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Steve FainaruJun 26, 2026, 06:30 AM ETCloseWinner, 2008 Pulitzer Prize in International Reporting Four-time first-place winner in Associated Press Sports Editors competition Co-author of New York Times best-selling book, “League of Denial”Multiple AuthorsLeer en españolBUENOS AIRES, Argentina — There was something off about the yellow house on Gallardo Street. Teenage boys came and went. Inside, a makeshift pub served fans of the local fútbol club before they filed into the stadium down the street. The house had orange and black stripes, tiny security cameras that twitched like eyes, and, over the entrance, a colorful mural of palm trees and late-model…

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The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Chairman, Tony Elumelu, has reflected on the intense scepticism he faced early in his career, specifically regarding his acquisition of Crystal Bank in 1997. Speaking in an interview with the US-based media platform, The School of Hard Knocks, the 63-year-old recounted how industry critics dismissed the move at the time, labelling him a “joker” for his bold investment. Mr Elumelu, who rebranded the struggling financial institution as Standard Trust Bank (STB), later led a historic 2005 merger to acquire the larger, more established UBA. Addressing the criticism he faced, he remarked, “You know, when…

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Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan TPresident Bola Tinubu yesterday said the signs of progress in the country are becoming increasingly evident as the reforms undertaken by his administration are laying the foundation for a stronger, more competitive, and more resilient economy. This is just as he assured  the people    that every realistic measure, including international collaboration, is being taken to ensure that the kidnapped victims in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State are safely brought home without harm or avoidable loss of life. The President said these in his address at the  inauguration  of the newly transformed Premier Hotel in Ibadan undertaken by the…

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Last year, FNB launched a local coding programme called the App Academy, and by all accounts, it was a massive success. So much so, that FNB is bringing it back for 2026, along with a new partner in the form of the University of Johannesburg’s Business School (JBS). The partnership will see this iteration of the programme expanding access to university-backed digital and entrepreneurial education for the next generation of South African developers, as FNB terms it. The collaboration also aims to equip more than 50 000 young people with “future-ready skills”, recognised learning experiences, and stronger pathways into the…

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‎By Boluwaji Obahopo A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja has set aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party, effectively nullifying all actions taken pursuant to the ruling. ‎Justice Isah Dashen, who delivered the ruling on Friday, held that the court’s December 10, 2025 judgment adversely affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which was not joined as a party in the suit despite claiming ownership of the logo relied upon in obtaining the judgment. ‎Counsel to the applicant (PMP), C. S. Ekeocha,…

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Grandparents, young children, siblings.Venezuelans living around the world turned to social media to post photographs of missing relatives, desperately hoping that someone recognized them in the aftermath of two devastating earthquakes that struck the country on Wednesday.Some people finally learned that their loved ones were alive but injured and their whereabouts unknown. Some received news of deaths, and many more were still unaccounted for.Okarina Castaño, who works at a bank in Miami, said her brother, Carlos Castaño, called her early Thursday.Mr. Castaño lived in Los Corales, a coastal area east of the Caracas airport, where heavy damage was reported.“‘I’m alive,…

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By Babajide Komolafe FirstBank has thrown its weight behind the Imo State Government’s One Kindred One Business Initiative (ÓKÓBÌ), a community-based entrepreneurship programme designed to stimulate job creation, expand financial inclusion and promote sustainable wealth creation through collective business ownership. The bank said its support aligns with its commitment to empowering small and medium enterprises, deepening financial inclusion and driving long-term socio-economic development across Nigeria. ÓKÓBÌ, conceived by Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, is built on traditional African values of communalism, kinship and collective responsibility. The initiative formalises groups of like-minded individuals into registered businesses, making them more resilient, easier to…

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NerdzFactory Company has announced the continuation of the Experience AI programme in Nigeria for 2026, expanding a teacher capacity-building initiative that, in its first year, equipped 1,142 public secondary school educators across five southwestern states with foundational knowledge of artificial intelligence and the practical tools to introduce it in their classrooms.  Delivered in partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation, the free programme equips teachers with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to introduce AI concepts in classrooms through practical, accessible learning. Its curriculum is co-developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind. Based on rigorous research, teaching materials include lesson…

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By Peter Duru, Makurdi  The Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has distanced itself from claims that Mr. Emmanuel Agbo is the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 general elections, describing such assertions as false and misleading.  In a statement signed by the party’s State Secretary, Dan Nyikwagh, and made available to journalists, the PDP said Agbo “is not and has never been” its governorship candidate, warning the public against being deceived by what it termed fraudulent claims.  “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Benue State Chapter, under the Chairmanship of Chief Ezekiel Adaji, wishes to unequivocally and…

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Footballers, like researchers, are driven by passion and face uncertainty in their careers.Credit: Luke Hales/GettyPrecarious contracts, international mobility, pressure for quick wins and an obsession with league tables. Sound familiar?The Olympic sport that influences my lab leadership styleYou’ll probably recognize these realities of academic life. But you might be surprised by how much you have in common with the professional footballers battling it out at the men’s FIFA World Cup 2026 and other high-level tournaments (perhaps not the salaries).At the early-career stage, both professional footballers and academic researchers are driven by the kind of passion and talent that can demand…

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