Freelance copywriter Chai Wanrou thinks marriage is an unfair institution. Like many young women in China, she is part of a growing movement that envisions a future with no husband and no children, presenting the government with a challenge it could do without.

"Regardless of whether you're extremely successful or just ordinary, women still make the biggest sacrifices at home," the 28-year-old feminist said at a cafe in the northwestern city of Xian.

"Many who got married in previous generations, especially women, sacrificed themselves and their career development, and didn't get the happy life they were promised. Living my own life well is difficult enough nowadays," she told Reuters.

President Xi Jinping last year stressed the need to "cultivate a new culture of marriage and childbearing" as China's population fell for a second consecutive year and new births reached historic lows.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang also vowed to "work towards a birth-friendly society" and boost childcare services in this year's government work report.

The Communist Party views the nuclear family as the bedrock of social stability, with unmarried mothers stigmatised and largely denied benefits. But a growing number of educated women, facing unprecedented insecurity amid record youth unemployment and an economic downturn, are espousing "singleism" instead.

China's single population aged over 15 hit a record 239 million in 2021, according to official data. Marriage registrations rebounded slightly last year due to a pandemic backlog, after reaching historic lows in 2022. A 2021 Communist Youth League survey of some 2,900 unmarried urban young people found that 44% of women do not plan to marry.

Marriage, however, is still regarded as a milestone of adulthood in China and the proportion of adults who never marry remains low. But in an other sign of its declining popularity, many Chinese are delaying tying the knot, with the average age of first marriage rising to 28.67 in 2020 from 24.89 in 2010, according to census data.

In Shanghai, this figure reached 30.6 for men and 29.2 for women last year, according to city statistics.

"Feminist activism is basically not allowed (in China), but refusing marriage and childbirth can be said to be ... a form of non-violent disobedience towards the patriarchal state," said Lü Pin, a Chinese feminist activist based in the United States.

NO APOLOGIES
After decades of improving women's education levels, workforce participation and social mobility, Chinese authorities now face a dilemma as the same group of women have become increasingly resistant to their propaganda.

Long-term single lifestyles are gradually becoming more widespread in China, giving rise to online communities of mostly single women who seek solidarity from like-minded people.

Posts with the hashtags "No marriage, no children" from female influencers often in their thirties or forties on Xiaohongshu, China's Instagram, regularly gain thousands of likes.

One anti-marriage forum on Douban, another social media platform, has 9,200 members, while another dedicated to "singleism" has 3,600 members who discuss collective retirement plans, among other topics.

Liao Yueyi, a 24-year-old unemployed graduate in the southern city of Nanning, recently declared to her mother that she "wakes up from nightmares about having children".
"No marriage or kids is a decision I've made after deep consideration. I don't owe anyone an apology, my parents have accepted it," she posted on WeChat.

Instead she has decided to "lie flat" - a Chinese expression that means doing just enough to get by - and save money for future travels.

"I think it's okay to date or cohabit, but children are a huge asset investment with minimal returns," she said, adding that she has discussed renting a house with some female friends when they all retire.

Many of the women interviewed cited a desire for self-exploration, disillusionment with patriarchal Chinese family dynamics and a lack of "enlightened" male partners as the main factors behind their decision to stay single and childless.

Gender equality also plays a role: all the women said it was difficult to find a man who valued their autonomy and believed in equal division of household labour.

"There's an oversupply of highly educated women and not enough highly educated men," said Xiaoling Shu, professor of sociology at the University of California, Davis. Decades of the one-child policy have led to 32.3 million more men than women in 2022, according to official data.

"College-educated women become stronger believers in advocating for their rights and status in society," Shu said.
"Well-educated women in search of supportive life partners find fewer suitable men who also endorse women's rights."

While not all the women interviewed identified as feminist or viewed themselves as deliberately defying the government, their actions reflect a broader trend of Chinese female empowerment expressed through personal choices.

And even though some analysts believe that the number of people who remain single for life will not grow exponentially in the future, delayed marriages and falling fertility are likely to pose a threat to China's demographic goals.

"In the long run, women's enthusiasm for marriage and childbirth will only continue to decrease," said feminist Lü.

"I believe this is the most important long-term crisis that China will face."

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has called on Israel to drop its ‘double standards’ and stop the killings in Gaza.

Tuggar, who was part of the delegation led by President Bola Tinubu to Qatar, made the call in an interview with Al Jazeera.

During their visit to the Asian country, President Tinubu and Qatari authorities had several meetings where potential collaboration in the energy, trade, labour and agriculture sectors were discussed.

However, following the meetings, Tuggar granted an interview with Al Jazeerah to discuss Nigeria’s upcoming projects and relationship with other countries.

Responding to a question on the unending conflict between Israel and Palestine, the minister asked Israel to stop killing innocent civilians in Gaza.

“There is no justification for the carnage that is going on in Gaza. It has to stop. There is no justification for the complete disregard for the proportionality of force that is being meted out on innocent civilians, on kids on children, on babies on women,” Tuggar said.

While calling on Israel to drop what he described as a double standard, the minister maintained that the situation is no longer unacceptable.

He reiterated Nigeria’s support for a two-state solution to the lingering conflict between the two entities, adding that Palestine has every right to exist like Israel.

The minister said, “Nigeria has been consistent with its support for a two-state solution. The state of Palestine has every right to exist as an independent sovereign nation, the same way that Israel has a right to exist as an independent sovereign nation.

“But this carnage is completely out of hand and totally unacceptable. There is no way to explain the double standards; it has to stop.”

Tuggar also stressed the independence of Nigeria as a sovereign nation, saying the West African country gets along with all countries and is not compelled to follow any other country’s lead.

Instagram and Facebook are experiencing widespread problems, locking users out of their accounts and failing to load properly.

Outages reported on Down Detector shot up just before 3pm, with more than 300,000 problems logged.

More than 25,000 Instagram outages were also reported via the website, which collates status reports from several sources, including users.

Problems on Facebook appear to leave users unable to login, with users logged out and unable to reset their password or access their accounts.

On Instagram, there are problems loading users' timelines, stories and comments.

Sky News understands some of Meta's internal systems have also been affected by the outage.

Meta, the parent company for both platforms, has not yet commented officially on the issue.

However Andy Stone, communications director at Meta, posted on X, formerly Twitter: "We're aware people are having trouble accessing our services. We are working on this now."

France has become the first country in the world to explicitly include the right to abortion in its constitution.

Parliamentarians voted to revise the country's 1958 constitution to enshrine women's "guaranteed freedom" to abort.

