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Serena Out Of Australian Open, Djokovic On Entry List

Emenike Agu
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Serena Out Of Australian Open, Djokovic On Entry List

World number one Novak Djokovic was named on the official entry list for next year’s Australian Open on Wednesday but 23-times Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams will not play on the advice of her medical team.

Djokovic has declined to disclose his vaccination status despite all players, officials, staff and fans at the Jan. 17-30 tournament at Melbourne Park needing to be inoculated against COVID-19.

Tennis Australia later told local media that his presence on the list was not a guarantee the Serbian would play.

Williams, who won the last of her seven Australian Open titles in 2017, had an injury-disrupted season and has not played since she limped out of her first-round match at Wimbledon in June due to the leg injury.

Tournament organiser Craig Tiley said last month that the 40-year-old American, who needs one more Grand Slam title to match Margaret Court’s record of 24, would be playing at Melbourne Park.

“Following the advice of my medical team, I have decided to withdraw from this year’s Australian Open,” Williams said in a statement.

“While this is never an easy decision to make, I am not where I need to be physically to compete. I will miss seeing the fans but am excited to return and compete at my highest level.”

Djokovic, who will be bidding for a record 21st Grand Slam men’s singles title if he plays at the tournament, said last week that he would be making a decision “very soon” about travelling to Australia. 

The 34-year-old was also named in the Serbia team for the ATP Cup, which will be held in Sydney in early January, when that was released on Tuesday. 

Williams’s name was the most obvious omission from the field with 20-times Grand Slam champion Roger Federer having already confirmed that he would skip the event as he recovers from another round of knee surgeries. 

Stan Wawrinka, who won the first of his three Grand Slam titles at Melbourne Park in 2014, was also absent from the men’s field.

Wide spread rejection sees up to 1 million COVID vaccines expire in Nigeria

Henry Williams
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Wide spread rejection sees up to 1 million COVID vaccines expire in Nigeria

Wide spread rejection has seen Up to one million COVID-19 vaccines estimated to have expired in Nigeria last month without being used, according to reports.

Despite African nations who have recieved covid-19 largesse to enforce the vaccine mandate on their citizens the report shows that their citizens are not convinced that the vaccines are necessary especially with very high rate of recovery from the vitus.

Governments on the continent of over one billion people have been pushing for more vaccine deliveries to justify milions of aid money that has been recieve to cusion the economic effect of the pandemic.

The reported new variants such as the Omicron coronavirus which many experts hold is a milder version of covid and probably the road to herd immunity now said to be spreading across South Africa goverments have refused to backdown in a bid to please their benefactors.

In Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and home to more than 200 million people, fewer than 4% of adults have been fully vaccinated largely made up of those who have done so in a bid to keep thie jobs both in private and public sector.

Nigeria Center For Diseas Control NCDC on its website shows 214, 996 confirmed cases so far, 207 495 recoveries with 2,920 deaths, that is less than 3,648 passengers who lost their lives to road accidents in the first half of 2021.

analyst lament that the push for Covid – vaccines has been done at the detriment of fighting other diseases that put the nation at higher risk like Malaria which accounted for over 169,290 deaths in 2020 alone.

Nigeria accounts for 27% of deaths from Malaria according to world health organisation. With other diseases like Tuberculosis, Lasa Fever and Malaria topping the charts with higher mortality rates than Covid-19 it begs the question why government feels that eradication of Covid-19 is a silver bullet to the nations health challenges.

A top World Health Organization (WHO) official Dr. Mike Ryan has said there is “no evidence” to suggest that CCP virus booster doses would offer “greater protection” to healthy people.

It comes amidst global anti-vaccine protests by experts such as Dr. Reiner Fuellmich a leading a group of over 1,000 lawyers, including over 10,000 medical experts, to commence legal proceedings against the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and the Davos Group, accusing them of crimes against humanity.

These are signs that should naturally jerk African leaders into a rethink about the approach to covid-19 especially when we learn that the vaccines do not confer immuity but rather exposes those who take them to damaging, life threatening and irreparable side effects which have largely been shrouded in secrecy.

NASA Plans Moon And Mars Trip, Selects New Astronauts

Angel Gimalo
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NASA Plans Moon And Mars Trip, Selects New Astronauts

NASA selected 10 new astronauts Monday, half of them military pilots, as it looks ahead to the moon and Mars.

The space agency introduced the six men and four women during a ceremony in Houston, home to Mission Control and the astronaut corps.

More than 12,000 applied for the coveted spots. The 10 selected are in their 30s and 40s, and face two years of training before becoming eligible for spaceflight.

