Paul Pogba scores to take Manchester United to top position for first time in three years

 

The highly criticized Paul Pogba was the game saver for Manchester United in a close clash with Burnley late Tuesday night, January 12.

 
United were the better side and made their greater ball possession pay in the second half, and for the first time since September 2017, United are top of the English Premier League. 

This puts the Red Devils in a good position as they travel to Anfield on Sunday to face eternal rivals, Liverpool.

 
Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, and Edinson Cavani started together but Burnley came out more aggressively and pinned United to their half.

 An interchange of fouls-one saw Robbie Brady initially shown a yellow card which was rescinded after a lengthy VAR check. Kevin Friend then showed Luke Shaw a yellow card and awarded a free kick to Burnley.

 

United captain, Harry Maguire, had the ball in the net in the 37th minute but referee Kevin Friend ruled it as a foul on Erik Pieters. A minute later, Cavani attempted a bicycle kick that struck Ben Mee at point-blank range, but Friend waved away shouts of a penalty.

 

Nick Pope made a great save from a Martial effort on the 45th minute. There were four minutes added on, but both teams went into the interval level with United having 66% of ball possession.

The second half saw United upping the ante and Cavani should have scored the opener six minutes into the half.

Another shot on target from Fernandes failed to trouble Burnley as United played more in the Burnley half. Fernandes had another shot on target on the hour but still could not trouble Pope.

A clean volley from Paul Pogba took a small touch of Mee to beat Pope in the 62nd minute.

After the goal, Pogba became United’s driving force, both offensively and defensively.

Tarkowski then had a great chance to equalise in the 89th, but the ball didn’t quite sit well for a better strike on goal. Martial had another chance to seal the points in added time, but he shot straight at Pope.

United held on for their seventh away win of the season and now sit at the top position on the table.

 

Donald Trump approves state of emergency declaration for the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden's Inauguration

 

President Donald Trump on Monday January 11, approved a state of emergency for Washington, D.C., through January 24, covering the date of US President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20.

 

The move comes after pro-Trump rioters invaded the US Capitol building on January 6 in support of Trump’s false claims that the US election was stolen from him. Five people were killed in the deadly riots. 

 

The declaration was in response to a letter sent to Trump on Sunday by Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, who already declared a 15-day public emergency for the city shortly after pro-Trump demonstrators stormed the US Capitol.

 

Federal Bureau of Investigation has also warned about plans of armed protests from Jan. 16 through Jan. 20 at all the 50 state capitols, and from Jan. 17 through Jan. 20 at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Enditem

 

"Today, President Donald J. Trump declared that an emergency exists in the District of Columbia and ordered Federal assistance to supplement the District's response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from the 59th Presidential Inauguration from Jan. 11 to Jan. 24, 2021," the Office of the White House Press Secretary said in a statement on Monday.

 

The emergency declaration authorized the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to "coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the District of Columbia."

 

FEMA is also "authorized to identify, mobilize, and use discretion to provide resources and equipment to prevent any impacts of violence or situations of emergency."

 

Read the full statement below.

 

Young Cameroonian lady dies in motor accident 5 days to her wedding

 

A Cameroonian nursing student identified as Petra Nji has died in a car accident five days to her wedding. 

 

It was gathered that Petra and her husband-to-be, Isbias Forsack were returning from Douala after their pre-wedding shopping when they got involved in a car accident along Tiko-Douala road on Monday, January 11, 2021.

 

 

Isbias and other passengers sustained injuries and were rushed to a medical facility. Sadly Petra didn't make it. 

 

Their church wedding was scheduled to take place on Saturday the 16th of January at Presbyterian Church Molyko, Buea while the traditional wedding was slated for Friday, January 15.

 

 

Boko Haram leader, Shekau is critically ill and wants prayers from Nigerians - Borno Pastor

 

Desmond Yunana, a reverend of Anglican Church Nigeria based in Borno state in his Sunday sermon disclosed that Boko Haram factional leader Abubakar Sheaku is critically ill and wants prayer from Nigerians.

 

In the sermon delivered after a captured teenage fighter, Mohammed Adam disclosed that Shekau can no longer walk effectively, Yunana said he received a revelation on the health challenges Shekau is currently facing. 

 

The Cable reported that he added that the Boko Haram leader needs prayers from both Christian and Muslims residents of Maiduguri and is ready to ask for forgiveness.

Man narrates how a policeman tried searching him while flouting Coronavirus rules

 

A Nigerian man has narrated how a policeman allegedly tried searching him while flouting Coronavirus rules. 

 

According to @Josh_IK, he told the police officer to use a face mask and hand sanitizer. He added that after he called to report the incident, he was queried for not reporting it while it was happening. 

 

He tweeted; 

 

A policeman just asked me to alight from my ride, none of the animals had their face mask on and the fool tried to touch my pocket all in the name of searching and I asked him to use a face mask and hand sanitizer before he can get close to me. I no go gree

Free and omw to my destination. These rogues are back, same animals different uniforms.

I called this number to ask why the officers are making contacts with people without face mask and the man asked why I didn't call the number while they were searching me. lol. I get time today.

Pope Francis’ personal doctor dies from COVID-19

 

Fabrizio Soccorsi, the personal doctor of Pope Francis has died from COVID-19 complications.

 

Catholic News Agency reported that the 78-year-old physician was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for a previous health issue on December 26.  While he was dealing with an “oncological pathology,” COVID was the cause of death, the Vatican’s newspaper L’Osservatore Romano reported.

 

In August 2015, Pope Francis named him his personal physician after not renewing the term of papal doctor Patrizio Polisca, who was also head of the Vatican’s healthcare services.

 

Since the pontificate of St. Pope John Paul II, the two positions had been tied together, but Pope Francis diverged from this custom by choosing Soccorsi, a doctor from outside the Vatican.

 

The Pope recently declared it was within Catholic doctrine, and actually an ethical obligation, to receive vaccination against COVID and said he would be receiving his first dose shortly.

 

“It is morally acceptable to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process,” the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said in a statement approved by Francis in December.

Davido's newly signed artiste and DMW First lady, Liya among those arrested at Lagos club (photos)

 

Davido's signee/DMW's first lady, Liya was pictured among club goers arrested in Lagos for flouting the COVID-19 rules. 

 

Recall that the police in Lagos State early Saturday raided a nightclub and arrested many fun seekers. Clubbing has been suspended in the state as Lagos joins the rest of Nigeria to check the spread of COVID-19.

 

 

Lagos police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi who confirmed the arrest of the clubgoers said Commissioner of police, Hammed Odumosu personally led his team on the midnight raid. He identified the club raided as Lounge 38, Bode Thomas, Surulere. 

 

 

A quick check revealed that a female artiste who was recently signed to DMW by Davido, was among those arrested. 

 

Here are photos below;