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http://ift.tt/2s0PSx0 Britain's Andy Murray returns the ball to Slovakia's Martin Klizan during their tennis match at the Roland Garros 2017 French Open on June 1, 2017 in Paris. / AFP PHOTO / Eric FEFERBERG World number one Andy Murray and 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro square off at the French Open on Saturday in the latest chapter of a thrilling rivalry. Murray holds a 6-3 edge over the giant Argentine, notably downing Del Potro in a gruelling Olympic final to claim a second straight singles gold medal in Rio. But Del Potro avenged that defeat as he rallied from behind to overcome Murray in a five-set epic in last year’s Davis Cup semi-finals, with Argentina going on to secure their maiden title. Their third-round clash at Roland Garros represents just the second time the pair have met at a Grand Slam, Murray winning their only previous encounter at the 2008 US Open. “It’s a tough match. Not an easy third round. He’s, in my opinion, one of the best ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders of the world’s rich nations at the G7 summit on Friday were expected to be “robust” and “challenging” after he had lambasted NATO allies and condemned German trade policies a day earlier. Trump’s confrontational remarks in Brussels, on the eve of the two-day summit in the Mediterranean resort town of Taormina, cast a pall over a meeting at which America’s partners had hoped to coax him into softening his stances on trade and climate change. The summit kicked off with a ceremony at an ancient Greek theater perched on a cliff overlooking the sea where war ships patrolled the sparkling blue waters. Later, the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States will hold talks on terrorism, Syria, North Korea and the global economy. “No doubt, this will be the most challenging G7 summit in years,” Donald Tusk, the former Polish prime minister who chairs summits of European Unio...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Onozure Dania A   trailer driver, Mr. Sina Odeyale, and his motor boy, Lateef Ahmed, escaped death by the whiskers, but ended up hospitalised after encounters with ubiquitous hoodlums, popularly known as Area Boys , in Lagos. From Odeyale’s narrative, the perennial traffic gridlock on Mile 2-Apapa Expressway and a mechanical fault in the trailer worked against them. To avoid the traffic, Odeyale said they intended to take a roundabout route through Oshodi to Apapa. However, while leaving for Oshodi, two rough-looking young men jumped into the vehicle in the Mile 2 traffic, with one of them pointing what looked like a gun at Odeyale, collected N10,000 before they jumped down. On getting to Oshodi at 6.30a.m., their trailer broke down and, according to him, “suddenly, many hooligans swooped on us like bees. “Some demanded N30,000 while others reduced it to N20,000 to help us watch over the vehicle, while we get a mechanic to fix it.” He told Vanguard ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Lukman Agbiaka, the Secretary-General of Nigeria Deaf Sports Federation (NDSF), has promised Nigerians that the country’s athletes to the Deaflympics in Turkey would make Nigeria proud. Agbabiaka told newsmen on Thursday in Abuja that Nigerian Deaf athletes to the Deaflympics in Samsun, Turkey, from July 18 to July 30, would prepare adequately. Agbabiaka disclosed that the federation would start camping for its athletes from June 15 in Lagos. “We have selected athletes that will represent us in Samsun, Turkey. We choose 12 athletes for track and field events and two players for table tennis. “We selected these athletes during our one week trials in Ilorin in April. “They (athletes) have been representing us well whenever we have a competition, I am sure they will not let us down,’’ he said. The secretary added that Nigeria won the 4th West Africa Deaf football championship in Mali this month. “Our Deaf Eagles football team participated in the football champ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Brazilian President Michel Temer on Thursday deployed the army as protesters battle police, demanding his resignation and setting fire to a ministry building. Police unleashed volleys of tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets to halt tens of thousands of protesters as they marched towards Congress to call for Temer’s ouster and an end to his austerity program. Masked protesters fired powerful fireworks at police, set ablaze furniture in the Agriculture Ministry, and sprayed anti-Temer graffiti on government buildings. It was the most violent protest in Brasilia since anti-government demonstrations in 2013 and fueled a political crisis sparked by allegations Temer condoned paying off a potential witness in a massive corruption probe. The scandal has raised chances Brazil could see a second president fall in less than a year. Police cordons held back protesters from advancing on the modernistic Congress building where the main ally in Temer’s coalition, the...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J An Australian study has found the first evidence that medicinal cannabis can reduce seizures in children with severe epilepsy. The study, published by The University of Melbourne on Thursday, found that cannabidiol, a medical component of cannabis, can reduce seizures in more than 40 per cent of children with a severe form of epilepsy. The trial took place over 14 weeks with 120 children with Dravets Syndrome, a severe potentially lethal form of epilepsy, participating, 60 of whom were given a placebo and the other 60 given cannabidiol. Ingrid Scheffer, the lead author of the study, said it was a major milestone in using cannabis products to treat epilepsy. “This is the first high-level evidence that shows that cannabidiol works for epilepsy,” Scheffer said on Thursday. “It’s as good as some of our other drugs, it doesn’t look like it’s better than our other drugs because it’s not going to cure. “It’s not a panacea, but it’s going to be very valuable for the...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J An environmentalist, Mr Umar Ado, on Thursday urged the Jigawa Government to ban tree felling, to discourage deforestation in the state. Ado made the call in an interview with newsmen in Hadejia, Jigawa. The environmentalist also called for the adoption of proactive measures to encourage the development of alternative energy sources to reduce dependence on firewood as a source of fuel. He said that the measure was imperative in view of the quantum of destruction of forest resources through tree felling. Ado condemned the indiscriminate felling of trees at Baturiya Forest by wood cutters, noting that the trend posed a serious threat to the environment. He listed the consequences of tree felling to include extinction of wildlife, desert encroachment, flood, soil erosion and climate imbalance. “It is necessary to enforce compliance with the ban on cutting of trees, to control depletion of forest resources and protect the environment. “The state and local gover...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Iran has built a third underground ballistic missile production factory and will keep developing its missile programmes, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Thursday. Fars quoted the head of the Republican Guard’s airspace division, Amirali Hajizadeh, as saying, “”Iran’s third underground factory has been built by the Guards in recent years. “We will continue to further develop our missile capabilities forcefully.” Since taking office in January, U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed new sanctions on Iran in response to Tehran’s recent missile launches, putting Tehran “on notice”. Iran’s Sunni Gulf neighbours and its arch-enemy Israel have expressed concerns over Tehran’s ballistic missile programme, seeing it as a threat to regional security. “It is natural that our enemies America and the Zionist regime (Israel) are angry with our missile program because they want Iran to be in a weak position,” Hajizadeh said. In retaliation for the new U.S. ...

