Tuesday
Monday
Sunday
Victor Osimhen to miss Nigeria’s crucial game against South Africa
Having picked up yet another avoidable injury in the team’s last match against Rwanda, Victor Osimhen will miss yet another crucial World Cup qualifier, this time against South Africa. And regarding Samson SiaSia’s claims that the Rwandan players set out to injure Osimhen, that is utter balderdash as the injury was in fact due to an overexertion by Osimhen himself on the particular play.
The best ability is availability. Victor Osimhen has been absent from majority of the Super Eagles World Cup qualifiers. It’s the same thing with him at the club level where he is never fully available for the full duration of games.
While there is no doubting his ability and commitment to the national team, Nigeria is too blessed with talent, both raw and developed, to continually depend on one player. This is an opportunity for the likes of Dessers and co to lay claim to their own place in the team.
Osimhen has got to adapt his game to reach his full potential. His injuries are mostly avoidable. He has also not developed the requisite football IQ expected of a world class center forward, such as holding the line just right and not being offside at crucial moments. He must also become a true leader. Leadership does not depend on how vocal or loud you are. In fact, the most effective leaders hardly say a thing. They just lead by example with their conduct, dedication and strong sense of personal discipline and requisite self awareness.
Nigeria should beat South Africa with or without Osimhen as the onus is on the coach and the FA to find the right solution to this hick-up. The talent is there. Take politics out of it and have a plan-of-action.
Friday
Visiting the US is about to get even more expensive for foreign travellers
By Jeanne Bonner
Visitors to the US from some of the nation’s closest allies will soon be required to pay higher fees outlined in the Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Specifically, a hike to the fees associated with the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, which processes travel applications from residents of more than 40 countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Program.
Those countries include the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Israel and most of Europe, as well as a handful of countries in other regions, including Qatar in the Middle East.
Prior to the passage of President Trump’s signature legislation, applicants to the ESTA system, as it’s known, paid $21. Now that mandatory fee will nearly double on September 30 to $40.
It’s one of several fee increases associated with travel to the US from abroad. Travelers arriving through a land border will also see their fees go up with an increase in the I-94 Arrival/Departure Record cost. Right now, travelers required to pay the fee only have to part with $6.
That amount jumps to $30 at the end of the month.
Lastly, travelers from China will be asked to pay a $30 enrollment fee for the Electronic Visa Update System. The September 30 effective date for the fee increases was outlined in a recent notice in the Federal Register.
The increase in fees, combined with the looming $250 “visa integrity fee” for many travelers from non-visa waiver countries, comes at a time when travel to the US from abroad is in a major slump.
Already many Canadians and other international visitors to the US are staying away. The World Travel and Tourism Council projected in May that the United States will lose $12.5 billion in international visitor spending in 2025. It was the only country out of 184 economies analyzed by the council, a global tourism advocacy organization, that will see a decline this year.
The new visa integrity fee has not yet been applied. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security repeated to CNN that it “requires cross-agency coordination before implementation.”
Houston-based immigration attorney Steven Brown said he didn’t think the increase in fees will be much of a “hindrance” for most travelers. But he said the visa integrity fee is an entirely new thing.
“It will be intriguing to see because lots of questions are out there,” he told a reporter. “So we pay the fee, but how does it get refunded? Who is tracking compliance? How do you prove compliance?”
CNN
Thursday
Burkina Faso arrests French head of NGO for spying
By Staff
The French head of an NGO in Burkina Faso specialising in humanitarian safety was arrested in Ouagadougou at the end of July on suspicion of spying, sources said Wednesday, confirming a media report.
Burkina Faso’s military junta has turned away from the West and, in particular, former colonial master France since it seized power in a September 2022 coup.
Security experts contacted by AFP said the French national, who is the country leader for the INSO organisation in the West African state, was accused of espionage.
He is “well treated” and his organisation is in contact with Burkinabe authorities to secure his release, a source said.
INSO, based in the Netherlands, provides security analyses for other humanitarian organisations.
It was suspended for three months on July 31 by Burkina Faso’s authorities for “collecting sensitive data without prior authorisation”.
