As Manchester City put pressure on leaders Arsenal by fending off Fulham’s impressive comeback in a nine-goal thriller, Erling Haaland becomes the fastest player to score 100 goals in Premier League history.
Manchester City vs. Fulham 4 – 5
Barcelona came back from a strong defeat to Atletico Madrid 3-1 to move four points clear of La Liga leaders.
Atletico went ahead on Tuesday thanks to Raphinha’s equalization before Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres scored the winning goal to wrap up their 13-game winning streak in league play.
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If Robert Lewandowski had not tipped the first-half penalty over the bar, Barcelona might have been more at ease.
Real Madrid, who are second, travels to Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, hoping to reclaim the lead over Barca, while Diego Simeone’s Atletico are fourth and six points adrift of the Catalans.
After losing to Madrid in October, Barca won their fifth straight La Liga game, but they haven’t consistently shined. However, this display, against a title rival, gave Flick’s side a welcome boost.
According to Spanish reports, they were without defender Ronald Araujo, who is currently taking a mental health break, as well as ill midfielder Frenkie de Jong and the longer-term absentees.
Nerves were tingling at Camp Nou following a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea last week in the Champions League, followed by a shaky victory over Alaves to take the lead in La Liga.
After a tense opening, Atletico took the lead with a ball, as one might expect, in front of Barcelona’s persistently high defensive line.
Joan Garcia was barely appreciative when Baena sprinted past the linesman’s raised flag behind him.
The Spaniard broke, but a VAR review revealed that the goal had been reinstated because he was on par with Pau Cubarsi.
Barcelona quickly responded and leveled with Raphinha in the 26th minute thanks to Pedri’s back-fitting start.
The Brazilian winger, who has also recently recovered from injury, slipped the ball into Jan Oblak’s empty net.
After Pablo Barrios had sent down Dani Olmo, Barcelona should have given up the lead, but Lewandowski spurned a penalty and fired fired high and wide of Oblak.
Moments later, the veteran Polish player almost made amends, but Oblak undoubtedly deflected his header past Lamine Yamal’s cross.
When Raphinha should have hit the intended target early in the second half, Giuliano Simeone couldn’t avoid the goal with a beckoning finish.
After Lewandowski managed to bundle the ball into his path, Olmo, who scored twice against Alaves on Saturday, gave Barcelona a sharp lead with a deft finish.
Olmo, a playmaker who struggled with consistency at Barca as a result of a number of physical issues, injured his shoulder and was replaced by Marcus Rashford.
Fans were left hoping it was just a scare ahead of Barca’s crucial Champions League game against Frankfurt, but Pedroi also suffered a broken leg after 70 minutes and was replaced by Flick.
Thiago Almada, an Atletico substitute, had the best chance to equalize, but he lost balance and slammed his finish wide as Joan Garcia ran out.
In stoppage time, Barca’s win was sealed thanks to an error from Blak, who saved from Rashford before Alejandro Balde scored the winner, giving his side three crucial title points while putting an end to Atletico’s own ambitions.
Raphinha praised Barcelona’s unwavering ability to win.
The key is to believe in the finished product. The Barcelona captain told Movistar, “We are prepared to come from behind,” but we are aware that this can happen in a lot of games [falling behind].
We are gaining more self-assurance. We were aware that this was crucial. The league’s fate could depend on three points, which are extremely crucial.
The Atletico keeper expressed his frustration with his side’s mishandled chances.
More goals were necessary. Barcelona had a lot of chances today. We had two chances to win, but it was impossible, Oblak told Movistar.
Christopher Gwabin Musa has been chosen as the new Defense Minister, according to President Bola Tinubu.
In a letter that President Tinubu sent to Godswill Akpabio, president of the Senate, his nomination was contained.
In a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, Special Adviser to the President for Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made Musa’s nomination known.
President Tinubu expressed confidence in General Musa’s capacity to lead the ministry of defense and advance Nigeria’s security architecture in the letter.
His appointment came shortly after Mohammed Badaru Abubakar resigned as Nigeria’s defense minister.
Also read: Mohammed Badaru, minister of defense, leaves.
Musa, who turns 58 on December 25, was the President’s replacement as the Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until 2025.
A few hours before Badaru’s resignation, the former CDS, who was spotted at the Presidential Villa on Monday, December 1, had a private meeting with the president at the State House.
