Four-time Grammy winner Lionel Richie cemented his legacy in Hollywood Wednesday, plunging his feet and hands into a wet paving slab at the forecourt of the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre.

The 68-year-old R

Plateau United believe they could overturn a 2-4 loss to Tunisias Etoile du Sahel in the second leg of the CAF Champions League, which will take place at New Stadium Jos on 16 March.

The team vowed a comeback as they retweeted Radio host David Kings tweet on Wednesday, rallying them to victory in the second leg.

David King wrote: The boys were shocked and awed in Souse but they recovered in time to claw back two goals. Etoile du Sahel 4-2 @plateauutdfc We can finish the job at the New Jos Stadium. Just believe!

Plateau United shared the dream:

Retweeted David King ():

The boys were shocked and awed in Souse but they recovered in time to

Plateau United FC (@plateauutdfc)

A late rally by the team on Tuesday could not stop them from crashing 2-4 to hosts Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia in the CAF Champions League first leg encounter in Sousse.

The Tunisian side enjoyed an easy first half by scoring three goals in 20 minutes.

Amro Marei opened scores in the second minute, while Amine Chermiti added two goals in the third and eighth minutes for the first half to end 3-0 in the hosts favour.

The 14th minute substitution of goalkeeper Odah Okiemute for Dele Ajiboye seemed to stabilize the visitors rear until the hosts scored the fourth goal in the 54th minute.

Plateau United, fought back to reduce the tally, first with Raphael Ayagwas penalty kick in the 70th minute.

Eight minutes to the end of the game, Tosin Omoyele turned home substitute Patrick Enejis assist to further reduce the margin ahead of the second leg game.

Source: NAN

Enyimba International Football Club on Wednesday in Cotonou won their first leg match in a CAF Confederation Cup first round fixture by beating Energie FC of Republic of Benin 2-0.

Two goals very early in the game gave the former African champions a valuable result which will serve them in good stead in the second leg match on March 18.

The Aba-based side who drew bye in the preliminary round owing to their record on the continent took the lead through an own goal by Aime Santou after three minutes.

Austin Oladapo utilised Stanley Dimgbas cross six minutes later to extend their lead and cruise to an important win ahead of the second leg game in Calabar.

However, the other Nigerian representatives in the competition, Akwa United FC of Uyo, lost by a lone goal to Al Ittihad of Libya at the Alteeb Almharea Stadium in Sfax, Tunisia.

Akwa United will host the second leg in Uyo on March 18.

The loss in Libya was Akwa Uniteds first away defeat in the competition after previously winning their first two games against Vita Club Mokanda of Congo and Banjul Hawks of Gambia.

Source: NAN

Juventus qualified for the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday after a 2-1 win away to Tottenham Hotspur in their last 16 second leg.

Son Heung-Min had put Spurs ahead on the night, six minutes before half-time at Wembley, after the clubs drew 2-2 in the first leg in Italy last month.

However, Gonzalo Higuain levelled the scores in the 64th minute and Paulo Dybala won it three minutes later, securing a 4-3 aggregate victory for the Italians.

Manchester City have also qualified for the quarter-finals despite recording a shock 1-2 loss at home to visiting Swiss team Basel.

The loss by City was by a much-changed side and they could afford the luxury as the hard work had been done in Switzerland, three weeks ago.

Nonetheless, they cruised through 5-2 on aggregate.

City had extended their aggregate advantage early on when Gabriel Jesus tapped home after just eight minutes.

However, Mohamed Elyounoussi exposed some slack City defending to smash in an equaliser for the Swiss champions nine minutes later before Michael Lang rocketed home a spectacular winner 19 minutes from time.

However, a minute later Basel were level as Blas Riveros burst down the left and his deflected cross was dispatched powerfully past Claudio Bravo by Elyounoussi.

The Norwegian then had a great chance to put Basel in front on the half hour mark when he miscued horribly wide with just Bravo to beat after outmuscling Danilo.

City coach Pep Guardiola grew visibly frustrated on the touchline as his side also started the second period slowly.

And they were punished when Elyounoussis low cross was blasted past Bravo at his near post from a narrow angle by Lang.

Substitute Brahim Diaz came closest to a reply but his low driven effort was turned behind by Vaclik to consign City to a first home defeat since December 2016.

Source: NAN

Venus Williams says she hopes to one day follow in the footsteps of her younger sister Serena and experience motherhood.

I hope I can do that if I ever get there, said the 37-year-old Venus on Wednesday.

She does everything for the baby. Other than that she stays the same.

If it happens then I have a good example to follow.

This week marks the return of Serena to the WTA Tour a little under 190 days since the birth of baby Alexis.

