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  Nigerian female athletes, Blessing Okagbare, and Grace Nwokocha have both qualified for the semi-final of the women’s 100m at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics. Okagbare, who is the reigning Nigerian record holder in both the 100m and 200m, finished first in her heat in 11.05 seconds to advance, while United Kingdom’s Asha Phillips finished second in 11.31 seconds and Bahamian athlete Tynia Gaither came third in 11.34 seconds. Grace Nwokocha moved into fifth in the Nigeria all-time list behind Okagbare (10.79), Glory Alozie (10.90), Mary Onyali (10.97), and Damola Osayomi (10.99) The 20-year-old finished third with a new Personal Best of 11.00 seconds to qualify for the semi-final. World no. 1 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won the heat with 10.84s with Switzerland’s Ajia Del Fonte placing 2nd with 10.91s. 32-year-old Okagbare is an Olympic and World Championship medallist. She is the women’s Commonwealth Games record holder and current African record holder in 200m. While Nwok...

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced that it will be enforcing a lockdown every Monday in the south-east until leader of the proscribed group, Nnamdi Kanu is released. IPOB's publicity secretary, Emma Powerful tagged the lockdown ‘ghost Monday’ and also disclosed that schools and marketplaces will be affected.  The group which accused the Nigerian government of unlawfully abducting its leader in Kenya and illegally detaining him, said the sit-at-home order will start on Monday, August 9 and will be enforced from 6:00am to 6:00pm. They also warned that should anything happen to Nnamdi Kanu, security operatives should not bother coming back to the South-East.  It read;    “We the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB (IPOB) ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to announce to all Biafra citizens, friends of Biafra and lovers of Biafra freedom and independence that IPOB leade...

Manchester City football club of England have tabled a £100 million ($140m) bid for Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish, according to a report by The Telegraph.The Citizens have been linked with the England international for some time, and have now made the bold transfer move ahead of a Premier League title defence in 2021-22. The reports says City have made it plain they will break the English record to land the England international, who - according to those close to him is split between sticking with Villa and moving to City, where he has a far greater chance of winning trophies and enhancing his England status. City made their initial bid on Thursday July 29, the bid shows they are prepared to pay more than 50 percent above their current club record. The move, if completed, would eclipse the British record of £89million that Manchester United paid Juventus for the return of Paul Pogba to Old Trafford.

A 22 year old YouTuber, Albert Dyrlund, has died after falling to his death while filming a video for his YouTube channel. According to his mother, Vibe Jørger Jensen who spoke to Denmark's TV2, Albert Dyrlund, fell over 650 feet on Wednesday July 28 while filming a video in Forcella Pana, in the Italian Alps. She also asked for privacy for her and her family as they mourn the loss. 'We are in great grief, but I would like his fans to know,' she told the station The accident reportedly occurred on a hiking trail that links two mountain peeks, characterised by steep and rocky slopes.   He stumbled while he was filming the video and fell, dying on the spot. The outlet say a rescue helicopter was called to the scene. He was flown to a hospital some 30 miles away, but paramedics were unable to save Dyrlund, who was pronounced dead at the scene.   Before his death, Dyrlund had over 224,000 followers on Instagram along with 170,000 YouTube subscribers. A number of his vi...

Trent Alexander-Arnold has become one of Liverpool’s highest earners after signing a lucrative new four-year contract with the Merseyside club. The club began negotiations this week with Jurgen Klopp keen to recognise the 22-year-old right-back’s immense importance to his side. The academy graduate, who has been with his boyhood club since the age of six, has made 179 appearances since making his debut nearly five years ago. He has contributed 10 goals and 44 assists, and been integral to Champions League, Club World Cup and Premier League title triumphs.   “I'm honoured to be given the opportunity and to be shown the trust in the club to be given an extension, so it was a no-brainer for me,” Alexander-Arnold told Liverpoolfc.com on Friday, July 30. “I live the dream every day really. Being able to represent the club and to be in and around names and players, and obviously managers and staff, that are world class every day is a privilege for me and I'm very ...

