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EPL News: Everton 0 – 0 Arsenal

By
concoursemedia
-

Everton and Arsenal played out a dire goalless draw at Goodison Park as respective new bosses Carlo Ancelotti and Mikel Arteta watched from the stands.

Three-time Champions League winner Ancelottii was confirmed as successor to sacked Marco Silva on a contract until 2024 shortly before kick-off on Saturday, and the Italian was present in the directors’ box.

Arteta, who was appointed the Gunners on Friday, was sitting nearby – but there was little to excite either man.

Arsenal, under interim manager Freddie Ljungberg for the last time, came closest to scoring as Gabriel Martinelli shot wide in the first half, before Everton keeper Jordan Pickford saved superbly from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after the break.

The hosts, led by caretaker boss Duncan Ferguson for the fourth and final time, rarely troubled Arsenal, although the Scot once again showed he was not afraid to take bold decisions by substituting a substitute.

This time it was striker Cenk Tosun, who had come on early for the injured Alex Iwobi, and he was clearly unhappy at being replaced by Cenk Tosun.

Ferguson gives Ancelotti a base

No-one can deny this was a dreadful affair, but caretaker manager Ferguson can take credit for the points he has picked up from a run of league games that looked hazardous – and plenty of Everton fans stayed behind at the end to warmly applaud a figure they regard as a hero.

This was all despite the Toffees failing to record a shot on target in a Premier League home game for the first time since they lost 2-0 to Manchester United on 1 January 2018.

Ferguson has got five points from a home win over Chelsea, a battling draw at Manchester United and this stalemate. The Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat by Leicester City only came on penalties after a stirring comeback from 2-0 down.

Everton were in a deep hole when Ferguson stepped in after Silva’s sacking, and the pure theatre of the Scot on the touchline and the manner in which he has reignited the crowd means 60-year-old Ancelotti can start work on the back of an unbeaten league run.

Ferguson will now remain a key part of Ancelotti’s backroom staff with his reputation enhanced; his short spell has proved to be a memorable one.

The decision to replace substitute Tosun raised eyebrows and the player himself was clearly furious, but this was very different to the substitution of Kean at Old Trafford.

Tosun had been given plenty of time to make an impact. He did not and, on reflection, he can have no complaints.

Ferguson will now step back – but he will be an important figure in the new Ancelotti era.

Arteta’s huge task

As with Ancelotti, new Arsenal boss Arteta faces a massive job to revive a giant club, and nothing he saw here will have come as a surprise.

Indeed, he may be happy that the Gunners came away with a point having had a ringside seat to witness just how average this side are when his former club Manchester City romped to a 3-0 win at Emirates Stadium on 15 December.

Arsenal actually had the better opportunities but there was a lack of cohesion and confidence about this performance, and their fragile defence escaped without being seriously tested by a tired-looking Everton.

Defender David Luiz was too impetuous and dangerman Aubameyang was a relatively subdued presence before being substituted late on.

Arteta watched impassively and the serious work begins on Sunday when he gets his new charges on the training ground.

Man of the match – Yerry Mina (Everton)

Yerry Mina of Everton holds off Arsenal's Emile Smith Rowe
Yerry Mina was a solid presence for Everton in defence, winning over 70% of his duels while completing all 37 of his passes.

Rare goalless draw for youthful Gunners – the stats

  • Everton have kept consecutive league clean sheets against Arsenal for the first time since August 1978.
  • This was Arsenal’s first 0-0 in 77 Premier League games, since an away match at West Ham in December 2017.
  • Arsenal’s first shot came in the 44th minute – the latest in one of their league games since May 2015 against Manchester United (51 minutes).
  • At an average age of 24 years 50 days, this was the Gunners’ youngest Premier League starting XI since May 2011 (24 years 24 days against Fulham).
  • It was the also the first time Arsenal have started with three teenagers – Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe – in a league game since March 2007 against Reading.

‘I feel like I’ve steadied the ship’ – what the managers said

Everton 0-0 Arsenal: Ferguson ‘can’t wait’ to work with Ancelotti

Everton caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson: “I think a point was fair. We struggled with energy levels and they probably had the better chances, but we’re happy with a point. The players dug deep today.

“I’ve enjoyed it but I knew it was going to be tough today. The boys were on their last legs to be honest, after working so hard in the past three games.

“We still covered every blade of grass – we just lacked a bit of quality in the final third.”

On Carlo Ancelotti: “What he’s done in the game is incredible so I can’t wait to get started working with him. I’ll be here as long as the club want me here – so I’ll be back on Monday.”

