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The 2023 African Cup of Nations, AFCON initially scheduled for Côte d’Ivoire next June will now be held in January and February 2024 due to the concerns over the rainy season in the country.   CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, made the announcement at a press conference held in Morocco  on Sunday, July 3.  “The 2023 AFCON will now be played between January and February 2024,” Mostepe told the media.   “This is one of the issues we discussed during our congress meeting here in Morocco and the official dates will be communicated later.   “It is after deliberations we came into the decision, we have partners and even though we make decisions, it is out of respect that we take the advice we are getting that we cannot take a risk (to host the tournament) and so that is why we have made the necessary announcement today (Sunday).   “It is not good for African football to play a tournament that can be washed out, it is not good for Africa and ...

Gunmen have abducted two Catholic priests identified as Rev. Father Peter Udo of St Patrick’s Catholic church Uromi in Esan North East and Rev. Father Philemon Oboh of St Joseph retreat center Ugboha in Esan South East local government area of Edo State.    The priests were kidnapped between Ehor and Iruekpen along the Benin-Ekpoma Expressway on Saturday, July 2.    It was gathered that the two clergymen had attended a programme in Benin city and were returning to base when their vehicle ran into the gunmen.   The gunmen were said to have fired several gun shots into the air which forced the car to stop. The priests were forced into the bush.    Spokesperson of the State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwanbuzor, confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday, July 3.    "This is to confirm the kidnap of two Catholic Rev. Fathers; Rev. Fr. Udo Peter of St. Patrick Catholic Church Uromi and Rev. Fr. Philemon Oboh of St...

Manchester United coach, Erik ten Hag will hold talks with wantaway striker Cristiano Ronaldo when he returns to first team training.   Over the weekend, Ronaldo shocked fans when told Manchester United that he wishes to leave this summer should they receive a suitable offer amid concerns he will be unable to compete for the biggest trophies at the club.   The 37-year-old 'still has an affinity for the club' but at this stage of his career wants to be playing in the Champions League and does not see that happening at United.   His agent, Jorge Mendes met different clubs over recent weeks but there is also a limited market for a player on around £480,000 a week.  Ten Hag has been talking to all United players as he welcomes them back to training and will be keen to sit down with Ronaldo to understand his frustration ahead of their pre-season tour of Asia and Australia on Friday, according to Mail Online.

The murder suspect in the death of Nipsey Hussle was physically assaulted in custody. Eric Ronald Holder Jr., who was supposed to attend a trial on Tuesday, June 28, was beaten so badly on Monday afternoon, that his court session had to be postponed.     Sources told  Rolling Stone  that the suspect was seriously injured after he left the Los Angeles courtroom where he’s currently standing trial for murdering Nipsey Hussle in March of 2019. The incident came after Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge H. Clay Jackie worked with lawyers to finalize jury instructions, as closing arguments are set to occur Wednesday (June 29). RS  reports that it wasn’t clear where or what exactly happened, but Holder’s high-profile case meant he should have been kept away from other inmates during his transportation to and from the Los Angeles court.  A source told  RS  that he required medical attention and suffered more tha...

Nigerian singer, Temilade Openiyi popularly known as , Tems,  won the Best International Act at the BET Awards 2022 last night.    The singer and songwriter beat Fireboy, Dave from the UK, Dinos from France, Fally Ipupa from Congo, Little Simz from the UK, Ludmilla from Brazil, Major League Djz from South Africa, and Tayc from France to win the award.     Receiving the award, Tems dedicated the award to every single woman who may not believe they could chase their dreams.    She said: “Thank you so much for this, thank you so much. It’s an honour… I mean, this is my first award show that I’m winning something and I just want to use this as an opportunity to speak to every single young, old, whatever, every single woman watching this, every single girl watching this at home. Where I’m from, things like this don’t happen.”  The annual award ceremony honoring Black excellence in music, entertainment, and sports took place at the...

Vladimir Putin has threatened to deploy Russia's new Satan II nuclear missile, which can reach the UK in just three minutes, by the end of 2022.   The Russian president was speaking at an event with military academy graduates at the Kremlin on Tuesday, June 21, when he made the threat, The Telegraph reports.    He also said the country will continue to boost its military following damage suffered during its ongoing invasion of Ukraine and praised his troops for battling 'like heroes'.   Putin said Russia will place the first batch of Sarmat ballistic missiles on combat duty by the end of the year as part of the efforts, The Telegraph reports.   The Sarmat missile, or 'Satan II', is said to be the world's longest-range intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of striking a target 11,200 miles away, meaning it could easily strike targets in the US and Europe.   The Russian president previously describ...

The trial for Eric Holder, the man accused of killing rapper Nipsey Hussle, is underway, and the woman who drove his killer Holder to and from the crime scene has given her testimony, insisting that she didn't realize she was acting as a getaway driver.    Bryannita Nicholson, 35, said that when she and Eric Holder, with whom she had been in a casual relationship for about five weeks, pulled into a South Los Angeles shopping center on March 31, 2019, she was surprised and gleeful to spot Hussle, whose music she loved.   “I said, ‘Ooh, there goes Nipsey, he fine," Nicholson testified, “I want to take a picture with him.'”   She went on to say Holder got out of the car and approached Nipsey Hussle while she was still looking for a parking spot. When she joined Holder and Nipsey, the two men were already engaged in conversation, Nicholson testified.   "I just thought he was trying to beat me to go see him before I saw him,...