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World Cup-Bound Portugal Ease Past Eagles In Lisbon

By
Emenike Agu
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Two well-taken goals in each half, propelled Portugal to a 4-0 defeat of the Super Eagles on Thursday in the first-ever senior international clash between both nations, with the Eagles failing to measure up to the 2016 European champions in Lisbon.

Diogo Dalot and Joao Felix ran rings round the Eagles’ defence and set up Bruno Fernandes for the first goal as early as the 9th minute, and Fernandes increased the tally from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute after right back Bright Osayi-Samuel handled the ball as Felix attempted another pull-out.

The Eagles could not respond to the challenge as Ademola Lookman and Terem Moffi were isolated upfront. Moses Simon sashayed into the hosts’ box as the first half wore on but his snap shot was saved by goalkeeper Rui Patricio.

In the second half, Coach Jose Peseiro brought in Samuel Chukwueze, Frank Onyeka and Paul Onuachu in place of Wilfred Ndidi, Lookman and Moffi. There were a few sparks from the right wing as Chukwueze strove to make his presence felt, but when he escaped the attention of the Portuguese defence after 73 minutes, his shot was blocked by Patricio.

Nigeria earned a penalty in the 80th minute when debutant Osayi-Samuel was tripped in the Portuguese box, but Emmanuel Dennis failed to beat Patricio from six yards with a soft kick.

Portugal, who head to the World Cup finals in Qatar on Friday, saw that as a signal to ratchet up the pressure, and they added two more goals in the 82nd and 84th minute through Goncalo Ramos and Joao Mario as the Nigeria resistance collapsed. 

Nigerian Athletes Convicted For Fraud After Fbi Investigation

By
Emenike Agu
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Nigeria’s athletics federation says last week’s conviction of two of its athletes for their part in a fraud scheme uncovered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is “sad and damaging” for the country.

On 10 November, Emmanuel Ineh and Toluwani Adebakin were convicted for transferring tens of thousands of dollars to the West African country as part of what the American justice department called “a complex fraud scheme”.

Prosecutors said the scheme involved athletes from multiple higher-learning institutions in the USA, with African Under-18 triple jump record holder Ineh, 23, and sprinter Adebakin, 25, operating part of the conspiracy while team-mates at William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

“It’s really sad and damaging, not just to the image of the sport or federation, but Nigeria as a country,” Dare Esan, a board member of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), told BBC Sport Africa.

“This kind of action could potentially affect other young athletes seeking scholarships to American schools. It dents the incredible achievements other honest athletes have created in the world.

“But we know America is a country with justice and fairness, so whoever is found guilty will be punished and made to pay the price for their own actions.”

Following the FBI’s investigation, the pair pleaded guilty to violations of the United States code, having engaged in unlawful activities and having ‘sent tens of thousands of illicitly obtained proceeds to fraudsters in Nigeria as part of a larger mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracy’.

Both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on 15 February next year in Hattiesburg, and face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.

“Sadly, wire fraud and other criminal activities are not limited to athletics but have become a national problem that must be fixed,” said Esan.

“Imagine someone like Ineh, who’s won an African [Youth] Games medal, to be caught up in this? You allow yourself and bank details to be used for fraud and decide to derail your career – for what?

“It’s sad and disappointing to see young athletes with great potential go this route in life.”

A federal district judge will determine any sentence for Ineh, who finished in eighth place at the 2018 African Athletics Championships, and Adebakin, whose career has not shown such promise, after considering sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

Ineh is one of Nigeria’s fast-rising long jump and triple jump talents, having moved to the University of Alabama earlier this year.

An African Youth Games silver medallist and continental age champion in the triple jump in 2018, his 8.16 metre long jump mark set last year remains the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) record.

Adebakin graduated from the University of South Florida in May with a dual degrees, a master’s degree in sports entertainment and an master’s in business administration (MBA).

He spent two years at William Carey University and won a national championship in the 4x400m relay.

Exploring Shiprock, U.S.A.  