General Musa, who was born in Sokoto in 1967, attended Zaria College of Advanced Studies while completing his secondary and primary education there. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree upon graduating in 1991 and continued to study at the Nigerian Defence Academy that year.
In 1991, Musa received a second lieutenant rank in the Nigerian Army, and he has since had a distinguished career. His positions include General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division, Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion, Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Department of Army Policy and Plans, and Infantry Representative/Member, Training Team, Headquarters Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
He was Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations, Headquarters Infantry Center and Corps, Commander of Sector 3, Lafiya Dole, and Commander of Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region in 2019.
The Nigerian government is accused by US lawmakers of not doing enough to combat the country’s growing insecurity and murders.  ,
The lawmakers addressed the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria during a joint congressional briefing of the US House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday.
Following President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern and his threat of military action, the lawmakers took turns speaking at the event.
The Nigerian government is required to protect its citizens under the terms of the Constitution, but the perpetrators of this persecutors operate completely impunity, according to Congressman Chris Smith.
The US will demand accountability for the killings, according to the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee.
We cannot allow this to happen because the Nigerian government is trying to run out the clock. He remarked that we must act quickly and decisively to save more lives.
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Rep. Brian Mast backed President Donald Trump’s choice to designate Nigeria as a country of particular concern, echoing previous sentiments.
He claimed that the US “must demand that the Nigerian government disarm these militias, return displaced families to their homes, and prosecute the perpetrators.”
Riley Moore, the s Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee, and a leading advocate for religious liberty, rebuffed his claim that Christians were being persecuted in Nigeria.
The Congressman claimed that “the world will no longer ignore the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.”
The briefing included not just lawmakers. Vicky Hartzler, the head of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, claimed that Nigerian authorities don’t do much to stop attacks despite early warnings.
Hartzler urged Nigeria to increase its role in the fight against insecurity while also urging that resources be invested in early warning systems to reduce community violence.
Local villagers “too often” learn about an imminent attack and offer their support only to hear their pleas for help when they are put to death. Worse yet, there are instances of law enforcement intervening in an attack but receiving no assistance. This is unacceptable.
Ebenezer Obadare, a Douglas Dillon Senior Fellow for Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, claimed Boko Haram, one of the root causes of Nigeria’s insecurity.
He claimed that Trump’s action has put more pressure on the Nigerian government, citing among other things calls for the creation of a national security emergency and the recruitment of more security personnel.
Washington must continue to exert pressure. First, work with the Nigerian military to stop Boko Haram, according to Obadiahi. The policy goal should be twofold.
Second, the United States should press President Tinubu to: (1) repeal Sharia law in the twelve northern states where it has been implemented since 2000; and (2) dissolve the various Hisbah organizations that seek to impose Islamic law on all citizens, regardless of their religious affiliation.
A US Congressional hearing on the escalating violence in Nigeria and Trump’s declaration of the country as a CPC took place on November 20.
In 2020, Trump first designated Nigeria as a CPC, but his successor, President Joe Biden, removed it.
However, the US president designated Nigeria as a CPC on October 31 for violations of religious freedom.
Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) and Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL) led a joint briefing with the House Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss the escalating violence and arbitrary persecution of Christians in Nigeria with representatives from the field of international relations.
This roundtable follows President Donald J. Trump’s October 31st directive to the House Appropriations Committee to investigate the slaughter of Christians in Nigeria and report back with their findings.
Among the participants were:
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), vice chairman of the Department of State’s Department of State, and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairman and Values Action Team (VAT) Chair
Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV), vice chair of the House Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee, and a prominent advocate for religious liberty
Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee Chairman
Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Hon. Vicky Hartzler
Alliance Defending Freedom International, Sean Nelson
Dr. Ebenezer Obadare, Council on Foreign Relations
No one should be afraid of how they worship, said Subcommittee Chairman D’az-Balart. A major American concern and moral obligation is both protecting religious freedom worldwide. As Chairman of the subcommittee that funds U. S. national security interests and foreign policy priorities, I remain committed to advancing policies that protect the freedom to live according to one’s faith without fear of violence and retribution. In my FY26 funding bill, I address this problem, and I intend to advance an America First agenda by passing a full-year funding measure.
