CRISTIANO Ronaldo has been picked in Portugal’s squad for their Euro 2024 qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Luxembourg this month. There were question marks about the 38-year-old forward’s international future following the 2022 World Cup. He left the pitch in tears after Portugal were eliminated by Morocco at the quarter-final stage. Roberto Martinez has since replaced Fernando Santos as the team’s manager and picked Ronaldo in his first squad. Martinez said Ronaldo “is very important for the team” and “I do not look at the age”. Portugal host Liechtenstein on 23 March and are away to Luxembourg three days later. Ronaldo,…
Author: Editor
Read More
HUNDREDS of people including Ghana’s president have paid their last respects to Christian Atsu, who died in last month’s earthquake in Turkey. He was honoured with a state funeral in the capital, Accra. “In life I love you darling, in death I’ll do the same,” read the tearful tribute from the footballer’s widow, Marie-Claire Rupio. She was overcome with emotion and handed her speech to Atsu’s sister to finish reading. “You did not go alone, for part of me went with you,” it continued. “Your smile, your love I see in our children’s smiles.” Representatives of Ghana’s national team and…
FORMER president Donald Trump wrote his first posts on his reinstated Facebook and YouTube accounts Friday, more than two years after he was banned over the US Capitol insurrection. “I’M BACK,” Trump said, alongside a 12-second video clip that appeared to show him giving his victory speech after winning the 2016 election, as he exclaimed: “Sorry to keep you waiting — complicated business.” The 76-year-old Republican leader — who is running for president again — has been unable to post any content for his 34 million Facebook followers and 2.6 million YouTube subscribers. The platforms benched Trump days after the…
THE International Criminal Court on Friday announced it had issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin for the “unlawful deportation” of Ukrainian children. The Hague-based ICC said it had also issued a warrant against Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s presidential commissioner for children’s rights, on similar charges. Russia is not a member of the ICC. It was unclear how the ICC planned to enforce the warrant. “Today, pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court issued warrants of arrest for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Mr Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Ms Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova,” the…
SOUTH African police have said that the planned opposition protests on Monday are not a mere shutdown but an attempt to overthrow the government. The opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is organising nationwide marches to protest against the country’s power crisis and has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign. “This is an attempt to overthrow the government. This is not a shutdown, but it’s anarchy,” KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, said on Friday while briefing media on security plans to deal with threats posed by the protests. “The magnitude of threats differs from other planned shutdowns and…
VIOLET Frank’s two grandchildren serve as reminders of her missing daughter-in-law. It is feared her name will be added to those of more than 300 who died when Cyclone Freddy struck Malawi at the beginning of the week. The youngsters had gone to stay with Violet just days before and escaped the fate of their mother, who fell victim to the unforgiving power of a landslide. “She was with my son in their matrimonial home in Chilobwe. He stepped outside their home when he heard neighbours screaming and things falling with a loud bang outside their house,” Violet said. “Luckily,…
A NON-GOVERNMENTAL Organization (NGO), Heal, Nourish, and Empower on Thursday launched holistic humanitarian interventions for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Katsina State. The project, which is out to address psychological trauma and severe acute malnutrition among children of the IDPs, was also aimed at providing psychosocial support, mental healthcare, and enrollment in school. The convener of the project, Fatima Mamman Daura, while speaking during the flag-off of the special humanitarian intervention project by the Office of the Senate President through the National Productivity Centre (NPC) with MUSVEC, in partnership with GREENADO for empowerment training and support; NEEM Foundation for psychosocial…
CHELSEA will face holders Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals. Pep Guardiola faces his former club as Manchester City play six-time winners Bayern Munich. Inter Milan face Benfica and Serie A champions AC Milan take on current leaders Napoli. If Chelsea and Manchester City get through, they will meet in an all-Premier League semi-final while AC Milan or Napoli will face Inter Milan or Benfica in the other semi-final. The first legs of the quarter-finals take place on 11-12 April, with the return games on 18-19 April. The first legs of the semi-finals will be on 9-10 May, and…
MANCHESTER United will meet record six-time winners Sevilla in the quarter-finals of the Europa League. Should they advance, Erik ten Hag’s side will face either Juventus – whose squad includes former United midfielder Paul Pogba – or Arsenal’s conquerors Sporting Lisbon in the semi-finals. In the other last-eight ties, Roma face Feyenoord and Bayer Leverkusen meet Union Saint-Gilloise. The first legs take place on 13 April, with the return games on 20 April. Sevilla are serial winners of this competition, having won all of their six titles since 2006 and they defeated the Red Devils in the semi-finals on their…
THE wife of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Katsina State, Dr Dikko Umaru Radda, Hajiya Zulaiha Radda, has stated that her husband will end banditry, kidnapping and terrorrism in Katsina if elected governor of the state come March 18. Mrs Radda made the statement on Thursday at the flag-off of a special humanitarian intervention project for IDPs in Katsina by the Office of the Senate President through the National Productivity Centre (NPC) with MUSVEC, in partnership with GREENADO for empowerment training and support; NEEM Foundation for psychosocial support and trauma healing and Nutri-K for nutritional support. According…