The military authorities have not released a statement on the arrest of the French national.
In one month between June and July, the junta revoked the operating permits of 21 NGOs and suspended 10 other associations for three months.
Burkinabe authorities often repress dissent, notably within civil society and the media, claiming it as part of the battle against jihadist violence that has plagued the country for a decade.
The junta regularly says it has thwarted “destabilisation attempts”.
Four French civil servants accused of espionage were detained for a year in the capital Ouagadougou before their release last December following mediation by Morocco.
Wednesday
Monday
Liverpool reach deal to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United for British record £130 million fee
By Staff
Alexander Isak is headed to Liverpool. The club reached a £130 million deal ($176 million) to sign the Newcastle star on Sunday night, according to The Athletic's David Ornstein. That deal would break the Premier League transfer record set earlier this summer when Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for $153 million. Sunday's deal took place just in time before Monday's transfer deadline.
Isak made it clear that he wanted out of Newcastle. He has not played in any of the club's first three Premier League games this season. Isak posted earlier this month that his relationship with Newcastle "can't continue," though Newcastle appeared to reject his requests to leave at every step. Isak missed the team's trip to Asia and didn't play in a preseason friendly, either. The striker has been training with Real Sociedad, his former club, since July and has been away from Newcastle.
Liverpool intially sent Newcastle a £110 million offer for Isak, which Newcastle rejected. Now, having raised the price, Liverpool secured their latest record-breaking addition.
Isak has spent the past three seasons with Newcastle, which marked his first stint in the Premier League in his career. He had a career-high 23 goals and six assists in 34 matches last season. He's previously spent time with Real Sociedad in La Liga and Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
Liverpool, fresh off its Premier League title last season, opened the year with three straight wins, including a one-nil victory over Arsenal on Sunday. The Reds have spent more than £250 million this transfer window, bringing in other big names like Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni.
Saturday
Friday
10 Most expensive passports in the world
By Staff
Passports are essential documents that grant access to international travel, but their costs vary widely across countries, with some being among the most expensive in the world.
Some countries charge modest fees, while others leave citizens paying steep sums for the privilege of holding one.
Here’s a look at the countries where passports are the most expensive in 2025.
Australia
The Australian passport is the costliest in the world, priced at $412 for a 10-year validity, which averages $41.20 per year. Despite its high cost, its strength has slipped slightly, ranking only equal-seventh globally with visa-free access to 185 destinations. Australians are effectively paying $2.23 per country, the highest rate worldwide.
Mexico
In Mexico, citizens pay $335.95 for a 10-year passport, or about $33.59 per year. Although it secures access to over 160 destinations, the cost is among the steepest globally, making it one of the least efficient passports in terms of cost-to-power ratio.
United States
The United States passport comes in at $251.21, breaking down to $25.12 per year. While expensive, it remains highly powerful, giving Americans visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 185 countries. On a cost-per-destination basis, it is considerably better value compared to Australia or Mexico.
New Zealand
New Zealand charges $225.62 for its passport, with a yearly equivalent of $22.56. The Kiwi passport is not only cheaper than Australia’s but also more powerful, offering entry to 186 countries — one more than Australia, despite costing significantly less.
Italy
In Italy, a passport costs $206.10 for 10 years, or $20.61 annually. Italians enjoy one of the strongest passports globally, with access to nearly 190 destinations, making it one of the best value-for-money passports among the expensive options.
Austria
Austria follows closely with a passport priced at $198.99, or $19.90 per year. It gives citizens excellent global mobility, aligning with the strong standing of most EU passports.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom charges $193.78 for a passport valid for 10 years, translating to $19.38 per year. Despite being cheaper than Australia’s by almost half, it grants entry to more than 190 destinations, making it far more cost-effective.
Canada
For Canada, the price is $177.61 for 10 years, averaging $17.76 annually. Like the U.S., it ranks among the world’s strongest passports, providing entry to over 185 countries without a visa.
France
France, citizens pay $152.67 for a passport, or $15.27 per year. The French passport is among the cheapest in the top 10 yet among the most powerful, with nearly 190 destinations open visa-free to its holders.
