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Schranz strikes as underdogs Slovakia beat Belgium

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Schranz strikes as underdogs Slovakia beat Belgium

Slovakia caused the first upset at Euro 2024 as Ivan Schranz fired the underdogs to a 1-0 win against Belgium on Monday.

Francesco Calzona’s side are 45 spots below third-placed Belgium in FIFA’s world rankings.

But they made a mockery of the supposed quality gap between the teams with a courageous performance in Frankfurt.

Calzona, who also served as Napoli’s interim boss in the second half of last season, had admitted he would be “delighted” with a draw.

The Italian got more than he could have dreamed of as Schranz left Belgium reeling after ending his nine-game international goal drought.

Romelu Lukaku missed a host of chances for Belgium and had a late equaliser controversially disallowed by VAR.

Slovakia’s unexpected victory blew Group E wide open, just hours after Romania beat Ukraine 3-0 in Monday’s other match in that pool.

It was a bitter loss for Belgium, who are in danger of once again failing to fulfil their potential at a major tournament.

Belgium’s golden generation has lost much of its lustre since they crashed out of the 2022 World Cup in the group stage.

The Red Devils fell at the quarter-finals in the last two editions of the European Championship, making a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup the highwater mark of a talented but underachieving team once hailed as a potential dynasty.

Dominic Tedesco was appointed to replace Roberto Martinez in February 2023 and led Belgium on a 14-match unbeaten run heading into the Euros.

Before what was billed as a last hurrah for Belgium’s veteran stars, Kevin De Bruyne had insisted they were ready to do “something good” in Germany.

But instead, they reverted to type with a spluttering display that put them under intense pressure to beat Romania in their second group game on Saturday.

 

– Lukaku misery –

Playing in a Belgian record 11th game at major tournaments, Lukaku should have bagged his 86th goal for his country in the second minute.

Jeremy Doku turned adroitly on the halfway line and accelerated menacingly into the Slovakia penalty area, where his cross was poked toward Lukaku by De Bruyne.

Lukaku looked certain to score but his close-range effort was straight at Slovakia keeper Martin Dubravka.

He threatened again moments later, only to let Doku’s pass run away from him after bearing down on goal.

Slovakia punished Lukaku’s profligacy to take the lead in the seventh minute.

Doku was culpable with a wayward pass as he tried to clear, allowing Robert Bozenick to cleverly backheel the ball to Juraj Kucka.

Koen Casteels saved Kucka’s strike but could do nothing about the rebound as Schranz fired home from an acute angle.

Lukaku endured a nightmare evening and he again took a woefully heavy touch to waste a good chance from Yannick Carrasco’s raking pass.

Belgium’s angst increased in the 56th minute when Lukaku was denied by Dubravka’s near-post save.

From the resulting corner, Amadou Onana looped a header over Dubravka and Lukaku slid in to score from a yard out, only for his celebrations to be curtailed as VAR ruled he was offside.

Belgium laid siege to the Slovakia goal but Dubravka saved well from Trossard and Lukaku volleyed into the side-netting before Johan Bakayoko’s shot was cleared off the line by David Hancko.

And in a fitting coda to a day to forget for Belgium, Lukaku blasted home in the 86th minute but saw the goal disallowed for handball by Lois Openda in the build-up.

AFP

Tinubu to attend South Africa’s Ramaphosa’s inauguration

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Tinubu to attend South Africa’s Ramaphosa’s inauguration

President Bola Tinubu will, on Tuesday, depart Lagos for Pretoria, South Africa, to attend the inauguration of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, made the disclosure in a statement on Monday.

Ngelale said the inauguration of Ramaphosa follows his re-election as President for a second term.

He added that Tinubu will return to Nigeria after the ceremony.

According online had reported that Ramaphosa was re-elected for a second term after his humbled ANC cobbled together an unprecedented coalition government.

Lawmakers in Cape Town voted overwhelmingly to put Ramaphosa back in office for another five years after the May 29 general election produced no outright winner.

