Author: David Great

Nigerian gunmen kidnapped at least 60 people in a remote community in Zamfara state who were mostly women observing Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, residents said on Thursday in the latest wave of abductions to hit the state. Two residents said gunmen on motorbikes arrived in the Magami Tandu community of the Kaura Namoda local government area on Wednesday evening and shot sporadically. They took mostly women who were observing Mawlid – a celebration of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, which is held between the end of September to the end of November in Nigeria’s mainly northern Muslim states, the residents said “On a…

Chelsea are ready to open talks with Belgium forward Leandro Trossard, 27, whose contract at Brighton expires next summer. (Football Insider) Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal are exploring a deal to sign Portugal and former Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 37. (Sky Sports) Real Madrid say it “would not make sense in our sports project” to bring Ronaldo back to the club for a second spell. (AS – in Spanish) Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva believes Portugal team-mate Ronaldo has proved that he can still play at the top level after making World Cup history. (Mirror) Ronaldo and Argentina’s Paris St-Germain…

Richarlison lit up the World Cup with a moment of Brazilian magic as the tournament favourites overcame Serbia’s stubborn resistance to open their campaign with an impressive victory. Brazil had to play a patient game to break down an organised Serbia rearguard but forced the breakthrough after 62 minutes when Tottenham striker Richarlison turned home a close-range finish after Vanja Milinkovic-Savic saved Vinicius Junior’s effort. Richarlison’s crowning moment came 11 minutes later, at first mis-controlling a pass from Vinicius but readjusting brilliantly to take the aerial route and fire home an acrobatic right-foot finish. It was no more than Brazil…

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a second-half penalty kick to become the first player to score in five consecutive World Cup tournaments as Portugal beat Ghana 3-2 in a pulsating encounter in Qatar. The first-half of the Group H clash was forgettable apart from a couple of Ronaldo chances, but it burst into life after the interval as Portugal belatedly began their campaign. Ronaldo, a free agent after his second stint at Old Trafford ended abruptly on Tuesday, thumped home a dubiously-awarded penalty in the 65th minute after an innocuous coming together with Mohammed Salisu saw the referee point to the spot.…

Amnesty International (AI) has reiterated calls to mediators in the ongoing peace process in Ethiopia to prioritise justice for survivors, including survivors of sexual violence in the two-year conflict. The call comes on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the beginning of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. “The African Union must urgently pressure the Ethiopian government to fully cooperate with both regional and international investigative mechanisms on human rights to ensure justice for victims and survivors of violations — especially sexual violence,” said Flavia Mwangovya, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East Africa,…

Switzerland edged Cameroon 1-0 courtesy of a goal against the run of play by apologetic Breel Embolo versus the country of his birth for an opening win in World Cup Group G at the Al Janoub Stadium on Thursday. While it was a good day for the Swiss it was a bad one for African football, whose teams in Qatar have yet to score a goal in the tournament. Apart from Cameroon, Tunisia as well as Morocco and Senegal all failed to find the net in their opening matches. Ghana are in action later on Thursday against Portugal. Embolo, born…

Governor Bello Mohammed of Zamfara State has again dismissed claims of financial misappropriation, urging the anti-graft agency, EFCC to investigate his personal and official accounts. Mohammed on Tuesday described reports of fraud and misappropriation as fake news, stressing that, reports that he is stealing the state funds are totall false. At a press conference by Zailani Bappa, his special adviser on public enlightenment and media, he noted that no monies were syphoned by the present government of Zamfara. He called on the media to be balanced in its reportage of the governor and the government of Zamfara. Read press statement…

In a public lecture at a top Canadian University, VP says poor, vulnerable in developing economies are least culpable but may be worst hit Adds that Africa doesn’t want a free pass on net-zero emissions targets, there’s sufficient evidence of climate-sensitive, locally grounded transition pathways Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says beyond the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions globally, efforts being undertaken to address climate change must also take into consideration its implications on social justice and inequalities, especially for the poor and vulnerable in developing economies. This was the submission by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, yesterday at a Public…

Chelsea are unlikely to make a move for Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo now he is a free agent, despite previous interest. (Sun) Newcastle United have no interest in signing Ronaldo, 37, after his departure from Manchester United. (Football Insider) Manchester United will launch a January bid to bring Barcelona’s 28-year-old Netherlands forward Memphis Depay back to Old Trafford, where he left in 2017. (Sport – in Spanish) Ronaldo turned down an offer from Al-Hilal last summer worth more than £125m per year, but is set to receive a lucrative offer to play in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League again now he is a free agent. (Telegraph – subscription required) Manchester United are…

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja launched the new naira banknotes, expressing delight that the redesigned currencies are locally produced by the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting (NSPM) PLC. Speaking at the launch of the new banknotes, which preceded the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, the President explained in detail the basis for his approval to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to redesign the ₦‎200, ₦‎500 and ₦‎1000 banknotes. According to the President, “the new naira banknotes have been fortified with security features that make them difficult to counterfeit.” He also added that the new banknotes would help…