Alphonso Davies, a Munich, Bayern full-back, will need surgery to repair his cruciate ligament injury in his right knee for “several months.”
Davies was hurt on Sunday in Canada’s 2-1 Concacaf Nations League third-place play-off victory over the United States.
Dayot Upamecano, a Bayern defender, will also be sidelined for a number of weeks due to a knee problem that he picked up while on international duty with France.
Our squad is strong, and we will make up for these absences. We’ll work together even more closely now. We have the ability to carry on our lofty objectives.
Since joining Bayern from Vancouver Whitecaps at the age of 17, Davies has made 226 appearances.
To end rumors linking him to a move to Real Madrid, the 24-year-old signed a new five-year contract in February.
Since leaving RB Leipzig for a reported 42.5 million euros (£38 million) in 2021, Upamecano has made 147 Bayern appearances.
With eight games to go, Vincent Kompany’s team is six points clear of the top of the Bundesliga as they attempt to win the 34th German title.
In the Champions League quarter-finals, they also host Inter Milan, with the first leg taking place on April 8 in Munich.
In Nigeria and Uganda, MTN Group and Airtel Africa have come to a mutual agreement to share mobile network infrastructure.  ,
The agreement, according to the duo’s statements on Wednesday, aims to reduce investments while maintaining service coverage.
Although there is still a lot of demand for digital and financial services in Africa, network construction and maintenance is expensive, especially for fast 5G connections.
Additionally, the businesses stated that they would look into potential business opportunities in other nations, including Congo-Brazzaville, Rwanda, and Zambia.
The majority of the costs in network deployment and operation are covered by radio access network sharing, they continued, along with commercial and technical agreements for sharing of fibre infrastructure and, if necessary, fiber network construction.
The companies stated that “this engagement does not prevent the parties from collaborating with other operators in any particular market.”
According to MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita, “We are driven by the vision of delivering digital solutions that drive Africa’s progress,” in a statement.
“Across our markets, there is still a strong structural demand for digital and financial services. To provide our customers with high-quality connectivity, we continue to invest in coverage and capacity to meet this demand.
However, there are opportunities for sharing resources within regulatory frameworks to increase efficiency and increase returns.
Read more about African National Oil Companies’ Innovative Financing Strategies for Project Development.
Sunil Taldar, the CEO of Airtel Africa, claimed the agreement would prevent costly infrastructure from being duplicated.
The Nevada Athletic Commission has outlawed former UFC competitors Jeff Molina and Darrick Minner.
Minner, 34, was given a 29-month suspension for failing to report a “serious injury” prior to a UFC fight on November 5, 2022.
Molina, 27, has received a three-year suspension for backing his team-mate’s injury and placing a significant wager on Minner’s fight.
According to the Nevada Athletic Commission, Molina acknowledged the crime.
Minner was quickly completed by Shayilan Nuerdanbieke in round one despite missing out on a pre-fight medical questionnaire.
US Integrity identified the featherweight fight as a suspicious betting bet and launched an investigation into an illegal gambling arrangement involving UFC fighters and coaches.
Featherweight Molina’s suspension expires on November 5, 2025, while Minner can start fighting again on March 26, 2025.
Former UFC fighter turned coach James Krause served as Molina and Minner’s training partner.
Krause is being investigated for allegedly engaging in an illegal gambling ring, and the UFC has forbid cornerbacks from Krause’s gym sessions.
Oby Ezekwesili, the former minister of education, says she was pleased to meet Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi at a Senate Committee panel on Tuesday because it demonstrated the challenges women face in a patriarchal society.
Ezekwesili narrated her side of the drama on Wednesday on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program, describing the allegations against suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who had been a subject of sexual harassment allegations before the panel convened.
Relating to Senator’s Recall, Natasha’s lawyer claims Kogi government sponsored it.
The former minister said, “In this society, there is a historic attitude to voice, not just the voice of women, but also those who like me are persistent in demanding public accountability from those who lead an institution that belongs to the society.”
