Archive July 1, 2025

NEMA Receives 104 Nigerians Repatriated From Algeria

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed the arrival of 104 Nigerian returnees from Algeria under the Assisted Voluntary Returns programme facilitated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in partnership with the Federal Government.

According to a statement shared via its official X handle on Tuesday, NEMA said the returnees were received by its Lagos Operations Office at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport cargo terminal on Sunday, 30 June 2025, at approximately 13:50 hours.

The group arrived aboard an Air Algerie flight with flight number 70-BKT.

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The returnees comprised 80 adult males, 14 adult females, two male children, five female children, and three infants.

Upon arrival, the agency said the returnees underwent biometric registration and documentation by the Nigerian Immigration Service.

They were also provided with immediate humanitarian support, including food and water, medical assistance, ambulance services, luggage handling, and other logistics support.

Louis Tomlinson shares first loved-up snap with Zara McDermott after Glastonbury

One Direction star Louis Tomlinson went Instagram official with Zara McDermott as the pair’s blossoming romance continued as they enjoyed a weekend at Glastonbury together

Louis has posted an image of himself with Zara, sending fans wild(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Louis Tomlinson and Zara McDermott looked very much a happy couple as they showcased their love at Glastonbury over the weekend. And now the new romance has made its way to being Instagram official as the One Direction man shared a sweet snap.

Louis, 33, shared a photo of himself and Zara, 28, in his Instagram reel from this year’s festival. Captioning the post: “Glasto 25,” Zara also gushed in the comments: “Best weekend ever. “

In the upload, Zara and Louis were seen posing with a group of pals before a gig. Louis was seen wearing a red baseball cap, baggy t-shirt with Hopeless romantic on the back and black trousers while holding a drinks cup.

Louis shared a snap of him with Zara enjoying Glastonbury
Louis shared a snap of him with Zara enjoying Glastonbury(Image: louist91/Instagram)

Zara stood close to her man in a white crop top and black trousers. She paired it with black shades and a black baseball cap.

The duo had also been spotted taking in the Prodigy’s set at Worthy Farm on Sunday. While Zara looked a bit more subdued during the high-tempo performance of Fire Starter, the former One Direction star appeared to let his hair down.

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They were also joined by his sister Lottie, 26, and her fiancé Lewis Burton. Of the occasion, a source told The Mirror: “Louis was loving The Prodigy. He dragged her along to the Other Stage and had a ball dancing to their hits. Zara danced along before leaving hand in hand with Louis before the set ended.”

Lottie Tomlinson posts at Glastonbury
Lottie Tomlinson posts with her brother at Glastonbury (Image: Lottie Tomlinson/Instagram)

The latest image is the first time Zara and Louis have shared a snap together online. But Zara has now met the singer’s family and posed for pics, showing the pair are ready to continue their blossoming romance in the public eye.

The pair first struck up romance rumours earlier in the year after being photographed on a cosy date in Suffolk. The moment in March came just a short time after Zara’s split from her long-term boyfriend Sam Thompson.

Sam recently admitted to “panicking” ahead of a possible run-in with Louis at Soccer Aid last month. With the pair’s potential meet gaining a lot of attention, Sam admitted he felt a wave of panic at the thought of a potential run-in.

The former Made In Chelsea man revealed he was caught off guard months ago when asked how he’d feel sharing a pitch with the One Direction singer. He said: “I panicked and thought, ‘I don’t have this. “

Speaking on his Staying Relevant podcast, he continued: “So I said, ‘It’s not about me and Louis. It’s not about who’s dating who – it’s UNICEF, it’s charity. ”

”Everyone’s here for the same reason: to raise money. And if he’s got anything about him, which I’ve heard he does, he’ll say the same. ”

Sam and Zara called time on their relationship for good in December. They had initially met in 2019 after she shot to fame on Love Island. Despite breaking up briefly, the pair got back together before calling it quits after five years together.

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‘Hunger To Win’: Arsenal Sign Goalkeeper Arrizabalaga Kepa From Chelsea

Arsenal bolstered their goalkeeping options on Tuesday with the signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea for a reported £5 million ($7 million) fee.

The 30-year-old Spaniard remains the most expensive goalkeeper in history after his £71 million move to Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao in 2018.

