Upsets, Drama And chaos – a Classic FA Cup Third Round

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January 9, 2022

The magic of the FA Cup was well and truly alive on Saturday as the third round delivered in dramatic fashion.

Cambridge United grabbed the headlines as their dreams of creating a “fairytale” came true, Joe Ironside mirroring his hero Alan Shearer by scoring the winner against Newcastle at St James’ Park.

There was a “special moment” at Kidderminster Harriers as the lowest-ranked team in the competition defied a gap of four divisions to beat Championship opponents Reading, and the lights went out – literally – at the King Power as holders Leicester City marched on to the next round

Here are all the best bits from a memorable day of FA Cup third-round action.

It was no ‘worldie’ but Shearer would be proud…

League One Cambridge United defied the odds to stun Newcastle, sparking jubilant scenes at full time from the visitors.

Former England international Fara Williams said on Final Score “it has to be the upset of the round” and goalscorer Joe Ironside agreed.

“It’s stuff I dreamed of,” he told BBC Sport. “Alan Shearer was my hero, I grew up idolising him – now I have scored the winner at St James’ Park!”

Ironside sealed the win with a close-range finish in the second half and he said it did not matter it was not a ‘worldie’. But goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov certainly pulled it out of the bag late on as he produced several remarkable saves to deny Newcastle.

Cambridge manager Mark Bonner said he and his players were living “moments we will never forget”.

Could anything top that?

Kidderminster Harriers – the lowest-ranked side left in the FA Cup – did their best to do so.

A late winner from Amari Morgan-Smith saw the sixth-tier side beat Championship club Reading – a team 79 places above them in the pyramid.

Former Scotland defender Alan Hutton told BBC Radio 5 Live: “This is what the FA Cup is all about – special moments. We have just witnessed one here. To put on a display like that… Kidderminster Harriers have been absolutely unbelievable.”

Meanwhile, teenager Joe Grey was the hero as League Two Hartlepool came from a goal down to stun Championship side Blackpool.

And a wonderful goal by debutant Bali Mumba helped Peterborough avoid a potential upset against Bristol Rovers.

AFC Wimbledon completed, Man Utd next?

Kidderminster Harriers were not the only non-league side in action.

Boreham Wood are eyeing a money-spinning draw after they reached the fourth round for the first time in their history.

They beat League One AFC Wimbledon 2-0 with goals from Tyrone Marsh and Adrian Clifton and manager Luke Garrard made it clear who he wants to face next.

“The £82,000 reward to win [the tie] is great and it may be the big one going away to a Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United or Liverpool in the next round,” he said.

It was a day to remember for Garrard, who is (or at least was) a popular figure with Wimbledon’s fans, having made over 100 appearances for the club.

Elsewhere, fellow National League side Yeovil Town were beaten 3-1 by Bournemouth, while European champions Chelsea outclassed Chesterfield.

A nine-goal thriller & a nervy shootout

It would not be an FA Cup third-round day without loads of goals.

And at Oakwell, Championship strugglers Barnsley and Barrow simply could not stop scoring.

Barnsley eventually won 5-4 after extra time in a thrilling encounter which saw Barrow’s Tom Beadling sent off, three goals scored in the last seven minutes of normal time and nine different players on the scoresheet.

League Two Barrow ended up playing for more than 80 of the 120 minutes with 10 men before Carlton Morris eventually fired in the winner for Barnsley in extra time.

Elsewhere, Leicester put four past Watford five goals werescored at Mansfield and Wigan Queens Park Rangers won 8-7 on penalties against Rotherham United, Everton came from behind to win 3-2 in extra time against Hull City and Chelsea trashed Chesterfield 5-1.

‘We’re Leicester City, we can play in the dark’

FA Cup holders Leicester City may have had a depleted squad but they kept their dreams alive with a comfortable 4-1 win over fellow Premier League side Watford.

It was largely plain sailing but an issue with the lights at King Power Stadium meant play was paused for almost six minutes as the electricians searched for the problem.

Fans did not miss an opportunity to have some fun, instead pulling out their phones to use as torches and chanting “we’re Leicester City, we can play in the dark”.

When the game eventually did get back under way, the home fans were treated to four goals from Leicester and manager Brendan Rodgers said he was “thrilled” with the result.

Capital City University Appoints New Chancellor

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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January 9, 2022

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His Royal Highness, the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli has been appointed as the new Chancellor of the Capital City University, Kano.