Besides the combat and test pilots, the astronaut candidates include a medical physicist, drilling specialist, maritime roboticist, NASA-turned-SpaceX flight surgeon and bioengineer who was a champion cyclist. Two astronauts from the United Arab Emirates will train with them.

One of the pilots — Air Force Maj. Marcos Berrios, who’s from Puerto Rico — volunteered during a question-and-answer session to fly a life-size successor to NASA’s mini helicopter at Mars.

”I know Deniz, the other helicopter pilot here, and I would love to take it for a spin for science,” he said, drawing laughs and applause from the audience.

Navy Lt. Deniz Burnham, an Alaskan, manages drilling projects throughout North America.

NASA has accepted 360 people into its astronaut corps since the original Mercury Seven in 1959. The previous astronaut selection was in 2017.

With SpaceX sending astronauts to the International Space Station and other private companies launching tourists on short rides, and NASA’s Artemis moon-landing program on the horizon, “we are in the golden age right now of human spaceflight,” said NASA chief astronaut Reid Wiseman.

NASA plans to put astronauts back on the moon no earlier than 2025.

Gilgamesh Dream Tablet: One Of World’s Oldest Surviving Works Of Literature Returns To Iraq From U.S

Angel Gimalo
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Gilgamesh Dream Tablet: One Of World’s Oldest Surviving Works Of Literature Returns To Iraq From U.S

A small clay tablet dating back 3,500 years and bearing a portion of the Epic of Gilgamesh that was looted from an Iraqi museum 30 years ago and recently recovered from the United States formally returned to Iraq on Tuesday.

The $1.7 million cuneiform tablet, known as the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet, is one of the world’s oldest surviving works of literature and one of the oldest religious texts. It was found in 1853 as part of a 12-tablet collection in the rubble of the library of Assyrian King Assur Banipal.

The tablet was looted from an Iraqi museum during the 1991 Gulf War.

Officials believe it was illegally imported into the United States in 2003, then sold to Hobby Lobby and eventually put on display in its Museum of the Bible in Washington.

Federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations seized the tablet from the museum in September 2019. A federal judge in New York approved the forfeiture of the tablet in July this year.

On Tuesday, the tablet was handed over to Iraqi authorities in a ceremony at Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the presence of UNESCO officials as well as Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and Hassan Nadhem, Iraq’s minister of culture, tourism and antiquities.

“We were able to recover about 17,926 artifacts from several countries, namely America, Britain, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands,” Hussein said.

UNESCO has described the process of recovering the valuable artifact as the culmination of decades of cooperation between the U.S. and Iraq, both of which are signatories to the UNESCO Convention of 1970.

National Park Service To Partner Ebonyi, Abia, Imo, Enugu Governments For Parks’ Establishment

Angel Gimalo
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National Park Service To Partner Ebonyi, Abia, Imo, Enugu Governments For Parks’ Establishment

The Conservator-General, National Park Service, Dr Ibrahim Goni, says 60 per cent of the country’s valuable forest estate has been lost to degradation and most of those left, are currently under threat.

Goni disclosed this in a statement by Emmanuel Ntuyang, the Service Public Relations Officer, in Abuja.

The conservator-general, who spoke when he paid a courtesy visit to Sen. Ita Enang, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs in Abuja, reiterated the commitment of the Service to reverse the trend.

He informed the senator of the 10 new National Parks recently approved by President Muhammadu Buhari, remarking that two of the new Parks are located in the Niger Delta region.

“The region is important to the Service because of its rich ecosystem diversity and rainforests, wetlands, mangroves, montane and derived savannah ecosystems, which are of high conservation value but are now threatened’’.

He regretted that the South-East is only the geo-political zone in the country without a National Park.

Goni stressed that the Park Service looks forward to strategic partnerships in protecting the country’s critical natural environment in all the geo-political zones of the country.

Responding, Enang called for the establishment of more National Parks in the Niger Delta to further the development of the region.

He said that establishing more National Parks in the region would not only enrich the bio-diversity of the area but also have far-reaching implications on the security situation of the area, in view of the country’s current security challenges.

He specifically proposed the establishment of a National Park around Itu-Ini, Ikono and Eastern Obolo areas of Akwa-Ibom State and the adjoining forest of Arochukwu-Ohafia area in Abia State.

“This is to ensure that the forest belt which is under serious threat, is protected.

Enang, who promised to liaise with the government of Akwa-Ibom State, noted that the proposed parks would help the people to enjoy the benefits of sustainable conservation.

