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CRISTIANO Ronaldo is the all-time international record scorer with 122 goals in 199 caps for Portugal Cristiano Ronaldo won his 199th Portugal cap as his side cruised past Bosnia-Herzegovina to maintain their winning streak in their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. Bruno Fernandes set up Bernardo Silva who opened the scoring with a chipped effort in the 44th minute. Fernandes added a second through a 77th minute header and a third in the closing stages with a sweet strike. Ronaldo had a first-half header ruled out for offside at Estadio da Luz. Portugal stay top of Group J having won all…

AROUND 170 people been relocated from the western French town of La Laigne after an earthquake on Friday evening. The quake, believed to have been between magnitude 5.2 and 5.8 was felt from Rennes in the north-west to Bordeaux in the south-west. Homes, schools and churches were damaged, with hundreds of buildings declared uninhabitable. Earthquakes above magnitude five are unusual in France, with the last affecting the country in November 2019. Two people were injured in the town of Deux-Sevres following Friday’s tremor. The Charente-Maritime region just north of Bordeaux was particularly affected. In La Laigne, the local fire service…

CRIME has taken a sadistic turn in Ecuador, where kidnappers now regularly amputate the fingers of their victims and send images to pressure relatives to pay higher ransoms. For decades, Ecuador was a refuge of peace wedged in a dangerous region. But these days, it increasingly resembles nearby Peru and Colombia, two huge producers of cocaine with violent criminal histories. In March, the wife of a businessman in the port city of Guayaquil received images of someone snipping two fingers off her husband’s left hand, threatening to mutilate him further unless they were paid $100,000. At the end of 2022,…

SUSPECTED militants have killed about a dozen villagers and wounded several more in western Burkina Faso, security and local sources told AFP on Saturday. “Overnight (Friday-Saturday) armed people attacked the village of Sara,” 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Burkina’s second city Bobo-Dioulasso, the security source said. “Unfortunately we have a dozen dead and several wounded.” A villager, asking not to be named, said, “Nine bodies were buried this Saturday. But two people also died of their wounds, making a total of 11 dead.” A second resident said the “terrorists” attacked at 8:00 pm (2000 GMT). “They opened fire on a…

THIRTY-TWO people – EIGHT children – have been killed in an air strike in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, officials say. Twenty-five homes were destroyed in Saturday’s strike in the densely populated Yarmouk district. It came a day after a top army general threatened to step up attacks against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF broke out mid-April as a result of a vicious power struggle within the country’s military leadership. In early June, the RSF claimed full control of Yarmouk, an area of the capital which houses an arms manufacturing facility. Later on Saturday…

RUSSIA has already stationed a first batch of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Vladimir Putin says. Russia’s president told a forum they would only be used if Russia’s territory or state was threatened. The US government says there is no indication the Kremlin plans to use nuclear weapons to attack Ukraine. “We don’t see any indications that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after Mr Putin’s comments. Belarus is a key Russian ally and served as a launchpad for Mr Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year. Mr Putin…

A MAN confessed to the killing of his wife who has been missing for two and a half months in western France and has led investigators to her body, police said on Friday. Karine Esquivillon, 54, a mother-of-five, disappeared on March 27 without a trace from her home in the Pays de la Loire region of western France. Her cell phone, missing a SIM card but enclosed with a photo of one of her daughters, was discovered two weeks later in a ditch by a car park by the commune’s mayor. While police appealed for witnesses to come forward, her…

AT least 25 people have been killed at a school in western Uganda by rebels linked to the Islamic State group. A further eight people remain in a critical condition after the attack on Lhubiriha secondary school in Mpondwe. Police say the attack on Friday was carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) – an Ugandan group based in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Soldiers are pursuing the group who fled towards Virunga National park in the DRC, police added. “So far 25 bodies have been recovered from the school and transferred to Bwera Hospital”, national police spokesperson…

MALI’s foreign minister has called on the UN to withdraw its peacekeeping force from his country “without delay”. Abdoulaye Diop accused the force, Minusma, of having “become a part of the problem in fuelling intercommunal tensions”. He was addressing the UN Security Council. Minusma has more than 13,000 troops. Its decade-old mission has failed to stop the spread of jihadist violence. Russian Wagner mercenaries are now assisting Mali’s military rulers. Western officials have accused Wagner of human rights abuses in Ukraine and parts of Africa, and last month the US announced sanctions on Ivan Maslov, whom it described as Wagner’s…

SUPER Falcons Chief Coach, Randy Waldrum, has released the squad list of players for this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The list of 23 players was published on the Twitter handle of the Nigerian Football Federation on Friday. The names on the list include Francisca Ordega, Assiat Oshoala, Ashleigh Plumptre, Onome Ebi, Desire Oparanozie, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Rasheedat Ajibade, Uchenna Kanu, Christy Ucheibe and Gift Monday. Others are Halimatu Ayinde, Ifeoma Onumonu, Toni Payne, Jennifer Echegini, Michelle Alozie Tochukwu Oluehi, Yetunde Balogun, Deborah Abiodun, Rofiat Imuran, Osinachi Ohale, Ijeoma Okoronkwo and Tosin Demehin. The Super Falcons…

