MOUSA Tamari scored a brilliant curling strike to stun two-time winners South Korea and send Jordan to their first Asian Cup final. Yazan Al-Naimat put Jordan ahead at the start of the second half with a clever dink, before Tamari doubled their lead with a superb solo effort. Jordan had never gone beyond the quarter-finals before this year’s tournament. They will face hosts Qatar or Iran in Saturday’s final. With Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-jae absent through suspension, South Korea’s defence struggled to cope with a high-pressing Jordan side in the opening half. Son Heung-min found the back of the net…
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MEDIATOR Qatar says Hamas has given a “generally positive” response to a proposed truce deal with Israel, as the Palestinian group reiterated its demand for an end to the Israeli assault on Gaza. During a press conference on Tuesday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani described Hamas’s reaction to the proposal as “generally positive”, without providing more details. Blinken said Hamas’s response to the proposal brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States has been shared with Israeli officials. Blinken is on a lightning tour of the Middle…
CHILE’s former president Sebastian Pinera, a billionaire tycoon who twice held the South American nation’s top job, died Tuesday in a helicopter crash, his office said in a statement. “It is with deep regret that we announce the death of the former president of the Republic of Chile,” said the statement, adding the 74-year-old Pinera had died in the popular vacation spot Lago Ranco, some 920 kilometres (570 miles) south of Santiago.
A KENYAN court on Tuesday charged the leader of a starvation cult and dozens of suspected accomplices with murder over the deaths of nearly 200 people in a forest near the Indian Ocean. Self-proclaimed pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, who has already been charged with terrorism, manslaughter as well as child torture and cruelty, is alleged to have incited hundreds of his acolytes to starve to death in order to “meet Jesus”. On Tuesday, Mackenzie and 29 other suspects pleaded not guilty to 191 counts of murder, according to court documents seen by AFP. A 31st suspect was deemed to lack…
ETHIOPIA’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has said that his country “does not wish any harm” on neighbouring Somalia. His comments in parliament came after Somalia accused landlocked Ethiopia of trying to annex part of its territory to gain access to the sea. Last month, Ethiopia struck a controversial deal with the breakaway republic of Somaliland. Somaliland, which Somalia sees as part of its territory, agreed to lease a stretch of coastline to Ethiopia. Somalia described the agreement as an act of aggression and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called on youths “to prepare for the defence of our country”. He also…
TOP officers of some intelligence services in the country have uncovered attempts by some “unscrupulous elements” to set up Senators of Northern extraction in the 10th National Assembly, NASS, against the masses. The officers, who plead anonymity told PRNigeria that the hatchet job of the “mischievous persons” is also aimed at pitching the nation’s security services against one another. They made the assertion while reacting to a newspaper report alleging that an influential Northern Senator is closely being watched by security agencies in the country for reportedly spearheading terrorism, banditry and Kidnapping. According to the report, the powerful lawmaker, who…
FOLLOWING the Super Eagles’ progression to the semi-finals of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, The PUNCH reports that the team has earned a prize money of $2.5m (N3bn). Nigeria reached the semi-finals of the 34th edition of the AFCON after defeating Angola 1-0 at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on Friday. As one of the remaining four teams in the competition, the Eagles, alongside South Africa, their semi-final opponents; DR Congo and hosts Ivory Coast, have already secured $2.5m. Before the start of the tournament, Confederation of Africa Football president, Dr Patrice Motsepe, announced…
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for another Middle East crisis tour, hoping to secure a new truce in the Israel-Hamas war as Gaza saw no let-up in fighting. On his fifth trip to the region since Hamas’s October 7 attack that triggered the war, Blinken landed in Riyadh and was later expected to visit Israel, Egypt and Qatar. Ahead of the trip he stressed the need for “urgently addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza”, after aid groups have repeatedly sounded the alarm over the devastating impact nearly four months of war have had on…
WELL-WISHERS prayed quick recovery for King Charles III on Monday following the king’s cancer diagnosis. The king was diagnosed with a form of cancer and had begun treatment, Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Monday, just a week after he was discharged from hospital for prostate surgery. The palace also stated that doctors had advised the king to postpone public-facing duties but would undertake official paperwork. “His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State…
SOUTH African singer Tyla’s victory at the Grammys, beating four Nigerian nominees, has fuelled the two nations’ rivalry as they prepare to face off in a crunch football match on Wednesday. “South Africa won today but Nigeria will win on Wednesday where it matters most” one user wrote on X. Tyla won for her song Water in the Best African Music Performance, over Davido, Ayra Starr and Burna Boy. Nigerians have called on their national team, the Super Eagles, to avenge them. They play South Africa in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) semi-finals in Ivory Coast. “No Nigerian won…