Both sisters are competing in the WTA Indian Wells tournament and they landed in the same portion of the draw meaning they could face each other in the third round.

Serena, 36, will need to get through her first round match against 53rd ranked Zarina Diyas and the 29th-seeded Kiki Bertens.

The eighth-seeded Venus has a bye through the first round and will face either qualifier Monica Niculescu or Sorana Cirstea in the second round.

Venus and Serena are more accustomed to meeting in the finals of tournaments. If Venus had any idea she and Serena could meet so early in the Indian Wells draw, she wasnt letting on.

I havent analyzed it at all, Venus said of the field. If I keep playing hopefully I can win.

Venus reached the Wimbledon final last year where she lost to champion Garbine Muguruza 7-5, 6-0.

She also made the final of the Australian Open and the quarterfinals in Rome and at this tournament.

Venus grew up just a couple hours drive away in the south central Los Angeles suburb of Compton.

This tournament means a lot to me, she said of Indian Wells. I dont get to play a lot in the States anymore.

Source: NAN

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and three other heads of international election observation missions in Sierra Leone on Monday pledged to remain impartial and ensure that the election complied with the relevant regional protocols and international best practices.

Mr Paul Ejime, spokesman of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC), on behalf of others,said the missions agreed to continue constructive engagements with the countrys stakeholders and to hold further consultations among themselves before and after the elections.

Sierra Leoneans would vote in the countrys presidential, parliamentary and local Council elections on Wednesday.

The meeting of the monitors, coordinated by ECOWAS and the African Union, was held to strategise on effective value addition to the electoral process ahead of the election on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by Prof Amos Sawyer, Liberias former Interim President, for ECOWAS; and Kgalema Motlanthe, the former South African President for AU.

The two other leaders were Ghanas former President John Dramani Mahama, for the Commonwealth and Nigerias former President Goodluck Jonathan, for the Election Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA).

After an exchange of information on the work of the observers on ground, the Heads of Missions discussed the level of preparations for the poll.

They also discussed emerging scenarios, identifiable challenges, especially the and legal issues before the Supreme Court and the way forward.

They noted that while international observers could render support, the success of the electoral process is the primary responsibility of Sierra Leoneans, the missions said.

According to the missions, the new ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Gen. Francis Behazin had joined the Prof. Sawyer-led ECOWAS Observation Mission as leader of the Commissions Technical Support Team to the Mission.

NAN reports that the Sierra Leone Telegraph, reported that both Dr Samura Kamara of the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) and Dr Kandeh Yumkella of the National Grand Coalition (NGC) Presidential candidates are facing separate suits against them at the Sierra Leone Supreme Court.

The separate petitions are to determine if they are qualified to contest the presidential election.

The petitioner against Kamara wants the Supreme Court to disqualify him for violation of electoral laws, which states that all public officials wishing to contest the elections must have resigned from their posts at least 90 days prior to the elections.

He is alleged to have been receiving his government salary as foreign minister and had failed to resign his job in accordance with the law.

It is also alleged that Samura has both Sierra Leone and British citizenships, and has failed to renounce his British citizenship before his nomination as the presidential candidate of the ruling APC.

On the other hand, the case against Yumkella, who is also contesting Parliamentary election at the same time, was filed by APC, claiming he is ineligible to contest the constituency election in Kychum, his place of birth, in the Northern district of Kambia.

The Sierra Leones National Electoral Commission (NEC) has declared that Yumkella was free to contest the parliamentary election until decided otherwise by the Supreme court.

It was reported that Yumkellas name is on the ballot papers for both presidential and parliamentary elections.

Source: NAN

Tony Iwobi, an Italian man of Nigerian origin, who is the chief immigration spokesman for the far-right League party, has been elected as the first black senator in the country.

Iwobi, whose party has been accused of stirring up xenophobia in Italy, was elected in the industrial city of Brescia in northern Italy a major immigration hub.

It is with great excitement that I can tell you I have been elected senator A new adventure is about to begin, Iwobi said on Facebook on Tuesday following Sundays elections.

Born in Gusau in northern Nigeria but living in Italy since the 1970s, Iwobi has been a supporter of the League for more than two decades and used the campaign slogan #StopInvasion a reference to the more than 690,000 migrants who have landed on Italian shores from North Africa since 2013.

Along with party leader Matteo Salvini, Iwobi has argued that illegal immigration into Italy has led to an increase in racism.

Discrimination begins when there are no rules and the state lets anyone in. Illegality leads directly to violence and a racist response, he said in January.

The League supports healthy and controlled immigration which can act as a bulwark against racism, he said.

Italys general election left the country with a hung parliament in which no single party or coalition commands an overall majority. Political horse-trading is underway as parties bid to form a working coalition government.

