Author: Vincent Osuwo

Pope Leo XIV has urged Christians across the world to abstain from words that offend and hurt others as the Lenten season begins. The Pontiff spoke to abstaining from cruel language as a “very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence” in his 2026 Lenten Message, which was published ahead of Ash Wednesday and appeared on the Vatican website. He said, “I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor.” Pope Leo XIV said the liturgical season offers a chance to put…

Borussia Dortmund will take a two-goal advantage into the second leg of their Champions League knockout play-off tie after a routine home win against Atalanta. After the game was delayed by 15 minutes due to traffic problems on the route to the stadium, Borussia Dortmund took the lead in three minutes thanks to forward Serhou Guirassy. The Guinea international climbed highest to connect with Julian Ryerson’s cross and score his 16th goal of the season. The 1997 champions maintained their lead and doubled it in the 42nd minute when Guirassy provided a cross for Maximilian Beier to knock in at…

Desire Doue came off the bench to inspire holders Paris St-Germain to an impressive comeback against 10-man Monaco in the first leg of their Champions League knockout phase play-off tie. Manager Luis Enrique started the Frenchman on the bench at the Stade Louis II, but with PSG behind by two goals halfway through the first half, he replaced Ousmane Dembele. In the opening European encounter between the two French teams, PSG secured a significant victory thanks to the 20-year-old forward’s two goals and his contribution to Achraf Hakimi’s equalizer. The home team, who defeated Luis Enrique’s team at the same…

Vinicius Junior scored a spectacular winner for Real Madrid against Benfica in their Champions League play-off first leg, which was stopped for 10 minutes for alleged racist abuse. At the Estadio da Luz, the Brazil forward gave the visitors the lead in the 50th minute with a stunning curling goal that went past Anatoliy Trubin. After a furious altercation with Gianluca Prestianni of Benfica, Vinicius was booked for excessive celebration and rushed to referee Francois Letexier, gesturing toward the Argentina winger. Before play resumed ten minutes later, Vinicius left the field, followed by his teammates. Jose Mourinho, the manager of Benfica,…

President Bola Tinubu has advocated for a fairer global financial system, claiming that powerful international credit rating organizations consistently underestimate the costs of borrowing for African nations, resulting in disproportionately high borrowing costs. In an opinion piece, Tinubu said that Africa was “paying too much to borrow,” adding that it was no longer possible to ignore calls to close the “Africa premium,” or the discrepancy between the continent’s valuation and the true state of its economy. The three main credit rating agencies in the world have a significant impact on investor behavior and Africa’s access to global financing, he said,…

The Sultan of Sokoto, Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared Wednesday, February 18, 2026, the first day of Ramadan. He claimed that the crescent moon was sighted in practically every section of the country on Tuesday, the 29th day of Sha’aban, indicating that Wednesday, February 18, is the first day of Ramadan 1447. According to a press statement made available to journalists in Sokoto on Tuesday and signed by the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Professor Sambo Wali Junaid, Sultan Abubakar “called on the entire Muslim community in the country to commence the fast on Wednesday in…

Galatasaray will head to Turin with a three-goal advantage after recovering from a deficit to defeat Juventus in an intense first leg of their Champions League knockout phase playoff tie. Galatasaray were behind 2-1 at the break but made an impressive comeback to take a 3-2 lead by the 60-minute mark with goals from Noa Lang and Davinson Sanchez. This followed Juventus’ impressive reply, which saw them achieve a 17-minute turnaround in the first half, thanks to Teun Koopmeiners’ two goals, after initially falling behind to Gabriel Sara’s opener. Nonetheless, the latter part of the match deteriorated further for the…

The Senate passed the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 on Tuesday, after tight debates and a heated debate over Clause 60. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC/Abia South) called for a division on Clause 60, resulting in a tumultuous session. According to Channels TV, Senate President Godswill Akpabio claimed that he felt the demand had already been withdrawn, but many opposition senators objected instantly. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin argued, citing Order 52(6) of the Senate Standing Orders, that it would be improper to review any provision previously ruled on by the Senate President. The submission caused another ruckus…

Terrorists have abducted no fewer than six travelers along the Naka–Makurdi road in Benue State in the early hours of Tuesday. According to sources, the incident happened in Kula village, which is a neighborhood close to Makurdi, the state capital. According to a family member of one of the victims, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the seven travelers left Ilorin on Monday. They apparently slept overnight at Ankpa, Kogi State, due to security concerns along the route, and then started traveling again early on Tuesday. The source claims that armed men stopped the car carrying them near Kula village,…

England winger Bukayo Saka has signed a new five-year contract with Arsenal, keeping him at the Emirates until 2031. He now earns more than £300,000 a week as a result of the arrangement, according to a report by BBC Sport on Tuesday. The new contract guarantees Saka will play his best years at the Gunners, while the 24-year-old’s previous one, signed in 2023, was set to expire in 2027. After Saka verbally committed to the club in January, contract negotiations had been going on for almost a year. Saka’s extension is a huge help to manager Mikel Arteta as Arsenal…