Arsenal 0-0 Everton: ‘Arteta knows the club well’ – Ljungberg

Arsenal interim boss Freddie Ljungberg: “We dominated possession but we would have liked to get more out of it. We put a lot of young players out because I wanted to reward players who had trained well.

“I’ve learned a lot and it’s been a proud time for me to lead this amazing club. I knew I was interim manager to steady the ship and I feel like I’ve done that. It’s great the club has taken the decision and now we move forward.”

On Mikel Arteta: “Mikel knows the club very well – he’s been here a long time. The club has told me they want me to stay, so I will speak to Mikel tomorrow and go from there.”

Source: BBC Sport

US Places Nigeria On Special Watch List

By
concoursemedia
-

The United States of America has placed Nigeria on a special watch list of countries that have engaged in or tolerated “severe violations of religious freedom.”

A statement on Friday by the Secretary of State Michael Pompeo explained Nigeria was added to the list alongside Cuba, Nicaragua and Sudan.

The United States of America also designated Boko Haram as an Entity of Particular Concern alongside al-Nusra Front, al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qa’ida, al-Shabab, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan and the Taliban.

Other countries that have been on the list under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 include Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

The US Department of State also renewed the placement of Comoros, Russia and Uzbekistan on the Special Watch List (SWL).

Nigeria may have joined the list because of the clampdown on Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as Shiite Muslims as well as the killing of Christians in the north.

The Department explained: “These designations underscore the United States’ commitment to protect those who seek to exercise their freedom of religion or belief.

“We believe that everyone, everywhere, at all times, should have the right to live according to the dictates of their conscience.

“We will continue to challenge state and non-state entities that seek to infringe upon those fundamental rights and to ensure they are held to account for their actions.”

US-based human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe described the placement of Nigeria on the list as long overdue.

He said the killings of Christians and burning of churches in the north were enough to penalize the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

According to him: “We are happy to note that despite these shortcomings, the US government saw enough to escalate Nigeria’s designation to the penultimate Warning Watch list.

“Nigeria is the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian and it is high time this is recognized.

“It is to be noted however that the US is launching an international alliance of countries for religious freedom early in the New Year.

“I understand that if countries like Nigeria agree to work to improve their standing by joining this alliance, it may help turn around the nation’s current negative ranking.”

Source: Within Nigeria

Nigerians On High Alert As Anthrax Hits Niger Republic

By
Shalom Ekelaka
-
Nigerians On High Alert As Anthrax Hits Niger Republic

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Nigeria Customs Service on Friday alerted their respective officers about the outbreak of the deadly anthrax disease in neighbouring Niger Republic.

Alerting its veterinary officers, the FMARD described anthrax as a deadly zoonotic disease with a high rate of mortality in humans and livestock.

The Chief Veterinary Officer of the Federation, Oniya Alabi, said it had become important to strengthen surveillance systems across all entry points in border communities considering the mass movement of animals and products across the Niger Republic and Nigeria.

He appealed for adequate measures to prevent the incursion of the disease into Nigeria.

This came as the Nigeria Customs Service alerted its zonal, regional and other officers across the country about the outbreak of the disease in the Niger Republic.

The Comptroller, Enforcement, NCS, Victor Dimka, said the alert was necessary to ensure that the disease does not spread into Nigeria.

The alert notice from the NCS headquarters, dated December 12, 2019, was issued to all zonal coordinators, customs area controllers, comptrollers North-West, North-East, Marine Command, zonal commanders, headquarters strike force, among others.

In the alert to its officers, the NCS said, “The headquarters received a report which reveals that the Nigerien Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock had notified the World Organisation for Animal Health of an outbreak of Charcoal Anthrax disease, Bacterium Bacillus Anthracis variant, in sheep and cattle in the country.”

The service further explained that the transmission of the disease to humans occurs directly or indirectly from infected animals or due to occupational exposure to contaminated animal products.

It noted that given the supply of cattle and sheep from Niger to Nigeria, the comptroller-general of the service had directed that there be an urgent need to place additional precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease into Nigeria through the country’s land borders.

Trump’s Impeachment In African Light Through Nigerian Lens

By
Shalom Ekelaka
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Trump's Impeachment In African Light Through Nigerian Lens

The impeachment of Donald Trump, the United States President, earlier this week was a surprise and a no-surprise. In the African light, it may have been an impossible task, making the outcome almost a surprise to followers of international politics from that standpoint. Too many variables would have prevented the impeachment in almost all African countries. South Africa could only get Jacob Zuma to resign after the ANC elected Cyril Ramaphosa as its leader, almost leaving them no choice but to “recall” Jacob Zuma; that’s how far democracy has taken us when it comes to removal of a nation’s leader. Whatever got the leaders of northern African nations removed wasn’t democratic; it was a revolution.

