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•Ex-US President Obama   Former president of the United States of America, Barack Obama has released the second list of his favourite songs for 2019. On a list of his favourites he published on Monday, December 30, 2019, the US former president listed Burna Boy’s  ‘Anybody’ and  ‘Iron Man’ by Rema – two Nigerian singing sensations. Other artistes listed by Obama include Lizzo, Koffee, DaBaby, Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Migos, Frank Ocean, J.Cole among others. The first list was a summer playlist which was released on August 24, 2019 and it also had ‘Iron Man’ by Rema on it.

The Federal Government may have directed the reduction in the petrol price from N145 per litre to about N130. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, had last week said the government was in consultation with relevant stakeholders on the possibility of reducing the petrol price following the crash in crude oil prices in the international market. It was learned that the government may have approved the new petrol price after a presentation by Sylva to the ongoing meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) being presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

A decision over whether to postpone football’s Euro 2020 by up to a year, with all the sporting and financial consequences that would entail, is set to be made when UEFA holds a crisis meeting on Tuesday as Europe battles the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. European football’s governing body will hold a videoconference with representatives from all 55 member associations as well as from clubs and players bodies. UEFA will then hold an executive committee meeting at 1400 (1300 GMT) at their Swiss headquarters. The future of the European Championship, due to take place for the first time in 12 different cities spread across the continent from June 12 to July 12, is up in the air along with those of the Champions League and Europa League. The “dark scenarios” that UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin warned against envisaging when he spoke at the organisation’s congress in Amsterdam just two weeks ago now have to be considered. All of Europe’s leading domestic leagues ground to a h

Sadio Mane has emerged as Real Madrid’s top transfer target. According to The Mirror, the Senegal international is at the top of the Spanish side’s priority list with Mane having reportedly caught the eye of Los Blancos’ president Florentino Perez. The current African Player of the Year has emerged as one of the world’s best players over the last two years and has carried his superb form from last season into the current campaign, as Liverpool sit on the cusp of Premier League success. Mane has scored 18 goals and assisted a further 12 in 38 appearances across all competitions this season. The 27-year-old is still contracted to the Reds until 2023 and if Real Madrid were to lure him away from Anfield, they’d have to fork out a hefty sum. Mane has scored 77 goals in 161 appearances for Liverpool since joining the club from Southampton in 2016. (African Football) •PHOTO: Saido Mane  Source  Daily Sports

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in signing Queens Park Rangers forward Eberechi Eze in the summer. The 21-year-old has been outstanding for Mark Warburton's men this season, scoring 12 league goals and providing eight assists in 37 appearances amid other dazzling displays. The Championship side has placed a price tag of £20 million on their star forward which has put off Sheffield United and Crystal Palace. Tottenham are monitoring the Anglo-Nigerian and are believed to be the favourites to acquire him according to  The Sun . Manager Jose Mourinho is looking to strengthen his current squad in an effort to compete for titles next season.

Odion Ighalo has been nominated for Manchester United’s Player of the Month award for March. The 30-year-old faces competition from fellow January signing Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire and Fred as he eyes his maiden accolade at Old Trafford. Ighalo has boosted Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team since his temporary arrival in January and they are unbeaten in all competitions since their 2-0 defeat to Burnley back in January 22. In March, the Nigeria forward scored three goals including a brace in their 3-0 win over Derby County in the FA Cup and also produced a man-of-the-match display against LASK where he scored a goal and provided an assist in their Europa League triumph last Thursday. Ighalo is yet to start a Premier League match for Manchester United but he has scored four goals in three starts already. With the Premier League suspended until April 3 due to the coronavirus, Ighalo will be hoping to keep fit before fifth-placed Manchester United return to league action.

•Simon Odo, a.k.a Onu Uwa By IKECHUKWU ODU The popular Enugu’s native doctor, Simon Odo, a.k.a Onu Uwa, has explained that most men die untimely due to pressure from bad wives. While explaining why he married the 58th wife recently, Odo, who is also known as the ‘king of satan’ said he could not stomach insolence and unruly behaviours from women folks, adding that he marries new wife anytime he was let down by the attitude of his wives. He spoke during an exclusive interview with Vanguard at his country home, Aji, in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, yesterday, saying “I marry anytime any of my new wives insult me. I cannot stand a woman insulting me. “If there are 20 dead men in Nigeria for instance, only five of them died naturally. The other 15 were caused by heartbreaks and bad attitudes from their wives. That is why I marry anytime a woman insults me.” When asked how he provides for his extended family, he explained that God did not make mistak

The Nigerian lady says her cousin who died from the virus was just in her 30s If you think that being a Nigerian, an African or black makes you immune to the now spreading and dreaded coronavirus, then you may just have been lying to yourself. A young Nigerian lady, Ayishat Akanbi, has confirmed the death of her cousin, who is a medical doctor. Ayishat said her cousin died in London after suffering from the effect of the virus that has affected over 120,000 and caused thousands of deaths across the world.  My cousin who is a doctor and in her early 30s died of coronavirus this morning for anyone irresponsible enough to think black people are immune," she said with many of her followers asking her to remain strong and praying for the dead.

