Author: David Great

A man-of-the-match performance from Ademola Lookman helped Atalanta register their first away day success in the UEFA Champions League in five matches, following a 3-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at the Veterinarians. With only a solitary UCL victory since September 2021 – a sequence spanning nine matches (D4, L4) – Atalanta looked assertive on the neutral ground of Gelsenkirchen in search of the game’s opening goal. That determination was rewarded in the 21st minute as Lookman’s delicious delivery into the danger zone was expertly converted from close range by the marauding Berat Djimsiti. The visitors came close to doubling that…

Today, Nigeria blows out 64 candles on her independence cake. It is hard not to marvel at the journey we have had so far. From the promising dreams of 1960 to the Elysian situation we find ourselves in today, it has been one heck of a sweet ride; sweeter than thaumatin. Let us reflect. Since gaining independence from British colonial rule, we have nailed the art of self-governance. We have proven that nothing says sovereignty quite like our signature blend of political stability. Our transparent leadership and strength in democracy are excellent. Our leaders have mastered the fine art of…

Senegal has decided to part company with coach Aliou Cisse, who led them to their Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 2022 and the past two World Cup tournaments. The initiative came from Senegal sports minister Khady Diene Gaye, according to the local football association, citing a government request not to renew his contract. Aliou Cisse, a former captain of the national team and Paris Saint-Germain player, took over as coach in 2015 and led the country to their first AFCON title two years ago. Senegal also reached the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup but fell at the…

In a coordinated sting operation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 33 individuals suspected of involvement in internet fraud in Port Harcourt. The suspects were apprehended at their hideouts in the Iwofe and Ogboro areas of the city. According to a statement from the EFCC, the operation was based on credible intelligence concerning the suspects’ activities. The anti-graft agency recovered several incriminating items, including various mobile phones, laptops, boxes of counterfeit United States dollars, and fake Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) stamps. Additionally, fake Customs, airport clearance, DHL, and FedEx stamps, as well as two cars, were…

President Bola Tinubu will on Wednesday depart Abuja for the United Kingdom to begin a two-week vacation. The vacation is “part of his yearly leave,” Bayo Onanuga, the president’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, revealed in a statement he signed Wednesday. The statement is titled ‘President Tinubu goes on annual leave.’ “He will use the two weeks as a working vacation and a retreat to reflect on his administration’s economic reforms. “He will return to the country after the leave expires,” the statement read in part. 64th Independence: Tinubu promises to end food scarcity, inflation Sources close to the…

The Federal Government has initiated emergency repairs on the deteriorating 7 km stretch of the Lagos-Sango-Ota-Abeokuta road, a crucial route that has faced significant neglect in recent years. This announcement was made on Wednesday through a statement issued by the Special Adviser Media to the Minister of Works, Uchenna Orji. In the statement, Orji emphasised the government’s commitment to addressing the pressing infrastructure issues affecting commuters. “The road has been bad for some time, and the Federal Ministry of Works is bringing relief on the dilapidated sections in conjunction with the concessionaire,” he said. FRSC warns motorists against one-way driving…

Israel threatened Wednesday to retaliate after Iran fired a barrage of missiles at its territory, with Tehran warning it would hit “all infrastructure” in Israel if it comes under attack. Israel vowed it would make Iran “pay” after the attack late Tuesday, which saw most of the missiles intercepted, and pledged to immediately strike “the Middle East powerfully”. President Joe Biden said the United States was “fully supportive” of Israel after the missile attack, adding that he would discuss a response with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Asked by reporters what the response towards Iran would be, Biden replied: “That’s…

At least six people have been killed and nine wounded in a mass shooting at a Tel Aviv railway station, Israeli media said. Police earlier said four people were killed and seven wounded in a suspected terror attack in Israel’s central city of Tel Aviv, adding that two assailants had been “neutralised”. “Four civilians were killed by gunfire from two terrorists. Additionally, there are seven injured individuals in varying degrees of severity according to medical sources. Both terrorists have been neutralised on site,” police said in a statement. Police said the gunmen opened fire in Israel’s commercial capital Tel Aviv…

A father from the United Kingdom, has spoken out about the emotional toll of waiting 15 months to finally meet his daughter after his ex-girlfriend tampered with a DNA test, falsely claiming that the child wasn’t his. Georgina Saville, 25, manipulated a DNA test result and fraudulently listed her new boyfriend, Danny Mellows, as the father on the baby’s birth certificate instead of her ex-partner, Kyle Fitton. This deception was intended to prevent Mr. Fitton, 26, from pursuing legal action to gain access to his children. Saville has denied this allegation, claiming that she falsified the documents to avoid being…

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, a global initiative dedicated to improving access to vaccines, averted over 1.3 million future deaths in 2023, according to its 2023 Annual Progress Report. This remarkable achievement, equivalent to saving more than two lives per minute, was made possible by large-scale vaccination programmes across the globe, further solidifying Gavi’s role in global public health. The report highlights historic progress in the fight against cervical cancer, as 14 million girls were vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV) in 2023, exceeding the number of girls vaccinated in the previous ten years combined. The Vaccine Alliance efforts in HPV…