The overwhelming 780-72 vote saw a standing ovation in the parliament in Versailles when the result was announced.


President Emmanuel Macron described the move as "French pride" that had sent a "universal message".

However anti-abortion groups have strongly criticised the change, as has the Vatican.

Abortion has been legal in France since 1975, but polls show around 85% of the public supported amending the constitution to protect the right to end a pregnancy.

And while several other countries include reproductive rights in their constitutions - France is the first to explicitly state that an abortion will be guaranteed.

It becomes the 25th amendment to modern France's founding document, and the first since 2008.

Following the vote, the Eiffel Tower in Paris was lit up in celebration, with the message: "My Body My Choice".

Before the vote, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal told parliament that the right to abortion remained "in danger" and "at the mercy of decision makers".

"We're sending a message to all women: your body belongs to you and no one can decide for you," he added.

While resistance from right-wingers in parliament failed to materialise, President Macron has been accused of using the constitution for electoral ends.

Critics say the revision is not necessarily wrong in itself, but unnecessary, and accused the president of trying to use the cause to boost his left-wing credentials.

Since 1975 the law has been updated nine times - and on each occasion with the aim of extending access.

France's constitutional council - the body that decides on the constitutionality of laws - has never raised a query.

In a 2001 ruling, the council based its approval of abortion on the notion of liberty enshrined in the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man, which is technically part of the constitution.

So many jurists say abortion was already a constitutional right.

The constitutional change was prompted by recent developments in the US, where the right to abortion was removed by the Supreme Court in 2022. Individual states are now able to ban the procedure again, ending the right to an abortion for millions of women.

The move to enshrine abortion in the French constitution has been welcomed by many.

"This right (to abortion) has retreated in the United States. And so nothing authorised us to think that France was exempt from this risk," said Laura Slimani, from the Fondation des Femmes rights group.

"There's a lot of emotion, as a feminist activist, also as a woman," she said.

But not all support it, with the Vatican repeating its opposition to abortion.

The Vatican opposes move
The Pontifical Academy for Life recalls that in the era of universal human rights, there can be no 'right' to take a human life," the Vatican institution said in a statement, echoing concerns already raised by French Catholic bishops. It appealed to "all governments and all religious traditions to do their best so that, in this phase of history, the protection of life becomes an absolute priority.

The particular life situations and difficult and tragic contexts of our time must be addressed on the basis of a law which seeks above all to protect the weakest and most vulnerable.

The U.S. Supreme Court handed Donald Trump a major victory on Monday as he campaigns to regain the presidency, barring states from disqualifying candidates for federal office under a constitutional provision involving insurrection and reversing a judicial decision that had excluded him from Colorado's ballot.

The justices unanimously reversed a Dec. 19 decision by Colorado's top court to kick Trump off the state's Republican primary ballot on Tuesday after finding that the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment disqualified him from again holding public office. The Colorado court had found that Trump took part in an insurrection for inciting and supporting the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.

Trump is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in the Nov. 5 U.S. election. His only remaining rival for his party's nomination is former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

The ruling came on the eve of Super Tuesday, the day in the U.S. presidential primary cycle when the most states hold party nominating contests.

"BIG WIN FOR AMERICA!!!," Trump wrote on his social media platform immediately after the ruling.

The 14th Amendment's Section 3 bars from office any "officer of the United States" who took an oath "to support the Constitution of the United States" and then "engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof."

"We conclude that states may disqualify persons holding or attempting to hold state office. But states have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially the presidency," the unsigned opinion for the court stated.

The justices found that only Congress can enforce the provision against federal officeholders and candidates.

'MOMENTOUS AND DIFFICULT ISSUES'
Though the justices unanimously agreed with the result, the court's three liberal justices, as well as conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, said the court's opinion decided more than what was necessary to resolve the case.

"We cannot join an opinion that decides momentous and difficult issues unnecessarily, and we therefore concur only in the judgment," liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote.

"In my judgment, this is not the time to amplify disagreement with stridency. The court has settled a politically charged issue in the volatile season of a presidential election. Particularly in this circumstance, writings on the court should turn the national temperature down, not up," Barrett wrote.

"For present purposes, our differences are far less important than our unanimity: All nine Justices agree on the outcome of this case. That is the message Americans should take home," Barrett added.

Trump was also barred from the ballot in Maine and Illinois based on the 14th Amendment, but those decisions were put on hold pending the Supreme Court's ruling in the Colorado case.

The Supreme Court resolved the Colorado ballot dispute speedily, a timeline that stands in contrast to its slower handling of Trump's bid for immunity from criminal prosecution in a federal case in which he faces charges for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss. Trump's trial has been put on hold awaiting the outcome of the Supreme Court's decision - a benefit for him as he campaigns against Biden.

In the Colorado dispute, the justices agreed to take up the case a mere two days after Trump filed his appeal, fast-tracked arguments and issued the written opinion in just over two months.

The justices in the immunity case in December declined a bid to speed up resolution of the matter before a lower court had weighed in, then last week agreed to take up the matter after lower courts had ruled - setting arguments to take place in late April, a much longer timeline.

Trump's eligibility had been challenged in court by a group of six voters in Colorado - four Republicans and two independents - who portrayed him as a threat to American democracy and sought to hold him accountable for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.

The plaintiffs were backed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a liberal watchdog group.

As lawsuits seeking to disqualify Trump cropped up across the country, it was important for his candidacy to clear any hurdles to appear on the ballot in all 50 states.

The Supreme Court's 6-3 conservative majority includes three Trump appointees. Not since ruling in the landmark case Bush v. Gore, which handed the disputed 2000 U.S. election to Republican George W. Bush over Democrat Al Gore, has the court played such a central role in a presidential race.

CAPITOL ATTACK
In a bid to prevent Congress from certifying Biden's 2020 election victory, Trump supporters attacked police, broke through barricades and swarmed the Capitol. Trump gave an incendiary speech to supporters beforehand, repeating his false claims of widespread voting fraud and telling them to go to the Capitol and "fight like hell." He then for hours rebuffed requests that he urge the mob to stop.

The 14th Amendment was ratified in the aftermath of the Civil War of 1861-1865 in which seceding Southern states that allowed the practice of slavery rebelled against the U.S. government.

In ruling against Trump, Colorado's top court cited the "general atmosphere of political violence that President Trump created" and that he aided "the insurrectionists' common unlawful purpose of preventing the peaceful transfer of power in this country."

