Author: David Great

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti says he understands the fans booing him and the team in their 5-2 win over Celta Vigo in their Copa del Rey round of 16 clash on Thursday, which he sees as an act of frustration after a humiliating 5-2 loss to rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday. Ancelotti said he was glad that his side showed character to not be affected by their fans’ anger and advance to the quarter-finals on Thursday, after they allowed Celta to recover from two goals down to level the game 2-2 in the final minutes…

The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday fixed January 20, 2025, for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to arraign the Chairman of Honeywell Group, Chief Oba Otudeko, and a former First Bank Managing Director, Stephen Onasanya, for allegedly looting N12.3bn from First Bank. Otudeko, a former Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Holdings, and Onasanya are to be arraigned alongside a former board member of Honeywell, Soji Akintayo, and a firm, Anchorage Leisure Limited, allegedly connected to Otudeko. According to EFCC, the four defendants allegedly committed fraud in tranches of N5.2bn, N6.2bn, N6.150bn, N1.5bn and N500m, between 2013…

South Korea’s anti-corruption agency on Friday announced its intention to request a Seoul court to prolong the detention of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has once more declined to answer questions from investigators. On Wednesday, Yoon made history as the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested, amid an investigation into allegations of insurrection related to his brief imposition of martial law in early December. He is currently in custody at the Seoul Detention Centre. To extend Yoon’s custody, investigators at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which is overseeing the inquiry, must seek court approval for…

A SpaceX Starship rocket exploded in space just minutes after its launch from Texas on Thursday, prompting airline flights over the Gulf of Mexico to change their routes to steer clear of falling debris and delaying Elon Musk’s flagship rocket program. SpaceX mission control experienced a loss of communication with the newly upgraded Starship, which was transporting its inaugural test payload of mock satellites without any crew, just eight minutes after it launched from its South Texas rocket facilities at 5:38 p.m. EST (2238 GMT). Footage captured by Reuters displayed orange orbs of light darting through the sky above the…

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Friday announced that the Israeli cabinet will convene to provide final approval for a ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which includes the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip. In Gaza, Israeli warplanes continued their intense strikes, with Palestinian authorities reporting late on Thursday that at least 86 people were killed the day after the truce was announced. Amid ongoing divisions among ministers, Israel postponed meetings that were anticipated on Thursday, when the cabinet was set to vote on the pact, attributing the delay to Hamas. However, in the early hours…

Nigerian troops have eliminated 76 Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants in the northeastern Borno state in recent weeks, a spokesperson said on Thursday. The militants were thought to be affiliated with the armed group Boko Haram and its offshoot ISWAP, which have been conducting a lethal insurgency in northeast Nigeria since 2009, displacing millions and resulting in thousands of deaths, particularly in Borno, the epicentre of the conflict. Since the beginning of the year, militants have intensified their attacks in Borno, including a recent assault on the Dumba community on Sunday that resulted in the…

Since its debut in December 2023, Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels TV has become a hub for deep and critical conversations about Nigeria’s governance, socio-political challenges, and economic future. Hosted by veteran journalist and former presidential aide Laolu Akande, the program provides a platform for thought leaders, policymakers, and activists to reflect on the nation’s current state and its trajectory toward progress. Asked what drives the programme, its guests and themes, Akande says: “it’s about the future of the country. We bring older people to come and reflect. Then we bring younger, newer voices to come and cast…

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has expressed its strong support for the ongoing legislative process to pass President Bola Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bills at the National Assembly, describing the reforms as essential for modernizing Nigeria’s fiscal policies. In a communique issued after their meeting on Thursday, January 16, 2025, the governors agreed to retain the current Value Added Tax (VAT) rate and Corporate Income Tax (CIT) to ensure economic stability. They also endorsed a revised VAT sharing formula, which allocates resources as follows: 50% based on equality, 30% based on derivation, and 20% based on population. The communique, seen by…

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has announced that Nigerians will face a 30-60 percent increase in the cost of calls, data, and other telecommunications services. Speaking on Tuesday while responding to questions Channels Television’s Politics Today, Tijani explained that the increase in call and data tariffs is necessary to sustain investments critical to the growth of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector and overall economic development. “The telecommunications tariff increase should not be more than 30 to 60 percent,” Tijani said. “The sector is about investment in infrastructure; the technologies are changing, so you have to keep investing in…

Bologna rescued a hard-fought point at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza with a second 2-2 draw in three league meetings, coming from behind to deny Inter Milan the chance to close the gap to Serie A leaders SSC Napoli. Nikola Moro set the tone early on, forcing Yann Sommer into a fine save to tip his effort onto the post before his mishit volley set up Santiago Castro, who slotted past the goalkeeper inside 15 minutes – a goal that ended Inter’Milan’s clean sheet streak in the league which dated back to early December. The Nerazzurri wasted no time responding, as…