Speaking at the occasion of his investiture as the Chancellor and inauguration of the governing council of Capital City University, His Royal Highness reaffirms his commitment to the provision of accessible and qualitative education affordably to the Nigerian youths.

According to the Emir, affordable and quality education will go a long way in curtailing poverty, drug abuse, intolerance among other problems bedevilling the country.

He described the failure to coordinate and give education priority to a larger segment of society as a major catalyst hindering development.

The Royal leader commended promoters of the university for a clear mission and vision in addition to tireless efforts in turning the institution into a reality.

In a remark, governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, represented by his deputy, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna said the state government had mapped out policies and programs aimed at uplifting the standard of education.

He further urged philanthropists and wealthy individuals to set up similar institutions toward promoting educational standards.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Sadik Zubair Abubakar, on his welcome address explained that the institution was geared towards producing a generation of future leaders with entrepreneurial skills suitable for job creation and problem-solving.

He said the university’s statutory and administrative organs have been carefully composed with eminent and qualified personalities with relevant experiences necessary for effective and efficient delivery of its mandates.

The occasion attracted the Emirs of Bichi, Lere, Jema’a, academicians, top government functionaries, journalists among others.

Exploring Wrangel Island In Russia

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Angel Gimalo

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January 8, 2022

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Wrangel Island, Russian Ostrov Vrangelya, island, in Chukotka autonomous okrug (district), far northeastern Russia, lying in the Arctic Ocean and separating the East Siberian Sea from the Chukchi Sea.

The long, narrow island is about 78 miles (125 km) wide and occupies an area of some 2,800 square miles (7,300 square km).

It is separated from the Siberian mainland by Long Strait.

Wrangel Island is part of the region of Arctic tundra, much of it low-lying lichen.

Although the highest part of the island reaches 3,596 feet (1,096 m) at Sovetskaya Mountain, discovered in 1938, there are no glaciers.

Geologically, Wrangel Island consists of crystalline slates, granites, and gneisses together with alluvial sands.

There are many small lakes, and the northern and southwestern coasts are characterized by numerous sandspits enclosing lagoons. The seas around the island are rarely free from pack ice.

The climate is Arctic, with a mean July temperature of 36 °F (2.4 °C). In summer there is a large bird population, as well as lemmings, Arctic fox, and polar bears.

Russian writings claim Russian knowledge of the island from the early 18th century.

The Russian explorer Ferdinand P. Wrangel, for whom the island was later named, determined its location from accounts of Siberian natives but did not land there during his mapping of the Siberian coast in the early 1820s.

Russian fur traders subsequently visited the island, it was sighted by U.S. vessels in 1867 and 1879, and U.S. crews landed on the island in 1881.

Survivors of a sunken Canadian ship reached Wrangel in 1914, and the leader of the expedition, Vilhjalmur Stefansson, created an international incident in the early 1920s when he claimed Wrangel for Canada without authorization.

The Soviet Union then annexed the island, and permanent occupation began with the landing of Chukchi and Russian families in 1926.

Wrangel Island State Reserve, established in 1976, occupies 2,700 square miles (7,000 square km) and contains polar bears, walruses, and reindeer.

The reserve was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004.

World’s 1st Intelligent, Autonomous High-Speed Train Unveiled By China

By

Angel Gimalo

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January 8, 2022

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China has unveiled a brand new, state-of-the-art Fuxing bullet train, said to be the world’s first intelligent and autonomous high-speed train with a top speed of 350 kilometers per hour and a 5G live broadcast studio on board, to serve the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics.

The demonstration of the train’s new technologies to athletes and guests from around the world during the Beijing Games scheduled for February 4-20 will be a definite boon to the profile of China’s high-speed railway (HSR) system, one of the crown jewels of Chinese industrial achievements, said a senior designer of the advanced electric multiple unit (EMU).

One of the unique characteristics of the EMU is that it has a live broadcast studio that could transmit ultra-high-definition content via 5G connections.

The installation, which is one of the first on the world’s fastest trains, will bring convenience to global media professionals covering the event.

“To have so much advanced technology brought together on this train, and to present it in front of the world, this shows China’s comprehensive strengths in terms of the train system, and will definitely boost the exports and go abroad efforts of the EMU system,” Zhu Yan, deputy director with Engineering Research Center of CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co, the train’s maker, said.