By
Angel Gimalo
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Shiprock is an isolated hillrock, better known as monadnock, which is located in the Native American territory of the Navajo Nation, in the northwestern part of the State of New Mexico, within the United States of America.

Having a height of about 482 meters (1,583 feet) above the area that surrounds it, the peak has an elevation which is 2,188 meters (7,177 feet) above the sea level.

Since Shiprock is located in the territory of the Navajo people, there are certain legends that surround this impressively jagged rock formation.

Visible from around the desert, it is considered that the volcanic plug was formed some 30 million years ago below the Earth’s surface which later with the erosion became exposed above the ground.

The Navajo people are calling the mysterious formation “Tsé Bitʼaʼí”, which in translation means “the rock with wings”, or better yet a remnant of a giant bird that carried the Navajo from the north to New Mexico.

During that time, the people were living only on the rock and came down its peak only to plant and water their crops.

Then one day, a very strong lightning struck the hill rock when the men were on the ground, leaving the women and children atop without the possibility to come down for food and water.

Nowadays, one of the reasons why it is forbidden for people to climb Shiprock is that the Navajo believe that the ghosts of those stranded at the top will be disturbed.

There have been some ascents which were recorded to be difficult and very challenging, such as one in 1939, but the Navajo people outlawed every attempt to ascend the hill rock.

Since the perilous sides of Shiprock are considered to be one of the greatest prizes among rock climbers, there were no human ascents since 1970, and most likely there won’t be another ones in the foreseeable future.

A definite jewel in the territory of the Native American people who are legendarily guarding their sacred volcanic plug, which recently gained more popularity with its introduction in more than twenty Hollywood movies, such as Transformers (2007), John Carter (2012), The Host (2013), The Lone Ranger (2013) etc.

Cruise Season: Dubai Harbour Welcomes 5,500 Passengers

By
Angel Gimalo
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Dubai’s newest cruise hub has welcomed the first passengers of its 2022-2023 season.

Dubai Harbour, the city’s first dedicated cruise facility, welcomed more than 5,500 passengers into the city on Thursday.

Cruising from Germany on the maiden voyage of the AIDAcosma — a first-of-its-kind liquid natural gas or LNG powered ship — travellers docked in Dubai as the first port of call in the ship’s new Orient itineraries, which also take in Abu Dhabi, Oman and Bahrain.

With more than 2,600 staterooms and 20 passenger decks, the 183,900 gross-tonne ship is the biggest in the German operator’s fleet. Onboard, there are 17 restaurants and 23 lounges, a children’s pool, water slides and an outdoor sports park.

The AIDAcosma is the first of 46 ship calls expected at Dubai Harbour this cruise season.

The purpose-built terminal is also the first in the region to act as a home port for two sustainably-powered ships — the AIDAcosma, and the soon-to-arrive Costa Toscana which also has LNG propulsion engines.

It’s part of the facility’s efforts to help pave the way for increasingly sustainable sailings as LNG is one of the cleanest-burning, non-electric marine fuels in the industry, capable of reducing a ship’s emissions by up to 30 per cent.

Dubai Harbour sits just over 30km from Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central Airport. It’s also within easy reach of the city’s world-famous attractions including Palm Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab and The Dubai Mall.

The cruise season at Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal is also being extended into the summer months of 2023 for the first time, announced Binhabtoor, with ships scheduled to sail into the month of July.

The cruise terminals at Dubai Harbour offer an array of amenities and services for passengers and crew — from ample seating areas to currency exchange outlets, ATMs, cafes, retail and duty-free outlets, dedicated parking and taxi stands. All facilities are wheelchair-accessible and Wi-Fi is complimentary.

Ukraine War: Australian Billionaire Launches $25bn Fund For Reconstruction, Commits $500m

By
Angel Gimalo
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Australian mining billionaire Andrew Forrest has launched an investment fund that is hoped will be worth at least $25bn (£21bn) to help rebuild war-torn Ukraine.

Mr Forrest and his wife have committed $500m to the fund, which its organisers say could eventually grow to $100bn.