He also promised to liaise with the governments of Ebonyi, Abia, Imo and Enugu States to facilitate the establishment of National Parks in the zone.

He thanked the Conservator-General for the visit and expressed the willingness of his office to partner with the National Park Service to protect these resources in the Niger Delta region.

How It Is Celebrated – Christmas In Brazil

Angel Gimalo
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How It Is Celebrated – Christmas In Brazil

Many Brazilian Christmas traditions come from Portugal as Portugal ruled Brazil for many years. Nativity Scenes, known as Presépio are very popular. They are set-up in churches and homes all through December.

Christmas plays called ‘Os Pastores’ (The Shepherds), like the plays in Mexico, are also popular. In the Brazilian versions of the play, there’s also traditionally a shepherdess and also a woman who tries to steal the baby Jesus!

Most people, especially Catholics, will go to a Midnight Mass service or Missa do Galo (Mass of the Roster). The mass normally finishes about 1.00am. On Christmas day, people might go to church again, but this time the services are often in the afternoon.

After the Missa do Gallo there are often big firework displays and in big towns and cities there are big Christmas Tree shaped displays of electric lights.

In Brazil, Santa Claus is called Papai Noel & Bom Velhinho (Good Old Man).

Many Christmas customs are similar to ones in the USA or UK even though it’s summer and very hot at Christmas time in Brazil. Many people like to go to the beach.

The most popular Christmas song in Brazil is ‘Noite Feliz’ (Silent Night).

Favourite Christmas foods in Brazil include pork, turkey, ham, salads and fresh and dried fruits. Everything is served with rice cooked with raisins and a good spoon of “farofa” (seasoned manioc flour.) Popular Christmas desserts include tropical and ice cream.

Brazils population is a mix of many different cultures and people that originally came from different countries, so you may have Italian Panettone in São Paulo, Portuguese salted Cod in Rio de Janeiro and some African style food in the states of North-East Brazil.

The meal is normally be served around 10pm on Christmas Eve and exactly at Midnight people greet each other, make a toast wishing everyone a Happy Christmas and after that they will exchange presents. The lunch on Christmas day is also special and after that some people go to relatives and friends houses to visit.

Epiphany, when people remember the Wise Men visiting Jesus, is widely celebrated in Brazil.

Once Upon A Time – Dec. 7 – 2017 – Ballon d’Or: Cristiano Ronaldo Wins 5th Award To Equal Messi’s Record

Angel Gimalo
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Once Upon A Time – Dec. 7 – 2017 – Ballon d’Or: Cristiano Ronaldo Wins 5th Award To Equal Messi’s Record

43 BC Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman orator and politician is assassinated in Formiae.

1909 Inventor Leo Baekeland patents the first thermo-setting plastic, Bakelite, sparking the birth of the plastics industry.

1941 Imperial Japanese Navy with 353 planes attack the US fleet at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii, killing 2,403 people.

1990 Pakistani authorities arrest Tahir Iqbal, a Christian paraplegic, declaring he had insulted Mohammed by underlining passages and making margin notes in a copy of a Koran. He died in prison, having declared, “I will kiss my rope, but I will never deny my faith.”

1988 PLO delegation lead by Yasser Arafat proclaims the State of Palestine, recognizing the existence of the State of Israel for the first time.

1988 6.9 earthquake in Spitak, Armenia kills 25,000-50,000 people and leaves up to 500,000 homeless

Today’s Historical Events

Today In Film & Tv

1979 “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” first movie of the series premieres directed by Robert Wise, starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy

Today In Music

1995 American rock band The Grateful Dead break up after the death of Jerry Garcia

Today In Sport

2017 Ballon d’Or: Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo wins his 5th award to equal Lionel Messi’s record; 2nd consecutive win for Ronaldo

1968 Richard Dodd returns a library book his great grandfather took out in 1823 from the University of Cincinnati

Aruna Fails To Make The WTT Semi-Final

Emenike Agu
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Aruna Fails To Make The WTT Semi-Final

Aruna was stopped at the quarter-final stage by the better-ranked Brazilian player.

Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna, 33, on Monday failed in his bid to get the semi-final of the ongoing WTT Cup Finals at the OCRC Arena in Singapore.

Aruna came up against Brazilian Hugo Calderano in the quarter-final and lost 3-1. Calderano took the first game 11-6, but the Nigerian stormed back to take the second set 11-6. Calderano then upped his game to take the next two games 11-8, 11-4 and stopped the Nigerian’s historic march in Singapore.