Real Betis 0 v Man United 1 (1-5 Aggregate) MARCUS Rashford was on target again as Manchester United cruised into the quarter-finals of the Europa League with a clinical win at Real Betis. After an open first half Rashford put United ahead in the 55th minute with a thunderous long-range effort dipping into the bottom corner. The hosts had created plenty of chances before United opened the scoring as Betis’ Joaquin saw his early curled effort hit the outside of the post. Erik ten Hag’s side had done the hard work in Manchester last week and advanced as 5-1 winners…
HEAD Coach of the Super Eagles, José Peseiro, has named a 23-man team ahead of this month’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against the Djurtus of Guinea Bissau. Leading the team list are captain Ahmed Musa, in-form forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman. Nigeria and Guinea Bissau clash at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja from 5pm on Friday, March 24, and then make it a second date at the Estadio 24 de Setembro in Bissau on Monday, March 27, also starting from 5pm. Spain-based defender Kenneth Omeruo returns, as midfield enforcers Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka, and…
ARUNA Quadri defeated world number four Tomokazu Harimoto in the round of 16 of the men’s singles event at the Infinity Arena earlier today. The Nigerian outclassed Harimoto to end his losing streak against the tournament’s 4th seed at 3-0 (11-7, 13-11, 11-7). Aruna is the only surviving African in the competition following the early exit of Egypt’s quartet of Omar Assar, Dina Meshref, Hana Goda and Mariam Alhodaby. Before the historic win, the Nigerian had lost thrice to the Japanese superstar who is ranked fourth in the world. Aruna, who is ranked 14th in the world showed class and…
POLICE in Paris have clashed with protesters after the French government decided to force through pension reforms without a vote in parliament. Crowds converged on Place de la Concorde in response to raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. The plans had sparked two months of heated political debate and strikes. Finally, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne invoked article 49:3 of the constitution – allowing the government to avoid a vote in the Assembly. The decision was taken minutes before MPs were scheduled to vote on the controversial bill, because there was no guarantee of winning a majority. The move…
THE United States has described the China-brokered normalisation deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran as a “good thing”, despite the message it may send about waning US influence in the region. The pact between Riyadh and Tehran, announced last week in Beijing, merely cements the reality of China’s growing role as a significant trade — and now diplomatic — partner in the Gulf, analysts say. They add that Washington, with its confrontational approach to Tehran, was not in a position to broker the rapprochement, but it can still benefit from it despite the alarm some US hawks have sounded. “The…
ARMED forces in eastern Libya say they have found about two and a half tonnes of uranium ore that were reported missing by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Ten drums containing the ore were found near the border with Chad, said the head of the forces’ media unit. The IAEA said it was “actively working to verify” media reports. The agency sounded the alarm after a visit by its inspectors earlier this week to the undisclosed site. The area was not in government-controlled territory. Uranium is a naturally-occurring element that can have nuclear-related uses once it has been refined, or…
AT least 14 primary school children have been injured in the Zimbabwean city of Kwekwe when their classroom collapsed into a sinkhole. Desks and chairs were swallowed up and one girl is reported to have been seriously hurt. The Globe and Phoenix school is close to two gold mines and local authorities have blamed the accident on illegal underground mining. Classes have been suspended and officials are trying to find other schools for the pupils. Earlier the news site ZimLive.com tweeted photos taken at the school in Kwekwe, which is about 200km (125 miles) south-west of the capital, Harare.
GOOD Governance and Transparency Initiative (GGTI), a pressure group is rooting for Hon. Sada Soli’s emergence as Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 10th National Assembly. Hon. Soli, a ranking lawmaker who was first elected in 2006 has won his return bid into the National Assembly as the member representing Jibia/Kaita Federal Constituency of Katsina State. National Coordinator of GGTI, Abdulmumuni Dangana, who made this known in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja said apart from his wealth of experience in the legislature, Hon. Jibia is endowed with leadership qualities that stand him out for the…
BOTH holders Real Madrid and Napoli secured their places in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after beating Liverpool and Eintracht Frankfurt respectively. Madrid defeated Liverpool 1-0 in Wednesday’s second leg to go through 6-2 on aggregate while Napoli won 3-0 on the night secure a 5-0 aggregate triumph in the last 16. Karim Benzema scored the only goal of the game in Spain as the record 14-time European champions eased into the last eight following a 5-2 victory at Anfield in February. For Napoli, Victor Osimhen struck either side of half-time and Piotr Zielinski added another from the penalty…
IVORY Coast centre forward Sebastien Haller was recalled to the national squad for matches against Comoros on Wednesday after an absence of several months during which he underwent treatment for testicular cancer. The 28-year-old forward joined Borussia Dortmund in July from Ajax and only managed a few training sessions after which the cancer was detected. He underwent two operations and four cycles of chemotherapy before resuming training in January. He began playing again on January 22 and scored his first goal after his illness on February 4 against Freiburg. Haller, who has scored four goals playing for Ivory Coast’s national…