The election marked a historic turning point for South Africa, ending three decades of dominance by the African National Congress of the late Nelson Mandela.

The party that led the anti-apartheid struggle won only 40 per cent of the vote and, for the first time, lost its absolute majority in parliament.

It, however, struck a deal to form what it calls a government of national unity.

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Hoodlums set cars, houses ablaze in Jos

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Hoodlums set cars, houses ablaze in Jos

Some hoodlums on Monday afternoon set several cars ablaze in the Bukuru metropolis, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The hoodlums suspected to be anti-Jos city renewal drive of the state Governor, Caleb Mutfwang led administration were said to have attacked passersby on sight, injuring many in the process.

It was learnt that trouble started when some members of the Jos City Renewal Committee had gone to clear a site in the Bukuru community but were resisted by the hoodlum who attacked the officials.

The action of the hoodlums took residents by surprise and caused panic in the community as they went on a rampage burning cars and setting houses ablaze

A resident who witnessed the incident, Usman Ibrahim said on sighting the officials, the hoodlums started stoning them.

Usman said, “It was this afternoon in the Bukuru community around 2 pm. We saw some officials of the Jos Metropolitan Development Board as they arrived in the community and moved to a site which they earlier cleared before.

“As soon as they began to mark the site, some hoodlums emerged and started throwing stones at the officials and said they would not allow any project in the area. Before you knew it, they started burning cars parked along the road and attacking innocent passers-by.

“They also set some houses ablaze. So everybody started running and that is what happened. ”

It was learnt that the quick deployment of security agents to the community saved the situation from further degenerating.

Some residents who reacted to the incident condemned the action of the hoodlums.

They urged the government and the security agents to go after those trying to foment trouble and breach the peace in the city of Jos and other parts of the state to enable Plateau to make progress

The Spokesman for the state Police Command, Alabo Alfred, confirmed the incident.

Alfred said security operatives had been deployed to the affected community while the investigation had commenced

“Yes, we are aware of the incident in Bukuru. Our men have been deployed to the community. I can not tell you what caused the problem but we have started an investigation and we will let you know when we are done. But the situation is calm now”, the PPRO stated

The According reports that Mutfwang had earlier signed an Executive Order to control the illegal erection of buildings and traffic in the state.

The General Manager of JMDB, Hart Bankat said Executive Order No. 003, 2024 became imperative considering the indiscriminate manner in which buildings were being erected and traffic control abysmally degenerated within the Greater Jos Master plan as well the prevalence of building collapse in the state adding that its agency would ensure the implementation of the order its objectives a were achieved.

Gunrunner arrested with 375 live cartridges in Anambra

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Gunrunner arrested with 375 live cartridges in Anambra

The Anambra State Police Command on Monday said it arrested a gunrunner, whose name was given as Felix Owaya, for possessing about 375 live cartridges.

The suspect said to hail from Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, was apprehended by police operatives attached to Fegge Division along Niger Street, Onitsha.

A statement by the Anambra State police command spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said during interrogation, the suspect confessed that he was sent by one Charles Ogboma to a man he is yet to mention to collect the ammunition.

Ikenga said, “On 15/6/2024 by 1:30 pm, police operatives attached to Fegge Division while on patrol along Niger Street, Onitsha, arrested one Felix Owaya ‘M’ aged 48years from Ika South LGA of Delta State and recovered 375 live cartridges.

“During interrogation, the suspect confessed that he was sent by one Mr Charles Ogboma to a man he is yet to mention to collect the ammunition. Meanwhile, the investigation is still ongoing.

“The Commissioner of Police, Nnaghe Obono Itam, while commending police officers who made the recovery for their vigilance and tenacity of purpose, directed all personnel in the Command to sustain the tempo of crime prevention and detection in service of the people of the State.”

Similarly, in May, the Anambra State Police Command said it arrested a suspected cultist and recovered one locally made pistol and four live ammunition.

