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    Roger Federer on Sunday said he was withdrawing from the French Open despite having reached the fourth round, opting to focus on his primary objective of winning a ninth Wimbledon title. “After discussions with my team, I’ve decided I will need to pull out of Roland Garros today,” the 39-year-old said. “After two knee surgeries and over a year of rehabilitation it’s important that I listen to my body and make sure I don’t push myself too quickly on my road to recovery. “I am thrilled to have gotten three matches under my belt. There is no greater feeling than being back on court.” Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam title winner, who will be 40 in two months’ time, battled over three and a half hours until 12:45 Sunday morning to reach the last 16 with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 win over 59th-ranked Dominik Koepfer. He was due back on court on Monday to tackle Matteo Berrettini for a place in the quarter-finals. However, having undergone two knee surgeri...

Former AC Milan youth player, Seid Visin, has committed suicide after suffering years of racist abuse.   Visin, who played for the youth academies of both Milan and Benevento, was recently found dead at his home in Campania, Italy at the age of 20.   Visin was born in Ethiopia and later moved to Italy as a child. He was adopted by parents Walter and Maddalena in Nocera Inferiore, where he went on to pursue his dream of being a footballer.   However, in 2016, Visin decided to retire from football and focus on his studies. He only kept playing five-a-side football with Atletico Vitalica.   Atletico Vitalica announced his tragic death, with reports in Italy suggesting he took his own life at his family home in Nocera after suffering constant racist abuse over the years.   According to Corriere, a heartbreaking letter Visin wrote was read at his funeral on Saturday, June 5.   It read: "Now, wherever I ...

Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen have killed a nursing mother, Iorliam Dôôr Aggwei and a man, Suleyol Emberga in Anyiin community, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State. It was gathered that the attackers stormed the market area of the community known as Tyogbenda Anyiin at about 8pm on Friday, June 4, when traders were rounding up with the day’s business, and started shooting sporadically. A source who spoke to Vanguard, said the attackers abducted a prominent Igbo businessman in the area identified as Emmanuel Chukwukwe Okonkwo from Enugu state and bundled him into the forest.     "They came from the forest leading to river at about 8pm, shooting sporadically and people started running, the woman who was carrying a child ran into one of the stalls but one of the bullets got her while she was peeping at the people. Luckily her baby is still alive and safe but the mother died same with another young man who was also shot dead," the source n...

Ashaka Police Station in Ndokwa East LGA of Delta State has been razed down by gunmen who attacked in the wee hours of Sunday June 6.  The gunmen numbering about 20 also burnt a patrol van during the raid. This is reportedly the third station to be attacked in the state in the last one month. Acting Police Spokesperson in the state, DSP Bright Edafe confirmed the incident but said no life was lost. He vowed that such attacks would “not deter the police from providing the needed security in any community in Delta State. Edafe said;    “The hoodlums who perpetrated this dastardly act will certainly not go free, as serious efforts are on to arrest them and bring them to book."

A Nigerian footballer, Kelvin Odenigbo, playing for FC Vitebsk in Belarus, has been found dead after drowning in a lake.     Announcing his passing, the Belarusian Premier League club in a statement released, said the corpse of the 20-year-old striker was found on Saturday, June 5 by the lake Beloye, a tourist destination in the Vitebsk region. “We express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the football player. The football club Vitebsk reports that on June 5, 2021, on the lake Beloye, in the area of the tourist base Verasy, OSVOD employees found the drowned Kelvin Odenigbo. We will publish all official information as it becomes available. We express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the football player, as well as to all the fans of the team,” the statement read   Odenigbo joined the club on loan from NAF Rockets FC, the Nigerian National League side, at the end of last season before making the switch permanent f...

Governments of the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, Republic of Ireland, Norway and those of the European Union (EU) have called for dialogue in resolving the Nigeria-Twitter face-off. The countries made the call in a joint statement made available to journalists on Saturday in Abuja. “We strongly support the fundamental human right of free expression and access to information as a pillar of democracy in Nigeria as around the world and these rights apply online as well as offline.   “Banning systems of expression is not the answer. These measures inhibit access to information and commerce at precisely the moment when Nigeria needs to foster inclusive dialogue and expression of opinions,” they said. The governments noted that this was particularly important in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. They noted that the path to a more secured Nigeria lies in more communication to accompany the concerted efforts of Nigeria’s citizens in fulsome dialogue towards unity, peace and prospe...

The United States mission in Nigeria has said that the indefinite suspension of Twitter's operations in Nigeria by the Federal government undermines citizens’ fundamental freedom and also sends a wrong message to investors.   The statement reads   “Nigeria’s constitution provides for freedom of expression. The Government’s recent #Twitterban undermines Nigerians’ ability to exercise this fundamental freedom and sends a poor message to its citizens, investors and businesses. Banning social media and curbing every citizen’s ability to seek, receive, and impart information undermines fundamental freedoms. As President Biden has stated, our need for individual expression, open public conversation, and accountability has never been greater. The path to a more secure Nigeria lies in more, not less communication, alongside concerted efforts toward unity, peace, and prosperity.”