TWO men have been hanged in Iran for allegedly killing a member of the military during nationwide protests. Mohammad Mahdi Karami and Seyed Mohammad Hosseini were found guilty of “corruption on earth” over their alleged involvement in the death of a paramilitary officer. Human rights groups have denounced what they described as a “sham” trial. The family of 22-year-old Mr Karami say they were not permitted to meet him before he was killed. Prosecutors claimed paramilitary officer Ruhollah Ajamian was stripped naked and killed by a group of mourners paying their respects to a recently-killed protester. Protests against Iran’s clerical…
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A SIX-year-old boy opened fire in an elementary school classroom in the eastern US state of Virginia on Friday, seriously injuring a teacher, police said. No students were hurt in the incident at Richneck Elementary School in the coastal city of Newport News. “The individual is a six-year-old student. He is right now in police custody,” local police chief Steve Drew told a news conference, adding that “this was not an accidental shooting.” Police said that the victim was a teacher in her 30s and her injuries were believed to be life-threatening. “I’m in shock, and I’m disheartened,” said the…
DIDIER Deschamps said on Saturday he will remain France coach until the 2026 World Cup after leading the team to the final of the last two editions. Deschamps’ contract expired after the World Cup in Qatar where defending champions France lost to Argentina in a penalty shootout after a thrilling final on December 18. It had been reported that French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet only wanted to give Deschamps a two-year extension until the 2024 European Championship but the 54-year-old coach had insisted on staying in charge until the next World Cup in the United States, Canada…
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said it had created more centres to ease the ongoing collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the FCT. According to a circular released by the commission on Friday in Abuja, the period set for the collection of the PVCs from the designated centres, is between Jan. 6 and Jan. 15. It said that the collection of PVCs would thereafter return to the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). It listed the venues to include Government Secondary School Garki, Area 10. The Garki centre comprised Garki Model Primary School, Lagos Street, Garki Village, LEA Primary…
ROMEO Beckham, son of former England captain David, has joined Brentford’s B team on loan from Inter Miami II until the end of the season. Beckham, 20, will link up with Neil MacFarlane’s second team “to continue his development”, the Premier League club said. “I’m very proud and very happy to be here,” said Beckham, who played 20 times for Inter Miami II last season. “I’m excited to come here and see what I can do.” Inter Miami II, the second team at the club which is co-owned by his father, finished sixth in the Eastern Conference last season, with…
MARCUS Rashford scored for a fifth successive game as Manchester United increased the pressure on Everton boss Frank Lampard with a deserved FA Cup victory at Old Trafford. Everton were applauded off by their travelling support for showing admirable character, after their side suffered the shock of going behind after just three minutes when Antony turned home Rashford’s far-post cross but had the character to fight back. Conor Coady rammed home a 13th-minute equaliser when David de Gea calamitously allowed Neal Maupay’s apparently harmless cross to roll though his legs as he appeared to think it was about to hit…
ENGLISH Premier League side West Ham have joined Southampton and Aston Villa in the chase for Super Eagles striker Terem Moffi. Moffi has had a spectacular season for Lorient, bagging ten goals in 16 appearances. The Nigerian striker has raised eyebrows with his consistency. His goals have contributed to Lorient’s fairytale run that saw them make an early push at the summit of Ligue 1. Moffi’s displays have not gone unnoticed, as Soccernet reported earlier that Brighton, Aston Villa, and Crystal Palace were keeping tabs on him. It appears that the three clubs are not the only ones interested in the…
AN Iranian journalist who interviewed families of protesters who had been sentenced to death has been arrested, his wife and Iranian media say. Mehdi Beik was detained on Thursday night, reformist newspaper Etemad, which Mr Beik works for, said. The reasons for his arrest are not known, but it comes amid an ongoing crackdown on anti-government protests. Iran has been rocked by months of protests since the death of an Iranian Kurdish woman in police custody. Protests erupted in September following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was detained by morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab, or headscarf,…
A UNILATERAL ceasefire called by Vladimir Putin appears to have had little effect on the ground, with Ukrainian officials accusing Russians of opening fire in several areas. A Ukrainian rescue worker was killed in a Russian strike, while Russian state TV said the city of Donetsk was hit. Russia ordered a 36-hour unilateral ceasefire, to coincide with the Orthodox Christmas. Ukraine rejected it saying Moscow might use it to reinforce troops. Russia’s defence ministry insisted it was observing the truce along the entire “line of contact”, starting at 12:00 Moscow time (09:00 GMT) on Friday. It blamed Kyiv for continuing…
TANZANIA’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has sacked a top State House official barely two days after announcing his appointment. Former head of intelligence Diwani Athumani Msuya had on Tuesday been appointed as State House permanent secretary. But he was replaced on Thursday by Mululi Majula Mahendeka – himself a former State House official. No explanation was offered in a statement from the president’s office that announced the changes.