The Supreme Court heard arguments on Feb. 8. Trump's lawyer argued that he is not subject to the disqualification language because a president is not an "officer of the United States," that the provision cannot be enforced by courts absent congressional legislation, and that what occurred on Jan. 6 was shameful, criminal and violent but not an insurrection.

US vice-president Kamala Harris has bluntly called out Israel for not doing enough to ease a “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza as the Biden administration faces increasing pressure to rein in its close ally while it wages war with Hamas militants.

Harris, speaking on Sunday in front of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where state troopers beat US civil rights marchers nearly six decades ago, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept a deal to release hostages in return for a 6-week cessation of hostilities.

But she directed the bulk of her comments at Israel in what appeared to be the sharpest rebuke yet by a senior leader in the US government over the conditions in the coastal enclave.

“People in Gaza are starving. The conditions are inhumane and our common humanity compels us to act,” Harris said at an event to commemorate the 59th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Alabama.

“The Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid. No excuses,” Harris said.

Her comments reflected intense frustration within the US government about the war, which has hurt president Joe Biden’s standing with left-leaning voters as he seeks re-election this year.

Harris said Israel must open new border crossings, not impose “unnecessary restrictions” on aid delivery, protect humanitarian personnel and convoys from becoming targets, and work to restore basic services and promote order so that “more food, water and fuel can reach those in need.“

The United States carried out its first airdrop of aid into Gaza on Saturday and Harris is scheduled to meet with Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz on Monday at the White House, where she is expected to deliver a similarly direct message.

On Sunday, a Hamas delegation had arrived in Cairo for the latest round of ceasefire talks, billed by many as the final possible hurdle for a truce, but it was unclear if any progress was made. Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth’s online version reported that Israel boycotted the talks after Hamas rejected its demand for a complete list naming hostages who are still alive.

“Hamas claims its wants a ceasefire. Well, there is a deal on the table. And as we have said, Hamas needs to agree to that deal,” Harris said. “Let’s get a ceasefire. Let’s reunite the hostages with their families. And let’s provide immediate relief to the people of Gaza”.

Washington has insisted the ceasefire deal is close and has been pushing to put in place a truce by the start of Ramadan, a week away. A US official on Saturday said Israel has agreed on a framework deal.

An agreement would bring the first extended truce of the war, which has raged for five months so far with just a week-long pause in November. Dozens of hostages held by Hamas militants would be freed in return for hundreds of Palestinian detainees.

After the Hamas delegation arrived, a Palestinian official told the Reuters news agency the deal was “not yet there”. There was no official comment from Israel.

Qatari and US mediators also arrived in the Egyptian capital on Sunday, according to the state-linked Al Qahera News.

Ceasefire talks come after the death last week of more than 100 Palestinians approaching an aid truck in Gaza, an incident Harris recalled during her speech.

“We saw hungry, desperate people approach aid trucks simply trying to secure food their family after weeks of barely no aid reaching northern Gaza and they were met with gunfire and chaos,” Harris said.

Israel said on Sunday its initial review of the incident had found that most of those killed or wounded had died in a crowd crush.

Military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Israeli troops at the scene initially fired only warning shots, though they later shot at some “looters” who “approached our forces and posed an immediate threat”.

Muatasem Salah, a member of the emergency committee at the ministry of health in Gaza, told Reuters the Israeli account was contradicted by machine gun wounds.

In her comments, Harris laid out specific ways in which the Israeli government could allow more aid into Gaza.

“They must open new border crossings. They must not impose any unnecessary restrictions on the delivery of aid. They must ensure humanitarian personnel, sites and convoys are not targeted, and they must work to restore basic services and promote order in Gaza, so more food, water and fuel can reach those in need.”

Hundreds of inmates have broken out of a prison in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, as armed gangs stormed the city.

An outbreak of violence since Thursday has targeted the city's international airport, police stations and the National Penitentiary prison.

It comes as gang leader Jimmy Cherizier pledged to oust the country's acting prime minister Ariel Henry.

On Friday he called on the Haitian military and national police to 'take responsibility' and arrest Mr Henry, who has served as prime minister since the assassination of Haiti's last president Jovenel Moise in 2021.

Cherizier, known as Barbecue, is a former police officer who now leads a gang alliance and has faced sanctions from the United Nations and US Department of Treasury.

Mr Henry had agreed to hold elections no later than the end of August 2025, CNN reported.

Over 300,000 people have been forced to flee their homes from indiscriminate killing and rape in Port-au-Prince, which is largely controlled by gangs.

One of the country's policing unions, the National Police Syndicate of Haiti, posted on X that if efforts to contain the escape of inmates were unsuccesful than 'we are done for'.

It added there would be 3000 extra criminals on the loose, and urged all officers to assist in regaining control of the prison.

The UK's Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office continues to advise against all travel to Haiti, which has been plagued with unrest in recent years.

January was labelled by the UN as the most violent month in recent years, with around 1,100 people killed.

On Thursday, flights were suspended at the capital's Toussaint Louverture International Airport amid gunfire, while several fire stations across the city have since been burnt down.

Other pictures showed workers putting out flames at the offices of Haiti's power company after they were targeted by demonstrators.

President Joe Biden said Friday that the U.S. will begin air-dropping humanitarian assistance into Gaza, a day after dozens of Palestinians were killed during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops.

The president announced the move after at least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, on Thursday when witnesses said nearby Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy.

Biden said the air drops will begin in the “coming days.”

Israel said many of the dead were trampled in a stampede linked to the chaos and that its troops fired at some in the crowd who they believed moved toward them in a threatening way. Biden made the announcement while hosting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White house.

Super Eagles coach, José Peseiro, whose contract with the NFF expired on Thursday, in this interview with Goal.com talks about the pressure of managing Nigeria’s national team, his experience at the last Africa Cup of Nations, his relationship with Africa and his future with the team

First of all, how are you? Were you able to rest a little after the African Cup of Nations?

Yes, I rested and I am still resting. My contract ends in two days. The AFCON was an exhausting tournament, I must admit. We did a good job, me, the staff and the players. There was a lot of energy expended.

It was an AFCON with a lot of strong emotions. How did you experience this competition on a personal level?

It was a fantastic experience. It was my first AFCON. Some of my colleagues told me that it is different from other tournaments. The context changes. And I felt it. It was full of emotions. The public’s enthusiasm is unique. There was also some great competition. All the teams and players gave their all for their country. And African football was able to display all that it has in qualities. There was also a lot of pressure on the teams, not just from their fans but from their countries as well.

