Author: Editor

‘I Don’t Think So’, Messi’s Father Rules Out Son’s Return To Barca LIONEL Messi’s father and representative Jorge Messi said on Thursday it is unlikely his son will return to play for Barcelona. The 35-year-old signed for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021 after the Catalan club were unable to renew his deal because of La Liga’s financial fair play rules. “I don’t think so, the conditions aren’t right,” Jorge Messi told reporters at Barcelona airport. He said he had not spoken to Barcelona president Joan Laporta about a deal and that Messi “has a contract with Paris Saint-Germain”.…

ACTOR Bruce Willis has frontotemporal dementia, his family has announced. In a statement on social media, they said it was a “relief to finally have a clear diagnosis”. The 67-year-old was diagnosed with aphasia – which causes difficulties with speech – in spring last year, but this has progressed and he has been given a more specific diagnosis, the family said. They expressed their “deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love”. The family went on to say frontotemporal dementia is the most common form of dementia in people under 60. “Today there are no treatments for the disease, a…

MOSCOW said Thursday it was expelling four Austrian diplomats after Vienna expelled four employees of Russia’s foreign missions in Austria, with tensions soaring over the Ukraine conflict. The foreign ministry said the expulsion of its diplomats had been an “unfriendly and unjustified step” that “causes serious damage to bilateral relations, which are already in crisis due to the actions of the Austrian side”. Austria and other EU nations have expelled dozens of Russian diplomats since Moscow launched a military campaign in Ukraine, with Russia reciprocating the measures. The ministry said it summoned Austria’s ambassador to Moscow and informed him that…

MANCHESTER United and Barcelona contested a thrilling first-leg draw at the Nou Camp to leave their Europa League play-off tie finely poised. Having previously met in two Champions League finals – both of which Barca won – the sides are on the path to recovery in trying to reach those heady heights again. This encounter in Europe’s secondary competition was another step on that road back to the top. Xavi’s men grabbed the opener when Marcos Alonso headed in at the back post from Raphinha’s corner, but United responded immediately through the in-form Marcus Rashford as he slipped in a…

A TEENAGE girl has been rescued 248 hours after last week’s devastating earthquake in Turkey. 17-year-old Aleyna Olmez was pulled from the rubble in Kahramanmaraş, a southern city near the epicentre. Her uncle tearfully told rescuers “we will never forget you”, as he hugged them one by one. Aleyna survived, injured and in freezing weather conditions, for 10 days. But rescues like hers are becoming increasingly rare. More than 41,000 people have died in Tukey and neighbouring Syria from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Neither country has revealed how many people are still missing. Aleyna was gently prised from the ruins…

FEW people know Vladimir Putin quite as well as Alexander Lukashenko does. The authoritarian leader of Belarus is a firm Kremlin ally and backer of what Mr Putin refers to as the “special military operation” – what most of the world calls Russia’s war in Ukraine. Since his full-scale invasion of Ukraine a year ago, Mr Putin hasn’t sat down with Western journalists. But today in Minsk, Mr Lukashenko took questions from a small group of foreign media, including the BBC. “Last year you allowed your country to be used as a staging ground for Russia’s invasion,” I reminded Mr…

ISRAELI hackers allegedly hacked into the private conversation of two aides to Kenya’s President William Ruto during last year’s election, a new investigation has claimed. The investigation – carried out by a consortium of journalists and published in outlets including Israel’s Haaretz and The Guardian of the UK – claims that days before Kenya’s 2022 election, a hacker “gave a demonstration of his capabilities, showing how he could use hacking techniques to infiltrate the messages of political advisers”. The undercover reporters, posing as potential clients, were given “a guided tour of the hacked Telegram and email accounts of five different…

A PASTOR in Mozambique has died after trying to fast for 40 days, emulating what Christ is said to have done in the Bible. Francisco Barajah, founder of the Santa Trindade Evangelical Church, died at a hospital in the city of Beira, where he was evacuated in critical condition. After 25 days without food or water, he had lost weight to the point where he could not stand up. He was aged 39. He had been taken to hospital at the insistence of relatives and followers. Mr Barajah was diagnosed with acute anaemia and failure of his digestive organs. He…

BORUSSIA Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi says eating African dishes, especially fufu is the secret to his speed. The striker who is of Nigerian descent netted the lone goal for the German side in their win over Chelsea in the Champions League round of 16 first-leg tie on Wednesday. “I eat a lot of African foods,” the German speedster told CBSSportGolazo in a post-game interview at the Signal Iduma Park when asked about the secret to his speed. “I have good genetics from my dad so I think it will be difficult.” “It is called fufu, and it’s a Nigerian food which…

BARCELONA manager Xavi Hernandez has praised Erik ten Hag for transforming Manchester United and turning Marcus Rashford into “one of the most dangerous players in Europe”. The Spanish giants host United on Thursday in the first leg of their Europa League knockout round play-off. Ten Hag was appointed in the summer and has quickly made his mark, with the Red Devils flying high in the Premier League and also in the EFL Cup final. “Ten Hag is a great coach,” Xavi said. “In my mind I believe that somehow [reversing] the situation of United was no easy task and he’s…