It is a more or less historical function. And so is the behavior of our lawmakers influenced by this attitude. Because of the fact that the rest of society may not be aware of what women endure in many cases but hasn’t given it much thought, I was actually very pleased with what transpired yesterday.
When Ezekwesili and Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, the Akpoti-Uduaghan attorney, contested the Kogi lawmaker before the Senate committee on Tuesday, tempers started to flare at the panel’s Abuja session.
The male lawmaker from Ebonyi North Senatorial District and Ezekwesili engaged in verbal altercation just as the sitting began. Unprintable name-calling and gender-shaming were used in the shouting match.
What Caused A Shouting Match At The Senate Committee – Nwebonyi [READ ALSO]
Ezekwesili described what transpired during the Senate session on Wednesday, describing what the committee prevented her from saying.
Senator Nedamwem Imasuen, the committee’s leader, should step down, the rights activist claimed, in order to promote justice and fairness, and that he should not do so.
Ezekwesili argued that no matter how strong they may be, no matter how powerful they may be, they should not allow any group or individual to silence the voices of accountability. She also urged the society to demand that the public be accountable for that historical event.
She claimed that Akpoti-Uduaghan, who also alleges sexual harassment against Akpabio, has abandoned the Senate. The Kogi lawmaker must receive justice, according to Ezekwesili.
Senator Natasha’s Request to Recall Does Not Meet Requirements — INEC
“Irresponsible Attitude”
The panel’s attorney, Akiyode-Afolabi, who was sitting alongside the ex-minister on Tuesday, also claimed that the panel’s attitude was inappropriate.
The Senate committee was accused of being hostile by Akiyode-Afolabi, who was also a guest on Wednesday’s Sunrise Daily program on Channels Television. The Senators already had a plan, and they wanted her team to join it, she claimed.
She continued, “The panel’s attitude was not what you would expect from any trustworthy chamber in the world.”
They lacked friendship. They already had a plan, and all they wanted us to do was abide by it. They had a strategy to forbid us from speaking at all.
They spoke to us as though they were speaking to some slaves they had brought with them, which was quite disrespectful.
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Wales vs. England at the Women’s Six Nations
Cardiff Principality Stadium Date: Saturday, March 29 Kickoff: 16:45 GMT
Georgia Evans, the eighth-ranked player in Wales, will not face England in the Women’s Six Nations in Cardiff on Saturday after receiving two sin-bin offenses against Scotland last weekend.
Evans received a yellow card for collapsing a maul for the first time in Wales’ defeat in Edinburgh. Evans’ high tackle soon after returning to the field resulted in a second yellow and a red card.
A disciplinary panel determined that the red card was insufficient for punishment and that “no further sanctions” were required.
Wales lost the contest 24-21, while hosts Scotland saw a player sent off, and Evie Gallagher received a one-game ban for an illegal challenge at a ruck.
Red Bull have delivered one of the most ruthless driver moves in F1 history after deciding to drop Liam Lawson after just two races.
The 23-year-old New Zealander will swap places with Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda and return to Red Bull’s second team, Racing Bulls, from the next race in Japan in a week’s time.
The decision was reached by Red Bull bosses, including team principal Christian Horner, at a meeting in Dubai on Monday, insiders have told BBC Sport.
It is expected to be formally confirmed later this week by Red Bull, who refused to comment.
Red Bull have long been renowned for the ruthlessness with which they handle their young driver programme.
Even in that context, the way they have dealt with Lawson has caused widespread disbelief in Formula 1.
The New Zealander qualified 18th at the opening race of the season in Australia, before crashing out of the race in the rain.
In China last weekend, he qualified last for both the sprint and the grand prix, and finished the two races 14th and 12th.
His average qualifying deficit to team-mate Verstappen has been 0.88 seconds. Verstappen finished second in Australia, third in the sprint in Shanghai and fourth in the Chinese Grand Prix.
Japanese driver Tsunoda was asked at the Chinese Grand Prix whether he would accept the promotion to Red Bull if it was offered.
He said: “Yeah, why not? Always. In Japan? Yeah, 100%. I mean, the car is faster.”