Calderano paid Aruna a great complement after the victory, describing the Nigerian as an ‘amazing player’. It was Calderano’s first-ever win over Aruna and he said, “Quadri is an amazing player. He is strong and powerful. I’m just glad to get my first win over him today. I looking forward to some rest before coming back to take on Harimoto.”

Quadri achieved the highest-ever ranking for an African at No.13 with 5,538 points. Fan Zhendong, 24, of China is the world’s No.1 with 12, 645 points.

Calderano set up a semi-final clash against one of table tennis’ rising stars, 18-year-old Tomokazu Harimoto. The fifth-ranked Harimoto defeated Wong Chun Ting 3-1 (11-4, 7-11, 11-6, 13-11).

The prize money for the WTT tournament is $600,000.

Costa Rica 2022: Falconets Thrash Congo 4-0 In Brazzaville

Emenike Agu
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Costa Rica 2022: Falconets Thrash Congo 4-0 In Brazzaville

The Falconets continued their impressive display from the second round by hammering hosts Congo 4-0 in the first leg of their FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup African qualifying third round fixture in Brazzaville on Sunday.

The results put the two–time World Cup silver medalists in a commanding position ahead of the return leg in Nigeria in two weeks time.

Mercy Idoko put the Falconets ahead in the 38th minute before more goals from Flourish Sebastine (47th minute), and a penalty converted by Esther Onyenezide in the 50th minute put Nigeria in a comfortable position.

Five minutes later Deborah Ajibola scored the fourth goal to the Nigerian ladies out of the reach of their hosts.

Chris Danjuma’s girls completely dominated proceedings at the Stade Alphonse Massamba-Debat, and could have been up earlier than the 38th minute when Idoko, who accounted for four of the 11 goals that drowned Central African Republic, put them in front against the hosts.

To reach the third round, the Falconets had thumped their counterparts from Central African Republic 7-0 in their first leg encounter in Douala, before wrapping things up at a stroll in Lagos, with a further four goals to the kitty.

Congo drew 1-1 with Egypt’s U-20 girls in Cairo and then won the return 3-1 in Brazzaville to be eligible for the fixture with the Falconets.

The second leg will hold at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos on Saturday, December 18.

No goal Rush for Nigerian Stars In Europe

Emenike Agu
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No goal Rush for Nigerian Stars In Europe

Musa, Moffi, Sadiq goal drought continue

While a few names grabbed the headlines in Scotland and Turkey, it was a tough weekend for a lot of Nigerian players in Europe as the usual goal rush was missing,

ENGLAND

William Troost-Ekong, Emmanuel Dennis (Watford)

The duo Troost-Ekong and Dennis saw 90 minutes of action for Watford who lost 3-1 to Manchester City on Saturday. The Hornets’ are still without a win against City since 1989.

Raheem Sterling headed the reigning champions ahead after only four minutes before Bernardo Silva scored a brace.

Silva showed excellent skill to beat two defenders and finish well from a tight angle to double City’s lead

He then grabbed his second and City’s third, cutting in from the right side of the penalty area and curling a fine finish past Bachmann.

Cucho Hernandez pulled one back for Watford, following in to convert a rebound after his first strike had hit the foot of the post.

Wilfred Ndidi, Ademola Lookman, Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City)

Wilfred Ndidi played the entire duration as Leicester City suffered their sixth loss of the season in their 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.

His compatriot Ademola Lookman featured for 65 minutes coming off for Jamie Vardy while Kelechi Iheanacho made a cameo appearance coming on for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the 86th minute.

The Foxes have recorded just one win in their last six league games as they crash to the 11th position in the league.

Frank Onyeka (Brentford)

Frank Onyeka featured for 21 minutes in Brentford’s 2-2 draw at Leeds United on Sunday. The Nigeria international came on for Shandon Baptiste in the 69th minute of the encounter but despite his efforts, he could do nothing about Patrick Bamford’s 95th-minute equaliser.

The game was Onyeka’s 13th of the season since joining the newcomers in the summer from Danish side FC Midtjylland.

Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise (Crystal Palace)

Super Eagles targets, Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, both made cameo appearances in Crystal Palace’s 1-0 loss to Manchester United on Sunday with both players featuring for six minutes each.

Eze making his second appearance since returning from his long-term Achilles tendon injury came on for Cheikhou Kouyate while Olise replaced Jordan Ayew in the 84 minutes.

Semi Ajayi (West Brom)

Ajayi came on for Gardner-Hickman in the 86th minute as West Brom ended their winless four-game run with a 2-1 victory over Coventry City. It was Ajayi’s 15th league game of the season.