The rising violence and targeted persecution of Christians in Nigeria is a crisis that cannot be ignored, according to Congressman Aderholt. Throughout my time in Congress, I have worked to protect the most vulnerable, including those whose lives and liberties are threatened simply because of their faith. I applaud our concerted efforts to give the President the information he needs to deal with this growing tragedy and stand steadfastly with Nigeria’s Christian communities and all persecuted believers around the world.
Our brothers and sisters in Christ are being persecuted and slaughtered in Nigeria for claiming to believe in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, according to Congressman Moore. That’s why President Trump designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, and why he asked me, along with the House Committee on Appropriations, to look into the horrific persecution of Christians in Nigeria. I’m grateful to Chairman D’az-Balart for convening this crucial discussion so that we can get a comprehensive picture of the ongoing crisis Nigerian Christians are facing every day. The persecution of Christians in Nigeria will no longer be ignored by the world.
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Chairman Mast asserted that this is not just “inter-communal violence” or a “resource conflict,” as many claim. This is a specific religious cleansing campaign. Whether it is Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, or radicalized nomadic Fulani militants, the objective is to drive Christians out of their ancestral lands in the Middle Belt and impose a radical Islamist ideology, as has already happened across the northern states, where blasphemy laws are used to oppress. I firmly concur with President Trump’s choice to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern as the head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. We must demand that these militias be disarmed, that displaced families be brought back to their homes, and that the perpetrators be brought to justice by the Nigerian government.
Congressman Smith said, “To be a Christian—or moderate Muslim—living in Nigeria means to be living under the constant threat of murder, rape, and torture by radical Islamist groups, such as Boko Haram and Fulani terrorists. Nigeria, the epicenter of religious violence, is the scene of the most brutal and murderous anti-Christian persecution in the world, as well as the systematic killing and targeting of moderate Muslims who oppose radical Islamists or reject their extreme ideals. The Nigerian government is legally obligated to protect its citizens, but the persecutors of this persecution continue to operate in total impunity. The United States is committed to standing firmly with the persecuted, no matter where in the world. I have faith that the United States will hold the Nigerian government accountable for its role in the pervasive religious persecution that occurs within its borders under President Trump’s strong leadership. We cannot allow this to happen because the Nigerian government is trying to run out of time. We must act quickly and decisively to save more lives”.
“Government must act decisively,” says the phrase.
Expert witnesses provided important insight into the ongoing conflict in Nigeria and discussed ways Congress can support efforts to assist weakened religious groups in Nigeria and other countries.
Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Hon. Vicky Hartzler, illustrated the real and viable threat to religious freedom and the very lives of innocent people in Nigeria that is happening right now.
Hon . According to Hardzler, “Religious freedom in Nigeria has been under siege since 2025, and it seems to be getting worse.” Just a few days ago, on November 22ⁿᵈ, 303 children and 12 teachers were abducted in an attack on St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Niger State. Gunmen kidnapped several innocent people, including a pastor, and killed two others in Kwara State a few days prior.
We must be clear that religious freedom violations are rampant regardless of the organization that is the perpetrator of the violence: in August, bandits killed 27 worshipers in a mosque in Katsina State and abducted over 100 people, mostly women and children. They are horrible, egregious, violent, and Christians are the predominant victims. All killings must be stopped, regardless of the victim’s religion, and the government must immediately take swift action to stop any more killings.
Hartzler emphasized the significance of President Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), a distinction that was reiterated in our Fiscal Year 2026 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations bill, and provided additional recommendations for the United States to support solutions in the area.
Hon . Hartzler continued, “The U.S. government should also work directly with the Nigerian government to significantly improve its accountability and transparency, while also making the most of relevant U.S. security assistance, such as police reform and mediation.
The U.S. government should demand that Nigerian government officials respond when there is an early warning, and resources could also be invested in early warning systems to reduce community violence. Too many times, local villagers learn of an impending attack and reach out for protection, only to have their cries for help ignored to their ultimate demise.
Worse yet, there are instances of law enforcement being called during an attack but receiving no assistance. This is unacceptable! … Washington has always seen Nigeria as the linchpin to West African economic prosperity, and the U. S. government should continue to work with the Nigerian government to provide technical expertise and other forms of assistance to train, support, and counter violent insurgent groups so the entire region can prosper.
After all, peace not only facilitates religious freedom but also secures trade and markets, enabling Nigeria to become more self-sufficient and realize its long-awaited potential.
