now,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed it and now…

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcomed Canadian immigrants Saturday in a sunny Twitter message written in stark contrast to Donald Trump’s order temporarily banning all refugees and many Muslims from traveling to the United States. “To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada,” Trudeau posted on Twitter. The message comes one day after Trump signed a sweeping executive order to suspend the arrival of refugees for at least 120 days and impose tough new controls on travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen for the next three…

Malaysia Sunday mounted a major air and sea search for a missing boat carrying 31 people, including 28 Chinese tourists, but strong winds and choppy seas were hampering the operation. The boat went missing in poor weather off Borneo island on Saturday morning, the first day of the Lunar New Year, the most important festival for Chinese worldwide. It had left Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia’s Sabah state en route for Pulau Mengalum, an island known for its pristine beaches and dive sites. “The owner of the boat reported it missing on Saturday evening and we have begun a search and…

Surveying his sprawling car dealership on the fringes of Benin’s commercial hub Cotonou, Kassem Hijazi alternates between chainsmoking Marlboro cigarettes and puffing on a hookah. He and his colleagues don’t have much else to do. There hasn’t been a single customer since December, when neighbouring Nigeria banned car imports by land as part of a wave of protectionist policies that are strangling Benin’s economy. “We spend our days smoking, it’s our life now,” Hijazi sighs, sitting in a gazebo beside his stock of thousands of cars steadily accumulating the dry winter dust. This afternoon, Hijazi — who, like the vast…

Liverpool’s Sadio Mane missed the decisive spot kick as Cameroon beat Senegal 5-4 on penalties to reach the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals. Mane, Africa’s most expensive player, was denied by Fabrice Ondoa, Vincent Aboubakar hitting the winning penalty. Much fancied Senegal had a great chance to win it in normal time but Moussa Sow volleyed wide from close range to leave the game scoreless after 120 minutes. Cameroon are four-time winners of the tournament. The result means Mane is likely to make a swift return to his club Liverpool, who suffered a surprising 2-1 home defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers…

The American Civil Liberties Union announced Saturday evening that a federal court in New York had issued an emergency stay on President Trump’s executive order banning immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The court’s decision, which will affect people who have been detained in airports, came after the ACLU and other activist groups filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of two Iraqis who were held at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York as a result of the order. “I hope Trump enjoys losing. He’s going to lose so much we’re going to get sick and tired of…

The paymaster of Ondo State House of Assembly has literally sacked the first female Speaker, Jumoke Akindele, by his action. The paymaster claimed he was asked to withdraw N15million in cash from the bank. The money stacked inside a ‘Ghana Must Go’ bag was meant to be delivered in Akindele’s home, according to him. But the paymaster brought the bag to the Assembly Complex, where he was found out by other members of the assembly. Questioned on the ownership of the money, he reportedly said it was meant for Akindele. This prompted an instant rebellion with 20 out of the…

Championship side Wolves held on to stun Liverpool and reach the FA Cup fifth round with a deserved victory at Anfield. Richard Stearman put the visitors ahead after only 53 seconds, left unmarked to head in Helder Costa’s free-kick. Costa then set up Andreas Weimann to round Liverpool keeper Loris Karius and double Wolves’ lead before the break. Divock Origi scored late on to set up a frantic finale but a largely subdued Liverpool failed to find an equaliser. The result is the second defeat in cup competition in four days for Jurgen Klopp’s side after they lost to Southampton…