Category News

Tinubu Mourns Ex-Eagles Goalkeeper Peter Rufai

By in News, Nigeria News

Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Peter Rufai has been immortalized in the sporting annals of Nigeria and the continent of Africa, according to President Bola Tinubu.

The President paid tribute to the football legend, known as “Dodomayana,” in a statement released by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on June 3, 2025.

The 61-year-old football legend passed away on Thursday.

President Tinubu recalled with fond memories Peter Rufai’s bravery in the Super Eagles’ historic victory in Tunisia in 1994 as the first-choice goalkeeper.

“He followed up with Nigeria’s equally epoch-making, first-ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup, dubbed USA ’94.”

Tinubu predicted that Nigerians and football fans around the world would continue to venerate the late footballer’s legacy.

The President also praised Rufai’s involvement in the 1998 World Cup in France and his pioneering contribution to the development of Nigerian football, having worked in Portugal, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Rufai, who started his career with Stationery Stores of Lagos in 1980, was one of the first footballers to enter the professional ranks, participating in numerous European nations and promoting the country as a whole, he said.

Rufai, a prince of the royal family in Idimu, Lagos, received praise for his efforts to train the next generation through his Staruf Football Academy in addition to his footballing accomplishments. President Tinubu praised him for continuing to inspire, mentor, and nurture young footballers.

The President offered comfort to his family and all those who mourned him in addition to praying for his soul’s repose.

President Bola Tinubu’s photo. Bayo Onanuga deserves credit.

The political and football fields have received tributes in recent weeks. Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president, described Rufai’s passing as a “profound loss.”

Atiku said, “Peter Rufai’s remarkable contributions to the beautiful game will always be remembered, and he will be greatly missed.”

Ahmed Musa, the Super Eagles’ forward, wrote, “Can’t believe I’m typing this – a post to bid farewell to a true giant of Nigerian football, Peter Rufai. Your bravery and unwavering standing between the posts earned us moments of national pride.

Your legacy soars higher than any other trophy, despite the loss you’ve had. Dodomayan, the country mourns a hero, shouts high. Condolences to your fans, teammates, and loved ones. Rest in peace, legend.

Rufai, who won 65 caps for the nation, won the Super Eagles’ 6–0 victory over Ethiopia in 1993, making history. He was dubbed “Dodomayana” for his quick reflexes and acrobatic saves.

He was also known for his passion for education up until his passing, when he attended the Lagos-based National Institute for Sports to obtain official coaching credentials.

White House to host UFC event, says Trump

By in News, Sports News
Getty Images
Paul Battison
BBC Sport Journalist

US President Donald Trump says he plans to host a UFC event at the White House next year as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

Speaking at a rally in Iowa, Trump said UFC president Dana White will build the event which will feature a “championship fight” in front of “20,000-25,000 people”.

“We’re going to have a UFC fight on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there. Dana’s going to do it,” said Trump.

The UFC are yet to officially confirm the show but the promotion’s president White shared a video of Trump announcing the news on social media with the caption “this will be epic”.

The UFC’s Instagram account also shared the video, asking followers “who would you like to see headline the event? “

Trump is close friends with White, with the UFC chief becoming a key supporter during his 2024 election campaign.

He has attended a number of UFC shows during his two stints as president and was most recently at UFC 316 in New Jersey last month.

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  • Mixed Martial Arts

Pakistan’s army says it killed 30 fighters trying to cross Afghan border

By in News, World News
Just days after a suicide attack in the same region claimed the lives of 16 Pakistani soldiers, the Pakistani army claimed to have killed 30 fighters who attempted to cross the Afghan border.

The Pakistani military praised its troops for preventing “a potential catastrophe” on Friday, saying that the fighters, who all died in the previous three days, belonged to the Pakistan Taliban or its affiliates.

A separate faction of the Pakistan Taliban, which is a branch of the Afghan Taliban, claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing last week in North Waziristan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province’s border district.

In the same district, the Pakistani army killed the fighters.

The military of the country confirmed that it had seize a “large quantity of weapons, ammunition, and explosives,” despite the country’s military’s statement, which did not provide specifics about its action against the fighters.

Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, praised the security forces of his country on Friday for “thwarting an infiltration attempt.”

His office stated that “we are determined to completely eradicate all forms of terrorism in the nation.”

India was blamed for supporting the fighters, according to both the army and the prime minister.

New Delhi has repeatedly refuted claims made by Islamabad that it is causing violence in Pakistan, despite the fact that it has not commented on the most recent accusation.

(Al Jazeera)

As tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors escalate in recent months, these accusations have grown.

The regional foes were on the verge of their fifth all-out war since independence when they clashed for four days in May, killing 70 people on both sides.

After India claimed Pakistan supported gunmen who killed 26 people in the disputed Kashmir region on April 22, the fighting broke out. Islamabad denied any involvement.

Since the Taliban resurrected Afghanistan in 2021, there has been more violence in Pakistan’s border regions, with last year the deadliest year in a decade.

FG Inaugurates Board Of National Credit Guarantee Company To Boost MSME Financing

By in News, Nigeria News

The Federal Government has inaugurated the board of directors of the National Credit Guarantee Company Limited (NCGC Ltd. ), a strategic institution designed to enhance access to affordable financing for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.

The inauguration ceremony was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

According to a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communications, Vice President Kashim Shettima presided over the event, describing the NCGC as “a critical engine in our pursuit of economic inclusion and sustainable growth”.