And what differentiates the AFCON from other tournaments you have played like the Copa America (with Venezuela) or the Asian Cup (with Saudi Arabia).

In terms of atmosphere, it is incomparable. Already, with Venezuela, there was none at all because we were playing during the Covid period. The stadiums were empty. In Asia, it’s different. I believe that here in Africa, there is greater proximity with the supporters or even the media. Which makes it more alive. But that also means there’s more pressure. And when it comes to the football produced, it’s different too, that’s for sure. The level of commitment and standards are different. This can be seen in particular with matches that are more open. Even teams that are less technically well equipped manage to provide beautiful football through the enthusiasm and commitment they offer. And then, it must be said that there are very good players in Africa. 90 per cent of them play in Europe, in very good championships. And the Europeans may be pretending not to be interested in this tournament, but I can tell you that they all have their eyes on it.

You reached the final with Nigeria. Did you think you could get this far before the tournament?

From the first day when the president of the federation called on me and I took a look at this team and the matches they played, I told everyone that I want to win the next AFCON because I was certain that we could do it. I believed it, my staff believed it, my players too, but not the people outside. And I’m happy because we did a fantastic job reaching the final. It has been shown that Nigeria still belongs to the best nations on the continent. And who wants to fight for trophies. On the other hand, I’m also sad because we lost.

Precisely, the feeling which predominates between satisfaction, pride and frustration in relation to the fact of not having won, which is it?

After the final, I was definitely sad. Because we are competitors and as soon as I took charge of this team, I wanted to win this tournament. We wanted to win it. During my first meeting with the players, which I did in the United States for my first match, I told them during my presentation that I came here to win the next AFCON. And since we didn’t manage to do it, I can’t be happy. But on the other hand, when I saw the way the Nigerian people and government welcomed us when we returned to Abuja after the AFCON, I could only be proud of what we achieved. People were satisfied and they thanked us. Everyone in the streets, and even the media, made us understand that they were happy with us. And that’s a good feeling. They saw our matches and they know what we did. We fought until the end and against the very big selections. We were not favorites at the start, unlike Ivory Coast or Senegal. And teams like Egypt, Algeria, Ghana and Cameroon, with very rich squads, came out quite early. We reached the final. So I am satisfied. But the satisfaction is not complete because we wanted to win.

What did you lack to win the competition?

There are two things. First there is the fact that Ivory Coast reached the final of the competition having avoided the worst each time. They were almost eliminated three times. In the final, they were more liberated. They weren’t under as much pressure as at the start of the competition. Second thing, I think the energy there was that day in the stadium touched us. If I had to rate our performance, it was perhaps our worst game. In previous matches, we have always been in control and we have created a lot of opportunities. But in this match, even at 1-0 for us, we were feverish. The atmosphere penalised my players. We didn’t have the same abilities. There were too many lost balls. If I had to analyse, I would say that two or three of my players played at their true level. They wanted to do their best, but they couldn’t.

How to explain this nervousness?

I’m sure if another final was played a week later, we would have won it. Because many players have never had the experience of a AFCON final. 14 of our players have never played in a AFCON final phase. While the Ivorians had experienced players. We tried to play down the event, trying to forget the pressure and the responsibilities that weighed on our shoulders, but it wasn’t enough. Yes, the final is about winning and we must seize this opportunity. But we still felt nervous, including in the semi-final against South Africa. Once again, the atmosphere made the environment not conducive to a great performance from us. And it’s also my responsibility, I should have made sure that they were more liberated. And I am still very happy with them and very proud. They did a great job. And no one can blame them. This new final will perhaps take place next year in Morocco.

How did you manage to transform a selection that was in difficulty before the competition into a team that was almost an African champion? What was the method?

The matches before the tournament were used to help the team progress. And despite this, we only lost to Guinea at home. And during a match where we created a lot of opportunities. In qualifying for the World Cup, it’s true that it wasn’t good. Against Lesotho, it was the same thing, we dominated a lot and they scored on one of their only two shots of the match. Against Zimbabwe, the conditions were bad. Many parameters impacted our performance there. Then, in our preparation for this tournament, I chose a different way to play. With my staff, we realized that we were playing offensively in our 4-4-2 system, that we were creating a lot of chances but that we were conceding avoidable goals on semi-chances. I felt that our team needed more solidity. More confidence in our defensive work and our organization.

And how did you go about making your team more balanced?

So I chose differently. We opted for 4-3-3 and 3-4-3 systems. We started working on these two diagrams in Abu Dhabi during our internship. And the guys very quickly understood what we wanted to do. From the first match against Equatorial Guinea, even if we didn’t win, it bore fruit. They put into practice what we had worked on. Everyone got into tune, following the offensive and defensive instructions to the letter. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to work on the offensive aspect a little more. Defensively, there was nothing to say. The guys understood everything well. We were perfect until the final, where unfortunately two mistakes cost us dearly. And once again, I put it down to pressure. In 3-4-3, we played very well and it was best suited to our team. With wingers who help our attackers, and a 3-man defense which maintains our balance. And I told them that this system will allow us not to concede too many goals and to score one. This is what we did in the final at the start, by scoring first. It was very hard to create chances against us. But once again, offensively, we weren’t 100% of what we could do. I would say only 70 per cent. We would have needed a little more time to be completely up to speed with this plan.

Were you surprised by the level shown by some of your players during the competition? I’m thinking in particular of Lookman or goalkeeper Nwabali?

I don’t like to talk too much about individual performances. I prefer to talk about collective performances. Well, there is Victor Osimhen who didn’t score a lot, but what a collective job he did! Everyone talks about his ability to finish plays, but we don’t talk enough about the efforts he makes for the team. Overall, our team did an excellent job. So yes, Nwabali was excellent, making many decisive saves, but it’s not just him. It was a fantastic performance from everyone. Even the attackers contributed to our good defensive performance.

So there was a good group spirit…

Yes and I am very satisfied, even with those who have not played. They were all magnificent. Because to reach the final of such a tournament, everything must be perfect. You have to train well at 25, have a good atmosphere on and off the pitch. The key to our success was the excellent collective state of mind we had. Whether it’s from those who played a lot, those who played less or those who didn’t play at all. Everyone was impeccable. Nobody complained. Of course, there were some who were sad because it’s not easy to be in a big tournament and not play. But everyone sacrificed themselves for the collective. During training, they put themselves at the service of others. Even if they wanted their places, they helped them. In the investment, for 40 days, everyone was perfect. And it’s not easy to be during this whole period, especially when you are away from your families. They were resistant.

