Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

NACA Reveals 160,000 Children Living With HIV In Nigeria. The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has revealed that approximately 160,000 children aged 0-14 are living with HIV in Nigeria. This figure highlights the country’s challenge in preventing mother-to-child transmission of the virus, which currently has a coverage rate below 33%, far short of the 95% target. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja ahead of World AIDS Day 2024, NACA’s Director-General, Dr Temitope Ilori, quoted data from the UNAIDS 2023 report. She emphasised that Nigeria’s overall HIV prevalence is 1.4% among people aged 15-64 years, with…

Port Harcourt Refinery Commences Crude Oil Production. The Port Harcourt Refinery, owned by Nigeria, has officially begun processing crude oil after years of delays and missed deadlines. Olufemi Soneye, spokesperson for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), confirmed the development on Tuesday, stating that the refinery is operating at 60% capacity. This translates to a daily processing output of 60,000 barrels of crude oil. The refinery, which has a total capacity of 250,000 barrels per day, marks a significant step forward in Nigeria’s efforts to reduce its dependence on imported petroleum products. The commencement of operations…

Carragher Criticises Salah’s Comments On Contract Situation. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has labelled Mohamed Salah “selfish” for publicly expressing his disappointment at the club’s failure to offer him a new contract. The 32-year-old forward, whose current deal expires at the end of the season, made the comments after Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Southampton on Sunday, where he scored twice to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League. Salah, Liverpool’s top scorer this season with 12 goals in all competitions, told reporters, “I’m probably more out than in” and revealed he had not yet been offered…

Spurs’ Vicario Undergoes Surgery After Playing With Broken Ankle In Manchester City Victory. Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has undergone surgery after bravely playing 60 minutes with a broken ankle during Spurs’ remarkable 4-0 victory over Manchester City on Saturday. The 28-year-old Italian was injured in the first half following a collision with City winger Savinho. Despite the injury, Vicario continued to play through the pain, helping his team secure a stunning win at the Etihad Stadium. “Sometimes football gives you its highs, and sometimes it challenges you in ways you don’t expect,” Vicario shared on social media…

Trump Vows Day-One Tariffs On Mexico, Canada, And China. Donald Trump has pledged to introduce significant tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China immediately upon assuming the US presidency on 20 January. The president-elect claims the measures aim to curb illegal immigration, drug smuggling, and the trafficking of synthetic opioids such as fentanyl into the United States. Trump announced he would sign an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on all goods from Mexico and Canada, maintaining the levy until the two nations effectively address these issues. Similarly, he proposed an additional 10% tariff on imports from China, which would…

Israel To Discuss 60-Day Ceasefire Deal With Hezbollah In Cabinet Meeting. Israel’s cabinet is set to convene on Tuesday to discuss a proposed 60-day ceasefire deal with Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, following nearly two months of intense military action. The ongoing conflict, sparked by a year of rocket attacks from Hezbollah, led Israeli troops to launch a land invasion of Lebanon in a bid to secure its northern border. Reports suggest that the ceasefire agreement would involve a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, while Hezbollah would retreat from areas near the Israeli border, marking a significant…

Hezbollah Launches Rocket Barrages On Israel Following Beirut Strikes. Tensions in the Middle East escalated as Hezbollah launched approximately 250 rockets into Israel from Lebanon, marking one of the heaviest bombardments since hostilities surged in September. The attack injured several people and caused significant damage to buildings in northern and central Israel, with some areas near Tel Aviv affected. The assault came in retaliation for an Israeli air strike on central Beirut on Saturday, which, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, resulted in the deaths of 29 people and injured many others. The strike reportedly targeted Mohammed Haydar, a senior…

Mohamed Salah Discusses His Liverpool Future, Remains Uncertain. Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has addressed speculation surrounding his future at the club, revealing that he has not yet received any proposals to extend his stay beyond his current contract. In a candid statement, Salah expressed his uncertainty about remaining at Anfield, stating, “I’m probably more out than in. I didn’t receive any proposal.” The Egyptian forward further clarified that with December fast approaching, he has not received any offers from the club to extend his contract, adding, “We’re almost in December and I haven’t received any offers yet to stay in…

Team Nigeria Dominates Medals Table At Africa Military Games. Team Nigeria has taken a commanding lead at the ongoing Africa Military Games in Abuja, cementing their position as the standout performers of the competition. As of 6:00 pm on 23rd November 2024, Team Nigeria has amassed an impressive total of 73 medals, comprising 37 Gold, 21 Silver, and 15 Bronze medals. This outstanding tally places them far ahead of their closest rivals, Algeria, who are in second place with 26 medals, and Libya, who trail in third with just 9 medals. One of the highlights of Team Nigeria’s…

Bishop Kukah Criticises Nigeria’s Leadership Challenges, Calls for Authentic Leadership. The Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, has described Nigeria’s leadership trajectory as largely accidental, with most leaders assuming power unprepared. He made these remarks during his keynote address at the 4th Amaka Ndoma-Egba Memorial Lecture in Abuja over the weekend. The lecture, themed “Leaders of Tomorrow: Creating Lasting Change In A Complex World,” highlighted the late Amaka Ndoma-Egba’s vision and contributions. Amaka, the wife of former Senate Leader Ndoma Egba, tragically passed away in a car accident in 2020. The event was hosted at Start-Rite…

Seven Vigilantes Killed In Ambush By Suspected Bandits In Niger State. Seven vigilantes, part of the Yan-Sakai group, were tragically killed by suspected bandits in an attack in the Makogi/Ungwan Elbi area of Mariga Local Government, Niger State. The incident occurred while the vigilantes were escorting over 50 bags of harvested maize from a nearby village to the Bangi headquarters of the local government. According to reports, the group was ambushed by the bandits on their return journey after successfully ensuring the safety of farmers. In an effort to defend themselves, the vigilantes engaged in a fierce exchange…

Rivers Reclaim Top Spot As Insurance Resurgence Continues. Rivers United have surged back to the top of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) standings after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Abia Warriors at home, while a disappointing 2-0 loss for Remo Stars at Katsina United saw them slip to second place. The highlight of Rivers’ triumph came courtesy of Ndifreke Effiong, who netted a second-half penalty to secure all three points for the Port Harcourt side. With the win, Rivers United now top the league table with 25 points from 13 matches. Remo Stars, who had held the…