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Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, has named a 23-man squad for the team’s  2022 World Cup qualifiers against Central Africa Republic . Nigeria already kicked off their campaign in the qualifiers on brighter note with two winnings  in their first two games and are currently the group  C leaders with six points while Central Africa Republic are at the bottom with just a point. According to the official statement by the Super Eagles media team, Alex Iwobi, captain Ahmed Musa,  Moses Simon, Leon Balogun and Maduka Okoye, are among the players invited.  21-year-old Calvin Bassey who plays for Scottish giants Rangers as a left-back/centre-back was handed his maiden Nigeria call-up. Rohr’s men will take on the Central African Republic on October 7 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos before travelling to Bangui for the return fixture at Stade Barthelemy Boganda three days later. NIGERIA FULL SQUAD Goalkeepers:  Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus...

The remains of 38 persons killed by bandits in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, were buried amidst tears on Thursday, September 30.      Sympathizers gathered at GSS Mallagum in Kaura to pay their last respects. Women, children and the aged were seen weeping as they watched their loved ones being laid to rest.   The victims were killed in the bandits attack on Madamai and Abun communities in Kaura Local Government Area on Sunday, September 26.    Seven other persons sustained injuries while several houses were set ablaze during the attack.     

Paris Saint-Germain superstar, Lionel Messi, has expressed his joy at scoring his first goal for the club. Messi signed for the Ligue 1 side as a free agent after leaving Barcelona this summer. Since then the Argentina captain has made three appearances for PSG without scoring. However, against Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday, Messi reminded everyone of his talents with a trademark finish to seal a 2-0 win.   “I am very happy to have scored. I haven’t played much recently. Only one game [at the Parc des Princes], this is the second one here. I am gradually adapting to my new team, to my teammates. “The more we play together [with Neymar and Mbappe], the better it will be. We must all grow together, increase our level of play. We played well. We have to give our best and continue to do so,” Messi said.

The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested a woman for collecting N50,000 from parents of a teenage suspect who raped her 3-year-old granddaughter.    The suspect, Olanrewaju Seun, 18, allegedly defiled the victim in the Iyana Emirin area, Poly Road, Ado Ekiti.   Spokesperson of the command, ASP Sunday Abutu, who represented the State Commissioner of Police, Tunde Mobayo, during a press briefing on Tuesday, September 28, paraded Seun and the victim's grandmother alongside other suspects arrested for various crimes.   According to Abutu, the suspect lured the victim into his room where he had carnal knowledge of her.   When the grandmother of the victim heard about the incident, she demanded the sum of N50,000 from the parents of the suspect for an amicable settlement of the case. The money was paid to her and she converted it to her personal use.   "Based on the information received on 21/09/2021 at abou...

Over 20 fishermen have been feared dead after an alleged airstrike by the Nigerian military in Dabar Masara, a border town in Monguno Local Government Area of Borno State. Eyewitness told Daily Trust that on Sunday September 26, a Nigerian fighter jet bombarded Kwatar Daban Masara in Lake Chad, which straddles Nigeria and neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon. The area is said to be a bastion for the IS-affiliated Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and it was also alleged that the insurgents recently lifted a ban on fishermen in its territory, allowing them to move in and fish in the freshwater lake for a fee. That led to an influx of fisherman who had abandoned the area.   A resident of the area told the publication;    “Any fisherman that goes to that area does so at his own risk because it is an enemy territory and there is no way of differentiating them from the terrorists.  “From the information we have been ...

Grammy winning singer, R. Kelly has been found guilty of racketeering and sex crimes, but US House of Representative member, Danny Davis has opined that the 54-year-old "I Believe I Can Fly" singer isn't beyond redemption. A New York court found R.Kelly guilty on Monday, September 27, of all nine counts in a racketeering and sex trafficking case in New York and reportedly faces 10 years to life in prison. Kelly was found guilty on one count of racketeering including 14 underlying acts of sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping, bribery, and sex trafficking charges. Charges went back more than two decades.  Kelly was also charged with eight violations of the Mann Act, which makes it illegal to transport anyone across state lines "for any immoral purpose." He will be sentenced on Wednesday, May 4, 2022.   The guilty verdict means Kelly's work as an artiste could be over but Rep Davis (D-Illinois) believes that there could be a future for the ...