By using new materials and technologies, as well as an eagle-shaped nose chosen out of over 40 designs, the EMU has lower wind resistance and weighs less.

These traits make it a green EMU that’s 10 percent more energy-efficient than previous generations, saving 1.8 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year.

With the help of the latest communication hardware, cameras and sensors, the train can scan up to 14 kilometers ahead to probe for any abnormal intrusions on the tracks, according to Zhu.

The eight-car EMU can carry 564 people, though it will serve no more than half that many during the Beijing Games as part of the epidemic control efforts, according to China State Railway Group Co, the state-owned railway operator.

China has exported its high-speed rail technologies to Indonesia for the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway. Construction of the railway has been progressing smoothly and approaching completion.

A number of other countries, including Laos, also use Chinese-made trains, though these types travel at lower speeds.

This new generation of smart EMUs also stands a good chance of upgrading China’s existing domestic bullet train fleet, the world’s largest, numbering at 4,000.

China is the world’s superpower in terms of high-speed rail technology. The country has 40,000 kilometers of high-speed rail lines and plans to build another 1,400 kilometers by the end of 2022, according to media reports.

The railway between Beijing and Zhangjiakou in North China’s Hebei Province is where China’s railway industry started and the development of this railway resembled the development process of Chinese railways.

UAE Property Market Makes Strong Recovery

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Angel Gimalo

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January 8, 2022

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The value of property transactions in Dubai on the first Friday of the new working week in the UAE stood at more than Dh2.53 billion ($690 million), with 227 transactions.

The total value of property transactions recorded in the first week of the year surpassed Dh7.24bn, with 1,766 transactions, the Dubai Media Office said.

Data from the Dubai Land Department showed that the first working Friday included 173 sales transactions worth Dh2.38bn – 12 of which were land plots worth Dh451.16m and 161 were apartments and villas valued at Dh1.93bn, officials said on Friday.

The UAE government announced the shift to a Monday-Friday working week on December 7.

Public sector workers at the ministerial level have moved to a four-and-half-day working week, with Friday being a half day.

Private companies are free to decide whether they will adopt the new working week but many businesses have already committed to the switch.

The property market in the UAE, the second-largest Arab economy, has made a strong recovery from the pandemic-driven slowdown on the back of the government’s fiscal and monetary measures.

Pent-up demand and improved investor sentiment have also helped to drive property sales, particularly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, amid the pick-up in economic activity.

Last year, there were 84,772 property transactions worth Dh300bn in Dubai, the emirate’s land department reported.

The top three areas that recorded the highest value of land sales transactions on Friday were Marsa Dubai, with land sales worth Dh369m, Al Thanya Fifth, where a plot of land was sold for Dh28m, and The Palm Jumeirah, where a plot of land went for Dh17m.

Dubai’s Jebel Ali First area recorded the highest number of transactions on Friday, with three sales transactions worth Dh6m.

It was followed by The Palm Jumeirah, with a Dh17m sales transaction, and Warsan First, with a Dh4m sales transaction.

The three highest-valued sales transactions involving transfers of apartments and villas included a Dh500m transaction in The Palm, followed by a Dh495m transaction in Marsa Dubai and a Dh402m deal, also in Marsa Dubai.

Jebel Ali First had the most villa and apartment sales transactions on Friday, with 23 transactions worth Dh18m.

Business Bay and Al Barsha South Fourth recorded 21 sales transactions (Dh25m) and 13 sales transactions (Dh16m), respectively.

The total value of mortgage transactions concluded on Friday was Dh125.03m, the media office said.

The biggest mortgage transaction was registered in Al Thanya Fourth, with a value of Dh37m, followed by Nad Al Sheba Third at Dh11m.

Five properties worth Dh19.16m were granted to immediate family members. Among these, the highest value of Dh12m was registered in Al Merkadh.

NLC rejects excise tax on non-alcoholic drinks

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Henry Williams

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January 8, 2022

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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the Federal Government’s imposition of excise tax on locally produced carbonated and sugary drinks, as the beverage sub-sector will lose 40 percent of its current sales revenue which translates to about N1.9 trillion.

According to the NLC in a statement signed by Ayuba Wabba, its president, the tax (which is N10 on every litre of non-alcoholic drink) will also lead to an increase in the prices of carbonated drinks, a development that will drive the mass of Nigerians to seek sub-standard alternatives with dire implications for their health.