READ ALSO:  Tinubu Inaugurates 2,000 Tractors, Over 9,000 Specialised Farm Implements

Shettima noted that the establishment of the NCGC reflects the Federal Government’s determination to bridge the longstanding financing gap faced by small businesses.

He said, “These entrepreneurs do not ask for handouts; they ask for the credibility of their ideas to be matched by the confidence of our financial institutions”.

The NCGC, which was set up by President Bola Tinubu on May 29, 2025, with an initial capital of ₦100 billion, is expected to serve as a vital link between MSMEs and financial institutions by providing credit guarantees to underfunded entrepreneurs nationwide.

The Vice President described NCGC as “a critical engine” in the drive toward economic inclusion, noting that it will act as a bridge between financial institutions and business owners in sectors ranging from agriculture to technology.

President Tinubu also approved the constitution of the company’s board, appointing former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, as chairman.

The New Red Line: Bilawal Bhutto on India’s new ‘abnormal’

By in News, World News

Nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan have both engaged in conflict before. However, their equations dramatically changed after a brief, contentious battle in May of this year.

India claims that every terrorist attack it suspects originated in Pakistan will be viewed as a war crime.

In this first-of-its-kind series on Al Jazeera, journalist Sreenivasan Jain interviews leading figures on both sides of the border and examines what India’s new normal, which Pakistan describes as a new “abnormal,” means for the nations.

In this episode, Jain speaks with Pakistan’s former foreign minister, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, son of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Is Pakistan legitimately able to imply that it no longer provides safe have for terrorist organizations that attack India, as Jain asks Bhutto?

‘Oasis saved me but I’ve sold my opening night ticket after Liam’s unacceptable remark’

By in Entertainment News, News

On their Oasis reunion tour, Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher will play tonight at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, but Yue Xiong, a fan, claims she won’t be able to attend.

Oasis fan Yue Xiong has said that she sold her tour ticket after seeing a post by Liam Gallagher recently(Image: WalesOnline)

A fan has been left “heartbroken” and said she opted to sell her ticket for the opening night of Oasis’ reunion tour after seeing a now-deleted post on social media from Liam Gallagher. She’s spoken out ahead of the gig tonight.

Just days ahead of the show at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Liam, 52, faced a backlash for using a racial slur on X recently. Fans were quick to react over his use of the offensive term, which is used to mock or imitate languages spoken in China, people from east Asia or of east Asian descent, with one person responding to him: “Liam, you can’t say that.”

Liam apologized for any offence caused by the tweet after the incident. He remarked, “Sorry if I offended anyone with my tweet before it wasn’t intentional. I love you all and don’t practice any discrimination. Love and be happy with LG x.

Despite his apology, some fans are still upset. They include Yue Xiong, 23, who is originally from Shanghai in China but now lives in London, told WalesOnline that she had been a fan of the band since she was 16. She even told the outlet that their music had “saved” her life.

However, Yue criticized Liam’s statement as being “completely unacceptable.” The student from Goldsmiths claimed that she had made a decision to sell her ticket before the Oasis Live ’25 Tour, which will begin in Cardiff tonight.

She made the trip to protest in the city on Thursday. She continued, “I’ve been I’ve been a huge fan since 2017” Oasis was the only song I ever heard throughout my teenage years because it really saved my life.

Continue reading the article.
Liam Gallagher, in a black coat, on stage at the O2 Arena in 2024.
Liam Gallagher ended up apologising to Oasis fans just days before the reunion tour after using an offensive term in a post on social media(Image: Chiaki Nozu/WireImage via Getty Images)

Yue continued, “But I kind of stopped being a fan two days ago because what Liam said was absolutely unacceptable. I was unable to deal with it because I was Asian and Chinese, and I had to accept what he was saying.

Simply put, I am unable to take part in that any longer. Otherwise, it will disrespect my own hometown where I am from.

Yue continued to express her disappointment over Liam’s remarks, saying, “I felt people had to speak up about it. So it only adds more pressure to everything if no one talks about it. But I felt the need to make a comment. Someone who uses an extremely racial language to target an Asian community on social media is not permitted to say something offensive.

She claimed that after the incident, she made the decision to sell her ticket on Wednesday as a “gest gesture” two days before the concert. She claimed to the publication that she would have been “completely heartbroken” had she purchased her ticket.

Yue mentioned to the outlet she had met Noel Gallagher several times and issued an apology to the musician for missing the show. She shared that she still admires him and his work.

However, she said, “It was not sincere,” when describing Liam’s apology. Really, it wasn’t an apology. Because of what he said, which he said was very controversial, and when people pointed it out, he said, “Whatever,” I believe it to be more of a PR strategy. He didn’t think it was a problem. The tweet was then deleted by him. Therefore, he makes the decision to say that in that manner without exception.

Yue announced she wouldn’t attend the concert, but the day before the performance, she stood in protest in Cardiff. She stated, “The C-word is not acceptable in any circumstances,” when explaining her motivation.

The media would support transgender people if Liam used the N-word or used it in any way. However, it seems as though making fun of the Asian community in that way is acceptable.

Yue told the outlet: “[The protest] is not coming out as an attack to Oasis but it’s about defending our own right – it’s about speaking up for our own community. It’s about making the world right again.”

She continued, “My partner, who is white, friends, and industry figures, found it unacceptable.” They were only slightly surprised because no one had any comment. I’ve been speaking with a lot of people in the fan groups for the Chinese culture. They are heartbroken and completely destroyed.

Continue reading the article.

A representative for Oasis declined to comment when contacted by the Mirror.