Excitement as Adesoji Tayo Emerges NTTF President

A wave of excitement swept through Nigeria’s table tennis community following the election of Adesoji Tayo as the new President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) during the federation’s elective congress held in Abuja over the weekend. Tayo, who currently serves as Chairman of the Oyo State Table Tennis Association, was unanimously elected after his closest rival, Ahmed Khamisu, stepped down ahead of the presidential vote. The Oyo State-born administrator succeeds Engr. Ishaku Tikon, who led the federation for eight years. Widely regarded as one of the most peaceful elections in the federation’s history, the NTTF poll was conducted under the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)-backed constitution and witnessed strong participation from delegates across the country. Zonal elections were held before the presidential vote. Tayo, a long-standing stakeholder in Nigerian table tennis, previously served as Vice President of the NTTF. His contributions to the sport are well documented, having on several occasions provided financial support to ensure national teams did not miss out on major international competitions. Beyond his financial backing, Tayo is highly respected for his deep knowledge of the sport and his unwavering passion for its growth. He will serve a four-year term and has pledged to prioritize youth development, with a focus on talent discovery and enhancing coaching standards nationwide. “Our goal is to build a stronger foundation for the future of Nigerian table tennis. We’ll invest in youth programs and ensure our coaches are equipped to nurture the next generation of champions,” Tayo said. Following the election, Ahmed Khamisu was elected as Vice President, representing the North East zone. Known for his quiet but impactful support of junior players, Khamisu has helped facilitate their participation in international tournaments. The newly constituted 15-member NTTF Board comprises representatives from various zones and affiliated bodies as outlined in the federation’s constitution: Adesoji Tayo – President; Ahmed Khamisu – Vice President (North East); Wahid Enitan Oshodi – International Representative / President, ITTF Africa; Engr. Ishaku Tikon – Outgoing President; Dominic Sylvester – Technical Representative; Prof. Joshua Umeifekwem – NAPHERSD; Joy Ibekwe – NAWIS; Monilola Udoh – AFFAN; Tony Emefile – Military & Paramilitary; Sunday Odebode – Sponsor/Philanthropist; Sule Nasiru – Athlete Representative; Ebikpolade Ama-Ebi Wilson – South South; Akunna Boniface Uju – South East; Ibrahim Abdul-Hamid Ali – North Central; and Ndanusa Mohammad Sani – North West. With renewed leadership and broad representation, the NTTF is poised to usher in a new era of growth and excellence in Nigerian table tennis.

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Sevilla Crush Barcelona 4-1 To End Catalans’ Unbeaten Run

Barcelona suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Sevilla in their La Liga Week 8 clash at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium. Sevilla made a blistering start, racing into an early lead through goals from Sanchez and Romero that set the tone for the night. Barcelona pulled one back just before halftime through Marcus Rashford, but despite their improved display in the second half, they couldn’t find an equalizer. Robert Lewandowski had a golden chance to level the score in the 76th minute but squandered it from the penalty spot. Sevilla punished that miss in the closing stages, with Carmona and Adams both finding the net to complete a resounding 4-1 victory. The result keeps Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga table, two points clear of Barcelona, who remain second on 19 points. Sevilla’s impressive win lifts them to fourth place with 13 points.  

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Real Madrid beat Villarreal as Vinicius Jr scores two goals, Mbappe injured

Vinicius Jr Brace Fires Real Madrid Past Villarreal as Mbappé Suffers Injury Scar

Real Madrid returned to the top of La Liga with a 3–1 victory over Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday night, as Vinicius Junior scored twice and Kylian Mbappé limped off late with an ankle injury. The win moved Madrid two points clear of rivals Barcelona, who face Sevilla on Sunday, while Villarreal sit third on 16 points. Madrid dominated much of the contest but struggled to convert early pressure. Aurelien Tchouameni headed narrowly wide before Mbappé set up youngster Franco Mastantuono, whose shot was deflected over by Renato Veiga. At the other end, Villarreal nearly struck first through Tani Oluwaseyi, but Thibaut Courtois denied him with a superb save. The breakthrough came shortly after the interval when Vinicius drove in from the left and fired a low shot that deflected off Santi Comesaña to beat goalkeeper Arnau Tenas. The Brazilian doubled Madrid’s lead in the 69th minute, converting a penalty he had won after being brought down by Rafa Marín. Villarreal responded swiftly, with Georges Mikautadze pulling one back from the edge of the area. However, their hopes of a comeback faded when Santiago Mourino was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Vinicius, reducing the visitors to 10 men. Madrid sealed the victory in the 80th minute as Brahim Díaz broke down the right and squared for Mbappé to tap home his seventh goal of the season. Moments later, the French star went down clutching his ankle and was substituted by Rodrygo, sparking concerns ahead of Madrid’s upcoming Champions League clash. Madrid manager Xabi Alonso praised his side’s resilience but admitted Mbappé’s injury was worrying. “We’ll assess him in the coming days,” he told reporters. “He felt some pain in the ankle, but we hope it’s nothing serious.” The result extends Madrid’s unbeaten run to eight league games, strengthening their early title push under Alonso.

