Author: Chief Editor

The Verdict By Olusegun Adeniyi Last week, I recounted my family’s twin ordeal of an armed robbery attack and COVID-19 infection in my column, ‘Gunman, COVID-19 and My Family’. Unfortunately, the publication came on the day we had to move my son to the National Hospital Isolation Centre where he spent Christmas and subsequent days before his eventual discharge. That was why I couldn’t pick (or return) many of the calls or reply to messages I received that day. I am grateful for them all. Paired in a room with a distressed man placed on oxygen, my son experienced considerable…

Juventus and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo says he hopes to continue playing for “many years” and winning the World Cup remains a “dream” of his. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is the top goalscorer in Serie A this season – although defending champions Juve are sixth and 10 points adrift of top spot. Ronaldo, 35, needs only seven international goals to equal the world record of 109 set by Iran’s Ali Daei. “It doesn’t matter the age. What is important is the mind,” Ronaldo said. “It doesn’t matter if Cristiano Ronaldo is good, you don’t know tomorrow what is going…

Barcelona have confirmed that Philippe Coutinho will have to undergo surgery after suffering a lateral meniscus injury, with the knock potentially leaving him sidelined for as long as four months. The 28-year-old suffered the blow during La Blaugrana’s 1-1 draw with Eibar on Tuesday evening, and had to be helped from the pitch by medical staff as he headed down the tunnel. Barcelona have since provided an update on the injury on their website. “The tests carried out on the first team player Philippe Coutinho have shown that the midfielder has an injury to the lateral meniscus in his left…

Liverpool sharpshooter Mohamed Salah will be a star in demand during 2021 with Egypt wanting him not only for World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers but also the Olympic Games. The record seven-time African champions face between six and eight World Cup matches and two in the Cup of Nations as the continent plays catch-up after 2020 schedules were severely affected by the coronavirus. Qualifiers for the Olympics are permitted three over-age players in a tournament otherwise restricted to under-23 footballers and Salah tops the Egyptian wish list as they plan for Tokyo. Here, AFP Sport outlines what…

Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho needs surgery to mend a torn meniscus after the Brazilian limped off the pitch late in Tuesday’s drab home draw with Eibar. His loss adds to a long list of injuries including Lionel Messi with the club sixth in La Liga seven points off leaders Atletico Madrid. “It’s the meniscus in his left knee and it needs surgery, which will be carried out in the coming days,” a Barcelona statement said. Coutinho was recruited from Liverpool for £142 million pounds (157m euros) in 2018. But Coutinho failed to replicate the success he enjoyed on Merseyside in…

Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Wednesday says religious centres will be allowed to hold the Thursday crossover worship services only in strict compliance with COVID -19 safety protocols. Makinde in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Taiwo Adisa, Wednesday, in Ibadan also approved the suspension of the 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. curfew earlier imposed on states by the Federal Government. The governor said that officials of the State’s Task Force on COVID -19 would ensure strict compliance with the guidelines and advisories during the Yuletide and after. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that…

Manchester United looked to be heading for another predictable stalemate against Wolverhampton Wanderers when Bruno Fernandes did his thing. In a game of very few chances, only a magical moment from a player of either side was going to decide the winner. But this is where Bruno Fernandes thrives. The Portuguese is a phenomenal game-changer, and even on his worst days can still conjure a moment of magic to turn defeat into a draw, or a draw into a win. On Tuesday, he did just that against a well-drilled Wolves side. The 26-year-old has single-handedly won Manchester United many games, and he was at it…

Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 (PTF) has confessed that national response to the pandemic is passing through a challenging phase due to the seriousness of the second wave of infections in Nigeria. It lamented that Week 52 of the National response had so far given the highest number of infections in a single week to date. According to the Chairman of PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr. Boss Mustapha, analysis shows that 16 out of every 100 tests carried out are positive. Meanwhile, the Federal Government is to suspend for six months the passports of the…

Rules out interest in playing partisan politics ECWA urges FG to address bishop’s concerns The Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has rebutted allegation that he called for a coup against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in his Christmas homily. Kukah, who has come under fire from the federal government and its supporters, said his homily was his personal view “based on evidence.” However, the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), which backed the bishop, has asked the federal government to address concerns raised by him rather than intimidating and sponsoring attacks on Kukah. Kukah, in his Christmas message,…

Brazil’s star footballer Neymar is at the center of a new controversy after several Brazilian media reported that he’s organizing a huge New Year’s Eve party despite the coronavirus pandemic, a claim his lawyers denied. Acelmo Goes, a columnist for the O Globo newspaper, wrote that the Paris Saint-Germain forward is hosting 500 people for a week-long party at his luxury beachside mansion near Rio de Janeiro that started on Saturday and will last until New Year’s Day. Neymar, who is no stranger to controversies over his parties, allegedly even installed soundproofing equipment to try to avoid bothering his neighbours.…