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Tag: USA

  • Olympics chance for USA to ‘come together’, says Gauff

    Olympics chance for USA to ‘come together’, says Gauff

    Tennis star Coco Gauff said the Olympics were an opportunity for Americans to “come together” during a turbulent presidential race back home, as she prepares to carry the US flag at the opening ceremony in Paris.

    Kamala Harris is poised to battle Donald Trump, who survived an assassination attempt earlier this month, for the presidency in November after incumbent Joe Biden dropped out of the campaign.

    With increasing division in US politics, Gauff believes the Olympics could help people put the “political turmoil” to the back of their minds.

     “At least this year, there’s obviously been a lot of political turmoil on both sides,” she told reporters after being named as flag bearer for Friday’s ceremony along the river Seine.

     “So I think for me, when I get this opportunity, I think of it as something completely separate…

     “I think sport just brings joy. For Americans specifically, there’s no team in a way where it’s like NFL where somebody wins and somebody loses… All Americans are cheering for Team USA.

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     “I think this is a good opportunity for our country to come together and stand behind something.”

    Gauff has made a habit of speaking out on social and political issues in the United States but accepts that the American Olympic team brings together athletes with a wide range of views.

     “Among the athletes, we all come from different backgrounds,” she added.

     “We all have different walks of life. We believe different things. But we’re all proud to be here, being an Olympian representing the USA.”

  • The USA and France: allies or enemies?

    The USA and France: allies or enemies?

    • By Omar Latifi

    France’s position is rapidly weakening on the African continent. Paris has lost its influence in almost all of its former colonies, such as the Central African Republic, Gabon, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. Thanks to France’s failed foreign policy, the United States has already made significant strides in Africa in recent years. According to a study by renowned Italian expert Eliseo Bertolasi, Washington is taking decisive steps to penetrate the African continent to fill the power vacuum after the French leave.

    The Italian expert stressed that the United States has developed a whole plan for implementation in Africa. This plan includes the intensification of the work of PMCs, negotiations with leaders of African countries, including countries historically under French influence, the embedding of of intelligence agents into United Nations missions, as well as the increased use of drones from locations in former African colonies such as Niger and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to gather intelligence.

    France, realizing its desperate situation, is trying to take retaliatory measures using the PMC COMYA GROUP, but continues, nevertheless, to rapidly lose its influence on the continent. The reason for this is the fact that, unlike the Americans, who rely on modern methods of interaction with Africa, the French continue to pursue an outdated neocolonial policy, which led to the fact that Africans literally pushed them out of the continent.

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    Eliseo Bertolasi believes that France has already lost to the United States in this fight. From now on, Washington will act autonomously, without taking into account the interests of its former French ally. Thus, America is already seeking to expand its economic ties with African countries and has even promised to create an African Free Trade Area, which undermines regional stability and France’s economic power in relations with French-speaking countries. At the same time, through such actions, Americans are expanding their access to the continent’s resources. According to Eliseo Bertolasi, it was for the sake of controlling African resources and logistics that the United States became interested in Africa, and not for the sake of establishing mutually beneficial cooperation.

    According to the expert, only the presence of Russia in African countries that have severed ties with France could become an obstacle to the expansion of US influence. However, as you know, Americans do not give up so easily, so they actively use various methods to counter the Russian presence, such as disinformation campaigns and so on.

  • Flying Eagles target another win over the USA

    Nigeria’s U20 boys, the Flying Eagles are aiming for another three points as they confront Team USA in their second match of the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup on Monday night.

    The venue is the 15,000 –capacity Bielsko-Biala Stadium in the city of the same name, a facility constructed on the site of an old facility and which hosted its last international game in March 2018, when Poland tackled England in a U20 match.

    Coach Paul Aigbogun is banking on the flaming form of his boys, who amassed four goals against Qatar in their first match against Qatar in Tychy on Friday, to consume a desperate Team USA still looking for its first point of the finals. The Americans lost 1-2 to Ukraine also on Friday.

    “We had a great game against Qatar and we want to stay in that spirit all through the championship. We will not make the mistake of under-rating any team; our approach remains taking it one game at a time. We go in there and fulfil our game plan of achieving victory.

    “It is not going to be an easy match; the Americans are hurt after losing their first game. But we are in good form and we need the three points to assure our place in the Round of 16,” Aigbogun said on Sunday.

    Both countries first met at this level in the semifinals of the 1989 edition in Saudi Arabia, with a high-spirited Nigeria side just coming from a miraculous triumph over the old Soviet Union in the quarterfinals. The Flying Eagles had come from a 0-4 deficit with 15 minutes left on the clock, to tie the encounter with the Soviets in Dammam and went ahead to win on penalties.