“The truth of the matter is that an additional increase in the retail price of carbonated drinks would put more Nigerians at risk of serious health challenges as many people would resort to consuming sub-standard and unhygienic drinks as substitutes for carbonated drinks.”

The NLC argued that its appeal to the government to rescind the introduction of the tax on non-alcoholic drinks becomes even more compelling when the projected immediate revenue expected from the policy is weighed against the potential long-term loss to both manufacturers and the government.

Gov. Diri Pledges To Donate Land for Proposed Anglican Varsity

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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January 8, 2022

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Bayelsa State Government has pledged to provide land for the proposed establishment of an Anglican university in the state.

Governor Douye Diri made the pledge in response to a request by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, who led other bishops of the Diocese of Niger Delta West on a courtesy visit to Government House, Yenagoa.

Describing Anglican schools as strong institutions that contributed in producing responsible members of society, Senator Diri stated that hosting an Anglican university would positively impact on the state and the Niger Delta region.

He said the state was eager to have its first private university and that the government would support such initiatives as it would accord the people more access to education.

His words: “Your request for land for the proposed Anglican university is a good request. The government will provide the land. We will acquire it for you.

“I am doing this with the conscience that Bayelsa is a state that does not have one private university. So, we are very happy and prepared to host the Anglican university.

“The Anglican Church has over the years produced leaders of worth. It is a good thing that we have an Anglican institution domiciled in Bayelsa and believe that it is going to impact on the state and add value to the Niger Delta region.

“Some of us are where we are today because of the upbringing we received in the Anglican schools we attended.

The Bayelsa governor also urged the clergy to speak up against injustice in the country, stating that Nigeria was in dire need of such voices due to the ills in the society.

Diri attributed the successes recorded under his administration to God and appreciated the Anglican Primate for the visit.

Major Highway Cut Off At Brazil Iron Ore Mine After Heavy Rainfall

By

Angel Gimalo

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January 8, 2022

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Heavy rainfall caused a dike to overflow on Saturday at a Brazil iron ore mine owned by French steel pipe maker Vallourec, cutting off a major federal highway, the local fire department said.

Nobody was injured and there was no risk of flooding of communities near the Pau Branco mine near Nova Lima, in the mineral-rich state of Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil, fire service spokesman Pedro Aihara told reporters.

“It was a dike for the containment of rainwater,” he said, dismissing press reports that a tailings dam might have burst. “There was no structural problem.”

The BR-40 highway, a major transport route that links Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte, was blocked in both directions.

Vallourec confirmed that a dike had overflowed. “This is not a dam collapse,” the company said in a statement.

Heavy rainfall has fallen in the area and in other regions of Brazil in recent days. In the northeastern state of Bahia, at least 20 people died in severe flooding.

Herdsmen attack Ondo community, kill three, burn houses

By

Henry Williams

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January 8, 2022

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Fear has gripped residents of Melenge Village in Ose local council of Ondo State as suspected herdsmen attacked the community, setting some houses on fire and killing three persons.

Correspondents gathered that the attackers swooped on the village, an agrarian settlement along Elerinla and Arimogija, and one of the troubled spots in the Ose/Benin axis last Thursday night.

It was gathered that the herders were allegedly infuriated by the refusal of the residents to allow their cows to graze on their farmlands. They reportedly mobilised themselves to attack the community and set their farms on fire.

According to sources in the area, the villagers took to their heels and scampered for safety when the marauders unleashed terror on them, destroying their properties and killing the victims that were yet to be identified as at press time.

The state Commander of Amotekun Corps, Chief Adeleye Adetunji, who confirmed the incident, recounted that his officers got hint of the incident while on routine patrol.

Buhari demands transparency from new NNPC board

By

Henry Williams

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January 8, 2022

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President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the board of the newly incorporated Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to ensure strict compliance with corporate governance principles that place premium on doing business with the highest ethical standards, integrity and transparency.

President Buhari had, last Wednesday, dropped Senator Ifeanyi Araraume as NNPC Limited Board Chairman. In his place, the President announced the appointment of Senator Margery Chuba Okadigbo, wife of the late President of the Senate, Chuba Okadigbo, as Chairman.

Buhari had, in September 2021, announced the composition of the board and management of the company with Araraume as chairman, but did not inaugurate them.

Inaugurating the board led by Mrs. Okadigbo, yesterday, in Abuja, the President charged them to focus on profitability and operate at par with its peers across the world.