Author: Opalim Lifted

Crystal Palace beat West Ham to pile the pressure on Hammers boss Graham Potter amid fan protests before and during the match at London Stadium. Jean-Philippe Mateta pounced to nod in the rebound after goalkeeper Alphonse Areola had pushed Marc Guehi’s header on to the crossbar as the visitors took a 37th-minute lead. Jarrod Bowen equalised early in the second half when he pulled away from his marker to head into the net following El Hadji Malick Diouf’s corner. The home fans responded as their side enjoyed a bright spell, but Lucas Paqueta had an effort cleared off the line…

The Lagos State House of Assembly has formally invited the leadership of the Royal Gardens Estate Residents Association (RGERA), Ajah, to a meeting as part of efforts to resolve the protracted governance and electricity crisis that has thrown the once-prestigious community into turmoil. In a letter dated September 20, 2025, and signed by the Clerk of the House, O.B. Onafeko, the Assembly summoned the Association’s Chairman to appear before its Committee on Housing on Tuesday, September 23, at the Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja. “Further to the receipt of your petition on the above subject, I write to invite you to…

Erika Kirk, widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been unanimously chosen as the new chief executive of Turning Point USA, the influential youth political group he founded. Erika Kirk, 36, was elected CEO and Chair of the Board on Thursday, just days after her husband was fatally shot during a campus event at Utah Valley University. Kirk, 31, was killed by a single rifle round allegedly fired from a rooftop by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. Turning Point USA’s board praised Erika’s leadership, saying her appointment would safeguard the organisation’s mission of galvanising young voters to Republican causes. The group…

Liverpool held off a spirited Everton fightback to claim a 2-1 Premier League victory in a tense Merseyside derby at Anfield on Saturday, preserving their perfect start to the season and moving further ahead atop the table after five games. First-half goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike gave Arne Slot’s men a commanding lead, but Idrissa Gueye’s second-half strike ensured a nervy finish for the hosts, who have now won all five league matches to open their campaign. Everton dropped one spot to seventh in the table after their second loss of the season. Gravenberch struck in the 10th…

Ubi Franklin says fans should not expect a collaboration between Afrobeats’ ‘Big 3’, Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy anytime soon. The Nigerian talent manager, speaking on the latest episode of the Afropolitan Podcast, argued that the intense competition within the industry makes such a project “very difficult”. While the artistes themselves may not openly feud, Franklin said the “environment around them” fuels rivalry. “I will speak for Davido – I have never heard him say anything bad about Wizkid or Burna Boy. I’m sure it’s the same for them. But the space they play in makes it hard for them…

Independent fuel marketers in Nigeria have begun receiving free fuel deliveries from Dangote Refinery, following the deployment of compressed natural gas-powered trucks aimed at easing distribution costs and stabilising pump prices. The president of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Abubakar Shettima, confirmed on Friday that marketers in Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and other South-Western states had started taking delivery of petroleum products from the refinery without transport charges. “Dangote has started the free delivery. Already, the trucks have begun moving and discharging products in most parts of the Western Zone. My members are very pleased with the development,”…

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says two suspected cases of viral haemorrhagic fever in Abuja both tested negative for Ebola and Marburg viruses. In a statement on Friday, the agency said the most recent case involved a traveller who presented himself at a hospital immediately he felt unwell after returning to Nigeria from Kigali, Rwanda. The NCDC said his decision to report early, combined with the vigilance of the attending clinician and hospital team, ensured the public health system was promptly activated and that the risk to the public was minimised. “This responsible action is highly…

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) says it intercepted three Russian warplanes violating Estonia’s airspace. Estonia, a NATO member, said the flyover which happened Friday was “brazen”. The Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered the airspace over the Gulf of Finland and remained there for 12 minutes, the Estonian foreign ministry said. The ministry has summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires over the violation. “This is an unprecedented and brazen intrusion – clear proof of Russia’s growing aggression,” Margus Tsahkna, Estonian minister of foreign affairs, said. APC senate strength hits 70 after four PDP senators defect Tsahkna said such actions would not be…

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have dropped one spot in the latest FIFA ranking released yesterday by the world football governing body. Nigeria’s indifferent campaign in the ongoing 2026 World Cup qualifying series has seen the Super Eagles drop from 44th to 45th in the world and sixth in Africa to mark the country’s lowest ranking in five years. African champions, Cote d’Ivoire, have overtaken Nigeria, both in the world and continental ranking, with the Elephants now 44th and fifth in Africa. Nigeria’s nemesis in Group C of the African qualifying series, South Africa and the Benin Republic, are among…

FIFA has officially opened disciplinary proceedings against the South African Football Association (SAFA) for allegedly fielding an ineligible player Teboho Mokoena during a 2026 World Cup qualifier. The charge stems from South Africa’s match against Lesotho, in which midfielder Mokoena participated despite being under a mandatory one-match suspension. The suspension was for accumulating two yellow cards in previous qualifiers against Benin and Zimbabwe. The issue was initially raised by other nations in Group C, including Nigeria, Benin, and Lesotho, who questioned FIFA’s silence on the matter. The charges were formally announced one week after South Africa’s crucial 1-1 draw with…