Author: David Great

Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi will not play in this week’s MLS All-Star Game, Major League Soccer said on Monday, eight days after the Argentine superstar left the Copa America final with an ankle injury. Messi was listed among unavailable players for Wednesday’s match in Columbus, Ohio, pitting MLS All Stars from 18 league clubs against top talent from Mexico’s LIGA MX. The game would have been his MLS All-Star Game debut after he joined Inter Miami in July 2023 following a storied career in Europe. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has 12 goals and 13 assists in his first 12…

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has convened a high-level meeting with key stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to resolve the ongoing issues surrounding the Dangote Refinery. The meeting, held on Monday, brought together Chairman and CEO of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Gbenga Komolafe, and Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, Mele Kyari. This was contained in a statement released on Monday by Lokpobiri’s Special Adviser…

Aston Villa have signed defensive midfielder Amadou Onana from fellow Premier League side Everton, both clubs said on Monday. Neither Villa nor Everton disclosed financial details, but British media reported the deal was worth around 50 million pounds ($64.6 million). Villa did not reveal the length of the Belgium international’s contract. Born in Dakar, Senegal, Onana started his senior career at German side Hamburg before moving to Ligue 1’s Lille in 2021. He made 75 appearances for Everton after joining them in 2022. Villa finished fourth in the English top flight last season.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday arrested ten suspected illegal miners in Ogbomoso, Oyo State. The suspects are Yunusa Adisa, Ganiyu Kazeem, Muideen Babayemi, Sulaiman Usman, Adeleke Waliu, Tiamiyu Rokeeb, Olusola Sunday, Oyedokun Oluwagbemiga, Sulaimon Ishiaq, and Olufimihan Eniola. A statement on Monday by the EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said the suspects were arrested with six trucks fully loaded with lithium. He added that the suspects would be arraigned in court after an investigation into the matter. Emefiele, wife not beneficiary of money paid into three companies – EFCC witness Oyewale said, “Operatives of the…

President Bola Tinubu has announced the appointment of Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa as the new Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR). In a statement by the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, the appointment will take effect on July 24, 2024, following the expiration of Professor Babatunde Salako’s tenure on July 23, 2024. The president expressed his gratitude to Professor Salako for his dedicated service to the nation during his term. Professor Obafunwa is a distinguished academic and medical professional with a robust career spanning several decades. He earned his medical degree from the…

Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min’s father has been accused of verbally abusing a young player at his football academy in South Korea, according to a police interview transcript given to AFP by a lawyer on Monday. Former footballer Son Woong-jung is a public figure in South Korea and authored a best-selling memoir detailing how he helped his son become one of the best strikers in the English Premier League. But the family of a 12-year-old, identified only as Kim, told police he was the target of foul language just weeks after his enrolment at Son senior’s academy in November. “I…

The Police Command in Kaduna State, said its operatives have arrested a suspect with 30 different fabricated master keys of vehicles and motorcycles in Kaduna. The command’s spokesperson, ASP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Kaduna. Hassan said, “The suspect specialises in vehicle and motorcycle theft. “On July 20, at about 0230hrs our personnel received a distress call that a shop was burgled. “Upon receiving information, our operatives were immediately drafted to the area.” Police confirm killing of officer, five others by gunmen He said that upon arriving at the scene, the…

A Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja has refused to stop government spending by Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State pending the hearing and determination of a substantive suit filed by the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers Assembly. In a decision on the application ex-parte filed by Sebastien Hon, SAN and filed as FHC/ABJ/CS/984/24, Justice Emeka Nwite instead directed the plaintiffs to serve notice on each respondent in the lawsuit. Judge Nwite did, however, grant the plaintiffs’ second petition ex parte to use substituted means to serve the fifth to 10th defendants with the original process and other applications in the case.…

Congressional Black Caucus supports Harris Key donors, super PACs also support Harris Following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race on Sunday, many Democrats quickly backed Vice President Kamala Harris to run as the party’s presidential nominee against Donald Trump, but some powerful party members, including former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, remained silent. After weeks of debate among Democrats over whether Biden, 81, should remain in the race, a surge of support behind Harris, if she is to be the nominee, is critical with just over 100 days until the November election. However, some…

French champions Paris St-Germain are set to advance their pursuit of Napoli’s Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen, 25. (Fabrizio Romano) As well as Osimhen, PSG also want to sign Napoli’s Georgia winger Khvicha Kvaratshkelia, 23, and 19-year-old French midfielder Desire Doue from Rennes. (Sky Sports) West Ham are interested in a move for AC Milan’s 26-year-old English defender Fikayo Tomori. (Mail) Manchester City’s Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, 33, has not agreed terms with Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad despite reports. (Talksport) Manchester United have decided not to trigger an option to sign Morroco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, 27, on a permanent deal. (Tuttomercato – in Italian) Victor Osimhen awaits Arsenal offer The Premier League club…