When the scenario was put to Lawson, he responded: “I’ve raced him for years, raced him in junior categories and beat him – and I did in F1 as well, so he can say whatever he wants.”
Lawson was promoted to Red Bull this season following the team’s decision to pay off Sergio Perez, despite the Mexican having two years remaining on his contract.
That decision was made after a difficult 2024 for Perez, who failed to finish on the podium after the fifth race of the season.
Perez’s performances contributed to the team finishing third in the constructors’ championship last year, behind McLaren and Ferrari.
As Perez’s slump in 2024 had mirrored a similar pattern of performance in 2023, Red Bull decided the time had come to get rid of him.
Red Bull’s decision ‘extraordinary’
The decision to promote Lawson to Red Bull, alongside Max Verstappen, after just 11 grands prix spread across two seasons was already questionable.
To demote him back to second team Racing Bulls after just two races in a swap with Tsunoda – who was passed over only three months ago – is, quite simply, extraordinary.
It raises serious questions about Red Bull’s management, primarily team principal Horner.
It was Horner’s decision to offer a new two-year contract to Sergio Perez last May even though the Mexican was starting to struggle in the second Red Bull – just as he had through the second half of 2023.
He did that despite Carlos Sainz being available following Ferrari’s signing of Lewis Hamilton for 2025.
After Perez’s performances slumped through the remainder of 2024, the decision was made to terminate his contract. That resulted in a pay-off of many millions of dollars.
And rather than pick Tsunoda, who had four years’ experience and had edged Lawson as a team-mate, they picked the New Zealander, apparently because of his mental fortitude.
Now they have to find a way to justify this series of decisions – and the almost unprecedented one to dump Lawson after so little time to bed himself in.
Poor performances led to Lawson’s downfall
Getty Images
Lawson took part in six races in 2023 as a substitute for Daniel Ricciardo when the Australian broke his hand in a crash, scoring points with a ninth-place finish in Singapore.
And last year he competed in five races after Ricciardo was dropped following the Singapore Grand Prix, taking points for ninth-place finishes in the US and Sao Paulo Grands Prix.
Tsunoda out-qualified Lawson by a ratio of four times to two in 2023 and seven times to two in 2024. In races, Tsunoda has been ahead six times against four when both have finished.
Red Bull chose Lawson on the basis they believed the Japanese lacked the mental toughness to survive at Red Bull alongside Verstappen, while his fellow driver had more potential to improve.
They had been planning to wait until at least the Japanese Grand Prix before making a call because it is the first track on this year’s calendar at which Lawson has previous experience.
But in the end Lawson’s poor performances have led to his downfall after just two races.
Verstappen is said by insiders to believe the decision is an error, on the basis that the problem is Red Bull’s car – not the second driver.
The Dutchman has said the 2025 Red Bull is the fourth quickest car – behind rival top teams McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari.
What are the shortest F1 drivers stints?
Getty Images
Lawson’s two races in his first full season at Red Bull will go down as one of the shortest ever driver stints for an F1 team.
While Lawson at least gets to stay on the grid, Japanese driver Yuji Ide had no such luck in 2006. The 31-year-old was dumped by Super Aguri after just four grands prix – and had his FIA super licence revoked – after struggling to adapt during his rookie season.
Dutchman Nyck de Vries impressed enough during a stand-in drive for Williams in 2022 to claim a full seat with the Red Bull’s second team, then called Alpha Tauri, a year later.
But his F1 career ended only 10 races in to the 2023 campaign when he was replaced mid-season by Ricciardo.
Indian driver Karun Chandhok managed one race more than De Vries in 2010, when he lost his place at the HRT team to Japan’s Sakon Yamamoto after just 11 grands prix.
There were some memorable substitute appearances, including Markus Winkelhock’s one-race deal – and retirement – with Spyker in 2007.
Andre Lotterer famously called it a day after two laps for Caterham in 2014, while Luca Badoer’s double cameo for Ferrari in 2009 – when the Italian finished at the back of the field on both occasions – caused much dismay for Scuderia fans.