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. How do you manage popular pressure when you are Nigeria coach?

For me, considering my age and the experience I have, it’s not that difficult. I prepare in advance. I knew it. The media and social networks can have a positive side for our lives, but sometimes it is negative. But we have to be understandable. And also accept it, because we can’t change anything. Sometimes it wrongly criticizes us and it’s not pleasant, and it’s not only in football that we see this. But I can bear it. I never respond to criticism or fake news. It’s not easy playing for the Super Eagles. It’s a heavy jersey to wear. Not like the others. You have 200 million Nigerians behind you. And who put pressure on you and complain. Sometimes they also use bad terms when talking about players. Against me too, but I know how to manage. On the other hand, when it comes to the players, it upsets me. Because the players feel it and they suffer from it.

Are you trying to protect them from criticism?

Yes, by talking to them and telling them not to pay too much attention to it. There is often fake news coming from our country and I don’t know why. And to this is added the pressure that their own family puts on them. It is our role, with all my staff, to put them at ease and encourage them not to give importance to what is being said. And it’s not just criticism that can be dangerous. When people praise you and congratulate you, you can also lose your ground. You are in the clouds and you think you are too beautiful and that is also the best way to fall. You have to find the right balance and it’s not easy in football, especially for young players who have never set foot in Africa. Mental trainers are also there for that. And we, the coaches, protect them from that, by saying “only listen to us”. And my staff helped me a lot. My captains too, like Troost-Ekong, Omeruo and Musa. I asked them at the beginning to explain and show me how the players reason and how to adapt and what strategy to choose for everything related to the selection, not just the footballing side.

Seeing other national selections approach you, must that be flattering? Surely you are not insensitive?

Yes it’s good. Especially now and after this tournament. We lost in the final, but everyone recognizes our very good work. But it’s also thanks to the players and we can’t do anything without them. We are only coaches, we are not geniuses. I am happy. I am grateful to them and also to the staff. It’s hard work and it’s even harder in Africa. The players believed in us and gave their best, even those who didn’t play. And I apologize to those I was unable to satisfy, particularly in terms of playing time. I have always worked and chosen for the best in the national selection. If I could, I would have put 25 players on the field each time. Because they all had the potential to play. Thanks to them.

Do you enjoy the work of a coach more than that of a club coach?

These are different contexts. I like both. Before, I liked clubs more because we are in contact with the players on a daily basis. But I adapted to this new role as coach. I would say that I love both jobs equally. Coaching also means choosing players, watching a lot of matches throughout the week. But in both cases, we remain a coach. It’s the best activity in the world. It’s very motivating and it gives us a lot of emotion. In fact, the most important thing for me is the project.

What can we wish you for the future?

Earn. I would like to play in the World Cup, I would like to work in England, work in Brazil… I have already been to many countries. Nine countries and four continents. All the experiences I’ve had, I’ve enjoyed. Because there were connections and emotions, even in the teams where we did not have good results. I would like to continue working, with projects where we will be able to aim for success. And where I will continue to do my job because I love football.

I have today been informed of the Tribunale Nazionale Antidoping’s decision and believe that the verdict is incorrect.

I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built in my professional playing career has been taken away from me.

When I am free of legal restrictions the full story will become clear, but I have never knowingly or deliberately taken any supplements that violate anti-doping regulations.


As a professional athlete I would never do anything to enhance my performance by using banned substances and have never disrespected or cheated fellow athletes and supporters of any of the teams I have played for, or against.


As a consequence of the decision announced today I will appeal this before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Dear Customer, we sincerely apologise for the challenges experienced with our services yesterday, caused by significant damage to our fibre cables. This has been resolved and services fully restored. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Jose Peseiro has reportedly decided to quit his post as Head Coach of the Super Eagles. He’s expected to officially leave tomorrow, per multiple reports!

Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro has opened up on his next coaching steps after AFCON 2023.

Peseiro led Nigeria to the final of the just concluded AFCON 2023, losing 2-1 to host nation Ivory Coast in a nervy final.

The 63-year-old Portuguese tactician is reportedly a free agent following the expiration of his contract with the NFF and is yet to decide on his next coaching job.

Peseiro has been linked with the vacant Algeria job and insists he has up to 7 offers on his table.

“I told everyone to come back at the end of the month. What is certain is that I want to continue coaching and I need to choose wisely,” he told Goal.

“At this moment, I repeat, all options remain possible. I received a lot of options and a lot of contacts from national teams or clubs.

“I would say 5, 6 or 7 offers.

“I let them all know that I need to rest and that when my contract expires I will talk about it and start thinking about other projects. And decide my future. For now, I need to take a break and be calm.

“But I listen to the proposals and projects that are offered to me. And I evaluate whether I like it or not.”

MTN Nigeria has confirmed that it suffered a glitch that impacted user’s efforts across the country.

The glitch caused an uproar among many customers who were not able to carry out business activities using their sims.

In a statement published on social media, the telecommunications provider said its engineers are working hard to resolve the network issues.

The multinational giants said: “You have been experiencing challenges connecting to the network due to a major service outage caused by multiple fibre cuts, affecting voice and data services.

“Our engineers are working hard to resolve with services gradually being restored in some areas.

“We apologise for the inconvenience and ask for your patience and understanding as the team works to restore full service as soon as possible.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that sending Western troops to Ukraine should not be ruled out, as European leaders concluded a summit on supporting Kyiv.

"There is no consensus today to send ground troops officially but ... nothing is ruled out," Macron said at a press conference in Paris, where the meeting had just wrapped up. "We will do whatever it takes to ensure that Russia cannot win this war."

"The defeat of Russia is indispensable to the security and stability of Europe," the French president added.

Macron confirmed the topic of Western boots on the ground in Ukraine was discussed in a "very free and direct" manner, adding that "everything is possible, if it is useful." The subject was first raised publicly by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who said a "restricted document" ahead of the summit had implied "that a number of NATO and EU member states were considering sending troops to Ukraine on a bilateral basis."

EU leaders also moved toward an agreement on scaling up ammunition purchases for Ukraine from third-country providers — something that goes against France's strategic autonomy agenda and desire to boost European defense industries.

On Monday evening, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said he received "big support" at the talks in Paris from European partners for his proposal to source shells from outside the EU for Kyiv. The Czech Republic is leading a campaign to raise €1.4 billion to pay for ammunition for Ukraine, in compensation for a blocked U.S. aid package and delays in EU deliveries.