SENEGAL’s reputation as a bastion of democracy in an unstable region is on the line as protesters clash with police outside the National Assembly. Inside, lawmakers have passed a contentious bill to extend President Macky Sall’s tenure and delay elections after he called off a planned election with just three weeks to go. Khalifa Sall, a leading opponent and a former mayor of Dakar, who is not related to the president, called the delay a “constitutional coup” and urged people to protest against it. His political coalition has vowed to go to court. Thierno Alassane Sall, another candidate, also no…
DESPITE boasting the best defensive record at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro, has demanded more goals from his strikers as they entered into the semi-finals of the tournament. Ademola Lookman scored his third goal of the competition as Nigeria made it into the last four of the 34th edition of the Africa showpiece after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Angola at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium on Friday. Despite boasting some of the continent’s top attackers, Peseiro’s men have not been effective in front of goals with just six goals scored…
THE 2026 World Cup final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey, organisers FIFA announced on Sunday. The New York bid held off a strong challenge from Dallas to secure the July 19 game, the culmination of the expanded 48-team tournament being co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico. The competition will kick-off with the opening game at Mexico City’s iconic Azteca Stadium on June 11. Atlanta and Dallas will host the semi-finals while the third-place game will take place in Miami. The decisions were announced on a live television broadcast in North America which featured FIFA…
ISRAELI strikes across Gaza killed scores overnight and battles raged Sunday in the besieged territory’s south as Hamas was reviewing a proposal for a halt in the nearly four-month-long war. French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne was in Egypt and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expected in the region in the coming days to push for a ceasefire and hostage release. The health ministry in Gaza said at least 127 people were killed in Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours in the Gaza Strip, more than 90 of them overnight. The Hamas government media office said a kindergarten where…
AT least 112 people have been killed by forest fires in Chile’s Valparaíso region, local authorities have said. Gabriel Boric declared a state of emergency and said he would make “all necessary resources” available to tackle the situation. It is believed to be Chile’s deadliest forest fire on record. Many of those affected were visiting the coastal region during the summer holidays. A health alert was put in place in Valparaíso by the health ministry. The ministry called for the suspension of elective surgeries and authorised temporary field hospitals to be set up. Medicine students nearing the end of their…
NANGOLO Mbumba has taken his oath of office as Namibia’s new president hours after the death of Hage Geingob. Geingob died on Sunday in a hospital in Windhoek, his office said. He was 82. During his acceptance speech, Mbumba paid tribute to his late predecessor and called for calm. “It is poignant and reassuring to note that today, even in this time of loss, our Nation remains calm and stable,” he said. “This is owing to the visionary leadership and foresight of President Geingob, who was the chief architect of the Namibian Constitution and the champion of our Governance Architecture,…
PROTESTERS and police clashed in the Senegalese capital Dakar and at least one senior opposition figure was arrested Sunday, a day after President Macky Sall announced the indefinite postponement of the presidential election. The presidential election had been set for February 25 and Sall has not announced any new date, sparking a wave of criticism from opposition leaders and international concern. In his statement Saturday, Sall said he was intervening because of a dispute between the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court over the rejection of candidates. Lawmakers are investigating two Constitutional Council judges whose integrity in the election process…
THE Ekiti State Police Command says it has arrested eight suspects over the recent killing of two traditional rulers as well as the abduction of some pupils in the state. Ekiti has witnessed a wave of attacks recently. On January 29, gunmen killed two Ekiti monarchs – the Onimojo of Imojo, Oba Olatunde Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin. Also in the same area, the assailants attacked a school bus and whisked away five pupils of the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, three teachers, and the bus driver. Giving an update on Sunday, the police authorities…
HARRY Kane scored his 24th Bundesliga goal to help Bayern Munich beat Borussia Monchengladbach and keep pace with leaders Bayer Leverkusen. Kane headed Bayern in front in the 70th minute after Aleksandar Pavlovic had cancelled out Nico Elvedi’s opener for Gladbach. Matthijs de Ligt added a third for the German champions who remained two points behind Leverkusen. Two goals from Nathan Tella helped Xabi Alonso’s side beat Darmstadt 2-0. Already the record holder for taking the fewest Bundesliga matches – just 14 – to reach 20 goals, England captain Kane continues to eclipse expectations in Germany. Kane’s headed finish after…
PALESTINIAN news agency Wafa reported that at least two children were killed in Israeli attack on kindergarten in Rafah, southern Gaza. Concerns over a potential Israeli ground incursion into the southern border city have mounted in recent days, with hundreds of thousands of displaced seeking refuge from the fighting there in makeshift shelters and encampments. Many made the journey from even harder-hit areas after being told the city was a safe zone, but strikes have continued there as well, with mourners gathering outside a local hospital Saturday to pray for the dead after another bombardment. “The children were just sleeping…