Premier League side, Arsenal have signed England defender Ben White from Brighton in a £50m deal. White, who was a late call-up to England's squad for Euro 2020 to replace the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold, signed a five-year deal with the option of a further year and will wear the No 4 shirt on Friday.  Arsenal saw two bids for the 23-year-old rejected before an agreement was reached with Brighton, who have inserted a sell-on clause.   Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said: "Ben was a top target for us and it's great that we've completed his signing. Ben has been educated with two very good clubs, Brighton and Leeds, in recent seasons. He has benefitted well from two very good coaching set-ups and has shown with both Brighton and on loan with Leeds what a strong talent he is.   "Ben is an intelligent defender who is very comfortable with the ball at his feet and his style fits perfectly with us. And of course, he is still young, so his age and profile ...

  Olumide Bankole Morakinyo, 38, a Canada-based Nigerian has been sentenced to eight years in prison in the United States for defrauding the Texas Employees Retirement System. He will also pay $975,863 in restitution to multiple victims for conspiracy to commit money laundering. Morakinyo was sentenced by a court in Austin Texas, according to a statement released by U.S. Attorney’s office of the Western District of Texas. ‘This Defendant’s scheme and those like it victimise our most vulnerable citizens and cost taxpayers billions each year,’ said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. ‘Our office will use all of the available legal tools to identify and bring to justice those who commit cyber-enabled fraud and launder the proceeds.’ According to court documents, Morakinyo conspired with Lukman Shina Aminu, a resident of New Hampshire, to create unauthorized accounts for participants in the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) internet portal.   Personally identifi...

Gunmen suspected to be armed robbers have invaded Nasarawa State Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning in Lafia, and catered away the sum of N100 million. Daily Post gathered that the incident occurred on Thursday afternoon when the gunmen invaded the ministry, shooting sporadically. It was also learnt that the assailants trailed some members of staff who went to a commercial bank to withdraw some cash for the ministry. The armed men were said to have snatched the N100 million on gun point at the premises of the ministry which is adjacent to the State’s Accountant General’s Office where some security operatives were stationed.

  Arsene Wenger has been linked with a return to management to become the new Switzerland national team boss.  The Frenchman, 71, ended his 22-year spell as Arsenal boss in 2018 and has since been working as FIFA's chief of global football development.  Switzerland are now on the lookout for a new national coach following Vladimir Petkovic's departure to manage French club, Bordeaux. But multiple reports in Zurich claim the former Gunners chief is top of the Swiss FA's wish list. The report said they want a coach who can step in quickly for the national team's World Cup bid, and see them through to the Qatar finals in November 2022. French sources claim Wenger has been sounded out about the vacancy and is thought to be interested. They tried to recruit Wenger in 1995, while he was coach of Nagoya Grampus, but he refused to break his contract with the Japanese club.  He took charge of Arsenal a year later and led the Gunners to three Premier League title...

A bottle-wielding thug has been charged with attacking a priest while he prayed in a cathedral. The incident reportedly took place at St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral in Edinburgh on Monday morning, July 26.  Father Jamie McMorrin, 35, was sitting alone on a pew in St Mary’s in Edinburgh when he was approached by a man who asked if he was a priest before trying to hit him with a glass bottle, Metro UK reports.   Despite being chased to the back of the building, the priest reportedly managed to escape unhurt. Police said that a 31-year-old man was arrested in Cumbria and charged in connection with the incident.  He was also charged in connection with an assault at Princes Street Gardens East on Monday. The man is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday.  A police spokesman said: ‘A 31-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with an assault at a cathedral on York Place in Edinburgh on Monday, July 26. ‘The man has also bee...

The Senate has accused the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation of illegally withdrawing N665.8 billion from Development of Natural Resources Fund and Stabilization Funds and giving it as loans to various government agencies.  The claim was made in a report by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts on the Federation Account which has been investigating expenditures of federal government agencies from 2015-2018 based on an audit report by the Auditor-General for the Federation. The funds were alleged to have been withdrawn between 2004 and 2015 contrary to the established objectives of the fund. Report of the panel's six-month investigation on the Federation Account for the year 2015, was submitted before members of the red chamber went on their annual recess.  The Auditor General was quoted saying when responding to a query on depletion of Special Funds;    “Amount totaling N455.8 billion were withdrawn from Developmen...