However, Kepa failed to deliver on that price tag as he fell down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge before spending the past two seasons on loan at Real Madrid and Bournemouth.

He is expected to act as back-up to established Arsenal number one David Raya.

The Gunners reportedly exercised a £5 million buyout clause in a Chelsea contract Kepa signed last year.

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Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal have finished second in the Premier League for the past three seasons but have not won a major trophy since 2020.

“I think we are so close to winning and, hopefully, altogether, we can achieve it,” Kepa said in an Arsenal statement.

The Spanish international becomes Arsenal’s first signing of the close season.

Martin Zubimendi is also on the verge of arriving at the Emirates from Real Sociedad, while talks are at an advanced stage for Brentford captain Christian Norgaard.

“We are really happy to have Kepa joining us,” said Arteta.

“He brings a wealth of experience, which his teammates will benefit from, and he has a real hunger to win.

“Kepa works hard and will elevate our levels. I know he will fit in perfectly, already knowing some of his teammates, and we are really excited about his future with us. ”

Inter Miami confident Messi’s contract will be renewed

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Inter Miami are confident they will renew Lionel Messi’s contract, which expires in December.

The 38-year-old forward is a marquee player for Miami and Major League Soccer (MLS), and all parties have begun contract negotiations to extend his stay in the United States.

There is widespread belief from officials at the club and within MLS he will renew, while sources on Messi’s side say he is very open to extending his stay despite reported interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia.

One motivating factor in keeping Messi in the US is to continue drawing attention to the league, with the 2026 World Cup approaching across North America. While not confirmed, the suspicion is Messi will end his international career following Argentina’s title defence.

Messi is the all-time record goalscorer in Miami’s short history with 50 goals, including his most recent strike for the club – a free-kick in the Club World Cup against Porto.

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Newcastle apologise for any offence caused by kit launch video

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Newcastle United have apologised for causing any offence in a video that was used to launch the club’s new third kit.

The video, which featured Newcastle fan and singer Sam Fender, originally included a flag in the club’s colours that resembled the Rising Sun flag used by Japanese armed forces in World War Two.

The video was deleted by the club on all its social media channels and replaced by an adapted version.

Newcastle said: “The reaction to our new third kit with Adidas has been special, but the launch video contained a scene that could inadvertently cause offence.

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Ogoni Youths Protest Against Alleged Herdsmen Killings, Demand Police Action

Tension rose in Port Harcourt on Tuesday as youths from Ogoni communities took to the streets to protest against the recent killing of several Ogoni natives, allegedly by suspected herdsmen.

The demonstrators, under the banner of the South-South Youth Initiative, marched from major streets in the state capital to the Rivers State Police Command Headquarters, bearing placards with bold inscriptions such as “Stop the Killings in Ogoni” and “Police Intervene in the Killings of Ogoni People. ”

Their mission: to submit a formal petition to the police and demand urgent intervention to prevent further loss of lives in their communities.

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‘No more silence’

Leading the protest was Saviour Oscar, Director of the South-South Youth Initiative. Addressing the press and security officials, Oscar decried what he described as continuous attacks on peaceful Ogoni residents and the silence of law enforcement authorities.

“Our people are being killed, and no one is being held accountable. We demand immediate arrests and prosecution,” Oscar stated during the protest.

Ogoni youths are protesting against alleged killings by suspected herdsmen.

Police responds

The protesters were received by Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Alhassan Kawu, who assured the group that their grievances would be formally delivered to the Commissioner of Police.

“We have heard your demands and will ensure your petition gets to the right quarters,” he said.

However, tensions briefly escalated when the youth leader challenged the DCP on the lack of arrests or visible action from the police. Video footage shows a heated exchange between the protest leaders and police representatives.

In response, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Iyke Okoro, stepped in to calm nerves and assured the protesters that operations are already underway to address the situation in Ogoniland.

“There are ongoing security efforts targeted at apprehending those responsible. We understand your pain and are working towards restoring peace,” ACP Okoro said.

Self-defense

The protesters warned that if the killings continue unchecked, communities may be forced to resort to self-defense measures.

The peaceful demonstration has once again drawn national attention to the fragile security situation in parts of Rivers State, especially in rural areas where locals allege rising attacks by herdsmen.