Fiji
Rounding out the list is Fiji, where a passport costs $142.94 for 10 years. While not as powerful as European or North American passports, its relatively high price compared to its global strength places it in the world’s top 10 most expensive.
Tuesday
I’m in hurry to see Nigeria rise, getting close to my departure lounge — Says the droll who essentially killed Nigeria’s ascent in 1979
By Staff
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that he was in a hurry to see Nigeria attain its potential for greatness, stressing that he is now “getting close” to his departure lounge.
Obasanjo made the remark while reflecting on his years in public service and his new book, ‘Nigeria: Past and Future,’ where he assessed Nigeria’s leadership trajectory and criticized both past and present administrations.
According to him, his writings and interventions over the years have not been borne out of animosity but out of a desire to see that Nigeria progress.
“All my writings have been aimed at making Nigeria better because I strongly believe that Nigeria can be made better and I also believe in documentation,” he said.
The former president explained that he had written works such as ‘My Command’, ‘Nzeogwu’, ‘Not My Will’, and his three-volume autobiography, ‘My Watch’, to shed light on his experiences in leadership, policy decisions, imprisonment, and the challenges Nigeria has faced.
“I have written Letters to my superiors and my successors in moments of our nation’s troubles and challenges. I have done these not out of malice but to help leaders to learn lessons and to draw the attention of Nigerians to the nature of the various crises,” he noted.
Obasanjo, who ruled Nigeria as both military Head of State (1976–1979) and civilian President (1999–2007), said he was aware of criticisms that he often sounded sanctimonious, but insisted his conscience remained clear. “Some have accused me of being equally guilty of the things I have written about or accused others of. I rely on my conscience and my records and have no need to defend myself,” he stated.
On his years as a military leader, Obasanjo said he and his contemporaries may have been inexperienced but were patriotic. “We were young, maybe somewhat naïve at times but we were patriotic and committed and sincerely so. We sought to feed our people, we sought to provide infrastructure, we sought to prioritize education, we sought to bring Nigeria to modernity and raise our profile in the international arena,” he explained.
In his latest book, Obasanjo described the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari (2015–2023) as “the worst civil administration regime so far in Nigeria’s history.”
He recalled how Buhari, in justifying the 1983 coup against the then President Shehu Shagari, condemned corruption, mismanagement, and electoral malpractice, but failed to address those same issues when he later became a democratically elected president. “Good points and good words which Buhari failed to follow when he became the President years later. Words are cheap and what needed to be done was left undone during Buhari’s civil administration,” Obasanjo wrote.
However, Mallam Garba Shehu, spokesman to the late Buhari, said Obasanjo’s criticisms were rooted in personal animosity. “There are many around Buhari who hold that the spectacular falling out between him and his superior in the military…was on account of the demand, reportedly put to him by Obasanjo, that the contract for the Mambilla Power Project be given to a contractor he preferred. On this, Buhari politely told the former president to allow him to handle it his own way,” Shehu alleged in his book According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience.
Obasanjo also reserved harsh words for the current administration of President Bola Tinubu, accusing it of inefficiency. “Only Bola Tinubu’s administration seems to be competing with Buhari’s (in the area of inefficiency) for now,” he declared.
Efforts to obtain a response from the presidency were unsuccessful as calls and messages to the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, and the Minister of Information, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, were not responded to as of press time.
Obasanjo reiterated that his legacy would speak for him, noting that he had served Nigeria in different capacities, endured imprisonment, and witnessed both the best and worst of the nation. “Yes, I am both angry and sad because I have seen the best and the worst of our country. With hindsight, we know we made some mistakes, but again we did some great things in our country, for our country and for Africa,” he said.
“I have had the great honour of serving this country as a military Head of State and a President. So, it might be said that I have sat on both sides of the fence. I have gone through the crucible of rural life, meagre resources, military peacekeeping in Africa, war in my own country, humiliation and imprisonment. I have learned a lot from what I have gone through, pleasant and not-so-pleasant,” Obasanjo added.
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