By ROMANUS UGWU, Abuja The Department of State Services (DSS) has promised to investigate the apparent laxity of its personnel over the incident that saw an intruder break a security cordon to approach President Muhammadu Buhari, at Argungu, Kebbi State on Thursday. In the statement issued Saturday signed by DSS spokesperson Peter Afunanya, the Service also dismissed reports making the rounds that the presidential details had killed the intruder. "@gidifeedtv: Security operatives block young man who rushed towards President Buhari to Argungu festival @Gidi_Traffic GIDITRAFFIC (@Gidi_Traffic) March 13, 2020 “The DSS wishes to dismiss reports making the rounds that presidential details killed the intruder that tried to break the security cordon to attack the President and Commander-in-Chief, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR at Argungu, Kebbi State on March 12, 2020. “The Service wishes to clarify the issue as follows. One Mohammed Jammil Guddare made overzealous but futile attem

Of all the fans and foes, critics and followers of one of Nigeria’s most revered authors, critics,   Chief Dr. Arthur Agwuncha Nwankwo, there may never be anyone who would miss him so much like OBJ. Reason? In 1989, then former head of state and later President Olusegun Obasanjo had published a book titled; Constitution for National Integration and Development, projecting for a one-party state just like he has just recently projected the need for a new constitution. The seven-chapter book by OBJ in 1989 was published by Lagos based publishing house; Friends Foundation Publishers and soon became highly acclaimed and controversial coming as a direct opposition to then-President Ibrahim Babangida’s administration’s plot for a two-party system at that time. But erudite Arthur Nwankwo bravely engaged OBJ head-on, telling him to literally dump his propositions except he had explained, amongst other things, why he never made the changes he was then proposing during the time of his

By KHAFIJAT SAIDU, Birnin Kebbi Abubakar Yau from Augie Local Government Area of Kebbi has emerged winner of the 2020 Argungu International fishing festival. He got over N7million, two new cars and two Hajj seats for catching the biggest fish weighing 78 kilograms. Yau’s catch was rated the best among the fishes caught at the Matan Fadah river. Over 50,000 fishermen participated in the annual cultural festival held in Argungu local government area of kebbi state. Malam Bala Yahaya-Bagaye emerged second with 75 kilogramme fish while Malam Maiwake Sani Silami from sokoto state came third for catching a fish with 70 kilogrammes. Chairman, Northern Governors Forum, Gov. Simon Lalong, donated N3 million to the first position, N2 million to the second position and N1 million to the third position. Dr Hassan Bello, Executive Secretary, Nigeria Shippers Council, presented N1 million to the first position, N750,000 to the second position and N500,000 to the third. Fishing

• Japan Prime Minister Abe Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the Tokyo Olympic Games will go ahead as planned in July, despite coronavirus concerns resulting in the postponement of sporting events. Abe added the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would have the final decision whether Tokyo 2020 goes ahead. “We will overcome the spread of the infection and host the Olympics without problem, as planned,” Abe said. Japan has had more than 1,400 cases and 28 deaths resulting from coronavirus. The Tokyo Games is expected to cost about 1.35 trillion yen (£10.26bn), organisers said in December. The Japan section of the Olympic Torch relay is due to start in Fukushima on 26 March. The recent torch-lighting ceremony in ancient Olympia was held without spectators, before the rest of the relay in Greece was suspended to avoid attracting crowds. Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike said: “We’re taking thorough infection measures with regards to the torch relay domestically.” Seve

•Ex-Governor Obi Students and staff of St. Domnic Savio Seminary Akpu, Anambra State, have commended former Governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi, for what they called his unquantifiable support to schools throughout the country, especially in Anambra State. They made the commendation on Saturday during the presentation of a plaque to Obi by the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese and the proprietor of the School, Most Rev. Dr. Paulinus Ezeokafor, during their 2020 Annual Feast Day of the school. Most Rev. Ezeokafor said the seminary was a beneficiary of Obi’s magnanimity, having, like other schools in the state, received two vehicles, generator, computers and printers and other learning aides from the former Governor. Receiving the award on behalf of Mr. Peter Obi, his former Commissioner for Housing, Dr. Patrick Obi, thanked the seminary for acknowledging noble acts, which he described as a good way of reminding those in government that posterity will never forever good deeds.

By AHMED SAEED, PHIL STEWART, IDREES ALI Iraq condemned overnight U.S. air strikes, on Friday, saying they killed six people, and warned of dangerous consequences for what it called a violation of sovereignty and targeted aggression against the nation’s regular armed forces. President Barham Salih said repeated such violations could cause Iraq to unravel into a failed state and revive the Islamic State militant group. Iraq’s foreign ministry announced plans to bring a complaint to the United Nations. The United States defended the air strikes, saying all five targets were legitimate and stored Iranian-supplied weapons used by the Kataib Hezbollah militia to attack the U.S.-led coalition. Washington launched the strikes in retaliation for a rocket attack on Wednesday on a base north of Baghdad that killed U.S. and British troops. “These locations that we struck are clear locations of terrorist bases,” said Marine General Kenneth McKenzie, head of the U.S. military’s Centra