In a statement, the state police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the suspect, who had been terrorising communities in the state, was arrested based on credible information.

Group laments rise in HIV infections, teenage pregnancies

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Group laments rise in HIV infections, teenage pregnancies

A Non-Governmental Organisation known as ‘AIDS Healthcare Foundation’ Nigeria, has raised concern about the rise in Human Immunodeficiency Virus and teenage pregnancy across the country.

The Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AHF Nigeria, Steve Aborisade stated this in a statement issued and made available to journalists in Makurdi on Monday.

Aborisade stated the urgent need to equip young people with tools, services, and information to enable them to make better decisions.

Consequently, Aborisade said that the organisation is set to host a series of events under the theme “Fostering Health and Education Through Comprehensive Sexuality’ as part of its ongoing “protectTheChild” campaign to commemorate the International Day of the African Child 2024.

Aborisade said that the theme aligns with the global 2024 IDAC theme, “Education for All, and the Time is Now,” to underscore the crucial role that access to education, including Comprehensive Sexuality Education, plays in enhancing health outcomes for young people.

He said, “The emphasis on age-appropriate Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) stems from the increasing rates of new HIV infections and teenage pregnancies, highlighting the urgent need to equip young people with proven tools, services, and information.”

The advocacy Manager further said that research has demonstrated that age-appropriate CSE can significantly reduce the incidence of HIV, STIs, gender-based violence, and unplanned pregnancies among adolescents and young people.

He noted that “The International Day of the African Child observed annually on June 16th, honours those who participated in the 1976 Soweto uprising and has since become a symbol of raising awareness about the rights of African children.

“Since 2022, AHF Africa has strategically leveraged this day to highlight the importance of Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) for the health and well-being of young people, in furtherance of their right to health and education.

“AHF Africa will host various live and virtual activities across its country programs to engage key stakeholders, community leaders, parents, teachers, and young people on the importance of investing in CSE and galvanise community support for its implementation in schools and communities.

“This year, AHF Nigeria will be hosting a consultative meeting, in the form of a Focus Group Discussion (FGD), with students and other young people, and that will have officials of government agencies and parastatals in attendance, to give young people an opportunity to contribute their ideas about how CSE can foster health and education towards achieving life goals,” Aborisade said.

Also in the statement, “AHF Nigeria Country Program Director, Dr Echey Ijezie, said, “AHF’s commitment to fostering CSE stems from the outcome of extensive global research, which highlights its many benefits – including a reduction in early sexual engagement, fostering positive attitudes towards sexual and reproductive health issues, reducing the tendency to engage in risky behaviours, strengthening of self-awareness, and equipping young individuals with knowledge to combat HIV, STIs, and unplanned pregnancies, while challenging harmful gender norms.”

Ijezie also noted that the #ProtectTheChild campaign was aimed at addressing the pushback and misinformation surrounding CSE which has continued to hinder effective implementation while the planned event is an avenue to further foster meaningful dialogue and build support for age-appropriate CSE.

Church expresses worry over land grabbers’ activities in Rivers

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Church expresses worry over land grabbers’ activities in Rivers

The leadership of a Faith Based Organisation in Rivers State, ‘Salvation Ministries’ has raised the alarm over the activities of land grabbers in the Igwurita community in Ikwerre local government area in Rivers state.

The body alleged that land grabbers were attempting to acquire over 800 portions of land in the Omuohia community in Igwurita, which was genuinely acquired.

A representative of the Church, Pastor Innocent Samuel, who said this during a media briefing at the site of the land on Sunday called on members of the public not to fall prey to the gimmicks of fraudulent individuals posing as land owners.

Samuel explained that Salvation Ministries, a popular Church in the state with headquarters in Port Harcourt, purchased the land from an elder statesman and former Senator, John Mbata, who he said had previously acquired the property from the Omuohia community.