    On 28th February 1989, goals by Mutiu Adepoju sealed a 2-1 win over the USA at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah to send Nigeria into her first-ever Final match of the FIFA U20 World Cup.

    On Monday in the Polish city of Bielsko-Biala, victory over the USA will send the Flying Eagles into the knockout rounds, and Maxwell Effiom, Henry Offia, Ayotomiwa Dele-Bashiru and Aliu Salawudeen, who all scored against Qatar, will look to add to their tournament tally.

  • Oduduru qualifies for NCAA Championships in USA

    Nigeria’s fastest runner this year, Divine Oduduru continues his fine form this year after booking his place in the finals of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) outdoor championships are June 5-8 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

    Oduduru, the fastest collegian this year in the men’s 100m and 200m, had easy progress in both events.

    For clocking 10.06 in the 100m to finish second overall behind Cravon Gillespie, who recorded 10.01 and 10.03, Oduduru secured his spot in the final come June.

    Oduduru then placed second overall in the 200m with 20.08 behind Texas Tech teammate Andrew Hudson (20.04). The duo later teamed up to win the 4x100m in 39.00, just 0.03 ahead of an Oregon squad that featured Gillespie on the second leg.

    A flurry of speedy sprint performances headlined both NCAA Preliminaries as US collegiate athletes attempted to book their spots at next month’s NCAA Championships by placing among the top 12 in their events.

    There were fast times in the shorter sprints too as Ghanaian sprinter Joseph Amoah of Coppin State topped both rounds of the 100m, clocking a PB of 10.10 (1.2m/s). He was closely followed by Japan’s 2015 world U18 champion Hakim Sani Brown, who recorded 10.13 (0.7m/s).

  • Don’t sell your destiny, female cleric tells voters

    The President of Kingdom Redemption Outreach Center International with headquarters in USA and branches all over the world, Apostle Faith Eden-Osakwe, has called on Nigerians not to sell their destinies to vote buying.

    In a telephone conversation with our reporter, Eden-Osakwe said she desires to see a better Nigeria than what she used to know.

    “The Nigeria I grew up in was a nation where we all celebrated Ramadan and Christmas together. Where we were free to walk on the streets without fear of being kidnapped or killed for rituals”

    “I remember some of my neighbours who were idol worshippers. We all lived together with one purpose, the progress of our nations Nigeria. Please give me back my Nigeria even better,” she said.

    Read Also: 2019: Cleric calls on Nigerians to vote

    She warned that a house divided against itself shall not stand, adding that those who want to Islamize or make Jewish out of Nigerians do not have their interest at heart.

    “Don’t you see what they are doing to us? It’s all for  profit making. How many of you have a house in either nation or are you ready to live in a refugee camp?

    “Leaving the comfort and freedom that you have behind. Why go live as a slave in a foreign land when we can together rise and take our nation back from those that want to put us in bondage of perpetual fear?”

    She told those with their Permanent Voters Cards that the destiny of the country is in their hands, tasking them to go and vote for God has their best interest at heart.

    “Don’t sell your vote. Don’t sell your destiny,” she counseled.

  • YSU to become Centre of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence

    Yobe State University (YSU), is to become the Centre of Robotics & Artificial Intelligence after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the ICT University, Louisiana, USA.

    The short ceremony was held at the university’s Senate Chambers in Damaturu, penultimate week.

    Vice Chancellor of Yobe State University, Prof Yakubu Mukhtar, and the President, Board of Trustees of the ICT University, Prof. Victor Mbarika, both signed on behalf of their institutions.

    “We will be having a lot of lecturers and students exchanges in this institution. Our number one goal is research and scholarship and we will ensure that good researches come out of both institutions, so that Yobe State will be one of the premier destinations of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence and modern areas of IT research,” Prof Mbarika said.

    Speaking shortly before the MoU was signed, Prof Mukhtar assured that YSU would continue to establish linkages with other institutions, home and abroad, to fast track its growth and development.

    Mukhtar is optimistic the MoU would open ways for YSU in future collaboration to various opportunities and institutions across the world.

    “No organisation can exist as an island in itself. As an institution of higher learning, we need to collaborate both within and outside the country. That is why I am so pleased with this collaboration. I am sure, Yobe State University is going to benefit immensely from it. We are very keen to give every support to see this MoU to the next level,” Mukhtar added.