The House had impeached Trump from office after voting for two articles of impeachment – abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Trump was said to have used the powers of his office to solicit foreign interference on his behalf in the 2020 election. Trump was accused of withholding US security assistance and a White House meeting from Ukraine in a bid to get the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, to publicly announce investigations into his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. The impeachment couldn’t have surprised keen followers of American politics.

The Democrats haven’t hidden their plot to impeach Trump. It has trailed him almost all his Presidency. Michigan Democrat-Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib was once quoted as saying “we’re gonna impeach the motherfucker”. Followers of international politics know the Democrats will stop at nothing to make history and become only the third House in American history to impeach a serving President. Speaker Nancy Patricia Pelosi made sure of that. She is the first woman-Speaker in U.S. history.

At no time was it reported by any of those against Trump and seeking his removal from office that he intimidated and/or harassed them with any formation of government; no African leader has been that refined. If they don’t personally do it, they will look sideways when it’s been done in their stead. As imperfect as the process with America sounds, it was devoid of personal and physical threats. As quick-mouthed as Trump is, he never deployed the instrumentality of the state at his disposal to as much as threaten any of these congressmen and congresswomen.

Nigeria, as an Africa example. No Nigerian National Assembly has ever really seen the removal of a President through. Rather, a President from the South West removed 3 Senate Presidents (that I can recall at the moment). A sitting governor was once “abducted”. Nigeria is a country where any attempt to bring justice to the rulership is perceived as treason, leaving Nigerians with a leadership without the proper checks and balances; and the constitution and rule of law, sometimes, forlorn.

No attempt has been made to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari but we have “prisoners of conscience” in the dungeon of the Nigerian government. The American system of government we so console ourselves we modelled our democracy after operates an almost entirely different system of government from ours. The “impeachment” is an eye opener for some as to how the American polity works.

In Nigeria, the Senate and the House of Representatives will most likely have a joint sitting as against the US House’s unilateral assembly. After the back and forth between the Nigerian National Assembly (the Senate and the House of Representatives), the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the seven-man panel of “unquestionable Integrity”, the National Assembly is expected to come to a decision. The President will stand impeached immediately after two-third of both chambers of the National Assembly agree to the removal. The Nigerian President is no more leader of government from that point and is an ordinary citizen of the state.

In the United States, the system is less cumbersome and tedious. It’s a three-step procedure. “The Congress investigates the President after which the House of Representatives must pass, by a simple majority of those present and voting, articles of impeachment, which constitute the formal allegation or allegations”. The Senate then tries the President. Impeached by the House, Donald Trump is still the President of the United States until the US Senate, after the trial, finds him guilty as the House.

If the voting by the House is anything to go by, Trump is set to remain President until the end of his constitutionally possible tenure. The House voted heavily along party lines. The House voted 230-197 to charge Trump with abuse of power and 229-198 to charge him with obstruction of Congress. Only two democrats voted against both articles. The Republicans have 53 senators as against the Democrat’s 45. Independent senators make-up for the remaining 2 of the 100 member-Senator. It is safe to believe Republicans will stand by their own; nevertheless, anything is possible.

Nigeria is no where near the United States. And it will be unwise to set the American stage with Nigeria actors. We shouldn’t put ourselves in a situation there might be no coming back from. Happy weekend.

Aroso Akintomide
Twitter: @tomidearoso

Manchester City vs Leicester City: Latest odds, betting tips, team news, preview and predictions

By
Shalom Ekelaka
-
Manchester City vs Leicester City: Latest odds, betting tips, team news, preview and predictions

It’s a showdown of the Premier League chasing pack as Manchester City and Leicester City slug it out at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

The Foxes are four points clear of the Citizens and with a better goal difference, last suffering defeat at the hands of top dogs Liverpool.

For the Citizens, their most recent defeat came a fortnight ago against bitter city rivals Manchester United.

Manchester City vs Leicester City Latest Odds

Despite City lying four points behind Leicester, they are favourites to bag all three points at (1.39).

Brendan Rogers’ side, on the other hand, are tipped at a whooping (7.60) to cause an upset.

Two of the last five meetings between these sides have ended in a draw and a third draw in six is tipped at (5.40) .

Manchester City vs Leicester City Team News

Oleksandr Zinchenko is fit to play having completed 90 minutes in City’s 3-1 EFL Cup quarter-final victory at Oxford United in midweek. Sergio Aguero, David Silva and John Stones are all doubtful while Leroy Sane and Aymeric Laporte are long term absentees.

Leicester have a 100% fit squad available for selection.