Without the government’s assistance, Sean Nelson, Senior Counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom International, spoke to firsthand accounts of the violence and terrorism that Christians in Nigeria face.
Nelson said, “Our cases have involved Christians unjustly imprisoned by Sharia courts, false allegations of crimes merely for evangelism or protecting Christian converts or operating charities, Christians kidnapped and tortured, girls taken from their parents and forced into marriages and forcefully converted to Islam, and both Christians and minority Muslims charged with blasphemy accusations.
Many of the people I’ve met have escaped being murdered by extremists or even people they knew from their communities by sharing their heartbreaking stories with me directly. I’ve been to villages that were directly targeted by Fulani militants, and I’ve seen the pain of mass displacement, pastor beheadings, mass graves, widows and orphans, churches and homes torched, destroyed farmland, and the constant feeling that Christians are invincible against these religiously motivated attacks, and that the government has frequently failed to protect them.
Nelson explained the Nigerian government’s failure to protect Christian communities, often leaving them to fend for themselves against heavily armed militant bands of terrorists.
Nelson continued, “Owners in Nigeria reject any notion that religion is a factor in these attacks, and they have limited resources in the Middle Belt, where Christians have been hardest hit. Law enforcement and officials frequently ignore Christians’ pleas when they report imminent attacks, which results in tragic outcomes.
“Nigeria also maintains and enforces one of the most draconian blasphemy laws in the world. One of only seven places in the world with a law like this, one of the 12 northern Sharia states, where a person can be sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy. These laws prod God’s people, including those against Christians like Deborah Yakubu and Rhoda Jatau, in terrible mob violence.
Ebenezer Obadare, the Douglas Dillon Senior Fellow for Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, spoke to the root cause of the violence: unchecked jihadist terror groups, chief among them Boko Haram.
According to Obadare, jihadist terror, which is carried out by the Islamist group Boko Haram, poses the most serious threat to the Nigerian state today. Western education is prohibited, as Boko Haramtranslates. Boko Haram’s barbarous and implacable campaign to overthrow the Nigerian state and establish an Islamic caliphate in its stead is the source of Nigeria’s present discontents. Every attempt to resolve the Nigerian crisis without seriously examining the need to fundamentally alter and ultimately eliminate Boko Haram as a means of combat is futile.
Obadare also developed a successful strategy for battling the terror organizations, including putting pressure on the Nigerian government through incentives.
Obadare continued, “As recent events have shown, the Nigerian authorities are not impervious to incentives. President Tinubu has taken several actions, including ordering air strikes against Boko Haram targets, hiring an additional 30 000 policemen, and declaring a national security emergency in the country, most recently. Washington must continue to put in the pressure. The policy goal should be two-fold: first, work with the Nigerian military to neutralize Boko Haram. Second, the United States should press President Tinubu to: (1) repeal Sharia law in the twelve northern states where it has been implemented since 2000; and (2) dissolve the various Hisbah organizations that are attempting to impose Islamic law on all citizens regardless of their religious identity.
Adam Thomas shocked fans tonight when he announced he’s leaving the popular podcast he records with his brothers Ryan and Scott, saying: “It’s not been an easy decision but I have to do what’s right for me at this moment in time.”
He expressed regret for leaving the Thomas Bros podcast, saying, “I just wanted to be honest about it.” Although it wasn’t an easy choice, I must now make the right choice.
I apologize if I let anyone down, and I hope you all understand. I appreciate you for your time and effort. He continued, “I wish the boys well,” exchanging his name, kiss, and red heart with a red heart.
The three famous brothers’ lives are documented in their homes and are frequently combined for audio and TV projects, but it’s not known what his departure will mean for the podcast, which was recorded in his home.
Adam, 37, is a Strictly Come Dancing and Emmerdale star, Ryan, 41, was on Coronation Street, and Scott, 37, was on the second series of Love Island. Adam and Scott are twins.
Brooke Vincent of Coronation Street was one of the first to respond, saying, “You MESSING!!! YES! You’ve let me down, please! Never mind anyone else! “Another fan wrote:” Noooo!!! Wow, this makes me so sad, but you must take your own advice.
Another person said, “Yes, I am with you, but it’s a difficult choice when it’s family.” Respect your choice without reservation, “while another wrote simply: “This can’t be true.