Author: David Great

Jadon Sancho put in a performance of a lifetime as Borussia Dortmund’s Niclas Füllkrug fired in a first-half goal to seal a 1-0 victory over visitors Paris St Germain in a compelling Champions League semi-final first leg on Wednesday. Nico Schlotterbeck floated a pass into Füllkrug’s path and the Germany forward controlled the ball with a perfect first touch before drilling a low shot past keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 36th minute. PSG, fresh from being crowned Ligue 1 champions and desperate to win their first-ever Champions League trophy, found it hard going against a disciplined German defence, especially in…

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have given President Bola Tinubu until the end of May to finalise the implementation of the new national minimum wage for workers. NLC president Joe Ajaero made the demand on Wednesday in Abuja at this year’s International Workers Day. Mr Ajaero said, “All parties in the tripartite process are well represented, and the engagement has been robust. We have placed our demand of N615,000 only before our social partners while we await their offer. If, however, the negotiation of the minimum wage is not concluded by the end of May, the trade union movement in…

A Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, has ordered an application for substituted service of interim order to be served on Multi-Choice Nigeria Limited, providers of DSTv and GOTv pay-TV service. The order was issued following a suit filed by an Abuja-based lawyer, Festus Onifade, who had approached the tribunal to restrain Multi-Choice from increasing the tariffs on its DStv and Gotv packages, which was slated to take effect from May 1. Onifade, in the suit marked: CCPT/OP/2/2024, had dragged Multi-Choice Nigeria Ltd and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission before the tribunal. The applicant in the suit…

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was disappointed with his players’ attitude, calling them “soft” for defending too deep in their 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final, first leg on Tuesday. Ancelotti was critical of his team’s commitment after Vinicius Jr’s first-half goal gave them the lead as Bayern struck twice in four minutes early in the second half to turn the game around before Vinicius equalised from the penalty spot. “The result is good but on a level of play we could have done better. Bayern showed their best version and we didn’t. We have to…

Top US diplomat Antony Blinken urged Hamas to accept a truce in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to send troops into its far southern city of Rafah. Washington has heightened pressure on all sides to reach a ceasefire — a message pushed by Blinken, who was on his seventh regional tour since the Gaza war broke out in October. “Even in these very difficult times we are determined to get a ceasefire that brings the hostages home — and to get it now,” Blinken said as he met Israeli President Isaac Herzog in…

Violent skirmishes broke out on Wednesday on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) between pro-Palestinian protesters and a group of counter-demonstrators, a live video coverage by a US broadcaster revealed. According to the UCLA student publication Daily Bruin, supporters of Israel attempted to knock down a pro-Palestinian protest campsite on campus. Police were responding to UCLA Chancellor Gene Block’s call for assistance, said Zach Seidl, Los Angeles Deputy Mayor of Communications, on X. The October 7 attack on southern Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, followed by an Israeli offensive on the Palestinian territory, has sparked…

President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government on Tuesday approved 25% and 35% salary increase for civil servants across various consolidated salary structures. This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Head of Press, National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission, Emmanuel Njoku, the increases takes effect on January 1, 2024. The statement added that the salary increase applies to the six remaining consolidated salary structures, namely the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure, Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure, Consolidated Police Salary Structure, Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure, Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure, and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure. Also approved for…

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Depot Chairmen Forum has threatened to withdraw its services over non-payment of N200 billion bridging claims by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to its members since 2022. While briefing journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, its chairman, Yahaya Alhassan, said the forum was distressed and depressed by the laidback attitude of the NMDPRA towards the survival of its member’s businesses, arising from its refusal to pay the claims. “It is with deep frustration that we have assembled here today as the IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum. It is also disheartening…

Spain’s government on Tuesday appointed former national squad coach Vicente del Bosque as head of a new committee supervising the country’s scandal-ridden RFEF soccer federation, Sports Minister Pilar Alegria said Spain, which will co-host the 2030 World Cup, last week announced the creation of a special committee to oversee RFEF until the governing body holds new elections. FIFA and UEFA said they were closely monitoring the situation with great concern. The move followed months of scandals including a corruption investigation and the dismissal of its chief Luis Rubiales after he planted an unsolicited kiss on the mouth of player Jenni…

Troops of 6 Brigade/Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke between April 27 – 29, 2024, cleared a terrorist camp, rescued kidnapped victims and recovered a significant amount of arms and ammunition. The acting assistant director, 6 Brigade, Army Public Relations, Lt. Oni Olubodunde made this known in a statement issud on Tuesday. The statement added that troops from the 93 Battalion Sub-Sector 3B of Operation Whirl Stroke stationed at Fikyu on April 29, 2024, swiftly responded to reports of suspected terrorists, firing sporadically in the Pukun area of Fikyu in the Ussa Local Government Area, and engaged them with superior…