The Ukraine Green Growth Initiative plans to invest in primary infrastructure such as energy and telecoms networks.

President Zelensky welcomed the move.

“We will take advantage of the fact that what the Russians have destroyed can readily be replaced with the latest, most modern green and digital infrastructure,” Mr Zelensky said.

The fund said it had been working with Larry Fink, the chairman of investment giant BlackRock, and hopes to gain the support of sovereign wealth funds and other professional investors.

Since starting work on the investment fund in early March, Mr Forrest said he had discussed the plan with a number of world leaders including US President Joe Biden, then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

“The president [Zelensky] sees that as an opportunity to completely replace old coal-fired [and] nuclear power stations with brand new green energy,” Mr Forrest told the BBC.

“That capital would be available the instant that the Russian forces have been removed from the homelands of Ukraine,” he added.

Mr Forrest made his fortune from Australia’s mining boom. He is the founder and executive chairman of iron ore giant Fortescue Metals.

In recent years he has turned his attention to sustainable technology, with initiatives to decarbonise his mining operations and become a major producer of green hydrogen.

Russian Opposition Leader Navalny Moved To Solitary Confinement

By
Angel Gimalo
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FILE PHOTO: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny arrives for a hearing for his appeal at a court in Moscow, Russia June 16, 2017. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva/File Photo

Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny says he has been transferred permanently to solitary confinement.

Mr Navalny said the move took place just days before a planned family visit, and was aimed at silencing him.

He was already facing 11 and a half years in prison on a range of charges, including for fraud, which he said are trumped-up.

The 46-year-old has long been the most prominent face of Russian opposition to President Vladimir Putin.

Mr Navalny was already being held in solitary confinement, also called a “punishment cell”, but he could only be held there for 15 days, according to a post of his Instagram account.

But in a series of tweets on Thursday, the high-profile Kremlin critic said he had been accused by prison officials of being an “egregious offender” and moved to a “cell-type room”. His visitation rights have also been curtailed.

He said his new confinement is “a regular cramped cell, like the punishment cell, except that you can have not one but two books and use the prison kiosk, albeit on a very limited budget.”

Family members, – including his mother, father and wife Yulia – were due to visit him four days after he was moved, Mr Navalny said. He accused the Kremlin of “bestiality” and manually controlling his “entire incarceration”.

“They’re doing it to shut me up. So what’s my first duty? That’s right, to not be afraid and not shut up,” he wrote.

Mr Navalny is being held in a penal colony more than 250km (150 miles) east of Moscow. He was arrested on his return to Russia from Germany, where he had been treated after being poisoning with a nerve agent.

He was initially jailed for two and a half years for breaking bail conditions while being treated in hospital, but was then given an extra nine years for fraud and contempt of court.

In May he lost an appeal against a nine-year prison term on fraud charges, during which he launched a blistering attack on Russia’s war in Ukraine. He said the rulings against him were no different from the lies used by “madman” President Vladimir Putin and state TV to justify the war.

“You will suffer a historic defeat in this stupid war that you started. It has no purpose or meaning. Why are we fighting a war?” he said.

Russia has repeatedly silenced criticism of its war in Ukraine, prosecuting those who have refused to use the term “special military operation” and blocking independent media outlets.

Guernsey Environment: Beach Litter Volunteers Collect 48,000 Items

By
Angel Gimalo
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A local charity organising litter picks on Guernsey beaches collected more than 48,000 pieces during 2021.

The Clean Earth Trust (CET) said it analysed 122 beach litter collections, taking volunteers more than 2,000 hours.

The results showed that 48,924 pieces of marine litter weighing more than two tonnes were collected.

Paul Bugden, policy officer of CET, said the report was a “ground-breaking piece of citizen science”.

He added that it demonstrated the “shocking impact of marine plastic pollution in Guernsey and globally and is a call for action which we will be addressing with the States of Guernsey”.

The report found 76% of the items were plastic and 33% of all items were single-use plastic.

A total of 7,275 cigarette butts were collected.