It was his first appearance since November 3 when he featured against Hull City.

 He was an unused substitute for the Baggies in their last five games.

SPAIN

Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal)

Chukwueze came on as a substitute in the 71st minute and failed to inspire Villarreal as the Yellow Submarines suffered a 1-0 defeat away at Sevilla on Saturday.

He replaced Yeremi Pino in the defeat.

The defeat extended Villarreal’s winless away record in the LaLiga this season.

ERMANY

Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin)

Awoniyi scored his ninth Bundesliga goal of the season to help Union Berlin beat RB Leipzig 2-1 in the Matchday 14 opener on Friday.

The 24-year-old struck after only six minutes. Timo Baumgartl headed down Julian Ryerson’s cross following a short corner, and the Nigerian reacted quickest to turn in at the far post.

Union really should’ve been 2-0 up minutes later but Awoniyi missed his chance.

ITALY

David Okereke, Tyronne Ebuehi (Venezia)

David Okereke and Tyronne Ebuehi both tasted action for Venezia as they squandered a three-goal lead to lose 4-3 to Hellas Verona in the Italian Serie A on Sunday.

Okereke lasted just seven minutes before pulling a muscle injury which ended his day on a sad note with Dennis Johnsen coming on for the Nigerian striker.

Okereke has scored four goals in 14 league games for the newcomers since joining them on loan from Belgian side, Club Brugge in the summer.

His Compatriot, Ebuehi came on for Pasquale Mazzocchi in the 66th minute but despite the defensive re-enforcement he brought, they could not stop Giovanni Simeonewho grabbed two late goals for the visitors to hand them a memorable win.

Ebuehi has made nine appearances for the Serie side this season.

FRANCE

Terem Moffi (Lorient), Moses Simon (Nantes)

Terem Moffi fired blanks as Lorient suffered a 1-0 loss to Nantes in the French Ligue 1 on Sunday, their eighth loss of the season.

Moffi was in action for 82 minutes but failed to reignite his scoring spark as his goal drought reaches the third month.

The Nigeria international has only been able to find the back of the net twice while providing three assists in 15 games. He was replaced by Adrian Grbic.

His compatriot for the opposing team, Moses Simon, also failed to grab a goal or an assist in 81 minutes on the pitch.

Simon who has scored once and provided six assists for the Canaries came off for Osman Bukari in the 81st minute of the win.

NETHERLANDS

Cyriel Dessers (Feyenoord)

Super-sub Cyriel Dessers was in action for 23 minutes but failed to find the back of the net as Feyenoord thrashed Fortuna Sittard 5-0 in the Dutch Eredivisie on Sunday.

Dessers who has been in superb form for the club since joining on loan in the summer from Belgian side Genk came on for Cyriel Dessers in the 67th minute but could not add to his already impressive goals tally for the club.

The Nigerian has scored seven goals in 15 appearances for the club in all competitions.

TURKEY

Anthony Nwakaeme (Trabzonspor)

Nwakaeme took his tally to six and made an assist in Trabzonspor’s 2-0 home win against Adana Demirspor, in the Turkish Super Lig on Saturday.

The Nigerian scored his side’s opener in the 26th minute before setting up Marek Hamsik for the winner six minutes before the hour mark.

Trabzonspor have now picked up wins in their last eight fixtures.

Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk)

Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, was in action for 19 minutes in Fatih Karagumruk’s 3-1 loss to Giresunspor on Sunday.

Musa who scored his first goal after over three months in a Turkish Cup win over Sariyer is still awaiting his first league goal after over three months.

The former Leicester City forward came on for Yann Karamoh in the 71st minute of the encounter.

Aminu Umar (Rizespor)

Aminu Umar was on for the entire duration of the game but could only watch as Fenerbahce blew past Rizespor 4-0 in the Turkish Super Lig on Sunday.

Umar is yet to find the back of the net in 14 league games for the Turkish side this season.

SCOTLAND

Joe Aribo, Leon Balogun, Calvin Bassey (Glasgow Rangers)   

Aribo scored a first-half opener via a deflection in Glasgow Rangers 3-0 win over Dundee United in a Scottish Premier League game on Saturday. The goal was his fifth in the SPL this season.

He was replaced in the 83rd minute for Bacuna.

His compatriot, Calvin Bassey featured for 90 minutes as a center-half while injured Leon Balogun was not listed for the clash.

The win sees Rangers move seven points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

RUSSIA

Victor Moses (Spartak Moscow) Moses ended his 13-league game goal drought on Saturday when he scored in Spartak Moscow’s 2-1 win over FK Akhmet.

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