Author: damazah@gmail.com

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has questioned the officiating in his side’s dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina, suggesting the defending champions benefited from favourable decisions because of Lionel Messi’s presence at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to the Egyptian news outlet Ahram Online, Hassan made the remarks after Egypt surrendered a two-goal lead before Enzo Fernández scored a stoppage-time winner, sending Argentina into the quarter-finals. The Pharaohs looked on course for one of the biggest upsets of the tournament after opening a 2-0 lead, only for Argentina to stage a remarkable late comeback through Cristian Romero, Messi and Fernández. Despite…

Kayode Tokede  The Nigerian stock market yesterday sustained its positive momentum, advancing by N1.86 trillion as investors renewed interest in MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Dangote Cement Plc,  and 52 others.   As the stock price of MTN Nigeria Communications gained 2.62 per cent to close at N780.00 per share, Dangote Cement’s stock price advanced by 5.40 per cent to close at N1,015.00 per share, the market capitalization gained N1.86 trillion to close at N152.136 trillion from N150.271 trillion it opened for trading.   The Nigerian Exchange Limited All-Share Index (NGX ASI) gained 2,905.05 basis points or 1.24 per cent, close at 234,178.23…

The federal government has reduced import duties on both new and used vehicles under its 2026 fiscal policy measures, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has disclosed. Mr Adeniyi announced the tariff review on Monday while defending the service’s 2026 budget proposal before the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise. He stated that the import duty on used vehicles has been lowered from 15 per cent to five per cent, whilst the rate for brand-new vehicles has been cut from 20 per cent to 10 per cent. According to him, the revised tariff regime…

As digital payments become part of everyday life, keeping money safe has never been more important. To help customers stay protected, OPay introduced two new security features: Emergency Lock and Safety PIN. These features are designed to help users take immediate action when they sense danger, thereby preventing fraud, theft, and unauthorised transactions before they occur. Here are six reasons why these new features matter. 1. They Help Stop Fraud Before It Happens Many security solutions focus on recovering funds after fraud has occurred. Emergency Lock and Safety PIN take a different approach by helping customers act before money leaves their account.…

What if the universe is just one big computer?NASA/ESA/J. Lee and pro500/Shutterstock The following is an extract from our Lost in Space-Time newsletter. Each month, we dive into fascinating ideas from around the universe. You can sign up for Lost in Space-Time here. My colleagues and I have a running joke: time isn’t real. Oh, you thought that deadline was tomorrow, but it’s actually today? Time isn’t real; that explains it. The 1980s can’t possibly be 40 years ago, can they? Nah, mate, time isn’t real. If aliens were looking at Earth right now from a distant ship, would they see dinosaurs or just seas…

Davinson Sánchez looked to the heavens. Cucho Hernández trudged back to his teammates. And by the end, the rest of the Colombian team were on the grass as Switzerland danced, nearly alone in a sea of yellow. Switzerland had prevailed on penalties, 4-3, bringing an emotional end to more than two hours of tense, tentative, and ludicrously goal-free football in the World Cup last 16.Switzerland advance to the quarter-finals for the first time since 1954, when that stage was the first in the knockout round of a Swiss-hosted tournament featuring a total of 16 teams. They will face a tall…

Queen Camilla has celebrated 100 years since the first Winnie-the-Pooh books were published by playing poohsticks at the site which inspired Hundred Acre Wood.This year marks the centenary of AA Milne’s books, first published in 1926 and later brought to the screen by Walt Disney. In her first visit as Royal Literary Fund patron, the Queen spent time in Ashdown Forest, East Sussex, earlier.Arriving in a black Range Rover and sporting a green leaf-patterned dress, she met children’s authors and unveiled a trail named Queen’s Walk.Dubbing Pooh a “universal hero” she said it was “very nice to be back in…

Vanessa Obioha Stretford Hill Limited has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s institutional framework, saying sustainable infrastructure development depends as much on strong legal and regulatory systems as it does on engineering expertise. The construction and infrastructure company made the assertion during the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Branch Law Week 2026, where it participated as a Bronze Sponsor. The event, themed “Lawyering in the Digital Age: Navigating Technology, Justice & Innovation,” brought together legal practitioners, policymakers, regulators, business leaders and technology experts to discuss the impact of digital transformation on legal practice, governance and the economy. Speaking at the…

Former Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, has said he has enjoyed his first extended experience of South Africa outside of playing duty, having taken up a broadcasting role with SuperSport for the ongoing FIFA World Cup. The former Watford defender, who was part of SuperSport’s broadcast team covering the tournament across sub-Saharan Africa, said the experience had given him the freedom to enjoy South Africa in a way his playing career never permitted. “I have really enjoyed it. It has been great being part of the SuperSport team and meeting some amazing current and former players,” he said. “Although it…

Speaking on the condition of anonymity before Centcom’s announcement of fresh strikes, the US official insisted that US negotiators would continue to work in “good faith” towards a final deal with Iran.Qatar and Saudi Arabia also denounced the attacks, each saying a tanker from its country had been hit as while transiting in or near the Strait, and blaming Iran.Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said it held Iran “fully responsible” for an apparent targeted attack on a vessel called Al-Rekayyat as it transited near the Strait.Qatar demanded that Iran “immediately cease all practices that undermine regional security” and…