France, Italy and Germany are “ready to consider” sanctions on foreign powers violating an arms embargo in Libya, a joint statement by their leaders said Saturday. The statement did not directly name any foreign actors funneling arms to Libya but multiple powers have been sending fighters and weapons, fuelling a bloody proxy war that reflects wider geopolitical rifts and divisions in the Middle East and within NATO. While forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar are backed by Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, the UN-recognised unity government is fighting back with Turkey’s support. “We … urge all foreign actors to end their increasing interference and to fully respect the arms embargo established by the United Nations Security Council,” the statement said. “We are ready to consi...
Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen is ready to join Serie A club Napoli. The 21-year-old visited Napoli’s training facilities, plus head coach Gennaro Gatusso and president Aurelio De Laurentiis two weeks ago. Osimhen was however not too keen on linking up with the Partenopei due to racism issue in Italy. The former VFL Wolfsburg striker spoke with Senegal forward Kalidou Koulibaly who reassured him there is no racism issue in Italy. According to multiple reports, Napoli director Cristiano Guintoli met Lille president Gerard Lopez and Osimhen’s intermediaries for more face-to-face negotiations on Monday. He hopes to sweep aside the remaining doubts and convince Osimhen that this is the best step in his career. The cost of the transfer will be in the region of €50m plus Adam Ounas, which will b...
La Liga president Javier Tebas is hoping to resume the 2019-20 season on Thursday, June 11 with the Seville derby. Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed on Saturday that the Spanish top flight had been given permission to resume behind closed doors from June 8 following the coronavirus-enforced hiatus in March. Previous reports had suggested the first match would be played on June 12, exactly three months after the suspension started, with Sevilla’s home match against bitter rivals Real Betis said to be the chosen match. While Tebas confirmed the derby to be his desired fixture, he revealed on Sunday that he is hoping to resume a day earlier, with kick-off to be set at 22:00 local time due to the intense heat in Andalusia’s capital. Speaking on the Partidazo show, Tebas said: “The...
Arturo Vidal has hit back at former Juventus team-mate Giorgio Chiellini, who said in his autobiography that the Chilean’s weakness was alcohol. Chiellini spent four seasons at Juve with Vidal, who is now at Barcelona, and said that although the midfielder was a “champion,” his fondness for partying held him back. “A footballer isn’t a devil or a saint. The distinction to be made is quite another. That is, between those who are real and those who are fake,” Chiellini wrote in an excerpt printed by SOS Fanta. “Someone like Vidal sometimes went out and drank more than they should’ve. Everyone knew it. It can be said that alcohol was a bit of a weakness for him. “However, that doesn’t put into question whether he is a champion or which type of person he is. Weaknesses are part of human nature...
Nigerian winger Victor Moses is delighted to be back in training with his Italian club Inter Milan. The former Nigerian international flown back to Italy last week after the Italian government agreed to allow teams to return to training as they prepare to restart the season. The 2019/2020 Italian Serie season and other sporting activities were suspended back in March, following the coronavirus pandemic which have ravaged the country. Teams were allowed to train the first time since March, but under strict conditions, in order to reduce the risk of the spread of the virus. It would be recalled that the Inter Milan hierarchy announced that none of their playing staffs tested positive for the dangerous virus. Meanwhile, it is unclear when the league will be allowed to return, but the Italian ...
Nigeria legend Sunday Oliseh has opened up on his experience with the Super Eagles which spanned nine years. The former Borussia Dortmund midfielder made 63 appearances for the West Africans before he was forced to retire from international duty in 2002. Oliseh was a key member of the Super Eagles team that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia under Dutch tactician Clemens Westerhof. He explained the tournament opened doors of opportunities for him as he secured a move to Italy to play for Reggiana, becoming the first Nigerian to feature in the Serie A. “The 1994 Afcon was very special for me. In fact, it was my first major tournament for Nigeria in Tunisia and we had some great talents in the squad at that time,” Oliseh told the Punch. “We were favourites heading into the tournam...
Sample the world’s most popular destinations without leaving your home On a normal spring day, you can expect the Champ de Mars in Paris to be teeming with tourists. This vibrant swatch of green offers iconic views of the Eiffel Tower and hosts droves of visitors every year – possibly as many as 80 million. France is after all the most visited country in the world. With a pandemic sweeping the globe, however, the Champ de Mars and France’s other iconic attractions – the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, Sacre-Coeur – lie largely empty. The same goes for Spain, the USA, China, Italy and the other most visited countries in the world. There are of course ways to experience these countries without physical travel. Below, we list 10 books that will transport you to the world’s most...