Author: Faith Babatunde

Lord Briggs of Westbourne has been appointed the next President of the United Kingdom Supreme Court, succeeding Lord Reed, who is expected to retire in January 2027. The appointment was approved by King Charles III on the advice of the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor, following a recommendation by an independent selection commission, according to the Prime Minister’s Office. Briggs will formally assume office in January 2027 and become the fifth President of the Supreme Court since its establishment in 2009. Born Michael Townley Featherstone Briggs, he has served as a Justice of the Supreme Court since October 2017. He…

Former Super Eagles head coach Augustine Eguavoen has been appointed interim coach of the Super Falcons ahead of Nigeria’s 2028 Olympic Games qualifying matches against Comoros in October. The Nigeria Football Federation announced the appointment on Tuesday, describing it as a temporary arrangement while the search for a permanent coach continues. Eguavoen takes over following the dismissal of Justin Madugu and his technical crew on August 17 after Nigeria’s disappointing campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Super Falcons entered the WAFCON as defending champions but…

The Central Bank of Nigeria has assured Nigerians that improvements in the country’s macroeconomic indicators will eventually translate into better conditions for households and businesses as fiscal and monetary reforms take effect. CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso gave the assurance on Tuesday during the 19th Annual Banking and Finance Conference of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria in Abuja. Represented by the Deputy Governor of the Economic Policy Directorate, Philip Ikeazor, Cardoso acknowledged concerns that recent improvements in key economic indicators had yet to significantly improve living conditions for many Nigerians. Ikeazor said closer coordination between monetary and fiscal authorities…

The World Health Organization has warned that tobacco smoking may reduce the chances of conceiving and negatively affect fertility in both men and women. In a knowledge summary published on Tuesday, the WHO said tobacco use had been linked to infertility in women, sperm abnormalities and sexual problems in men, while exposure to second-hand smoke could also pose reproductive risks. The agency noted that infertility affects about one in six people of reproductive age globally and defined it as the inability to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. According to WHO, a review of…

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes his team can reach a higher level than last season after the Gunners maintained their perfect start to the Premier League campaign with a 2-1 comeback victory over Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium. Chelsea took an early lead through Morgan Rogers, but Arsenal responded with goals from Kai Havertz and captain Martin Odegaard to secure all three points. Speaking after the match, Arteta described the performance as exceptional and said the result had shown the potential within his squad. He added that Arsenal would need to maintain their desire, humility and commitment if they are…

Burnley have completed the signing of former England striker Jamie Vardy on a contract running until the end of the season. The 39-year-old joins the Clarets after leaving Italian club Cremonese during the summer, bringing him back to English football after 13 years at Leicester City. Vardy became one of Leicester’s greatest-ever players and remains the club’s record Premier League goalscorer with 145 goals. He scored 200 times in 500 appearances after joining Leicester from non-league side Fleetwood Town in 2012. His time at Leicester included the club’s remarkable Premier League title triumph in 2016, while he also earned 26…

Nigeria’s overnight lending rate has risen slightly as tighter liquidity conditions followed recent Central Bank of Nigeria treasury bills transactions. The overnight rate increased by two basis points to 22.20 per cent, while the Open Buyback rate remained unchanged at 22 per cent. The movement came after the settlement of the CBN’s midweek treasury bills auction, which reduced the amount of cash available for interbank transactions. Data from Herwood Securities Limited showed that system liquidity opened at N3.66tn, down by N930bn from the previous session’s N4.61tn. The decline reflected funds committed by banks and other investors to government securities. The…

Nigeria has facilitated the return of former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma to Freetown after more than two years of temporary relocation to Nigeria. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying she accompanied Koroma to Sierra Leone on the instruction of President Bola Tinubu. According to the minister, Koroma’s return marked the conclusion of a regional diplomatic and confidence-building process involving the Economic Community of West African States, the Nigerian Government and other stakeholders. Koroma relocated to Nigeria in January 2024 following engagements by ECOWAS aimed at promoting peace, political understanding…

African players made strong contributions across Europe’s major leagues over the weekend, with Bryan Mbeumo, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Serhou Guirassy among the standout performers. In England, Cameroon international Mbeumo scored an impressive solo goal for Manchester United in their 2-2 Premier League draw against Everton. The forward raced through before unleashing a powerful finish past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. The goal was Mbeumo’s second in three matches this season after he also scored in Manchester United’s 5-2 victory over Ipswich Town. In Spain, former Arsenal forward Nicolas Pepe scored for Villarreal in their 3-2 defeat to Deportivo La Coruña. The Ivorian…

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has urged his players to use their 2-1 defeat to Arsenal as a learning experience as they continue their push to compete at the top of the Premier League. The Blues entered Sunday’s London derby at the Emirates Stadium after recording wins against Fulham and Brighton in the league, as well as Luton Town in the League Cup. Chelsea made a dream start when Morgan Rogers put them ahead after just 77 seconds. However, Arsenal responded through Kai Havertz before Martin Odegaard scored the winning goal in the second half. The defeat was Chelsea’s first in…