  Dr. Chike Akunyili, the husband of late former Information Minister and NAFDAC boss, Prof. Dora Akunyili, has been murdered by unknown gunmen.  The Nation reports that the medical doctor was killed at Nkpor in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State on Tuesday evening, September 28.     Late Chike Akunyili had just attended a meeting of the University of Nigeria Nsukka Alumni Association (UNAA) where he spoke glowingly of his late wife who was a member and was on his way home when he was killed by the gunmen.   “God, pls render the devil and his agents powerless and useless. I was with this man yesterday same yesterday at Sharon Hall, All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha. It was an occasion of University of Nigeria Nsukka Alumni Association (UNAA), Onitsha branch event where they honoured late Dora Akunyili. He spoke glowingly about Dora and made a donation of 500k to the association. He was there with his son, Obum now working with Anambra s...

Over 220 female Afghan judges are hiding in secret locations due to fear of retribution by the Taliban . In the past 20 years, 270 women have been judges in Afghanistan and have made convictions against the Taliban, killers and murderers. But with the change in government in Afghanistan, their lives are now in danger as they are in secret locations for fear of being killed. In a new interview with the BBC, six former female judges (whose names have been changed for their safety) spoke from secret locations across Afghanistan. Masooma who has convicted hundreds of men for violence against women, including rape, murder and torture says death threats began just days after the Taliban took control of her city and thousands of convicted criminals were released from prison.   The threats came from text messages, voice notes and calls from unknown phone numbers .   "It was midnight when we heard the Taliban had freed all the prisoners from jail," says Masooma. ...

Melissa Yandell Smith, who played Frances McDormand's character's sister in  Nomadland has died at the age of 64. Before her death, Melissa served as the Conservatory Director at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco for 25 years.  In an obituary in  The New York Times , Smith's cause of death was revealed to be cancer.   It read;    "It is with great sorrow that we share that Melissa Smith, longtime Director of the Conservatory, passed away on September 7, 2021.  "Melissa's impact on A.C.T. and on the American theater is immense. "So many have been touched by her talent, generosity, intellect, grace, and wonderful sense of humor. She will be greatly missed. "She passed away quietly September 7, 2021 in her home in San Francisco surrounded by her husband, son, brother and friends. The cause was cancer."   During her time at A.C.T., Smith "redesigned, invigorated and maintained the Master of Fine Arts Progra...

‘Batman’ and ‘In Like Flint’ star, Jean Hale Coleman has passed on at the age of 82.  Jean who tussled between James Coburn’s character in the spy spoof  In Like Flint  and portrayed the hatcheck-girl accomplice of David Wayne’s Mad Hatter on TV’s  Batman, died of natural causes on August 3. Her family announced her death on Monday September 27.      The late actress was married to actor Dabney Coleman, with whom she had three children; Quincy, Randy and Kelly from 1961 until their 1984 divorce. Jean started her Hollywood career as a model, but in the early ’60s, she was spotted by actress Sandra Dee’s agent Len Luskin while she strolled down NYC’s Fifth Avenue. She then signed a contract with 20th Century Fox and made her screen debut in the 1963 film “Violent Midnight.”     Before acting, Hale attended the University of Utah and earned a degree in ballet before also attending Skidmore College in Sarat...

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC have arrested three suspected internet fraudsters in the Kuje and Gwagwalada axis of Abuja.     The suspects are Adejobi Riliwan, Igwe Dominic and Sunday David. They were arrested on Friday, September 24, in a sting operation following credible intelligence received by the Commission on their alleged involvement in computer-related fraud. Items recovered include computers and mobile phones.  

N'Golo Kante is reportedly set to miss Chelsea's Champions League showdown with Juventus on Wednesday night, September 27, due to an illness.   The French midfielder has been an important player under Thomas Tuchel but the manager will have to do without him.  Having shaken off a groin problem, the World Cup winner has been trying to reach his best form again but illness will delay those ambitions, according to Goal.  While he will miss the Champions League showdown with Juventus, Kante is also expected to be ruled out of Saturday's Premier League clash with Southampton.  The 30-year-old's specific illness is not yet known but Tuchel will have his shuffle with Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Saul Niguez, and Trevoh Chalobah all options at his disposal.

