AFCON 2025: Shaun Bartlett Highlights Defensive Concerns for Super Eagles Despite Thrilling 3-2 Victory Over Tunisia

The Super Eagles of Nigeria secured their spot in the Round of 16 at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 in Morocco with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Tunisia on December 27. However, former South African striker Shaun Bartlett has raised concerns about Nigeria's defensive fragility, describing it as "alarming" despite the dominant first-half performance.
Nigeria raced to a commanding 3-0 lead, thanks to goals from Victor Osimhen (just before halftime), Wilfred Ndidi, and Ademola Lookman after the break. The three-time AFCON champions looked set for a comfortable victory in their Group C clash in Fes.
But Tunisia mounted a dramatic late comeback, scoring twice in the closing stages—through Montassar Talbi (from a header) and Ali Abdi (from a penalty after a VAR review). The Carthage Eagles nearly equalized in stoppage time, with efforts coming close to forcing a draw.

Speaking on SuperSport after the match, Bartlett, a former Bafana Bafana star, praised Nigeria's attacking prowess but pointed out vulnerabilities at the back:

“The one alarming thing for Nigeria is just that they just seem under threat every time they’re under attack. There’s not that solidity about them … it’s almost like they might just concede whenever the opponents attacked.”

He added that while the Super Eagles were "fantastic" in the first half, the second half was "awful," allowing Tunisia to exploit gaps and nearly stage a miraculous recovery.Bartlett also commended Tunisia's No. 10 (likely referring to a key playmaker like Hannibal Mejbri or similar) for his "unbelievable" technical ability in opening up the game and creating chances.


#AFCON #Nigeria #Soccer

JAMB postpones registration date for UTME 2025 - announces new date

 

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has postponed the commencement of registration for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) earlier scheduled to begin Friday 31st January.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has rescheduled the start of registration for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), which was initially set to commence on Friday, January 31.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, the board said the registration will commence on Monday, 3 February.

JAMB said the postponement became necessary to allow the board implement essential adjustments to its registration templates.

It added that it is further scrutinising some Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres after discovering that they had used deceptive facilities to be approved.

“These adjustments come in light of the recent suspension of certain law programmes at selected universities, as submitted to the Board by the Council for Legal Education.”

Bitcoin: some things you need to know

WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN?

A blockchain is a chain of blocks where each block contains a list of transactions. These blocks are linked using cryptographic techniques, ensuring security and immutability.

Key characteristics of blockchain:

• Decentralization: Unlike traditional centralized databases (e.g., banks or government systems), blockchain operates on a peer-to-peer network, removing the need for intermediaries.
• Transparency: All transactions recorded on the blockchain are visible to all participants in the network.
• Immutability: Once a transaction is added to the blockchain, it cannot be altered or deleted.
• Security: Transactions are encrypted and verified through a consensus mechanism, making hacking extremely difficult.

2. How Blockchain Works

Step-by-Step Process:

1.   Transaction Initiation: A user initiates a transaction (e.g., sending cryptocurrency or verifying an asset in a supply chain).

2.    Transaction Broadcast: The transaction is sent to a network of computers (nodes) for verification.

3. Validation & Consensus: Nodes validate the transaction using consensus mechanisms like Proof of Work (PoW) or Proof of Stake (PoS).

4.     Block Creation: Once validated, transactions are grouped into a block.

5. Block Linking: The new block is linked to the previous block through cryptographic hashes, forming a chain.

6. Finalization: The transaction is permanently recorded, and the ledger updates across all nodes.

Key Components of Blockchain

A. Blocks

Each block contains:

• A list of transactions
• A timestamp
• A cryptographic hash of the previous block
• A unique identifier (hash) for the current block

B. Nodes

Nodes are computers connected to the blockchain network that validate transactions and maintain the blockchain.

C. Consensus Mechanisms

Blockchain networks use different methods to validate transactions and reach agreement:

• Proof of Work (PoW): Used by Bitcoin; miners solve complex mathematical puzzles to validate transactions.
• Proof of Stake (PoS): Validators are selected based on the amount of cryptocurrency they hold.
• Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS): Users vote for representatives who validate transactions.
• Proof of Authority (PoA): Trusted entities validate transactions in private blockchains.

D. Smart Contracts

Smart contracts are self-executing contracts with predefined rules stored on the blockchain. They automatically execute when conditions are met.

 

Trump to send worst criminal illegal aliens' to Guantánamo Bay

 

The gates that separate the Cuban side from the Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base

President Trump intends to utilize a migrant detention facility at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to accommodate up to 30,000 deported criminal migrants from the United States.

In a White House memo, he ordered the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security to begin that process to "halt the border invasion, dismantle criminal cartels and restore national sovereignty."

The Trump administration said the deported migrants would not be held in the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo that now houses suspected foreign terrorists, including alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Instead, it said, they would be held in a separate area on the naval station portion of Guantánamo, which for decades has had a detention facility for migrants intercepted at sea, mostly Haitians, Cubans and Dominicans.

Inferno swept through the City of LA: Catastrophic

Thousands of firefighters are working tirelessly to combat at least five massive wildfires raging across the Los Angeles area. The largest of these, the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, has burned over 19,000 acres, destroyed thousands of structures, and remains completely uncontained. Similarly, the Eaton Fire in Altadena has consumed more than 13,000 acres and is also at zero percent containment. Over 180,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate as the fires continue to spread.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden approved a federal major disaster declaration for Los Angeles County.

Fires in Western Canada

 

On Sunday, the initial significant wildfires of the season scorched about 10,000 hectares (24,710 acres) in Western Canada. Authorities mandated evacuations for residents of British Columbia and cautioned about poor air quality across the provinces. In British Columbia, numerous individuals from the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and Fort Nelson First Nations were relocated as a nearby fire nearly doubled in size to 4,136 hectares.

Fort Nelson First Nation, situated approximately seven kilometers (about 4.35 miles) from the city, also issued an evacuation order for Fontas, an Indigenous community. Rob Fraser, the mayor of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, mentioned in a TV interview that the majority of the approximately 3,500 residents in and around Fort Nelson were evacuated. Meanwhile, across the border in Alberta, inhabitants of Fort McMurray, an oil center previously affected by wildfires in 2016, were advised to prepare for potential evacuation.

Kenya (Tanzania) Hit By First-Ever Cyclone After Weeks of Intense Rainfall and Fatal Flooding

 

A tropical cyclone unleashed heavy rainfall and powerful winds across East Africa over the weekend, adding to the woes of a region already reeling from weeks of extreme weather and fatal floods. Cyclone Hidaya, with wind speeds reaching 165 kph (102.5 mph) and waves nearly eight meters tall, prompted mandatory evacuation orders from the Kenyan Government for residents near 178 dams and water reservoirs in 33 counties. Tanzania faced a widespread blackout and witnessed thousands of displacements. Hidaya, akin to a Category 1 hurricane, marked the first occurrence of its kind in eastern Africa, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

Although local authorities confirmed on Sunday that Cyclone Hidaya had dissipated entirely, the situation in the region, particularly in Tanzania and Kenya, remained critical, with persistent heavy rainfall forecasted until Monday. "Following its landfall at Mafia Island on Saturday, May 4, 2024, Tropical Cyclone Hidaya completely lost its strength. The remnants of the rain clouds that accompanied the cyclone have been observed to weaken and spread out in various areas of the southern region of Tanzania, as confirmed by the Tanzania Meteorological Authority," stated David Gikungu, Director of Kenya’s Meteorological Services.