Author: Opalim Lifted

Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States to officiate at the World Cup, has been appointed to take charge of the UEFA Super Cup match between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa later this summer. The contest between PSG, who won the Champions League last term and Aston Villa, who triumphed in the Europa League, is scheduled to take place on 12 August in Salzburg. In a statement, European football’s governing body said that decision had been taken after discussions with the Confederation of African Football (CAF). UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said: “Omar Artan is an…

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, organised by the FIFA World Cup, begins today with a Group A fixture reportedly featuring co-host Mexico against South Africa at 1 p.m. local time in Mexico City. The expanded tournament features 48 teams and 104 matches across co-host nations Mexico, the United States and Canada, marking the largest edition in the competition’s history. South Africa arrive as one of Africa’s standout qualifiers under head coach Hugo Broos, with the squad leaning on momentum from strong qualification performances. Their campaign has been backed by widespread domestic support, including coordinated messages from top clubs such as…

Japan’s fertility rate has dropped again to a new record low, highlighting the deepening demographic strain facing Japan, official data released on Wednesday shows. The total fertility rate — the average number of children a woman is expected to have — fell to 1.14, down 0.01 from the previous year. It marks the 10th consecutive annual decline, underscoring a long-running population downturn. The number of babies born also fell by nearly 15,000 to just over 670,000, the lowest level since records began in 1899. Preliminary figures released earlier had suggested higher births, but those included non-Japanese babies born in the…

A fire outbreak in the Senate wing of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Wednesday sparked panic among lawmakers, staff and visitors, with efforts to contain the blaze reportedly hindered by a shortage of water and the absence of functional fire extinguishers. The incident occurred in Hearing Room 107 shortly after the Senate Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) concluded the screening of Zainab Marwa for appointment as the North-East representative on the commission’s governing board. President Bola Tinubu had, on June 4, asked the Senate to confirm Marwa’s appointment. Eyewitnesses said thick smoke suddenly emerged from…

A fire broke out in the Senate wing of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Wednesday, causing panic before it was brought under control. The incident occurred in Hearing Room 107 shortly after the Senate Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) concluded the screening of Zainab Marwa for appointment as the North-East representative on the commission’s governing board. On June 4, President Bola Tinubu asked the Senate to confirm Marwa’s appointment. Eyewitnesses said smoke suddenly billowed from the kitchen compartment attached to the hearing room, triggering confusion among lawmakers, staff, and visitors. Some senators, staff members, and…

Bill Gates, Microsoft Corporation co-founder has told members of the US Congress that he “did not fully understand the extent” of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes when he associated with the convicted sex offender, according to a copy of his opening statement cited by Reuters. The Microsoft Corp co-founder gave private testimony to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which is examining how federal authorities handled investigations involving Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Gates said he never witnessed any criminal conduct by Epstein and accused him of attempting to use personal information against him. “These affairs had nothing to do…

The Canadian government has introduced legislation that would ban children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms unless companies can prove their services meet strict safety standards. According to Reuters, the proposed Digital Safety Act would also introduce new regulations for artificial intelligence chatbots and create a dedicated digital regulator to oversee online safety standards. Companies that fail to comply could face fines of up to 3% of their global revenue or C$10 million, whichever is greater. Canadian Culture Minister Marc Miller said social media platforms and AI chatbots are designed to capture users’ attention and have…

Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother of Nnamdi Kanu, has questioned the legal basis of the separatist leader’s terrorism conviction. Emmanuel raised the concerns in a statement issued on Tuesday while defending an exchange between his brother and James Omotosho during the trial in 2025, Punch reports. Emmanuel described the courtroom exchange as “a legitimate constitutional challenge rather than an act of defiance.” He argued that the central issue in the case is whether the conviction complies with Section 36(12) of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that no person may be convicted of a criminal offence unless the offence and its penalty…

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday remanded Paul Oweleke in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged cybercrime offences linked to social media broadcasts that allegedly called for the removal of President Bola Tinubu from office. Oweleke was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on alleged incitement and the use of a computer system to disseminate content considered prejudicial to national security and constitutional governance. According to the DSS, Oweleke published posts on his online platform, Oweleke TV, urging the Nigerian military to remove Tinubu from office in a manner similar to military takeovers…

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate release of N10 billion as emergency intervention funding to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness against Ebola and other emerging public health threats. Ebola has recently resurfaced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, both neighbouring countries. Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the President on information and strategy, said in a statement on Tuesday that Tinubu also approved the establishment of a presidential task force (PTF) on Ebola virus disease preparedness and emerging public health threats. Onanuga said the fund will strengthen the operational preparedness of the National Centre for Disease Control and…