ARSENAL boss Mikel Arteta says he now has “more belief” that his side can win the title, despite their 3-1 defeat by Manchester City at Emirates Stadium. The loss sees City replace them at the top of the table on goal difference. “They still have it [the belief], I can sense it. They feel they can do it,” Arteta said. After beating Manchester United on 22 January, Arsenal were five points clear with a game in hand, but have taken just one point from nine since. In a predictably feisty encounter between the league’s top two sides, Kevin de Bruyne…

A MOTHER and two children have been rescued in the Turkish city of Antakya more than 228 hours after the twin earthquakes that devastated southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria. Ela and her two children – Meysam and Ali – were pulled from the rubble of their apartment block, the state-owned Anadolu news agency reported. Earlier on Wednesday, a 74-year-old woman and a 46-year-old woman were rescued in the Turkish city of Kahramanmaras, close to the epicentre of the quake. Meanwhile, the combined death toll in Turkey and Syria from powerful earthquake has now risen above 41,000, but a handful of…

HUNDREDS of retirees have taken to the streets of the Chinese cities of Wuhan and Dalian to protest against cuts to medical benefits, following rare demonstrations in November that led to the end of China’s controversial “zero-COVID” policy. In the central city of Wuhan, videos posted online on Wednesday showed hundreds of mainly elderly people outside the city’s central Zhongshan Park. One video from Wuhan, home to about 11 million people, that was verified by the Reuters news agency, showed protesters and uniformed security guards pushing and shoving each other. In the northeastern city of Dalian, hundreds also took to…

THE Management of Maryam Abacha American University of Niger (MAAUN), Maradi, has condoled with the husband and parents of a former student of the University, Mrs Rose Busari,who passed away on Saturday, 11th February 2023, at Referral Hospital, Maradi after a protracted illness. The deceased was the wife of Pastor Terra Busari, a Missionary Pastor with the Assemblies of God Mission, Niger Republic, Maradi Region. The condolence message was contained in a statement by the President of MAAUN Maradi, Prof. Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Kano on Wednesday. The Management of MAAUN…

THE Delta State Police Command has said at least two banks were burnt in the violent protest that broke out in the state over naira scarcity. aily Trust had reported how protesters took to the streets over the inability to access cash. Commenting n the protests, image maker of the police in Delta, DSP Bright Edafe, disclosed that no fewer than nine persons were arrested in connection with the setting ablaze of two commercial banks in Udu Local Government Area of the state. He made this known via his official Twitter handle. According to him, “In Udu Local Government Area…

KARIM Adeyemi scored a brilliant solo goal to condemn Chelsea to defeat in their Champions League last-16 first-leg tie at Borussia Dortmund. The Premier League side rued missed chances as Joao Felix shot over from a good position and then hit the crossbar in the first half. Reece James also forced two fine saves out of Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel in the second half as the visitors grew in confidence against the hosts, who were themselves struggling to create many chances. But Chelsea were undone on the counter midway through the second period when Adeyemi broke from inside his own…

THE Federal High Court in Lagos has granted bail to an actress, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, who was arraigned before the court on Monday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly spraying new naira notes at a party. Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke who admitted the actress to bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in like sum also ruled that the surety must be a public servant in the service of the Federation or the Lagos State Government not below the rank of Grade Level 12, or a holder of a genuine statutory certificate of occupancy of…

MANCHESTER City returned to the top of the Premier League for the first time since November as they leapfrogged leaders Arsenal with a vital victory at Emirates Stadium. The reigning champions turned on the power in the second half in the biggest game of the domestic season as Arsenal paid a heavy price for individual errors. Takehiro Tomiyasu’s poor backpass allowed Kevin de Bruyne to loft a finish over Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale after 24 minutes but Arsenal deservedly drew level three minutes before half-time, Bukayo Saka scoring from the spot after City goalkeeper Ederson fouled Eddie Nketiah. City, lacking…

AMID global concerns over energy security and a regional resolve on collaboration to deepen local content, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, has proposed strategies that would break down barriers and promote cross-border collaboration amongst governments and businesses. He made the suggestions in a presentation he made at the opening of the 7th SAIPEC Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference in Lagos on Tuesday, hinting on the need for peer review mechanisms, and sharing of experiences and ideas on industry sustainability and growth. The event provided a platform for the NCDMB…

A FEMALE Kenyan senator who was asked to leave parliament because of an apparent blood stain on her trousers has told the BBC she was proud to stand up against “period shame”. Gloria Orwoba said she had noticed the stain before entering the building. “Since I am always advocating against period shame, I thought I should go ahead and walk the talk,” she said. Some MPs, including another female senator, criticised her, saying she was being disrespectful. During Tuesday’s plenary session, Sen Tabitha Mutinda asked the speaker to rule on whether Ms Orwoba had adhered to the house’s dress code,…