  A jealous woman has been arrested for poisoning her ex-partner and his new fiancee with a tampered box of chocolates just days before they were due to be married. Dione Quirino, 35, and Amanda Cassia Lopes, 27, received a delivery of chocolates at home in Jaiba in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais on Thursday September 23 ahead of their weekend wedding. The couple tucked into the chocolates, assuming they were simply an early wedding gift, but quickly discovered they had ingested some kind of poison. According to the news site G1, a total of five people – the bride and groom-to-be, two other adults and one two-year-old – were poisoned by the chocolates and were hospitalised after falling sick.   Meanwhile, the family dog, also given a sweet or two as a treat, died as a result. A woman whose name not disclosed due to the ongoing investigation, was arrested a day after the alleged poisoning incident on Friday.   She was later identified by the police as the...

America n singer , Miguel and his wife, Nazanin Mandi, both 35, are going their separate ways after 17 years together. "After 17 years together, Miguel and Nazanin Mandi have decided to separate and have been for some time now," a rep for the couple tells PEOPLE. "The couple both wish each other well."  The couple appeared together in Miguel’s "So I Lie" music video earlier this year.

R&B superstar, R.Kelly has been found guilty of racketeering in a high-profile sex-trafficking case after being trailed by accusations of sexual misconduct and abuse for a long time.    The singer has been in custody and on trial in New York for one count of racketeering since he was formally charged in 2019, with 14 underlying acts that included sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping, bribery and sex trafficking charges. He was also charged with eight additional counts of violations of the Mann Act, a sex trafficking law which bars the transport of people across state lines “for any immoral purpose.”  Though R.Kelly who is best known for the 1996 hit “I Believe I Can Fly" pleaded not guilty to all charges in the case and did not take the stand in his own defense, prosecutors in the trial which centered around the allegations of six people, alleged that the singer was a serial sexual predator who abused young women as we...

North Korea is willing to consider having another peace summit with South Korea if mutual respect between the neighbors can be assured, North Korean state news agency KCNA has said.    Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, made the announcement according to KCNA. North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons has complicated the question of both countries formally ending their war, which halted with an armistice, rather than a peace treaty, leaving US-led UN forces technically still at war with the North. For decades, North Korea has sought an end to the 1950-53 Korean War, but the United States has been reluctant to agree, unless it gives up nuclear weapons.   Last week, September 22, at the United Nations General Assembly, South Korea's president Moon Jae-In stated he will like both countries together with the US and China to declare an end to the war and now North Korea has responded saying they could have another peace summit if bot...

Germany's centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) have narrowly won the country's federal elections, beating the party of outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel.   According to preliminary results, the SPD secured 25.7% of the vote, while the ruling conservative CDU/CSU bloc gained 24.1%.   Meanwhile, The Greens party achieved the best result in their party's history, coming in third with 14.8% of the ballot. With the win, SDP must now form a coalition to form a government.   With the nature of the result, chancellor Merkel will not be going anywhere until the coalition is formed - which may take as long as Christmas.   Her successor's task is to lead Europe's foremost economy over the next four years, with climate change at the top of voters' agenda.   As results trickled in, Scholz's SPD supporters greeted him in raptures, but it was only later when his party edged into the lead that he told a televised audience the voters had given him the job of...

Oleksandr Usyk has returned the IBO, WBA, IBF and WBO world heavyweight title belts to Anthony Joshua after winning them off the British boxer on Saturday night. The Ukrainian visited Joshua in his changing room at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium shortly after the fight to give him back the belts after he had posed with them in the ring.     According to reports, Usyk will be sent a new set of belts after claiming the four titles with a dominant display in north London in his second bout in the heavyweight divison. His team director Sergey Lapin captured the moment Usyk returned the belts to Joshia.     Joshua said of their interaction: "In the changing room I said to him I'll see you again and I'm looking forward to it."     Usyk outclassed Joshua at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, with all three judges awarding him the fight by scores of 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113. He is now undefeated in 19 professional fights,...

Twitter users are reacting to the revelation that R.Kelly is reportedly minus $2 million. Celebrity Net Worth estimates that the embattled singer's net worth is negative $2 million with his ongoing legal problems.     The site cited the R&B superstar telling a judge last year that he wasn't a flight risk as he owed $1.9 million in back taxes, as reported by TMZ. The revelation led to the 54-year-old singer getting mocked for his financial issues, with many Twitter users pointing out that they are richer than the singer since his net worth is -$2 million. More reactions below.