Carlos Alcaraz produced a stunning performance to defeat Novak Djokovic 6-2 6-2 7-6 (7-4) to win a second consecutive Wimbledon title at Roland Garros on Sunday.

It was also a second consecutive meeting between both players in the final with Alcaraz earning another victory over the veteran Djokovic.

The 37-year-old Djokovic struggled to cope with Alcaraz’s powerful serve as the Spaniard produced one of the best performances of his short career to win the title in style.

Djokovic was aiming to equal Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon men’s titles but he will be disappointed with his performance in the final.

Alcaraz produced late perfect volleys and thunderous forehand winners to stun Djokovic.

He has now won his fourth career Grand Slam after winning the US Open in 2022, Wimbledon in 2023 and French Open and his triumph at Roland Garros in 2024.

He also became the 2nd man in the Open Era to win his first 4 Grand Slam Finals after Roger Federer.

He is just the sixth man to win the French Open and Wimbledon back to back.

Alcaraz described his triumph as a dream come true.

He said, “It is a dream for me, winning this trophy,” said Alcaraz at the trophy ceremony. “In an interview when I was 11 or 12 years old I said my dream was to win Wimbledon, so I am repaying my dream. I want to keep going but it is a great feeling to play in this beautiful court and to lift this amazing trophy. This is the most beautiful tournament, the most beautiful court and most beautiful trophy.”

He is delighted to join the group of players to have won the French Open and the Wimbledon Open in the same year.

“It is a huge honour for me to be part of those players who have achieved Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year. They are huge champions. I don’t consider myself as a champion yet, not like them, but I will keep going to build my path, my journey. It is a huge honour for me.”

Spain earned a late 2-1 win over England to win the 2024 European Championship trophy in Berlin on Sunday night.

The La Furia Roja capped off their impressive performances in the competition with glory after a pulsating encounter.

The first half ended goalless as both sides struggled to get hold of the game before the clash burst into life immediately after the restart.

Lamine Yamal, who had a quiet first half, set up Nico Williams to finish past Jordan Pickford after the England defense suffered lack of concentration in the 47th minute.

The young star became the youngest male footballer to play in a major international tournament final. He surpassed Pele (17 years, 249 days) at the 1958 World Cup.

Substitute Cole Palmer came off the bench to score a brilliant leveller after he was set up by Jude Bellingham.

Another substitute, Mikel Oyarzabal became the hero for Spain with the winning goal in the 86th minute to break England’s heart and set Spain on course for an historic triumph.

Dani Olmo produced a stunning goal line clearance to preserve Spain’s lead as they held on to win their fourth European Championship trophy.

Spain are the first country to win the men’s European Championships four times after their triumph in 1964, 2008, 2012 and 2024.

England’s agonising 58-year trophy drought continues as they switch attention to the 2026 World Cup.

Lamine Yamal was named the young player of the tournament after a return of one goal and four assists, while Rodri was named the player of the tournament.

Meanwhile, A total of six players will share the Golden boot award after they all scored three goals in the competition.

Harry Kane, Spain’s Dani Olmo, Georgia’s Georges Mikautadze, the Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo, Slovakia’s Ivan Schranz and Germany’s Jamal Musiala will share the award.

In the past, UEFA used assists as the tie breaker which could have seen Spain’s Dani Olmo emerge as the top scorer but it was announced at the beginning of the tournament that the award would be decided only on goals.

I had the pleasure of being a teacher and am ready to work assiduously for the improvement of this noble profession. The benefit of being a teacher is that it is a rewarding experience. According to Chris Drew from Swinburne University, teaching creates new knowledge.

Teaching is also a great way to create new knowledge through research and discovery to help be part of that continued growth and development. The benefit of teaching is essential to improving sustainable education. At the same time, teachers acquire new knowledge and are enthusiastic about new experiences.

Teachers create the future of the country. As teachers, we have a great role to play in all professions, and teaching is an excellent profession. Keep learning as a teacher and be honest with yourself. Technology has taken a prominent place in the classroom, and having the necessary equipment helps in delivering the best. Nigerians deserve the best education, and I do believe in the future of this country. 

Nigeria will be great again. The future of the country is bright. Inclusiveness is key to teaching. As teachers, our focus should be on individual students, ensuring that they make progress in their personal learning. Continuous evaluation is a good way of keeping track. In order to address the problems and anomalies in the educational system, the government needs to invest heavily in infrastructure and training teachers in modern methods of teaching and technology. A good curriculum that include practical work and engages students in 21st-century skills is important.

In conclusion, let us begin to touch lives through our teaching and shape the minds of the next generation in a positive way. Lastly, the benefits of being a teacher are countless and equivalent to a rewarding experience. Changing the lives of our students positively should be our goal. Additionally, we should strive to transform the future of education. As teachers, we have the power to inspire, encourage, and motivate our students through learning.