Manchester City vs Leicester City Preview

Manchester City have won four of their last five Premier League meetings with Leicester, losing the other in December last season (1-2 at the King Power Stadium).

Leicester have lost their last three Premier League away games against Man City, having won four of their first five visits to Maine Road/Etihad Stadium in the competition (L1).

Manchester City vs Leicester City Tips and Predictions

Pep Guardiola’s side were able to keep a first clean sheet in nine competitive outings when they thrashed Arsenal 3-0 at Emirates Stadium.

They also managed to keep the Foxes at bay in their last meeting at the Etihad.

This is, however, a very different Leicester side who have averaged two goals in their last 12 league games. The last time they failed to score was on September 14.

With Jamie Vardy in a rich vein of scoring form, City have a tough job on their hands.

The Sky Blues failing to keep a clean sheet looks a done deal and that’s at a nice price of (1.53) .

Breaking News: Donald Trump Faces Trial As He Is Impeached As US President

By
Shalom Ekelaka
-
Breaking News: Donald Trump Faces Trial As He Is Impeached As US President

Donald Trump has become the third US president in history to be impeached by the House of Representatives, setting up a trial in the Senate that will decide whether he remains in office.

The House voted on two charges – that the president abused his power and that he had obstructed Congress.

Nearly all Democrats voted for the charges and every Republican against.

President Trump’s Republicans control the Senate so it is highly unlikely he will be removed from power.

As voting took place in the House, Mr Trump was addressing a campaign rally in Battle Creek, Michigan.

He told a cheering crowd: “While we’re creating jobs and fighting for Michigan, the radical left in Congress is consumed with envy and hatred and rage, you see what’s going on.”

The White House released a statement saying that the president was “confident that he will be fully exonerated” in a Senate trial.

What happened in the votes?
After 10 hours of partisan debate on the merits of the two impeachment charges against President Trump, the House called for votes at about 20:30 local time (01:30 GMT).

The first charge is abuse of power, stemming from Mr Trump’s alleged attempt to pressure Ukraine to announce investigations into his Democratic political rival, Joe Biden.

The process has drawn protests from both those in favour and against.

It passed by 230 votes to 197, almost completely on party lines. Only two Democrats opposed – New Jersey’s Jeff Van Drew, who is set to leave the party, and Michigan’s Collin Peterson.

The second charge is obstruction of Congress, because the president allegedly refused to co-operate with the impeachment inquiry, withholding documentary evidence and barring his key aides from giving evidence.

It passed by 229-198. Democrat Jared Golden of Maine voted for the first charge but opposed this.

No Republicans supported impeachment, although ex-party member Justin Amash, from Michigan, did.

Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard voted “present” on both charges – effectively an abstention. Two members were absent for personal reasons.

Being impeached places Donald Trump alongside only two other presidents in the nation’s history – Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton.

Buhari and His Many Mis-steps

By
Shalom Ekelaka
-
Buhari and His Many Mis-steps

The Nigerian social space has been filled with mixed reactions following the filtering-in of information about the alleged approval of about thirty-seven billion naira for the renovation of the National Assembly complex. It begins to become clear the reasons they were trying to ‘govern’ social media and decide what to be aired and what can be said to be hate speech. It’s safe to say Nigeria is back many years; God help us.

Every nation of influence in the world has great interest and heavily invests in education. Their investments in education paved the way for their advancements in every other sector.

Mark Zuckerberg for example. A Mark thinking of how to get early to school so he could get a front seat to stand a chance to hear anything the lecturer would say in an overcrowded lecture hall wouldn’t have had the clarity of mind to come up with modalities and technicalities to build the Facebook idea to what it is now. We know how much Mark now influence what we see and hear.

Say he didn’t follow through with his academics, but the conditions where enabling enough for him. That’s a country where security matters. Learning the old and unveiling the new matters in that clime. That’s a country fortunate enough to have had leaders who put the people above selfish and personal interests.

Nigeria had issues in 2015; so we thought. And maybe we were right then. But, compared to what obtains now, Nigeria was better: speaking as the average Nigerian. Corruption was eating real bad into almost everything Nigerian and Baba was thought to be disciplined enough to bring that to an end. Godswill Akpabio is a minister in his cabinet; res ipsa loquitur.

Now we have a Nigeria that is ruled by a ‘democrat’ who chose to be silent at the anomaly that played out in the court by an agency answerable only to him. I guess that’s an attempt to warn the judiciary of what can happen, even if it means going against the norms. Threaten them into submission; that can sometimes be counter-productive.