http://ift.tt/2oweHLG President Muhammadu Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari had warned Nigerians when he returned from nearly two months of medical treatment in London that he was likely to have go back. On Sunday night, he did just that. But if few were surprised at his departure — the 74-year-old has barely been seen in public since March — the manner of his leaving gave cause for concern. The news came just minutes after a hastily organised reception for 82 schoolgirls, who were released in a negotiated deal after being held by Boko Haram Islamists for more than three years. Presidency spokesman Femi Adesina announced that Buhari’s doctors would determine how long he was away, making his absence open-ended. “I have absolute confidence that government will continue to run smoothly while I’m away,” Buhari wrote on his Twitter account after formally handing over power to his deputy. Buhari’s government has been trying to turn around the economy, which has been in recessio...

http://ift.tt/2pXttNH IDP The National Logistic Committee on Distribution of Relief Material to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) has called on agencies to always ensure sanity among residents. Mr Abdulkadir Azarema, Chairman of the committee, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin, Edo state on Monday that this would bring about harmony and peace. ” The issue of social menace, we are happy here, the pastor has told us that there is no social or sexual harassment between IDPs and there are no cases of diseases. ‘’Nevertheless in other places we have had some cases. “The agencies responsible for maintaining camps; the state government, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and health officials should put hands together to ensure that IDPs camps are secure from insurgency. “They should make sure it is protected from internal problems like conflict between IDPs, conflict between security agencies and social workers and the issue of sexual harassment should be...

http://ift.tt/2pNxKoV Manchester United's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho (R) talks with Manchester United's English striker Marcus Rashford (L) as they leave the pitch at the end of the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Swansea City at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on April 30, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Oli SCARFF / Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho heaped praise on Marcus Rashford’s desire to improve after the 19-year-old’s brilliant free-kick handed the English giants a 1-0 Europa League semi-final, first leg win at Celta Vigo on Thursday. One moment of magic from the England international settled a tight encounter as he pulled his strike across Celta Vigo goalkeeper Sergio Alvarez into the far corner 23 minutes from time. “The free-kick is work. He works every day. Sometimes the training session finished and he keeps working with my assistant,” said Mourinho. “The free-kick is fantastic and I don’t think the goal...