The French president said Paris "would take part in the initiative," adding: "We're totally open to it, the only objective is to be effective in helping the Ukrainians."

Delegates indicated that countries were taking stock of what shells were available for purchase on the market before making a decision in 10 days' time.

For France, this is a significant shift. Previously, Paris argued that rushed purchases of non-EU weapons and shells risks de-incentivizing European defense manufactures at a time when the Continent needs to be more self-reliant.

"It is a recognition of the challenge Ukraine faces, and that there is a bit more give, it's a credit to the French. They've had a longstanding concern [about purchases from non-EU countries], and it's a sign that they are willing to be pragmatic," said Mujtaba Rahman, Europe head of the Eurasia Group.

Ahead of the summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered a sharp reminder that the EU had massively undershot promises on ammunition deliveries.

Speaking in Kyiv, Zelenskyy underlined the EU's failure to deliver 1 million shells by March.

"Of the million shells promised to us by the European Union, not 50 percent arrived, but 30 percent. Unfortunately," said Zelenskyy, alongside Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov at a press conference.

Macron also announced that leaders agreed to set up a ninth capability coalition on deep strikes that will focus on medium- and long-range missiles. Other coalitions include artillery, air defense and de-mining.

While France and the U.K. have already sent cruise missiles to Ukraine, respectively SCALPs and Storm Shadows, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday reiterated that his government was not in favor of providing Kyiv with its long-range Taurus missiles.

The high-level gathering in Paris came as Ukraine, which has entered its third year of war against Russia's invading forces, faces an ammunition gap on the front line and uncertainty over fickle Western support, despite having signed bilateral security deals with France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Denmark.

Williams Troost-Ekong is out for the rest of the season. The Super Eagles Captain and 2023 AFCON MVP will undergo surgery in Finland on Tuesday to repair a ruptured biceps femoris in his right leg.

He suffered the hamstring injury in the 2023 AFCON group stage game against IvoryCoast, but played through the pain to help Nigeria get to the Final.😥❤️

A man set himself on fire on Sunday afternoon outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. A U.S. Air Force spokeswoman, Ann Stefanek, confirmed on Sunday night that the man was an active-duty airman.

Officers with the U.S. Secret Service extinguished the fire outside the embassy, in northwestern Washington, around 1 p.m., said Vito Maggiolo, a spokesman with the city’s fire department. The man was taken to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries and remains in critical condition.

No embassy staff members were injured, and all were accounted for, according to Tal Naim, a spokeswoman for the embassy.

The man appeared to have filmed the protest and livestreamed it on the social media platform Twitch at the time that the police said they responded to the incident.
The New York Times could not confirm who was behind the account that posted the video, but the video featured a man walking toward the Israeli Embassy in Washington.

“I will no longer be complicit in genocide,” a man said in the video, echoing language that opponents of Israel’s military action in Gaza have used to describe the campaign. “I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest.”

Standing in front of the embassy gates, he set his phone down to film dousing himself in a clear liquid from a metal bottle. He then lit himself on fire while yelling “Free Palestine!” until he fell to the ground.

The video showed law enforcement officers approaching him shortly before the fire caught. One could be heard off-camera saying: “Can I help you, sir?" The officers then scrambled for more than a minute to put out the flames.

The video was removed on Sunday afternoon and replaced with a message stating that the channel violated Twitch's guidelines. It was the only video posted to the account, which had a Palestinian flag as its header image.

In the video, the man was dressed in fatigues, and the name he used matched a Linkedin profile for an active-duty Air Force officer based in Texas.

The police also investigated a suspicious vehicle nearby for explosives, but Sean Hickman, a police spokesman, said the scene had been cleared by 4 p.m. Officers with the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had worked with Washington's Explosive Ordinance disposal unit to investigate the incident.

Protests against Israel have become a near-daily occurrence across the country since Israel began its campaign in Gaza after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks that killed at least 1,200 people, according to the Israeli officials. International calls for a humanitarian cease-fire have grown in the past months as the humanitarian crisis has deepened. The embassy has been the site of sustained protests against the war in Gaza as the civilian death toll in the devastated enclave continues to climb,with more than 29,000 dead, according to the local health ministry officials.

Protests have sometimes resulted in arrests but seldom in violence. In December, a protester self-immolated in front of the Israeli consulate in Atlanta in what police said was "likely an extreme act of political protest."

#Incident: MPD responded to the 3500 block of International Drive, NW, at approximately 1:00 p.m., to assist the United States Secret Service after an individual set themselves on fire in front of an embassy in the block.

An adult male was transported by DC Fire and EMS to a local hospital where they remain in critical condition. MPD is working with the USSS and ATF to investigate the incident. (L

MPD’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) has also been requested to scene in reference to a suspicious vehicle that may be connected to the individual. This remains an active investigation at this time.

The suspicious vehicle has been cleared with no hazardous materials found.

A win made in Nigeria 🇳🇬

Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey scored to help @FulhamFC earn their first win at Old Trafford since 2003 😲

Super Eagles soaring. 🦅

U.S. President Joe Biden calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a “crazy SOB” was an attempt to act like a “Hollywood cowboy,” the Kremlin said Thursday.

Biden made the remarks during a fundraiser Wednesday night in San Francisco, saying the U.S. is always forced to worry about nuclear conflict, despite climate change being “the existential threat to humanity.”

But the American leader’s comments do not faze Putin, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

“Such boorish statements from the mouth of the head of state of the United States are unlikely to hurt the head of another state, especially President Putin,” he said, Russian media reported. “But it is a huge disgrace for the country itself.”

“It is clear that Mr. Biden demonstrates behavior in the style of a Hollywood cowboy for the sake of domestic political interests,” Peskov added.

Peskov claimed that Putin never makes insulting statements toward Biden. “If the president of such a country uses such language, it should be shameful,” he said.

During a recent interview, Putin said he can’t remember the last time he spoke with the U.S. president, adding that it was sometime before Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. On the other hand, he pointed out that he had a “personal relationship” with Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump.

Biden has not held back in expressing his criticism of Putin since Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago.

Former Barcelona and Brazilian footballer Dani Alves has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison after being found guilty of sexual assault.

Catalonia's top court found him guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in 2022.

He was also ordered to pay 150,000 euros to the victim.

Greece’s parliament voted late on Thursday to pass a landmark bill legalizing same-sex marriage and granting full parental rights to same-sex couples.

“The vote has passed: as of tonight, Greece is proud to become the 16th EU country to legislate marriage equality,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis posted on X. “This is a milestone for human rights, reflecting today’s Greece — a progressive, and democratic country, passionately committed to European values,” he added.