Shosanya Babatunde Oluwaseyi, a prolific writer, historian, critic, scholar, researcher, activist, educator par excellence, and Director of music/choirmaster.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu on Sunday welcomed the former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim into the All Progressives Congress, APC, saying his decision to join the ruling party would further spur development in the South East region and Nigeria in general.

It will be recalled that Anyim who was also a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, formerly defected to APC in a remarkable public event on Saturday in Ebonyi State.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Levinus Nwabughiogu on Sunday, Hon. Kalu who graced the event said that having served as Senate President in the Legislature and SGF under the Executive Arm of government, Anyim is bringing his great wealth of experience to bear in the progress and development of the nation.

Hon. Kalu said: “It is my pleasure to welcome my big brother, the former Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, to our great party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.

“This decision is indeed a step in the right direction for the future of the Southeast and our nation, Nigeria.

“With your experience and leadership, I believe that this step will inspire other leaders to join hands in unity for the growth and development of our nation.

“Welcome to APC, Distinguished Senator Anyim Pius Anyim”.

Former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, is reportedly in the protective custody of the state Governor, Usman Ododo.

Naija News learnt that Bello has been in the custody of the Kogi state government since he was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to Cable News, Yahaya Bello is currently enjoying protection from the security agents attached to the state since the aborted attempt by the EFCC to arrest him.

Recall that the EFCC had issued a Red Notice on Bello to the international police organisation, also known as Interpol, based on the warrant of arrest issued by a federal high court in Abuja.

EFCC asked INTERPOL in three North African countries, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, to place Yahaya Bello on its watchlist.

Other countries where the ex-governor is on the watchlist are Egypt, Libya and Sudan.

Sources in the anti-graft agency disclosed that there are many options on the table in dealing with the Bello situation, which include but is not limited to storming the Kogi State Government House in Lokoja, where the ex-governor is believed to be hiding.

The watch list was activated ahead of the July 17th expected appearance of the former governor before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Loading and transporting of petrol and other related products have been halted by members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in Oyo and Osun states.

The petroleum stakeholders announced the suspension of their operations at an emergency meeting held in Ibadan on Saturday.

According to them, the decision became imperative due to the incessant “harassment and extortion of members by the police”.

The emergency meeting was attended by Mutiu Bukola, Ibadan depot chairman and Hammed Hamzat, chairman, Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG.

Also in attendance were Surajudeen Adegoke, chairman, independent marketers branch of NUPENG, and Olalekan Lawal, IPMAN, vice-chairman.

NAN reports that they unanimously condemned the operations of the “inspector general of police (IGP) monitoring team” on the highway which had been “disrupting the lifting of petroleum products” from depot to filling stations in the two states.

Bukola, speaking on behalf of the associations, called for an immediate end to harassment and extortion of members of the associations.

He said they would not resume operations until the issues were addressed.

According to the IPMAN branch chairman, no filling stations would open and there would be no movement of petroleum tankers in the two states until members of the IGP monitoring team are removed from the road.

“A tanker driver bringing in a truck load of diesel was arrested at Gbongon junction in Osun in the early hours of Saturday and detained along with his truck,” the associations said.

“The team has assumed the role of Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) which is the regulator in the sector.

“The NMDPRA officers at the lifting depot had already certified the product, meaning that there was no issue at all, only for the driver and the truck to be detained by the IGP monitoring team at Gbongbon.

“We hereby call for immediate release of the driver and the truck.”

In the last few months, he said the police team had “wrongly arrested” several tanker drivers and trucks, only to discover that they were innocent after investigations.

“There will be no movement of trucks in and out of Osun and Oyo states, meaning that there will be no loading of petroleum products from depot to filling stations within the two states,” he said.

“The purpose of the IGP monitoring team was to stop vandalism of pipelines but the team has left its function and is now chasing other things.”

Bukola also condemned what he described as multiple charges that “had been crippling operations” in the petroleum sector in the two states.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has re-arraigned Binance on a four-count charge bordering on alleged tax evasion.

Ayodele Omotilewa, Binance’s representative in Nigeria, was arraigned on Friday before Emeka Nwite, a judge at the federal high court in Abuja.

Omotilewa pleaded not guilty to the four counts.

In the amended charge filed on June 14, Binance Holdings Limited is listed as the sole defendant.

After the plea by the Binance representative, Moses Ideho, counsel to FIRS, sought a date for the commencement of trial. The presiding judge subsequently fixed October 11 as the trial date.

Over the past few months, Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, has been facing trial in Nigeria over alleged tax evasion and money laundering.

On June 14, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) dropped the tax charges against Gambaryan.

A federal high court in Abuja discharged Gambaryan after the FIRS confirmed the appointment of Omotilewa as the firm’s representative.

However, the EFCC has yet to drop its charges against Binance and its executives.

The anti-graft body had arraigned Binance Holdings Limited, Gambaryan, Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s regional manager for Africa, over allegations of money laundering.