Celtic Ruler’s Ring Goes Sold For £36,000 At Auction

By
Angel Gimalo
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A 2,000-year-old gold ring believed to have been worn by a Celtic ruler could go on display in York after being sold at auction for £36,000.

The “jaw-dropping” jewellery was bought by a British private collector on Wednesday after it spent the last 28 years in its previous owner’s cupboard.

The Yorkshire Museum is now in talks with the buyer about displaying the “rare and beautiful object”.

The Iron Age ring was unearthed in a field in North Yorkshire in the 1990s.

Dating back to about 100BC, it was thought to have been worn by a chieftain of the Corieltauvi tribe, which ruled parts of what are now the Midlands and Yorkshire before the Roman invasion.

Auction house Noonans had expected the ring to fetch between £24,000 and £30,000 on Wednesday.

Nigel Mills, specialist in ancient jewellery at the firm, said: “We were delighted with the result of this beautiful ring.”

He added the auctioneers were “so pleased” the item was staying in the UK and said the buyer now wanted to loan the ring so the public could view it.

Chinese police stations in U.S. worry FBI, China denies running overseas stations

By
Angel Gimalo
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The FBI is “concerned” by reports that secret “police stations” linked to China have been set up across the US.

A September report issued by the NGO Safeguard Defenders revealed the presence of these stations around the world, including in New York.

The FBI’s director, Christopher Wray, told senior politicians that the agency was monitoring reports of such centres across the country.

“We are aware of the existence of these stations,” Mr Wray said.

“To me, it is outrageous to think that the Chinese police would attempt to set up shop, you know, in New York, let’s say, without proper coordination,” he added. “It violates sovereignty and circumvents standard judicial and law enforcement cooperation processes.”

Asked if the stations violated US law, Mr Wray said the FBI was “looking into the legal parameters”.

The senior intelligence official was speaking at a US Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, where he was grilled by senior lawmakers.

According to the Spain-based NGO Safeguard Defenders, Chinese public security bureaus established the “overseas police service stations” in several continents, including two in London and one in Glasgow. In North America, it found stations in Toronto and in New York.

The units were reportedly created to tackle transnational crime and to provide administrative services to Chinese nationals abroad, such as renewing drivers’ licences abroad and other consular services.

However, Safeguard Defenders said they also serve a “more sinister goal”, by contributing to “cracking down on all kinds of illegal and criminal activities involving overseas Chinese”.

Chia has denied running the overseas stations.

Mr Wray said the United States had opened a number of charges related to the Chinese government harassing, stalking, monitoring and blackmailing people in the US who had been critical of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“It’s a real problem and something that we’re talking with our foreign partners about, as well, because we’re not the only country where this has occurred,” he said.

In October, the US unsealed criminal charges against seven Chinese nationals accused of spying on and harassing a US resident and his family as part of efforts by the Chinese government to return one of them to China.

Last month, one of the Chinese “police stations” in the centre of the Irish capital Dublin was ordered to close by the government as a result of Safeguard Defenders’ work.

And Canadian intelligence officials recently said they were investigating accusations that China had opened unofficial “police” stations on Canadian soil.

Nancy Pelosi Stands Down As Leader Of US House Democrats

By
Angel Gimalo
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0

Nancy Pelosi, who has led Democrats in the US House of Representatives for almost two decades, has announced she is standing down from the role.

The 82-year-old is the most powerful Democrat in Congress and the first woman to serve as speaker of the House.

She will continue to represent her California district in the lower chamber of Congress.

It comes as Republicans are projected to take back control of the House following the midterm elections.

Republican Kevin McCarthy has won the party’s nomination to be speaker in the new Congress and is likely to succeed Mrs Pelosi.

“I never would have thought that someday I would go from homemaker to House speaker,” Mrs Pelosi said in a statement in the chamber on Thursday.

“I will not seek re-election to Democratic leadership in the next Congress. The hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus,” she said.

Mrs Pelosi will serve as speaker until January when a new Congress takes over, and will remain in the seat she first took up in 1987 until January 2025.

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