The legislature has, by its own leader, pledged allegiance to the President and do whatever he asks of them. Little wonder the President is ‘returning the favour’ by approving the sum of 37billion naira for the renovation of the National Assembly. One will wonder if all the money ever tied to Nigeria could build the National Assembly complex if the renovation of it cost that much.

Great countries build institutions and not just buildings over-inflated at construction and occupied by the worst of us. The EFCC chairman was asked to speak on how he was building the EFCC as an institution, he went aloud telling us how many buildings they have. Weak minds; how did we get there?

A country that budgeted 46billion naira for capital expenditure in education has the luxury of renovating the National Assembly; one can’t help but ask whose interest the leader(s) of such nation serve and seek to protect. Definitely not the populace.

Aroso Akintomide
Twitter: @tomidearoso

Hilarious Videos As Fans Turn In Submissions Of Naira Marley’s #TesumoleDance

By
Shalom Ekelaka
-

Naira Marley has released his LOL EP and the second track has got fans by the nerves with its new dance step called Tesumole Dance.

This is coming after soapy which was released after his stint in prison for alleged fraud.

Since he debuted the dance on Instagram yesterday, fans have been trying it out and the results are hilarious.

See a few Concourse News culled from Twitter below:

As well as some reactions to the dance:Hilarious Videos As Fans Turn In Submissions Of Naira Marley's #TesumoleDance Hilarious Videos As Fans Turn In Submissions Of Naira Marley's #TesumoleDance Hilarious Videos As Fans Turn In Submissions Of Naira Marley's #TesumoleDance Hilarious Videos As Fans Turn In Submissions Of Naira Marley's #TesumoleDance Hilarious Videos As Fans Turn In Submissions Of Naira Marley's #TesumoleDance Hilarious Videos As Fans Turn In Submissions Of Naira Marley's #TesumoleDance

The therapy for regrets

By
Shalom Ekelaka
-
The therapy for regrets

Life as we know it comes with all kinds of actions, reactions, re-reactions and so forth. At the core of it all is the ineluctable, insuperable fact that we humans are at best pawns in a grand  scheme of events which we cannot always control. But, yes, we are indeed bequeathed with some control. An amount that spares us the regard of robots or minions.

The fair amount of control we possess empowers us with a large dominion over the affairs of our lives. Never the total we so crave, for in the process of living is the interplay of life forms which occurs because of sheer inevitability but especially because it is part of the grand design of life. So you are in control of your life .But well, not really. This is a statement that transcends us and those before us. The power to choose is perhaps the most important form of Will we possess.

Choices are indeed what guide us through our lives. But what guides us through these choices? Vicissitudes and whatnot.  Instincts.  External forces.  The divine.  And most especially situations. The ones we are not in total control of. But these choices have to be made. It is not a choice to make these choices, no. It is a function of the living for only the living can make choices.

Choices beget sequences of life events. And as time passes these choices we made determine how our lives play out. Whether we look back in hindsight and maunder regretfully or guffaw in satisfaction. But should we lay blame on ourselves for our regrets? Should we in fact retrospectively say we made mistakes when some of the life choices we made led us to quandaries? Should we always ponder to ourselves: I could have done better, I should have waited longer, I should not have done this.

In all fairness, not always. As much as present choices lead us through paths into the future, we are, as I stated earlier, hardly in control of the choices we get. The best choices do not always pan out good. But they were probably the best choices at the time we made them. They were perhaps the only choices we had. Why then the endless regrets? Why the excessive brooding over the past? Yes, we probably could not have done better. And that is a truism that we can always choose to accept.

 

If you enjoyed this piece, follow the writer on medium: @Dr.fizzzle and on twitter: @dr_fizzzle

Police Tear Gas Canister Sets House Ablaze

By
Shalom Ekelaka
-
Police Tear Gas Canister Sets House Ablaze

A tear-gas canister allegedly fired by police personnel attached to the Operation Puff Adder in the direction of drug peddlers and hoodlums has allegedly set a thatched house ablaze in Calabar, Cross River State.

The house, located on No. 6 Murray Street, off Target Road, caught fire after the police team allegedly fired gunshots and tear-gas canisters while pursuing suspected drug peddlers and one of the canisters fell on the roof of the thatched house.

The owner of the house, Prince Francis Ephraim, said the incident had left him and his family of seven without a roof over their heads.

“That early morning I wanted to go out but decided to prepare something to eat and when the food was ready, I took it to the parlour and suddenly there was a lot of firing by the police and I heard a sound on the roof of my house. And I came out and saw smoke coming out from the place the sound came from,” he narrated.

He said when he went inside to get some water to pour on the roof, he heard neighbours shouting “fire” and he rushed out to try to extinguish the fire, but the flames were increasing in intensity.

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