LIBERIAN police say they have seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition at the country’s main port and at a private residence outside the capital, Monrovia. The weapons found at the port of Monrovia were in boxes stacked inside a shipping container, police Inspector General Patrick Sudue told journalists on Thursday. “[In] the first few boxes that were searched we discovered some heavy, heavy weapons,” he said. “We’re talking about military weapons in those boxes.” The cache includes Omega 15 assault rifles, Rock River LAR guns, and double-barrel automatic machine guns which were displayed to journalists. He said some…
THE Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Plc, on Thursday, said that investigation had commenced into circumstances that surrounded its equipment that damaged an Air Peace Airbus A320 Aircraft at Murtala Muhammed Airport on Wednesday. The company’s Group Executive Director, Business and Corporate Services, Dr Sola Obabori, stated this in a statement in Lagos on Thursday. News Point Nigeria gathered that the incident had led to disruption of scheduled flight operations after one of the ground handling company’s equipment rammed into an aircraft. Spokesman of Air Peace, Mr Stanley Olisa, said the incident would be the third in one month. Obabori…
THE government in Chad says security forces have foiled an attempt by a group of army officers to destabilise the country. A statement said 11 army officers were involved. The government said security services had been arresting people linked to the plot since 8 December. It said the head of the plot was the president of the Chadian Human Rights Organisation, Baradine Berdei Targuio. Chad has been relatively unstable since April last year when the long-time ruler Idriss Déby died after visiting the front line to fight rebels. His son, Mahamat Idriss Déby, then seized power.
AFGHANISTAN’s Taliban government is to sign a contract with a Chinese firm to drill for oil in the country’s north. It would be first major energy extraction agreement with a foreign firm since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021. The 25-year deal underscores China’s economic involvement in the region. On Thursday Taliban officials said security forces had targeted Islamic State group militants who attacked a hotel used by Chinese businessmen. Eight IS militants were killed and several more arrested, the Taliban said. December’s attack on the Longan Hotel in Kabul saw at least three people killed and 18…
THREE security force members have died in clashes in the state of Sinaloa after the arrest of a son of notorious Mexican drug kingpin “El Chapo”. Ovidio Guzmán-López – himself alleged to be a leader of his father’s former cartel – was captured in Culiacán and transferred to Mexico City. Furious gang members set up road blocks, set fire to vehicles and attacked a local airport. Two planes were hit by gunfire – one while preparing to take off. More than 100 flights were cancelled at three Sinaloa airports. The state governor said earlier 18 people had been admitted to…
THE Republican leader of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, has failed in his latest bid to get elected Speaker in a paralysis of US government not seen since the pre-Civil War era. A cohort of right-wingers in his party derailed an 11th attempt to elect him on the third day of voting. Republicans took over the House in November’s midterm elections, but the impasse has left the chamber unable to swear in members or pass bills. The House has adjourned until Friday. Not since 1860, when the United States’ union was fraying over the issue of slavery, has the…
MANCHESTER City closed the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal to five points with victory over injury-ravaged Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The reigning champions struggled in the first half before two of manager Pep Guardiola’s substitutes combined to break the deadlock after 63 minutes, Riyad Mahrez turning in Jack Grealish’s low cross at the far post to make it 1-0 and the game finished just that. Chelsea enjoyed the better of the first half despite adding both former City forward Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic to a lengthening injury list, substitute Carney Chukwuemeka hitting the post from the edge of…
MONACO’s Badiashile, 21, has spent five seasons in Ligue 1 and made 135 league appearances for Monaco. The central defender made his senior international debut in September against Austria and has two caps. “I’m very happy to be here at Chelsea. I can’t wait to see the fans and start playing in the best league in the world,” said Badiashile. Badiashile joined Monaco in 2016 and made his Ligue 1 debut against Paris St-Germain in November 2018 when Thierry Henry was manager. He has featured in the Champions League and Europa League for the French club and has scored six…
FORMER Ajax defender Daley Blind has signed for Bayern Munich until the end of the season on a free transfer. The Netherlands left-back, 32, agreed in December to cancel his contract with Ajax six months early. Blind joined Ajax’s academy aged eight and played 333 times for the Dutch club during two spells in Amsterdam. He has 99 caps for his country and played in every match of the Netherlands’ run to the World Cup quarter-finals in Qatar. Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic said: “We are very happy that Daley is joining our team. Daley is a flexible defender who…
LAZIO have been ordered to close part of their stadium for their next match after their fans directed racist abuse at two Lecce players on Wednesday. The Curva Nord section of Stadio Olimpico in Rome will close for Sunday’s Serie A game against Empoli. Defender Samuel Umtiti and winger Lameck Banda were subjected to racist chants from Lazio supporters during Wednesday’s game, which Lecce won 2-1. Lazio condemned the chants as “despicable and shameful”. “Lazio fans are not racist and cannot be associated with a few individuals who seriously harm the club’s image,” the club said. “Lazio has always opposed…