    In his remarks, the President of the ICT University, Prof Victor Mbarika, disclosed that the institution is keen on the implementation of the project, adding that all equipment would be flown from New York to Lagos for collection between six and eight weeks.

    His words: “We are very seriously keen on our partnership because we are answerable to ICT University Foundation and its funding agencies. So to be fair to them and to the institutions in the developing world that we collaborate with, we want to ensure that we don’t just stop at the signing of MoUs and MoAs but to actually see to their implementations.

    “We have equipment for the e-learning and the e-Library and a multi-media equipment to help with the implementation of the Health Information Technology Diploma Programme with this YSU’s School of Medicine. Our goal is to ensure that there is a strong presence of information technology or we continue to enhance the presence of IT that this institution already has through the great leadership of Prof Mukhtar,” Mbarika said.

  • Yobe varsity to become center of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence

    Yobe State University is set to become the centre of Robotics & Artificial Intelligence after signing  a memorandum of understanding with the ICT University, Louisiana, USA in Damaturu penultimate week.

    The short ceremony was held at the Senate Chambers of the University in Damaturu with the Vice Chancellor of Yobe State University  Prof. Yakubu Mukhtar and the President, Board of Trustee  of the ICT  University, Prof. Victor Mbarika both signing on behalf of their institutions.

    “We will be having a lot of Lecturers and Students Exchanges in this institution. Our number one goal is research and scholarship and we will ensure that good researches come out of both institutions so that Yobe State will be one of the Premier destinations of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence and modern areas of IT Research,” Prof Mbarika disclosed.

    Speaking shortly before the MoU signing, the Vice Chancellor of Yobe State University Prof. Yakubu Mukhtar said his institution will continue to open her doors and establish linkages with other institutions, home and abroad to fast track its growth and development.

    Prof Mukhtar also maintained that the MoU with ICTU will surely open ways for YSU in future collaboration to various opportunities and institutions across the world.

    “No Organization can exist as an Island on itself.  As  an institution of higher learning, we need to collaborate both within and outside the country. That is why I am so pleased with this collaboration and I am sure, Yobe State University is going to benefit immensely from it. We are very keen to give every support to see this MoU to the next level”,  Prof. Mukhtar promised.

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    In his remarks, the President of the ICT University, Professor Victor Mbarika disclosed that the institution is very seriously keen  with the implementation of the project, stressing that “all equipment will be flown from New York to Lagos for collection in the next 6-8 weeks”.

    His words: “We are very seriously keen  about our partnership because we are answerable to ICT University Foundation and its funding agencies. So to be fair to them and to the institutions in the developing world that we collaborate with, we want to ensure that we don’t just stop at the signing of MoUs and MoAs but to actually see to their implementations.

    “After the signing of an MoU like this, within the period of six to eight weeks, we do everything possible to fly the equipment from our hub in New York City to Lagos where the equipment will be collected.

    “We have equipment for the E-learning and the E-Library and a Multi-Media equipment to help with the implementation of the Health Information Technology Diploma Program with this University’s School of Medicine. Our goal is to ensure that there is a strong information technology presence or we continue to enhance the presence of IT that this institution already has through the great leadership of Prof. Mukhtar,” Prof Mbarika said.

    Our correspondent gathered that ICTU has gotten an approval to establish the West African Campus in Kaduna State in addition to other campuses in Uganda, Cameroon.

     

     

     

  • New York police respond to ‘suspicious package’ in Manhattan

    New York City’s Police Department (NYPD) was responding to reports of a “suspicious package” found in Manhattan on Thursday, following a series of suspected pipe bombs sent to high-profile Democrats and critics of U.S. President Donald Trump.

    “Please avoid the area and expect a police presence and heavy traffic,’’ the NYPD wrote on Twitter.

    It was unclear whether the incident was linked to suspected package bombs intercepted in the U.S. this week, which were sent to Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton, former President Barack Obama, said broadcaster CNN and others.

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    Broadcaster NBC news said Thursday’s discovery was made at a site linked to Robert De Niro, citing a local law enforcement official.

    The actor owns a restaurant in Manhattan’s upmarket Tribeca neighbourhood, where the package was found, and has been critical of Trump in the past.

    Television footage showed a heavy police presence in the area.

    De Niro cursed the president on national television during the Tony Awards in June, saying “Fuck Trump” with his fist in the air.

    Trump retaliated by calling the 75-year-old veteran actor a “very low IQ individual.”