Gambaryan and Anjarwalla were detained by the Nigerian authorities on February 28.

However, Anjarwalla escaped from the custody of the office of the national security adviser (ONSA), leaving Gambaryan to face the charges alone.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has named Thomas Matthew Crooks as the gunman who fired shots at the rally of former President Donald Trump.

According to the FBI, Crooks is a 20-year-old male from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.

The former US president was injured in the shooting while he was delivering a speech at his campaign rally on Saturday.

The FBI has described the incident as an assassination attempt.

Although Trump survived the shooting, one person was killed while two others were gravely injured.

“The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania,” the bureau said on Sunday.

The FBI also shared a phone number and website for anyone with information, video, or pictures related to the shooting.

Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh office, said the website for tips is www.FBI.gov/Butler.

Following the shooting, Trump returned to New Jersey, with his plane touching down early on Sunday morning.

Several world leaders have condemned the attack and expressed sympathy with the Republican Party candidate for the US presidential election.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the shooting an “inexcusable attack”.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was “appalled”, adding that such “violence has no justification and no place anywhere in the world”.

Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, expressed concern over the incident, saying “our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased, those injured and the American people”.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has advised the family of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, to refrain from commenting on the resolution reached by the Federal Government regarding the controversial Oil Mining Licence (OML) 245.

Lokpobiri’s statement follows comments from Mohammed Abacha, the son of the late head of state, who urged the minister to retract his public statement about resolving the disputes over OML 245 and resuming production in the national interest.

In a letter of protest written by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Reuben Okpanachi Atabo, the Abacha family gave Lokpobiri a 14-day ultimatum to withdraw his claim or face contempt of court charges. The letter, delivered to the offices of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Oil Minister on July 5, argued that Lokpobiri’s claims were false and disregarded ongoing court cases regarding Malabu Oil and Gas ownership.

Responding to the Abacha family’s statement, Lokpobiri said, “I don’t want to join issues with the Abacha family, but I can assure you that we are resolving all the issues with OML 245 under overriding national strategic interest. This matter has lingered on for the past 28 years. And if I were a member of the Abacha family, I wouldn’t even raise my head. As Heineken Lokpobiri, I can’t give any Lokpobiri a license. That in itself is criminal. So if they know what they are doing, they should keep quiet.”

Lokpobiri, an English-trained lawyer, emphasized that oil blocks are federation assets, and the federal government will ensure that Nigerians benefit from them.

History of Litigation

OML 245, considered one of Nigeria’s most prolific oil blocks, was acquired by Malabu Oil and Gas, a company belonging to the Abacha family, in 1998 for $2 million. In 2001, under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the federal government revoked Malabu’s license due to “questionable practices.” Malabu challenged the revocation in court and reached an out-of-court settlement with the government under former President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2006.

In 2011, Shell and Eni acquired the block for $1.3 billion from Malabu in a deal approved by the Nigerian government. Since then, there have been ongoing allegations and litigation, with Transparency International and other anti-corruption groups alleging bribery and corruption in the deal.

Regarding the 28-year crisis and litigation, Lokpobiri recently stated, “The core issue revolves around the agreement between the federal government, Shell, and ENI, wherein the Federal Government facilitated the transfer of rights from Malabu to Shell/ENI in exchange for consideration. This process was conducted transparently and by established legal frameworks.”

National Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has said that the return of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano and the several demolitions carried out by the state governor, Engr. Kabir Abba Yusuf, were fulfilment of campaign promises by the party.

Kwankwaso, however, alleged that some persons in Abuja pressured the former Emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero into coming to Kano even after he, alongside others, had accepted the dissolution of the five emirates created by the Ganduje government.

Speaking on Prime Time, a political programme on Arise News monitored in Abuja, Kwankwaso, who was presidential candidate of the NNPP in the 2023 general elections, said they have no regrets for fulfilling the promises made during their campaign for which the governor was elected.

He said: “It was a campaign issue. Don’t forget that Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was installed in 2014 by our government. My Deputy who became governor decided in his wisdom to divide Kano into five emirates. What many people don’t remember is that it was tried by the Rimi government during the Second Republic.

“It was our position, our belief that Kano should continue as one solid traditional institution. That was what we believed in. So, during our campaign, the governor went round to tell the people that if they voted for him, Kano would return to being one solid traditional institution, of course with support from the other emirates.

“That is why when he was sworn-in, he started a process of consultation. For your information, the emirates that were created by Rimi were dissolved by Sabo Bakinzuwo who took over from him right there at the Race Course where he was sworn in. 

“But for one year, the governor carried out due consultations and decided to follow due process through the State House of Assembly and Sanusi was reinstated. People voted for him for several reasons, including making Kano one strong emirate.

“So, we are not just coming from the streets. We have a history.  We did not just wake up one day to do that. That is the position of the people of Kano State and we have done what is right and the other four emirs have accepted it and moved out of their palaces.”