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Grealish Scores First Everton Goal As Toffees End Palace’s 19-Match Unbeaten Run

Jack Grealish scored his first goal for Everton to complete a thrilling 2-1 comeback and end Crystal Palace’s remarkable 19-match unbeaten run. Palace took the lead in the 37th minute through Daniel Munoz, but Everton equalized early in the second half when Iliman Ndiaye converted from the penalty spot. Jordan Pickford, making his 300th Premier League appearance, kept Everton alive with several crucial saves as Tyrick Mitchell struck the bar and Jean-Philippe Mateta saw his effort cleared off the line. Ismaila Sarr also came close, but Palace’s wastefulness in front of goal proved costly. As the game approached stoppage time, Ndiaye’s cross found Beto, whose header was parried by Dean Henderson. Munoz’s attempted clearance then deflected off Grealish and into the net to spark wild celebrations at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. The victory snapped Everton’s four-game winless run and ensured they remain unbeaten at their new home, while Palace suffered their first defeat in any competition since April. Everton’s late strike marked their latest home Premier League winning goal since March 2022, when they beat Newcastle United in stoppage time. Grealish, who has made an impressive start to life on Merseyside, won more fouls (four) and played the third-most passes in the final third (18) of any player on the pitch. Remarkably, each of Everton’s last three Premier League home wins after conceding first have come against Palace — 3-2 in May 2022, 2-1 in September 2024, and now 2-1 again.

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Kemi Badenoch: People Have No Right to Turn Our Streets Into Theatres of Intimidation

Kemi Badenoch: People Have No Right to Turn Our Streets Into Theatres of Intimidation

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has delivered a fiery address at the Conservative Party Conference, warning that Britain must not allow its streets to become “theatres of intimidation” and urging national unity rooted in shared values and culture. Badenoch, who is widely viewed as one of the leading voices of the Conservative Party’s new generation, used her speech to attack both Labour and Reform UK, accusing them of peddling “simplistic answers” and divisive politics. “One flings around the word ‘racist’ and will not be realistic about what is going wrong,” she said. “The other whips up outrage, offering simplistic answers that will fall apart on first contact with reality. That is not serious politics.” She argued that neither Labour nor Reform offers the leadership Britain deserves, describing the two parties as “two sides of the same coin.” Calling for “national unity,” Badenoch said Britain needs “a strong common culture rooted in our history, our language, our institutions, and our belief in liberty under the law.” “Britain is a multiracial country — that is part of our modern story,” she added. “But it must never become a multicultural country where shared values dissolve, loyalty fragments, and we foment the home-grown terrorism that we saw on the streets of Manchester this week.” Badenoch also rejected the populist politics of tearing down institutions, saying: “Britain needs deep change, but I reject the politics that everything must go, that everything must be torn down, that everything is broken. If we leave it to Labour or Reform, Britain will be divided.” Concluding her speech, she declared the Conservative Party “under new leadership and with renewed purpose.” “We have listened, we have learned, and we have changed,” she said. “Yes, we have a mountain to climb, but we have a song in our hearts — and we are up for the fight.”

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DSS Apologises, Releases Wrongfully Detained Journalists in Jos

DSS Apologises, Releases Wrongfully Detained Journalists in Jos

The Department of State Services (DSS) has released two journalists from Jay 101.9 FM in Jos, Plateau State, after they were wrongfully arrested on Saturday during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visit to the state. President Tinubu was in Jos to attend the funeral of the mother of Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). According to security sources, the journalists — Ruth Marcus and Keshia Jang — were detained by overzealous operatives but were released after the DSS Director-General, Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, learned of the incident and ordered their immediate release. The Nation reported that the DSS promptly contacted Comrade Alhassan Yahaya, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), to convey the Director-General’s apology over the “unfortunate misunderstanding.” “The Director assured the NUJ President that the new DSS leadership treasures the importance of a free press in a democracy and has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter. Any officer found culpable will be appropriately sanctioned,” the source said. The source added that the new DSS leadership is focused on correcting inherited excesses within the Service. “The DG is correcting the wrongs he inherited, including overzealousness. He has not hesitated to admit errors whenever the Service makes mistakes. We’ve seen several instances where the DSS apologised and even compensated victims of wrongful arrests,” the source added. He further described Mr. Ajayi as a “lover of human rights and press freedom,” recalling that the DSS previously apologised to the management of TVC over alleged harassment and intimidation of one of its reporters. The latest action by the DSS has drawn commendation from media circles, with the NUJ leadership urging security agencies to maintain professionalism and respect for journalists in the discharge of their duties.

