Alexis can be catalyst for Rashford -Mourinho

New Manchester United signing Alexis Sanchez can act as a catalyst in the development of fellow forward Marcus Rashford, manager Jose Mourinho said. Chile international Sanchez, who joined United from Arsenal last week, impressed on his debut for the club days later, setting up Rashford for the opener in a 4-0 FA Cup fourth round victory at League Two Yeovil Town. Rashford’s strike took his goal tally to double figures for the season. “The kid is having a hell of an experience at every level so there is an amazing…

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EU pledges additional €42.5 million to Palestine

The European Union has agreed to put an extra 42.5 million euros (52.9 million dollars) towards building a “democratic and accountable” Palestinian state, foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said. Mogherini said on Wednesday that the money will go towards activities in East Jerusalem while also helping to build a Palestinian state through policy reforms, debt reduction, support for businesses and Palestinian civil society as well as access to water and energy. The announcement came ahead of talks in Brussels bringing together top Israeli, Palestinian, U.S. and Arab politicians and officials…

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Zimbabwe elections body condemns voter intimidation as polls loom

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Wednesday condemned voter intimidation by some individuals who were forcibly demanding voter registration slips or details thereof such as serial numbers from registrants. Several opposition parties and civic organisations had complained that some people were forcing the registrants to show them the serial numbers of their registration slips, with fingers pointing to the ruling Zanu-PF party. In a statement, ZEC acting chairperson Emmanuel Magade said the serial numbers and bar codes on the registration slips were only unique security identifiers used by the commission…

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Federal govt bans open drug markets in 2019

The Federal Government says it will shut down all open drug markets this year to curb unwholesome drug distribution system. The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, disclosed this in a statement issued after a ground breaking ceremony of the Coordinated Wholesale Centre (CWC) in Abia. Adewole, in the statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) on Wednesday, frowned at the chaotic drug distribution system in the country thereby endangering the lives of the populace. He noted that the closure…

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Emezi, Nigerian photographer wins Getty Images award

Nigerian documentary photographer Yagazie Emezi, has been awarded the Inaugural Creative Bursary Award by Getty Images. The 26 year-old is among the six recipients selected by an industry leading panel of the international photo curating platform to get amounts between two thousand dollars and five thousand dollars. Other recipients include Neema Githere from Kenya; Oriana Koren, Jeremy Dennis, Donavon Smallwood and Tara Sellios from the United States of America. Emezi, who hails from Abia State, came in joint second place with Neema Githere for a prize sum of three thousand…

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Arsenal will have more offensive power with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Arsene Wenger

With Arsenal yet to officially confirm the arrival of Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, manager Arsene Wenger is already making plans about how to unleash the ‘offensive power’ of the Gabon internationationl. Aubameyang is expected to wrap up a club-record transfer to Arsenal worth a reported £55.5million before the window closes on Wednesday, having been pictured at the club’s training ground. But Arsenal’s 3-1 loss at Swansea City on Tuesday has dealt a blow to their Champions League qualification hopes and Wenger spoke about the impending arrival of Aubameyang after…

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Total lunar eclipse to grace the sky in most parts of China on Wednesday

Stargazers in North America, Hawaii, the Middle East, Russia, India, and Australia had the chance to witness a rare “super blue blood Moon” Wednesday, when Earth’s shadow bathes our satellite in a coppery hue. The celestial show is the result of the Sun, Earth, and Moon lining up perfectly for a lunar eclipse just as the Moon is near its closest orbit point to Earth, making it appear “super” large. It is the second full Moon within the same month, a phenomenon called a “blue” Moon which has nothing to…

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APC’s false hope on restructuring

“In respect of political developments, I have kept a close watch on the ongoing debate about ‘restructuring’. No human law or edifice is perfect. Whatever structure we develop must periodically be perfected according to changing circumstances and the country’s socio-economic developments. We, Nigerians, can be very impatient and want to improve our conditions faster than may be possible considering our resources and capabilities. When all the aggregates of nationwide opinions are considered, my firm view is that our problems are more to do with process than structure.” – President Muhammadu…

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Obasanjo’s Coalition group launched

Just a few days President Olusegun Obasanjo wrote a damning letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, his proposed Coalition Movement has been launched in Abuja. The movement was launched at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. The former president in a lengthy and critical public statement on Tuesday, January 23 suggested the formation of the movement and advised Buhari against seeking a second term in office. Obasanjo was not present at the launch, but two former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Donald Duke, were in attendance. The former…

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Girl, boyfriend docked for dumping 3-week-old baby

A girl and her boyfriend were, yesterday, brought before an Upper Area Court 3 in Jos, Plateau State, for dumping their three-week-old baby girl by the roadside. The girl, a 15-year-old student, was arraigned alongside her boyfriend, Abdullahi Ismail, the suspected father of the abandoned child. The accused pleaded not guilty to the offence punishable under Sections 97 and 237 of the Penal Code. The prosecutor, Sergeant Ahmed Labaran, told the court that the case was reported to Angwan Rogo Police Station by one Abdulkarim Danbadawai of Angwan Rogo on…

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