He further said the call became necessary because, despite efforts by the Church leadership and Senator Mbata to warn the land grabbers from neighbouring communities, they are still encroaching on the over 800 plots of land duly owned by the church.

Samuel stated, “It is Salvation Ministries land, not an individual land. The church acquired it from Senator John Mbata, who had owned this land before we acquired it.

“So we are calling on the general public to be aware that nobody should come near this land. They should not buy from any person. They should not equally maintain any presence here. If you want to acquire property what you do is due diligence to check the root of the title. You equally do what we call due diligence by checking.

“The man that is asking you to come and buy this property is the value of what he is telling you. If he tells you a ridiculous price then you should know that there is something wrong somewhere.”

The cleric also displayed evidence of the Deed of Conveyance and the land plan of 801 plots of land it acquired as necessary steps taken before the purchase of the property.

“We did due diligence by tracing the root of the title of John Mbata to the Omuohia community. Senator John Mbata bought this property first from the Omuohia community. He is in possession at the time before selling to us.

“These are the investigations that Salvation Ministries carried out before we transacted. Salvation Ministries acquired 801 plots from Senator Mbata,” Samuel said.

Also speaking on the issue, the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Chairman, Dr Samuel Nwanosike, bemoaned the activities of the land grabbers in the area, saying he has intervened in many cases and successfully returned land taken by land grabbers to their original owners.

Nwanosike stated, “It is my responsibility as the local government chairman to protect properties belonging to people in this area. And my position is clear. If you genuinely buy a property in my local government and documents are there to show that the Root of Title was taken properly, the local government chairman is under obligation to stand and protect the original occupants and those who have titles to that property.

“As far as we are concerned, what we are seeing is not strange to us. In each of these, we have settled many cases since I became chairman in 2015 and we have returned lands belonging to people.

“Communities and families are happy that their lands that have been taken from them by land grabbers have been returned to them,” Nwanosike added

Nobody expected 3-0 loss to Romania, says Ukraine Rebrov

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Nobody expected 3-0 loss to Romania, says Ukraine Rebrov

Ukraine coach Serhiy Rebrov said his team’s opening 3-0 loss to Romania at Euro 2024 on Monday was a result “nobody expected”.

Two mistakes from goalkeeper Andriy Lunin proved fatal as Romania took the lead in Munich through captain Nicolae Stanciu, with Razvan Marin and Denis Dragus completing the victory in the second half.

“Unfortunately nobody expected this result,” said Rebrov, who led Ukraine to a fourth consecutive European Championship despite the country being ravaged by war following the Russian invasion in 2022.

“The players feel they didn’t do enough. Before the game, I told them we are representing a big strong country fighting for more than two years for our freedom.

“Today we didn’t do good enough, that’s why they (the players) are apologising (to the fans). We have to show the other Ukraine for the game against Slovakia.”

Rebrov said the team had held a players-only meeting after the game, asking him to leave the dressing room.

“We all have emotions. Everybody is unhappy,” he said.

“If we don’t show our maximum… then it will be very difficult.

“It doesn’t matter who is the favourite, football is about what you show on the day. Today we didn’t show our level.”

Lunin, who had an excellent season in goal for Real Madrid while deputising for the injured Thibaut Courtois, admitted his errors were largely to blame for the defeat.

“My first mistake changed the match. I’d like to say sorry,” said Lunin, appearing at his first major international tournament.

“If a goalkeeper does a mistake, it practically means it’s a goal, with a bit of luck it can be avoided but in the most of the cases it’s a goal.

“So it’s a mistake… I accept it, I understand it and I know it. It happened to me in the past.

“I’m sad because my team-mates put in a big effort and a lot of work and my mistake made the match difficult.”