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Akwa Ibom Government Denies Withdrawing Security Aides from Former Governor Udom Emmanuel

The Akwa Ibom State Government has denied reports claiming that security personnel attached to former Governor Udom Emmanuel have been withdrawn. The State Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Umanah, described the reports as false, misleading, and politically motivated, insisting that no such directive was ever issued by Governor Umo Eno or any official of his administration. Speaking with journalists on Saturday night, Umanah clarified that the deployment, reassignment, or withdrawal of police officers lies solely within the authority of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the State Commissioner of Police, not the state government. “I can tell you on good authority that the Governor did not issue any directive to withdraw security operatives from the immediate past Governor,” he stated. Umanah further explained that all former governors of Akwa Ibom State remain entitled to their legally approved security details, adding that no complaints or reports of withdrawal have been received from any of them or their aides. “To the best of our knowledge, there has been no complaint or report from any former Governor or their media aides about the withdrawal of security personnel. The rumour exists only in the imagination of those peddling it,” he said. The Commissioner urged members of the public to disregard the misinformation, reaffirming that Governor Eno remains focused on peace, unity, and good governance in the state. “Governor Umo Eno is committed to ensuring that all citizens, regardless of political affiliation, continue to enjoy full protection and the benefits of the law,” he concluded.

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Five Killed as Russia Launches Massive Overnight Drone and Missile Strikes Across Ukraine

Five Killed as Russia Launches Massive Overnight Drone and Missile Strikes Across Ukraine

At least five people were killed overnight as Russia launched a large-scale wave of drone and missile attacks across multiple regions of Ukraine, targeting civilian and energy infrastructure in one of the heaviest bombardments in recent weeks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that Russian forces fired about 50 missiles and 500 attack drones, striking several regions including Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, and Kirovohrad. “The Russians struck with cruise missiles, Shaheds, and Kinzhals among other things,” Zelenskyy said. Local officials confirmed that one person was killed in Zaporizhzhia, while four members of a family, including a 15-year-old girl, died in Lviv after a drone strike destroyed their home. Lviv’s mayor Andriy Sadovyi said the city was left without power, and public transport was suspended amid widespread fires and damage. Residents were urged to stay indoors due to heavy smoke. In the nearby village of Lapaivka, resident Mykola Dmytrotsa described the devastation: “All windows were blown out, doors and everything inside too. No doors, no windows, no roof.” Local officials reported that 10 homes were completely destroyed and dozens more were damaged beyond repair. Regional governor Maksym Kozytskyi said the assault was “the largest attack on Lviv since the start of the war.” Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko condemned the strikes, accusing Moscow of deliberately targeting residential areas and energy facilities: “Moscow continues to strike homes, schools, and energy facilities – proving that destruction remains its only strategy.” The latest assault follows another deadly attack on Saturday in which 30 people were killed on a passenger train in Sumy, which Zelenskyy described as “savage.” Poland and NATO Respond Poland said it scrambled fighter jets alongside NATO allies as part of a “preventive measure” to secure its airspace. The move followed reports of Russian drones entering Polish airspace in early September, and similar airspace violations in Norway, Estonia, Lithuania, and Denmark in recent weeks. In Denmark, officials accused Russian naval vessels of tracking Danish ships and aircraft “in an aggressive way,” while Belgium reported 15 unidentified drones over a military base on Friday. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned Russia’s latest strikes as “terror attacks on civilians,” saying the EU was preparing a new sanctions package and would support Ukraine “for as long as needed.” Lithuanian foreign minister Kestutis Budrys joined calls for nations to stop purchasing Russian energy, arguing that such revenues “fuel Moscow’s war machine.” “We must stop feeding its imperial appetite and put an end to state terrorism,” Budrys said on X. Analysts say Russia’s intensified strikes come as retaliation for Europe’s increasingly firm pro-Ukraine stance. Samuel Ramani, a fellow at the UK-based defence think tank RUSI, told Al Jazeera that Moscow views Europe as an “incorrigible adversary” while seeking to maintain limited engagement with Washington. “The Russians are using a variety of tactics — GPS jamming, drones, and even hot air balloons — to signal their discontent,” Ramani said.

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