Author: Akintayo Adams

Wimbledon’s iconic tradition of having line judges in uniform will come to an end in 2025, as the All England Club has announced the introduction of artificial intelligence to make ‘out’ and ‘fault’ calls. This shift follows extensive testing at the 2024 tournament and builds on the ball-tracking and line-calling technology already in use. Sally Bolton, the chief executive of the All England Club, explained that the decision was driven by the pursuit of maximum accuracy in officiating. She highlighted that players have already experienced similar technology at other tournaments, making it a seamless transition. Despite the change, Bolton emphasized…

The Federal Government has launched an online portal for Nigerians interested in converting their vehicles from using Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). In a statement released by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Wednesday, titled “Payment plan to make it easier to switch to CNG,” it was announced that Nigerians can apply through the portal and take advantage of flexible payment plans, allowing them to spread conversion costs over monthly installments. The statement highlighted that switching to CNG has been made more accessible through tailored payment options, providing a smooth and affordable transition from petrol to…

Despite being the King of Pop with countless admirers, Michael Jackson didn’t have the romantic life people might have expected. Though he sang about wanting to “rock with” someone at 21, it took another 14 years before, according to his ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley, he had his first intimate experience. Jackson was famously married to Lisa Marie, Elvis Presley’s daughter, before marrying Debbie Rowe, the mother of his children, Paris and Prince. Lisa Marie and Jackson had a whirlwind romance, marrying in 1994 just months after they began dating. Now, the details of their relationship are revealed in Lisa Marie’s…

Former soldier, Private Ruth Ogunleye, has made a public appeal to the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, requesting a review of the case that led to her discharge from service. Ogunleye was dismissed after accusing a senior officer, Colonel I.B. Abdulkareem, of sexual harassment. In a recent TikTok post, Ogunleye apologised to the Army Chief, expressing regret for disrespecting him in the course of her attempts to clear her name. She emphasized that her actions were driven by a need to defend her reputation, asking Lagbaja for mercy and a second look at her case. “Please, sir,…

The pump price of petrol surged to ₦1,030 per liter at several Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) stations in Abuja on Wednesday. This hike follows the NNPC’s decision to end its exclusive purchase agreement with Dangote Refinery. Earlier reports indicated that NNPC Ltd had decided to cease being the sole buyer of petrol from Dangote Refinery, thus allowing other marketers to directly purchase fuel from the refinery on a willing buyer, willing seller basis. This shift reflects the fully deregulated nature of the petrol market, giving refineries the freedom to negotiate prices with marketers. According to a PREMIUM…

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 has released detailed data on universities worldwide, including Nigerian institutions, with Covenant University topping the national list. According to the report, the rankings are based on the new WUR 3.0 methodology, which evaluates universities using 18 performance indicators across five key areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry, and international outlook. The report states: “The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 includes 1,907 universities from 108 countries and regions, providing insights into the evolving global higher education landscape. This year’s analysis covered over 134 million citations from 16.5 million research publications…

70-year-old Tizi Hodson from Lincolnshire, UK, has finally received a response to a job application she submitted nearly five decades ago. Back in 1976, Hodson had applied for a role as a motorcycle stunt rider—a job she was passionate about. After never hearing back, she assumed the application had been unsuccessful. However, nearly 48 years later, the mystery was solved. Her letter had been stuck behind a drawer at the Staines Post Office all this time and was only discovered during renovation work. The post office staff returned the letter to Hodson with a note that read, “Late delivery by…

The University of Ibadan (UI), Oyo State, has announced the cut-off marks for the 2024/2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) admission exercise. The cut-off marks are determined by combining candidates’ UTME scores, post-UTME scores, and their Senior Secondary School Examination (SSCE) results. Below is a breakdown of the required points for merit, catchment area, and Educationally Less Developed States (ELDS) for some key programs: Medicine and Surgery: Merit/Catchment – 78.125; ELDS – 76.25 Nursing Science: Merit/Catchment – 71.875; ELDS – 63.375 Medical Laboratory Science: Merit/Catchment – 65; ELDS – 58.75 Pharmacy: Merit/Catchment – 68; ELDS – 65.625 Law: Merit/Catchment –…

Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has been named global head of soccer at Red Bull, beginning his new role on January 1, 2025. The 57-year-old German expressed his excitement for this next chapter after nearly 25 years in management. While Klopp will not oversee daily operations, he will offer guidance on playing philosophy, transfer strategy, and coaching development for Red Bull’s football teams, which include RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, New York Red Bulls, and Red Bull Bragantino. Klopp, who won eight trophies at Liverpool, including the Premier League and Champions League, said his passion for football remains strong. Red…

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has criticized Starlink for increasing its subscription packages without obtaining prior approval from the Commission. Reuben Muoka, the Director of Public Affairs at NCC, made this known in a statement on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. According to Muoka, Starlink’s decision to unilaterally raise its prices is a violation of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, specifically Sections 108 and 111, as well as the company’s license conditions regarding tariffs. He stated that the NCC initiated pre-enforcement actions against Starlink on October 3, 2024, in response to the unauthorized price hike. Muoka emphasized that Starlink’s move undermines…