The legislation has divided politics in the country, and was strongly opposed by some conservatives and the powerful Christian Orthodox church.

Around a third of Mitsotakis’ ruling conservative New Democracy party abstained or voted against the bill, but the legislation passed with the help of three center-left and left-wing opposition parties — a rare instance of cross-party support in the country’s parliament.

But the bill also caused ructions within progressive parties, in a sign of how divisive the legislation is in Greece. A third of the Socialist Pasok party abstained in the vote, alongside three MPs from left-wing Syriza and two from New Left.

A total of 176 MPs backed the bill in the 300-seat parliament, while 76 voted against and the rest abstained. The vote makes Greece the first Orthodox country to legalize same-sex marriage.

The legislation clears the way for same-sex couples to adopt and gives the same rights to both parents as a child’s legal guardian. But the bill still does not grant the right to surrogacy for same-sex couples.

Prominent conservatives railed against the bill. “Same-sex marriage does not constitute a human right,” ex-Prime Minister Antonis Samaras told lawmakers. “Τhe government should be careful: Overconfidence can lead it to become disconnected from reality and from the society.”

Despite significant opposition from within his own party, the move allows Mitsotakis to further encroach on the territory of centrists and liberals. It may also go some way in helping repair his government’s tarnished international image from an ongoing spying scandal and concerns over media freedom.

Last week, the European Parliament passed a resolution expressing strong concerns about systemic violations of the rule of law, media freedom and fundamental rights in Greece.

On Thursday, in an unprecedented move, Greece’s Supreme Court issued a direct reply to the resolution arguing that it was based on “vague and unsubstantiated allegations” and constitutes a “direct interference in the work of the Greek judicial authorities.”

President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would prefer to see President Joe Biden winning a second term, describing him as more experienced than Donald Trump

A special counsel concluded Thursday that Joe Biden should not face criminal charges for retaining classified documents, but painted a damaging portrait of the US president as a "well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.

The report removed a legal cloud hanging over Biden as he seeks reelection in a contest expected to be against Donald Trump -- who is facing a criminal trial for removing large amounts of secret documents after he lost the White House, then refusing to cooperate with investigators.

However, in a shock for the Biden campaign, special counsel Robert Hur said that his probe had found a president with such reduced mental capacities that he could not remember the dates even of his vice presidency under Barack Obama and the death of his son Beau to cancer in 2015.

A Trump spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, reacted by posting on X: "How are we supposed to trust his ability to lead our country if his memory has 'significant limitations' ?!?!"

The White House said Thursday it was "pleased" by the decision not to file charges against Biden, 81. However, it added that "we disagree with a number of inaccurate and inappropriate comments in the special counsel's report."

Hur was appointed by Biden's attorney general, Merrick Garland, last year after classified material was found at Biden's home in Wilmington, Delaware, and in a former office.

The 388-page report said Biden had "willfully retained and disclosed classified materials" in the period after he left the vice presidency -- well before he defeated Trump in 2020 to become president.

Hur -- previously nominated by Trump to be the lead prosecutor for the state of Maryland -- said documents about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan and other matters were recovered by FBI agents.

However, "We conclude the evidence is not sufficient to convict, and we decline to recommend prosecution of Mr Biden for his retention of the classified Afghanistan documents," Hur said.

Hur then said he did not think a jury would want to convict Biden, who came across to investigators as a "sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory."

"It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him -- by then a former president well into his eighties -- of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness," the special counsel said.

Hur noted clear differences in the Biden and Trump classified documents scandals -- in particular that "after being given multiple chances to return classified documents and avoid prosecution, Mr Trump allegedly did the opposite."

"According to the indictment, he not only refused to return the documents for many months, but he also obstructed justice by enlisting others to destroy evidence and then to lie about it.

"In contrast, Mr Biden turned in classified documents to the National Archives and the Department of Justice, consented to the search of multiple locations including his homes, sat for a voluntary interview. and in other ways cooperated with the investigation."

Trump, 77, pleaded not guilty in June to multiple charges of unlawfully retaining national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and making false statements.

Trump was indicted by another special counsel, Jack Smith, and accused of endangering national security by holding on to top secret nuclear and defense information after leaving the White House.

Trump kept the files -- which included records from the Pentagon, CIA and National Security Agency -- unsecured at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida and thwarted official efforts to retrieve them, according to the indictment.

He is scheduled to go on trial in Florida in May.

Chelsea Boss, Mauricio Pochettino has said the Blues are happy that their striker Nicolas Jackson could be with the team when they face Liverpool in the Premier League at Anfield on Wednesday night.

Pochettino also expressed sadness for Senegal after they were recently eliminated from the AFCON round of 16 at the hands of the host nation Ivory Coast.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Liverpool, Pochettino also admitted that Chelsea have missed the Senegal international.

“We are waiting. All I can say is that maybe he will be there [against Liverpool]. The other day, Ghana lost and were out, and Inaki Williams arrived a few hours before and played in the second half to beat Barcelona in the Copa del Rey. Why can’t Jackson arrive and score the winning goal?

“Without Nico [Nicolas] we miss the possibility that he provides. He runs a lot, which is massive and helps the team to press high, and also scores goals because he has a good record at the moment.

“I think we miss him a lot and so we are happy because we can recover him, but on the other side sad because they lost. But being selfish we are happy because maybe he can be with us at Liverpool,” Pochettino said.

Thanks to everyone that checked up and showed disquiet in one way or the other at this strenuous time, I appreciate. We’re all human and anything is prone to happen. Onto the next one! ❤️🇳🇬

New York will expand its legal definition of rape to include various forms of nonconsensual sexual contact, under a bill signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday.

The state’s current limited definition was a factor in writer E. Jean Carroll’s sexual abuse and defamation case against former President Donald Trump. The jury in the federal civil trial rejected the writer’s claim last May that Trump had raped her in the 1990s, instead finding the former president responsible for a lesser degree of sexual abuse.

The current law defines rape as vaginal penetration by a penis. The new law broadens the definition to include nonconsensual anal, oral, and vaginal sexual contact. Highlighting Carroll’s case at a bill signing ceremony in Albany, the Democratic governor said the new definition will make it easier for rape victims to bring cases forward to prosecute perpetrators. The law will apply to sexual assaults committed on or after Sept. 1.

“The problem is, rape is very difficult to prosecute,” Hochul said. “Physical technicalities confuse jurors and humiliate survivors and create a legal gray area that defendants exploit.”