LEICESTER hired Manchester City assistant coach Enzo Maresca as their new manager on Friday as the relegated Foxes look to bounce back to the Premier League. Maresca moves to the King Power Stadium after working as part of Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff with treble winners City. The 43-year-old Italian has signed a contract that runs until 2026 and replaces interim manager Dean Smith. Smith failed to prevent Leicester being relegated to the Championship after being appointed for the final eight games of the season following Brendan Rodgers’ exit. “I’m very excited because of the club and because we have a…

NUHU Ribadu was born in Yola, Adamawa State, on November 21, 1960. He attended Aliyu Mustapha Primary School, Yola from 1966 to 1973 and Yelwa Government Secondary School, Yola from 1973-1977. Between 1978 and 1980, Ribadu was at the College of Preliminary Studies, CPS, Yola, for his A-level studies. In 1980, he gained admission to study law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, graduating in 1983. He graduated from the Nigerian Law School and was called to the bar in 1984. He joined the Police immediately after his national service. Ribadu holds an LLM degree with emphasis on the jurisprudence of…

JOSELU scored a late winner as Spain beat Italy to set up a Nations League final against Croatia on Sunday. Yeremy Pino won the ball off Italy legend Leonardo Bonucci outside his own box before firing in Spain’s opener in Enschede, Netherlands. Ciro Immobile equalised for Italy with a penalty after Spain debutant Robin le Normand handled in the box. Substitute Joselu pounced from close range after Rodri’s deflected shot to send Spain to the Rotterdam final. “Now the most important thing is that we win this trophy,” said midfielder Rodri, who played a full 90 minutes five days after…

THE Premier League has released fixtures for the 2023/2024 season, with defending champions Manchester City starting their title defence with newly promoted Burnley managed by former City captain Vincent Company. See the fixture dates and times of all 360 matches below: Friday 11 August 2023 20:00 Burnley v Man City Saturday 12 August 2023 12:30 Arsenal v Nott’m Forest AFC Bournemouth v West Ham Brighton v Luton Town Everton v Fulham Sheff Utd v Crystal Palace 17:30 Newcastle v Aston Villa Sunday 13 August 2023 14:00 Brentford v Spurs 16:30 Chelsea v Liverpool Monday 14 August 2023 20:00 Man Utd…

THE United States and its close allies Japan and South Korea issued a joint statement Thursday to “condemn” North Korea’s latest missile launches. “These launches are clear violations of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions, and demonstrate the threat (that North Korea’s)… unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs pose to the region,” the statement said. North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles, South Korea’s military said Thursday, shortly after Pyongyang warned of an “inevitable” response to ongoing US-South Korea joint military drills. The trilateral statement reflected the growing thaw between Japan and South Korea — a major…

VETERAN UK lawyer Sue Carr was named Thursday as the first woman to serve as the most senior judge for England and Wales in the role of lord chief justice, which dates back to the 13th century. Carr, 58, was appointed to succeed current Lord Chief Justice Ian Burnett, who is retiring at the end of September. The title-holder oversees the judiciary in England and Wales — Scotland has a separate legal system — although its pre-eminence was diluted by the creation of the UK Supreme Court in 2009. Carr qualified as a barrister — arguing cases in court —…

A GOVERNOR from Sudan’s Darfur region has been killed hours after accusing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing genocide. In a TV interview, Khamis Abakar had asked for international intervention to stop violence in West Darfur he blamed on the RSF and its Arab militia allies. The conflict that erupted two months ago between the RSF and army has inflamed ethnic tensions in Darfur. The army said the RSF abducted Abakar and executed him, which it denies. He is the most senior official known to have been killed since the conflict began in April. Video footage circulating on…

NAMIBIA has put 40 crocodiles up for sale to reduce conflicts between humans and wildlife in the north-eastern regions of Kavango and Zambezi, local media report. Those interested in buying the reptiles are expected to submit their tender offers at the ministry of environment by 17 July. Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said majority of the country’s wildlife “exists outside national parks”, which had made the regions “continue to experience concerning crocodile attacks on people and their livestock”. Buyers must prove that they have a suitable habitat for the animals and will incur the cost of capturing them. Those seeking to…

CROATIA are one win from their first major title after beating hosts the Netherlands in a dramatic Uefa Nations League semi-final. Substitute Bruno Petkovic struck from distance in extra-time before Luka Modric’s penalty settled a remarkable game in Rotterdam. A 96th-minute Dutch equaliser from Noa Lang had denied Croatia in normal time. But Zlatko Dalic’s side will now play Italy or Spain in Sunday’s final, while the Dutch face a third-place play-off. “It’s a victory for the Croatian people, we beat the Netherlands in front of their fans, Croatia has one more medal,” Dalic told Croatia’s Nova TV afterwards. “It’s…

MANCHESTER United have had a £40m bid for Chelsea’s Mason Mount turned down. United manager Erik ten Hag has identified Mount, 24, as someone who can bolster his attacking options. However, given the England international has only a year left on his contract, United do not feel Chelsea’s £70m valuation is realistic. The Old Trafford outfit are likely to make another offer for the attacking midfielder but are mindful of their overall transfer budget this summer. For the same reason, it is felt to be highly unlikely that United will sign England striker Harry Kane, 29, from Tottenham for £100m.…