Sport

Romania, defeated by France 3-2, fails to qualify for Fed Cup final

Published

4 years ago

July 15, 2021

The main thing that you have to remember on this journey is just be nice to everyone and always smile. Refreshingly, what was expected of her was the same thing that was expected of Lara Stone: to take a beautiful picture.

We woke reasonably late following the feast and free flowing wine the night before. After gathering ourselves and our packs, we headed down to our homestay family’s small dining room for breakfast, where we enjoyed scrambled eggs, toast, mekitsi (fried dough), local jam and peppermint tea.

We were making our way to the Rila Mountains, where we were visiting the Rila Monastery.

We wandered the site with busloads of other tourists, yet strangely the place did not seem crowded. I’m not sure if it was the sheer size of the place, or whether the masses congregated in one area and didn’t venture far from the main church, but I didn’t feel overwhelmed by tourists in the monastery.

Headed over Lions Bridge and made our way to the Sofia Synagogue, then sheltered in the Central Market Hall until the recurrent (but short-lived) mid-afternoon rain passed.

Feeling refreshed after an espresso, we walked a short distance to the small but welcoming Banya Bashi Mosque, then descended into the ancient Serdica complex.

We were exhausted after a long day of travel, so we headed back to the hotel and crashed. I had low expectations about Sofia as a city, but after the walking tour I absolutely loved the place. This was an easy city to navigate, and it was a beautiful city – despite its ugly, staunch and stolid communist-built surrounds. Sofia has a very average facade as you enter the city, but once you lose yourself in the old town area, everything changes.

If You Have It, You Can Make Anything Look Good

Clothes can transform your mood and confidence. Fashion moves so quickly that, unless you have a strong point of view, you can lose integrity. I like to be real. I don’t like things to be staged or fussy. I think I’d go mad if I didn’t have a place to escape to. You have to stay true to your heritage, that’s what your brand is about.

Sport

Technical education key to national development: NBTE

Published

3 months ago

October 10, 2025

Our Reporter

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Ag. Director of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), North Central Zone, Mr. Bello Abdul-Hakeem, has emphasised the pivotal role of technical education in fostering national development.

Bello made this declaration during his recent visit to the Kwara State Polytechnic as part of his familiarization tour of educational institutions within the north central region.

In his address, the Ag. Director emphasised NBTE’s commitment to bolstering skills acquisition among youths, highlighting that such initiatives are essential in combating unemployment across the country.

Bello praised the Kwara State Polytechnic for its well-established academic programmes and for ensuring that all its courses are fully accredited.

He encouraged the management of the Kwara Polytechnic to continue to be committed to excellence and innovation in technical education.

Responding, the Rector, Engr. Dr. Abdul Jimoh Mohammed, expressed gratitude for the Ag. Director’s visit and reiterated the institution’s dedication to adhering strictly to NBTE’s regulations regarding academic programmes.

He emphasized Kwarapoly’s mission to equip students with the essential skills needed to compete effectively in the job market.

“We are committed to ensuring our students graduate with dual certifications: the National Diploma (ND) or Higher National Diploma (HND) alongside the National Skills Qualification (NSQ) certificate,” he stated.

The Rector also took the opportunity to seek support from the zonal office for the accreditation of some recently launched programmes, reinforcing the Polytechnic’s efforts to stay at the forefront of vocational education.

The visit marked a significant step towards fostering a robust technical education environment, ensuring that students are well-prepared to meet the demands of the labour market and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economy.

End

Sport

Nigeria loses 2026 World Cup ticket.

Published

3 months ago

October 6, 2025

Our Reporter

Nigeria’s bid to qualify for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has ended in disappointment, with the Yellow Greens finishing sixth at the Africa Qualifiers after losing to Uganda by 66 runs in the fifth-place playoff on Saturday.

Uganda posted an imposing 196 for 7, powered by an unbeaten 66 from Riazat Ali Shah, who anchored their innings with a composed knock.

In response, Nigeria could only manage 130 for 7 in their 20 overs. Captain Sylvester Okpe put up a fight, top-scoring with 26 runs and also claiming two wickets, but his efforts were not enough to turn the tide.

Across the tournament, Nigeria secured wins against Malawi and Botswana but fell short against Namibia, Kenya, and Uganda, exposing struggles with consistency against higher-ranked teams.

With the qualifiers concluded, Zimbabwe and Namibia clinched Africa’s two tickets to the 2026 T20 World Cup, joining South Africa as the continent’s representatives at the global tournament.

Sport

Galatasaray Issue Official Update on Victor Osimhen’s Injury

Published

4 months ago

September 9, 2025

Our Reporter

By: Fabian Apechihin

Galatasaray have released a statement on Victor Osimhen’s fitness after the Nigerian striker sustained an ankle injury during the Super Eagles’ 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Rwanda on Saturday.

Osimhen limped off just before halftime following a heavy challenge and was replaced by Cyriel Dessers. The forward, who has scored twice in his first three Super Lig matches, reportedly woke up the next morning with severe ankle pain. Nigeria’s medical team has since ruled him out of Tuesday’s qualifier against South Africa.

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle confirmed the injury is being closely monitored, while in Istanbul, Galatasaray are anxiously awaiting further updates. Head coach Okan Buruk told BeIN Sports that the club had spoken to Osimhen and confirmed he was in significant discomfort.

“We hope it is not serious, but of course we are worried about his condition, especially with the international workload,” Buruk said.

According to Fanatik, Galatasaray arranged for Osimhen’s immediate return to Istanbul on a private jet for medical examinations. The club wants a full assessment before determining his availability.

The Turkish champions are desperate to have their record signing fit for the UEFA Champions League group stage, which begins in 10 days with a tough away fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt. Losing Osimhen for such a crucial game would be a major setback, given the expectations surrounding his arrival this season.

The coming days will be decisive in confirming the extent of the injury and whether Osimhen will feature in Galatasaray’s European opener.

Do you want me to make this tight and headline-friendly for sports news sites, or keep it in-depth with more analysis on Galatasaray’s Champions League prospects?