In Carroll’s case against Trump, which stemmed from an encounter at a Manhattan luxury department store, the judge later said that the jury’s decision was based on “the narrow, technical meaning” of rape in New York penal law and that, in his analysis, the verdict did not mean that Carroll “failed to prove that Mr. Trump ‘raped’ her as many people commonly understand the word ‘rape.’”

While various states define rape in different ways, every state criminalizes oral, anal, and vaginal sexual contact that is nonconsensual, according to Sandi Johnson, a senior legislative policy counsel at Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network. Prior to its new law, New York defined penetration of the vagina or other bodily orifices with anything other than a penis as “sexual abuse” rather than “rape.”

Many other states continue to place unwanted oral or anal sexual contact in a category other than rape.

Johnson said New York’s new guidelines validate what has happened to survivors. Calling a criminal sexual act anything other than rape “kind of sanitizes it,” she said.

At Tuesday’s bill signing, state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who sponsored the legislation, said the new changes would also make it easier for members of the LGBTQ community to hold perpetrators of sex crimes accountable.

“We can’t have our laws ignore the reality that so many New Yorkers, particularly LGBTQ New Yorkers, among others, have experienced,” the Democrat said.

“Before today, many of those assaults wouldn’t be able to be classified as rape in New York state,” he said. “But now we fixed that language.”

Angolan Player, Gilberto says they will beat Nigeria in the AFCON 2023 Quarter Finals.

Angolan bank, Banco Keve promised to give the Players $9,600 each if they beat Nigeria.

Angolan diamond company, Social EP promised to give the team $250,000 if they beat Nigeria.

Angolan bank, BAI gave each Player $6,000 for beating Namibia 3-0 in the AFCON Round of 16.

Telecoms company, UNITEL gifted each Player an iPhone 15.

The world of benches is revolutionized. First it was Klopp, who announced his goodbye to Liverpool once this season ends . A few hours later, Xavi, more or less, did the same and announced that on June 30 he will stop being Barça coach . In addition to both official announcements, a few days ago another coach with culé ancestry warned those around him that he was considering putting an end to his time at Arsenal.

Arteta has a contract in force until 2025 , but the passing of the years and the tensions experienced in recent seasons seem to have also taken their toll on the coach. The good relationship that he maintains with the ownership of the London club would allow him to agree on a possible consensual exit once the season ends. Mikel has already communicated this to his entourage, although at the moment maximum discretion is required while waiting to see how the final stretch of the competition develops.

The news of Arteta's possible release coincides with Xavi's goodbye. Simple coincidences since to date, as SPORT has confirmed, no one from Barça has contacted the coach or his agents. However, it is no secret that Laporta has always held Arteta in high regard and on more than one occasion has commented that he has an ideal profile to one day land on the bench of the Barça first team .

Goodbye with three titles?
Arteta has not had an easy time leading Arsenal. One FA Cup (2019-20) and two Community Shields (2020 and 2023) are the three titles achieved by a team that in recent campaigns is once again fighting for the Premier League and occupying a Champions League place. A pressure and wear and tear that had made him reconsider his future and the need to face a change of scenery or a possible rest.

In all the surveys or surveys carried out in the last few hours, the name of Mikel Arteta is well received by Barça fans as a possible replacement for Xavi for the 2024-25 season . The first obligatory step, the contractual release of the coach with Arsenal, could be on the way. Now it remains for Joan Laporta and his sports management to agree on the final name of the person designated to take over the difficult relief provided by Xavi Hernández.

COMMUNIQUÉ

The attention of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Commission) has been drawn to a statement broadcast on the National Televisions of Mali and Niger announcing the decision of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to withdraw from ECOWAS.

The ECOWAS Commission is yet to receive any direct formal notification from the three Member States about their intention to withdraw from the Community.

The ECOWAS Commission, as directed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government, has been working assiduously with these countries for the restoration of constitutional order. Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali remain
important members of the Community and the Authority remains committed to finding a negotiated solution to the political impasse.

The ECOWAS Commission remains seized with the development and shall make further pronouncements as the situation evolves.

Abuja, 28 January 2024

Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, three West African countries ruled by military junta have announced their leaving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional economic bloc.

The three countries have been placed under some levels of sanctions after the democratic government was terminated by the military at various times.

Sunday’s joint announcement came at no surprise to many as the three nations at some points last year have threatened to engage in war any attempt of ECOMOG (the military coalition of the subregional body) to force out the military junta in Niger, the last of the three nationzs in which democracy was pushed out by a junta.

The decision by the three countries, announced in a joint statement read out on Niger national television, may however be seen as a blow to the bloc’s regional integration efforts after it suspended the three countries following military takeovers.

Since the coups, and despite the sanctions, negotiations and threats of military intervention, the military leaders have failed to provide a clear time table to return the countries to constitutional rule.

Instead, they have hardened their rhetoric against the bloc and accused it of being influenced by external powers. The three countries have also cut military and cooperation ties with former colonial master France, and turned to Russia for security support.

The three military leaders in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, have always posited that their interregnum was based on the need to restore security to their country and that they would only organise elections when they have fully arrested insurgencies linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.

A statement on Sunday by the Niger junta spokesman, Colonel Amadou Abdramane, read: “After 49 years, the valiant peoples of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger regretfully and with great disappointment observe that the (ECOWAS) organization has drifted from the ideals of its founding fathers and the spirit of Pan-Africanism,”

“The organization notably failed to assist these states in their existential fight against terrorism and insecurity.”

With this, it is unclear for now how the decision by juntas in Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali will impact the 15-member regional bloc where goods and citizens move freely.

According to the bloc’s treaty, member states wishing to withdraw must give a written one-year notice. It is unclear for now if the three states have done so. The treaty say they must continue to abide by its provisions during the year-long period.

The three countries are also members of the eight-nation West African Monetary Union (UEMOA) that uses the West Africa CFA franc currency pegged to the Euro.
The monetary union, following decisions by ECOWAS leaders after the coups in Mali and Niger, had cut off their access to the regional financial market, and the regional central bank. It later restored Mali’s access but Niger remains suspended.

Osimhen plays with passion. That’s what every country wants their players to do 💪🏿💪🏿🔥

Napoli Club President, Aurelio De Laurentiis confirms Victor Osimhen is looking to leave Napoli after the Nigerian said he knows his next move. “We’ve known this since last summer, otherwise the negotiation to extend wouldn't have taken so long. We already knew he'd join Real, PSG or an EPL club."