  • 2019 Elections: ‘USA has no preferred candidate’

    The United States of America (USA) has said that it has no preferred candidate in the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria in 2019.
    Mr Phillip Franz, a political officer in the U.S. embassy in Nigeria, said this during a visit to Katsina State Government House on Wednesday in Katsina.
    Franz said that the USA was, however, interested in the electoral processes that would ensure credible elections.
    “We want to emphasise that the U.S. has no candidate in this election; our candidate is the process; we very much respect the sovereignty of the country,” he said
    He therefore assured the support of the USA to Nigeria in conducting free, fair and transparent elections in 2019.
    “We will support peaceful electoral process and we stand to provide whatever assistance in order to see free fair, transparent and credible election in Nigeria in 2019,” he said.(NAN)

  • AFA celebrates D’Tigress as they battle USA

    Nigerians have eagerly waited for this day to come as D’Tigress take on Team USA with the Women’s World Cup now a lot tougher. And it is surely another day to bank on making history for the Nigerian ladies.

     For this Friday’s Quarter-Final clash with reigning champions and favourites USA, D’Tigress are clearly the underdogs just as they were before they faced Turkey and swept past them; they faced the South American champions Argentina and made them pay dearly for what happened at an entirely different event in Russia last June. Nigerians desired vengeance for what the Super Eagles suffered in the hands of Lionel Messi and his colleagues and D’Tigress rose to the occasion fulfilling their promise. The Greeks are known for world class basketball but that did not stop D’Tigress from believing in themselves.

    It can be rightly said that having gone this far more Nigerians have come to believe in them. But there were not many individuals and corporate bodies that believed in these young ladies way back in 2017 as they prepared to face the entire Africa in Mali AfroBasket but the ladies believed in themselves and so did AFA.

     About two years ago some young Nigerians with a dream to maximize the potential of the game of basketball in the country assembled in Lagos. This gathering gave birth to Africa for Africa sports but commonly known worldwide now as AFA Sports. The company became the first ever African sports apparel manufacturer to feature in a major international tournament as they became the proud kit sponsors of D’Tigress at a time no other big name companies were ready identify with them. But AFA Sports and D’Tigress kept the faith and made history together in Bamako. That success reverberated around the world and those who had forgotten Nigeria began to put calls through to the Nigeria Basketball Federation to schedule negotiations.

    The Chief Executive Officer of AFA Sports, Ugo Udezue says he can beat his chest now because he believed in them early enough.

    He says, “We saw a world-class team even when some others saw otherwise and decided our money on them. They hadn’t played a game but we believed in the organisational structuring from which the team was emerging. Perhaps a monumental part of this journey to the world is how much their performance is powered by the support from AFA Sports. The CTG technology in the AFA shoes provides extra grip, speed and precision so that you are always one step ahead of the competition. The soft micro mesh material allows athletes to stay hydrated in the most humid of climates.

    “The truth is that no one can understand the needs of an African athlete more than a fellow African, and these products were tailor made to fit the needs of the African athlete like a glove. Now we can all gladly say go D’Tigress and the joy is for every fan of the team.”

    Even after they conquered Africa there was still just a modest sense of expectation that the Nigerians could do something positive in Spain. They had stopped over in Ankara to camp and play the Turkey national team who incidentally were in the same group at the World Cup. The Nigerians were beaten from the tip off to the buzzer that that those who had no investment in them gave them no chance in Spain. Australia beat Nigeria 86-68 to help those in doubt and their investors were satisfied that they played well against the Opals. They responded remarkably drilling the same Turkey 74-68 in a quick turnaround. They have moved on to an unprecedented three straight wins and a resounding quarter final battle against the classy USA.

    It’s a fairytale for everyone involved as team captain Adaora Elonu, who is a EuroLeague Women regular and has WNBA minutes to her name told FIBA.Basketball.

    “We didn’t know what to expect from the World Cup as none of us had been here – it’s just a ride that we’re taking,” she confessed. “I’m happy for us, because we’ve been through a lot and our motto was to stay together and we stayed together.

    “The national team is who you are and your culture. It just resonates so much stronger than any other team – not to take anything away from any other team.

    “But here, the girls, what we’ve been through and what we’ve had to fight through just to get here, preparations, treatment – it’s been really hard.

    “But the way that we stick together and have fun off the court, on the court, this is just a great moment.”

    And what should Nigerians expect from the game against Team USA?

    “Playing USA does sound really nice,” Elonu said. “I don’t know what to expect, but we’re just going to keep pushing. We go with the same mentality. As a player, as a competitor, you have to go with the same mentality.

    “We’re not here, you know, just being happy to still be here. This is a new experience, but we want to put on the best show and performances that we can.”