AFP

Former President Obasanjo visits First Lady Oluremi Tinubu in celebration of Sallah

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Former President Obasanjo visits First Lady Oluremi Tinubu in celebration of Sallah

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo visited the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in Lagos on Monday to mark the Sallah celebration.
The visit was confirmed by the First Lady’s spokesperson, Busola Kukoyi, who posted a photo of the two leaders on her social media handle.
According to Kukoyi, Obasanjo visited the First Lady to extend his greetings and felicitate with her on the occasion. She wrote, “Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Senator Oluremi Tinubu after receiving the Former President who came felicitating on the Sallah Celebration on Monday 17th June.”
Read also: Former APC chieftain, Lukman slams party’s poor performance on campaign promises
This visit comes despite Obasanjo’s recent criticism of the Tinubu administration’s policies.
On May 27, Obasanjo spoke out against the implementation of the fuel subsidy removal and the floating of the naira, stating that while the policies were necessary, they were poorly executed.
He also expressed disapproval of Nigeria’s approach to the coup in the Republic of Niger, speaking at a colloquium in Abuja over the weekend titled “Nigeria’s Development: Navigating the Way Out of the Current Economic Crisis and Insecurity.”
The post Former President Obasanjo visits First Lady Oluremi Tinubu in celebration of Sallah appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.

Nigeria’s Ejuke joins Sevilla on 3-year deal

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Nigeria’s Ejuke joins Sevilla on 3-year deal

Super Eagles winger Chidera Ejuke has signed with Spanish club Sevilla on a three-year contract.
The 26-year-old winger joined García Pimienta’s squad on a free transfer after his contract with Russian club CSKA Moscow ended.
Ejuke spent the last two seasons on loan with Bundesliga team Hertha Berlin and Belgian Pro League side Royal Antwerp.
During his time with Hertha Berlin, he made 21 appearances and recorded three assists.
Read Also: Table tennis federation confirms Aruna, others for Paris Olympic Games
At Royal Antwerp, he scored five goals and provided six assists in 39 appearances last season.
Ejuke began his European career in Norway with Valerenga, signing in 2017 at age 19. Over two seasons, he played 59 games, scored 15 goals, and registered six assists.
In 2019, he moved to Dutch club Heerenveen, where he scored 10 goals and provided six assists in 29 games.
Ejuke then joined CSKA Moscow, tallying 10 goals and five assists during his time with the Russian club.
The post Nigeria’s Ejuke joins Sevilla on 3-year deal appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.

UEFA probes Serbia FA over fans’ unruly behaviour

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UEFA probes Serbia FA over fans’ unruly behaviour

UEFA said Monday it had opened disciplinary proceedings against the Football Association of Serbia over alleged inappropriate behaviour by its fans after the country’s Euro 2024 match against England.

Charges against the FSS include “throwing of objects” and “transmitting a provocative message unfit for a sports event”, the European football body said in a statement.

The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body will decide on the matter in due course, it added.

Meanwhile, Kosovo and Serbia filed complaints against each other with UEFA over the same match.

Serbia said a Kosovo journalist allegedly made an Albanian nationalist sign while the Kosovo Football Federation (FFK) complained over what it called “racist messages” from Serbia fans.

Serbia fans displayed “flags, slogans and chants… with political, chauvinistic and racist messages against Kosovo”, an FFK statement said.

“The unhindered display of such messages… at a big event like Euro 2024 is senseless and absurd,” it said and called for strict disciplinary measures against its Serbian peer, labelling it a “repeat offender”.

Both Kosovo and Serbia said that the incidents occurred before and during the Euro 2024 match between Serbia and England on Sunday, which England won 1-0.

Ties between the two Balkan neighbours are very tense and tensions often spill over into the sporting world.

A decade after the war between Kosovo independence-seeking ethnic Albanian rebels and Serbian forces — that killed around 13,000 people, mostly ethnic Albanians — Pristina declared independence from Belgrade in 2008.

Serbia still does not recognise the move that was accepted by around 100 countries.

Despite Serbia’s lobbying against its admittance, Kosovo became a full-fledged member of UEFA and FIFA in 2016.

Kosovo failed to qualify for Euro 2024.

AFP

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