The League, led by Matteo Salvini, was the winning party in the right-wing alliance that took the most votes on Sunday but fell short of an overall majority.

Source: NAN

(Sputnik/NAN)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine must embrace peace and stop paying terrorists in order to end the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Netanyahu said this while on official visit to Washington DC, United States (U.S.).

To get peace, President Abbas has to embrace peace and to stop supporting terror He pays about $350 million a year to terrorists and their families, Netanyahu said during remarks to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference.

The prime minister added that he is committed to achieving peace with all of Israels neighbors, including the Palestinians.

On Monday, Israeli Foreign Ministrys Deputy Director-General Alexander Ben-Zvi said Israel is still ready for direct talks with the Palestinians, but a meaningful proposal is needed in order to start the dialogue.

For decades, Israel has been in conflict with the Palestinians, who have been seeking diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which are partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip.

Source: NAN

Agency reports said Bios home was surrounded by police, at about 6pm when counting of votes began at polling stations.

They were initially refused entry, reports said.

After an intervention by former Ghanaian president and election observer John Dramani Mahama, police were allowed to enter, they said, refusing to comment on the purpose of the raid.

He was able to persuade them to allow us access to the building, said Mohamed Kamara, head of the police criminal investigation.

We came in with a warrant, he added, saying officers observed material on several laptops before dispersing by 8pm.

SLPP spokesman Lahai Lawrence Leema said it was an act of intimidation aimed at rigging elections.

The APC and SLPP have dominated Sierra Leones politics since independence in 1961, but third parties are hoping to make their mark after mounting charismatic campaigns based on the two parties shortcomings.

President Ernest Bai Koroma, who cannot run again after two consecutive five-year terms, has anointed former foreign minister Samura Kamara as his successor for the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC).

A statement released by civil society groups mentioned scuffles in a rural area that were quickly brought under control.

An AFP journalist also witnessed riot police being deployed on the streets of the capital Freetown, with Chief Superintendent Mohamed Bangura confirming two arrests after scuffles involving rival parties.

The export-dependent economy of the mineral-rich but impoverished country is in a dire state following the 2014-16 Ebola crisis and a commodity price slump that has driven away foreign investors.

A presidential runoff is likely, according to experts, as the threshold to win outright in the first round is 55 percent.

The APC broadly relies on the Temne and Limba people in its northern strongholds, while the SLPP is more popular in the south with the Mende ethnic group.

The National Grand Coalition (NGC), headed by former UN diplomat Kandeh Yumkella, is challenging the two-party system by appealing to young and better-educated urban voters deemed less likely to vote along regional and ethnic lines.

Its communications chief said it had reported some irregularities to the National Election Commission (NEC).

Source: NAN

The Senate on Wednesday said it would be forced to withhold budgetary approvals for any government agency and parastatalwhich failed to submit at least two previous years audited reports to the Auditor-General of the Federation (AGF).

The decision followed the adoption of a report of the Senate Public Accounts Committee (PAC) presented to the chamber by its Chairman, Sen. Matthew Uroghide during plenary.

The report indicated that at least 85 agencies of government including the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had never submitted audited reports since their creation.

In adopting the report, the Senate issued a May 2018 deadline to all parastatals to submit audited reports in line with Section 85 of the 1999 Constitution.

According to Urhoghide, out of 447 agencies and parastatals, only 40 have complied with the submission of the 2017 audit reports.

He said that the constitution mandated the AGF to receive audited reports from the agencies and submit the same to the National Assembly.

The lawmaker added that the agencies and parastatals should ensure that their accounts were audited by making use of the recommended auditors from the AGF.

He said: EFCC is of the opinion that once they come for budget defence, it amounts to submitting their audited reports. The EFCC Act itself says they have to submit their audited reports six months into the financial year.

In his remarks, the President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki condemned the development saying that the situation was unhelpful to the war against corruption.

He said: Imagine that out of 447 parastatals, only 40 have complied with the 2017 audited reports. When they say we are not making much progress in the anti-corruption fight it is because of the fundamental issues, they are right, the foundation is still very weak.

If we have 447 parastatals and only 40 have sent their audited reports, there is a serious problem. Now, we find out that the agencies that are even meant to supervise are part of those who have not sent in their audit reports.

Now, we have taken a resolution here today to say that unless the remaining agencies do that their budgets for 2018 is withheld.

Therefore, let us remember that when we are passing the 2018 budget, the committees that are presenting the reports of the parastatals should please confirm to us whether they have complied with the auditors report.

In the meantime, we will make sure that we also communicate to the Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF) to ensure that all these parastatals get their accounts audited and submitted, Saraki said.

Source: NAN