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Spain, Portugal express delight over joint 2030 World Cup bid with Morocco

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European football giants, Spain and Portugal, have expressed their delight with Morocco over the 2030 World Cup Joint bid proposed by the North African country.

Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, on Thursday, described the bid as a “very good and positive message to the world,” that football has the capability of bringing nations together.

“The bid sends a very important message to the whole world, to Europe and to Africa. We are two neighboring continents that want to work together.”

“Through this bid, what we want is to celebrate sport together by defending a fair and balanced competition.”

On his part, Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Costa, who addressed a joint press conference, said:

“We should be happy with his decision, because it puts this bid in a better position to win this race.”

Morocco officially announced its decision to make a transcontinental bid with Spain and Portugal on Tuesday during the CAF President Outstanding Achievement Awards ceremony in Kigali, Rwanda.

Morocco’s Minister of Sports, Chakib Benmoussa, had announced the bid through a written message by King Mohammed VI, addressed to the participants at the CAF awards ceremony.

“I would like to announce, before this assembly, that the Kingdom of Morocco has decided, together with Spain and Portugal, to present a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup,” the message said.

“This joint bid, which is unprecedented in football history, will bring together Africa and Europe, the northern and southern Mediterranean, and the African, Arab and Euro-Mediterranean worlds.”

“It will also bring out the best in all of us – in effect, a combination of genius, creativity, experience, and means,” the Monarch added.

This is not the first time Morocco is bidding to host the FIFA, though.

In 2018, the North African country lost its bid to host the 2026 World Cup to the joint bid of the US, Mexico, and Canada but with its recent giant strides, especially reaching the semi final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and successfully hosting the FIFA Club tournament, the current bid is seen by many as having the potential of sailing through.

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Nigeria’s 4x400m mixed relay, 4×400 teams qualify for Olympics

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Team Nigeria on Sunday morning booked two places at the upcoming Paris Olympics Games in the Mixed 4x400m relay and 4X400m men’s events with automatic qualification spots at the ongoing World Relays in the Bahamas.

The mixed 4x400m relay team which had the quartet of Samuel Ogazi, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Chidi Okezie, and Esther Elo Joseph, picked the slot after finishing second behind the USA in their heat with a time of 3:13.79, to ensured Nigeria’s presence on the Olympic stage.

Both Nigeria and the US were a distance ahead of other in the heat and it was obvious as at the third leg that the race was between the two countries.

According to reports on the race, Okezie ran an impressive third leg in 44.78 to handover his baton first, but a US Olympics gold-medalist, Kendall Ellis, was too much for Esther Elo Joseph in the anchor leg as she led the United States to the finish line first.

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Kenyan footballer arrested over brutal robbery, murder case

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A Kenyan footballer, Byron Billy Owuor, has been arrested in connection with a violent robbery that led to the murder of a businesswoman in the Kondele area of Kisumu County of the country.

Owuor, a former Kisumu All-Stars player, was arrested after an AK47 rifle linked to violent robbery and murder was recovered and linked to him.

According to media reports, the 26-year-old midfielder was arrested along with another suspect for their alleged roles in a crime that has shocked the local community.

Police authorities confirmed that they seized the AK47 and 36 rounds of live ammunition linked to the robbery which took place on January 27th.

In a statement by the country’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the weapon was used to fatally shoot the business woman, Grace Awino Adero, who operated an M-Pesa shop with her husband.

“The assailants attacked the couple, making off with the day’s earnings and killing Mrs. Adero, while her husband narrowly survived the encounter,” the DCI said.

“The cold-blooded killers, believed to be part of a larger gang, fled the scene on an unmarked motorcycle, retreating to a hideout in Kasagam.

“Hours later, a suspicious saloon car was located by the Kasagam police during a routine patrol. Upon searching the vehicle, officers discovered a homemade pistol and four mobile phones, alongside an AK47 rifle without its magazine.

“The investigation revealed that the rifle had been obtained illegally from Uganda,” the DCI noted.

A media report stated that the case took a significant turn when detectives identified Robert Wakolo Okoth, also known as Michael Osama, as the alleged mastermind behind the syndicate’s criminal activities.

“Following this lead, a coordinated sting operation was conducted at Osama’s residence near Rai Primary School in Kasagam. During the raid, Osama’s 17-year-old brother, also believed to be a gang member, was arrested.

“The items recovered from the house include an AK47 magazine loaded with ammunition, six rounds of .38 special ammunition typically used in pistols, and five ID cards from different individuals.

“A green camouflage bag and a Kenya Armed Forces Comrades Association card were also found, pointing to the serious nature of the gang’s operations.

“With the arraignment at the Winam Senior Principal Magistrate’s Court, detectives have been granted an additional 14 days to wrap up their investigation.

“The focus now turns to capturing the remaining gang members whose identities have been uncovered but remain at large,” the statement said.

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