Author: Samuel Akpenpuun

Newcastle has confirmed that Sandro Tonali has been cleared to join the rest of the squad for the new season from August 28, 2024 according to a statement obtained from Fabrizio Romano’s X handle on Thursday. Newcastle have received confirmation from Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio that Tonali’s ban runs up to and including August 27, allowing him to return to action from August 28. But when Tonali will return is not quite clear just yet as Newcastle have a Carabao Cup second-round match at Nottingham Forest that week which could be scheduled for either Tuesday or Wednesday evening. Tonali would…

Former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is poised to take the helm of the US Men’s National Team, according to multiple sources. This development comes after the dismissal of the previous coach, Gregg Berhalter, following a disappointing group-stage exit in this summer’s Copa América. Football journalist Fabrizio Romano stated via X on Thursday, “Mauricio Pochettino becomes the new USMNT manager, leading the U.S. to World Cup 2026. After contacts with several managers, the former Chelsea and Spurs head coach says yes to the proposal and project, as per reports in the US overnight.” The Athletic has corroborated this…

Bayelsa State would face a long period of black as the Transmission Company of Nigeria has disclosed vandalisation of 13 transmission towers along the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV Double Circuit transmission line. A statement by TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah on Wednesday, said the blackout will also affect some communities in Rivers State. The situation was discovered after a team led by the General Manager of the Port Harcourt Transmission region, Emmanuel Akpa, visited the site, and saw that all 13 towers from T52 to T64 were affected. Mbah said of the 13 vandalised towers, nine towers have collapsed completely,…

Cross River State governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has performed the groundbreaking ceremony for a 365-kilometres railway to connect the southern part of the state with the north. The project is a Public-Private Partnership-funded initiative, driven by Messers Reinhoke LLC, in partnership with the state government. Performing the groundbreaking ceremony at the premises of Tinapa Free Zone Resort on Tuesday, the governor stated that the railway project was one of the fruits of the investment summit held in August 2023, at the Calabar International Convention Centre. At the summit, the state government had a robust engagement with financial, infrastructure and social…

The Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Jalal Arabi, and the commission’s secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, are currently in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) due to alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion 2024 Hajj subsidy. According to the EFCC, SR314,098 has been recovered from Arabi and other high-ranking officials. The investigation has revealed that Arabi fraudulently overpaid himself and other officials for operational costs related to the Hajj. The approved 2024 Hajj operational costs for various NAHCON officials were outlined as follows: $4,250 for the Chairman/CEO, $12,750 for Commissioners, $3,825 for the…

Hundreds of Japanese flights and trains were cancelled Thursday in the middle of a major holiday week as another typhoon roared towards the archipelago. Days after Tropical Storm Maria dumped record rains, Typhoon Ampil was set late Thursday to skirt the Tokyo region — home to almost 40 million people — and then churn up the Pacific coast on Friday and Saturday. ANA cancelled some 280 domestic flights on Friday affecting more than 60,000 passengers, while Japan Airlines scrapped 191 domestic and 26 international services, hitting 38,600 customers. Major parts of Japan’s network of bullet train services are also scheduled…

Gena Rowlands, an award-winning US actress best known for starring in the films of her first husband, director John Cassavetes, died Wednesday at age 94, according to US media reports. Rowlands died surrounded by family at her home in Indian Wells, California, US entertainment publication TMZ reported. No official cause of death was immediately given, but Rowlands’s son Nick Cassavetes said in June she had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for the past five years, according to the New York Times. Rowlands starred in 10 films by John Cassavetes and was married to him for nearly 35 years until he died…

The Financial Times has announced the 11th edition of its annual FT Africa Summit, taking place between October 29-30, 2024, at The Peninsula, London. This year’s summit will convene African Heads of State, policymakers, global investors, and business leaders to engage in critical dialogues aimed at identifying opportunities for Africa’s sustainable growth and development. Leading speakers include President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. of Liberia; Aliko Dangote, CEO, Dangote Group; Kuben Naidoo, Former Deputy Governor, South African Reserve Bank; Samaila Zubairu, President & CEO, Africa Finance Corporation; Yvonne Ike, Managing Director & Head of Sub-Saharan Africa (Ex-RSA), Bank of America; Mo…

Amid the controversy over the monthly earnings of federal lawmakers, Senator Shehu Sani has maintained that he received N13 million as a member of the 8th Senate, while current members of the 10th Senate receive N21 million monthly. The revelation by the former lawmaker, who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th Senate, followed the stance of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) that Senators earn N1 million each. Sani, who spoke on Channels Television’s Lunchtime Politics on Wednesday, insisted that the RMAFC is being economical with the truth. He said, “I was a Senator and I believe I had correct…

The Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State on Thursday, inaugurated a 500-member campaign council for the November 16 governorship election. A National Vice Chairman of the party (South West ) Dr Eddy Olafeso and a former state chairman of the party, Mr Clement Faboyede were appointed as Chairman and Director-General of the council respectively. The Osun state governor, Ademola Adeleke, who inaugurated the state council at the party secretariat, Akure the state capital, declared that the PDP would win the forthcoming governorship election, coming up on November 16. According to him, the people had seen and felt the poor performance…